Best One-Year Online Nursing Degree Programs of 2025

If you’re considering a career in nursing, you may be looking for ways to earn your degree quickly and efficiently. Fortunately, a growing number of one-year nursing programs available online can help you achieve your goals. In this article, we’ll highlight some of the best one-year nursing programs available online and provide tips on reducing the time it takes to earn your degree. Whether you’re looking to jumpstart your nursing career or ready to take the next step in your education, these programs can help you get there faster and more affordably than traditional degree programs.

How To Reduce The Amount of Time It Takes To Earn Your Nursing Degree

With the right approach, you can reduce the time it takes to earn your nursing degree and avoid spending years in school. You can earn your degree in as little as one year using these tips and techniques. In this list, we’ll explore some effective strategies for accelerating your nursing education and launching your career as soon as possible.

Prior learning assessment

It’s possible to demonstrate college-level learning through prior learning assessments. These assessments can establish knowledge and skills gained through work experience, military service, or self-study. They are an excellent option for students looking to reduce the time it takes to earn their nursing degree.

For example, suppose you have taken Advanced Placement (AP), International Baccalaureate (IB), or College-Level Examination Program (CLEP) exams in high school. In that case, you can earn college credit for your courses. Similarly, if you have military experience, you can earn college credit through the American Council on Education (ACE) or the Joint Services Transcript (JST).

As for nursing courses, you can earn credit for these courses if you have previously worked as a nurse. The knowledge and skills acquired through your work experience may already align with the coursework required for your nursing degree.

In addition, some nursing programs offer a process called “Credit for Prior Learning” or “Credit for Prior Learning Assessment,” which evaluates the knowledge and skills of an individual who has worked as a nurse and awards credit for relevant coursework accordingly. This process typically involves an assessment of the student’s nursing experience and credentials and evaluating how closely their expertise aligns with the nursing program’s curriculum.

Competency-based learning

Many nursing programs use a competency-based learning model that focuses on assessing the knowledge and skills of students in specific areas of nursing practice. In this model, students can earn college credit by demonstrating competency in the relevant areas of study through a series of assessments rather than completing additional assignments or coursework.

This approach to learning is more efficient than traditional programs that require students to complete a certain number of credit hours or assignments. In a competency-based learning model, students can move through the program at an accelerated pace and complete assignments when they feel ready, rather than waiting for the end of a semester or course.

In addition, competency-based learning models often focus on real-world scenarios and hands-on experience, which can help students develop the practical skills necessary to succeed in their nursing careers. This approach can also be more engaging for nursing students, as they can see the immediate relevance of their learning to their future work.

Course load

If you have the time and energy to handle a heavier course load, maxing out your course load can help you earn your degree faster. Colleges usually allow students to take up to 18 credit hours per fall/spring semester, even though 12 is generally considered a full-time semester.

By taking a heavier course load, you can earn more credits each semester and progress through your degree program more quickly. However, it is essential to note that taking a heavier course load can also be challenging and may require more time and effort outside of class.

Before deciding to take on additional courses, it’s crucial to consider your ability to handle the workload and balance your other responsibilities, such as a full-time job or family obligations. It can also be helpful to speak with an academic advisor or counselor to discuss further the potential benefits and drawbacks that may be unique to your program.

Winter and summer semesters

Many schools offer courses during the winter and summer terms in addition to the traditional fall and spring semesters. Taking advantage of these opportunities is another way to progress through your degree program faster.

You can earn additional credits outside of the regular academic year by taking courses during the winter and summer terms. This can help you complete your degree requirements and launch your nursing career faster.

Additionally, taking courses during the winter and summer terms can help nursing students stay on track and avoid delays in their degree programs. For example, if a student fails a course or needs to retake a class for a higher grade, taking it during the winter or summer term can help them catch up and avoid falling behind in their coursework.

Accelerated degree programs

Accelerated degree programs can be an excellent option for aspiring nurses looking to complete their degree programs in less time. These programs use compact schedules and an accelerated format to reduce the time it takes to earn a degree, usually by compressing a four-year degree into three years or less.

While accelerated programs can be an excellent way for students to save time and money, they can also be quite challenging. These programs require students to learn new concepts faster than in a standard degree program, which can be difficult for many students.

Before enrolling in an accelerated program, preparing yourself to devote significant time and effort to your studies is vital. You may need to attend classes more frequently, complete more assignments faster, and spend additional time studying outside of class to meet tight deadlines.

However, if you’re up for the challenge, an accelerated degree program can be a great way to jumpstart your career and start working as a nurse sooner. As a bonus, these programs often provide students with hands-on experience and exposure to a wide range of nursing specialties, which can be valuable when entering the job market.

Our Research

This list features some of the country’s best one-year online nursing programs. Each school featured is a nonprofit, accredited institution, either public or private, with a high standard of academic quality for post-secondary institutions.

We evaluated each school’s program on tuition costs, admission, retention and graduation rates, faculty, and reputation. Then, we calculated the Intelligent Score on a scale of 0 to 100. Read more about our ranking methodology.

Next, we compared this comprehensive list of the best one-year online nursing programs to a list of aggregated college rankings from reputable publications, such as U.S. News & World Report, to simplify a student’s college search. We pored through these rankings so students don’t have to.

Read More about Online Nursing Degrees

• Best Accelerated Online Nursing Degree Programs
• Best Online Nursing Degree Programs for Non-Nurses