Associate or Bachelor's
LPN to RN Pathways
ASN/BSN Program Bridge Options
Associate or Bachelor's
LPN to RN Pathways
ASN/BSN Program Bridge Options
Bridge from LPN to RN with Herzing University
Accreditation | CCNE accredited BSN Bridge option;1 Accredited by the Higher Learning Commission; |
---|---|
Degree pathways | Choose an Associate of Science/Applied Science in Nursing (AASN/ASN) or Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) degree path |
Finish faster | Take advantage of your current licensure and experience and earn an AASN/ASN or BSN faster than a traditional pre-licensure program |
Format | Hybrid delivery: take gen eds online, take core nursing courses on campus - you may also choose to take the online BSN bridge option with 100% online didactic classwork |
Location | Available at multiple campus locations; the BSN bridge option is also available online |
QuickPaths | Transfer credit, stackable credentials, and adaptive learning technology build a faster pathway to a higher education with Herzing University |
All program availability, accreditation, and additional details vary by degree choice and campus location. |
![BSN Bridge Option - Practical Nurses (LPN)](/sites/default/files/styles/fp_500x300_jpg/public/2023-01/onl-bsn.jpg?h=34bbd072&itok=QnccQw2Z)
Overview: ASN/BSN Bridge Options for LPNs
The LPN to RN educational pathway includes associate and bachelor's degree in nursing program options which prepare you for a career as a registered nurse. Each program provides students with fundamental knowledge and skills needed to transition into professional nursing and deliver care to diverse patient populations.
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Career-focused curriculum
Discover the crucial knowledge and skills required to succeed in your work and build a foundation for continued career growth.
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Flexible schedule
We work hard to help you maintain school-life balance, striving to be as flexible as possible for busy non-traditional students.
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Experienced faculty
Get face-to-face instruction from experienced and credentialed faculty with real-world success in the field.
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Lifelong support
We support your ongoing career advancement by providing comprehensive, personalized student services with lifelong career coaching.
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Rolling admissions
No application deadlines to worry about. Apply when you’re ready and prepare to get started soon.
Classes Start May 6th
Learn More Today
Choose your career pathway with Herzing
LPN to AASN/ASN
- Program length: 16-20 months
- Credits: 72-73 credits to graduate
Campus availability
LPN to BSN
- Program length: 28 months
- Credits: 120 credits to graduate
Campus availability
Your nursing career is possible
Join Emily and embark on a complete, holistic, career-focused education preparing you with the skills and knowledge to succeed as a registered nurse.
Admissions requirements
Enrollment prerequisites for all LPN to ASN/BSN options include:
High school diploma or equivalent (Diploma, HSED, or GED)
- Minimum 2.5 GPAi
- You must hold a PN diploma. If you have not received licensure, you may be provisionally admitted, in which case you must provide evidence of a current, active, and unrestricted license as a practical nurse by the end of the first 8-week session
- Earn a minimum score on the Test of Essential Academic Skills (TEAS) from the Assessment Technology Institute (ATI)—minimum score varies by campus location
i. Students with 18 or more transferable collegiate credits will be assessed on their collegiate cumulative GPA. Otherwise, the high school GPA will be used.
Classes Start May 6th
Waived Enrollment FeeJob outlook and pay potential
According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, employment of registered nurse is expected to increase 6% from 2022-2032.*
Registered nurses earn an average salary of $89,010 per year ($42.80 per hour). That would represent a significant raise for the average LPN/LVN in the US ($55,860 per year, $26.86 per hour).
You can take a big step forward in your nursing career by becoming an RN.
Going from LPN to RN
As a registered nurse you’ll be the backbone of day-to-day operations in many healthcare settings. RNs help to:
- Develop and direct treatment plans
- Counsel patients and family members
- Ensure patient comfort
- Serve as the key connection between doctors and patients
Registered Nurse ranks as the #8 Best Healthcare Job for 2023 according to U.S. News & World Report.
Approved roles and responsibilities for both LPNs/LVNs and RNs vary by state. But generally speaking, RNs enjoy a significantly broader scope of practice than LPNs. Earn an undergraduate nursing degree and you can discover new levels of career mobility.
Transitioning from LPN to RN represents an expansion of your scope of practice, higher salary potential, and greater career prospects in the future.
Frequently Asked Questions
According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the average salary for registered nurses is $89,010 per year ($42.80 per hour)*. Nurses with a bachelor’s degree tend to fall on the upper side of that average due to their advanced education and their qualification to help hospitals earn Magnet Recognition.
The BLS projects a 6% increase in need for registered nurses from 2022-2032.* RNs are in demand, and earning a BSN can help your resume stand out and give you a better chance of getting the job you really want.
While Registered Nurses (RN) and Licensed Practical Nurses (LPN) often work together in collaboration in hospitals and other healthcare facilities, their roles and responsibilities are very different. Learn more about the biggest differences between practical nurses (LPN/LVN) and registered nurses (RN).
Our nursing programs are designed to be challenging, but not impossible. Your career as a registered nurse will be demanding, and our goal is to help you succeed and become the best healthcare provider you can be. We won’t do you any favors by making things too easy.
Learn more about how hard nursing school really is from Herzing graduates who have been through it. You will have support from Herzing University faculty, staff and other students every step of the way. Never be afraid to ask for help when you need it!
There are many different nursing specialties to choose from. Depending on your personality, educational background and preferred working environment you can follow your own personalized path in the nursing profession.
Here are a few popular nursing specialties you may consider:
- Aesthetic or Cosmetic nurse
- Assisted living nurse
- Cardiac/cardiovascular nurse
- Emergency room nurse
- Flight nurse
- Home health nurse
- Labor and Delivery nurse (L&D)
- Med/surgical nurse
- Neonatal/NICU nurse
- Nurse Anesthetist
- Oncology nurse
- Pediatric nurse
- Public health nurse
- Travel nurse
You can take our nursing personality quiz to get a better idea of what you might prefer in your nursing career.
The cost varies based on several factors, including credits you’re able to transfer, campus location, and financial aid for which you are eligible.
You can use our Tuition Wizard to estimate tuition, discover scholarship and grant possibilities, and find out how much transfer credit can lower the cost.
The length of the degree program roughly estimates a baseline for how long it would take for you to go from LPN to RN.
Earning a degree does not by itself make you eligible to practice. You’ll need to pass the NCLEX-RN and meet the Board of Nursing requirements in your state. These additional steps don’t take too much extra time after graduation. How long you have to wait after graduation to take the NCLEX depends on state requirements, but you can generally expect to take the exam within 1-2 months.
You can potentially get an education and become an RN faster on the associate degree path. With prior LPN education and experience, you can earn an ASN in as few as 16 months through our program.
The LPN to BSN pathway takes longer (28 months through our program), but there are many benefits to taking the extra time to earn a bachelor’s degree.
The advantages of a BSN can include:
- Increased autonomy in decision making while on the job
- Open doors to more specialties in the nursing field
- Become a more attractive candidate for hospitals seeking Magnet Recognition
- Build a foundation to grow into education or leadership pathways
- Positions you better for nursing jobs with higher pay
- Qualify to enroll in an MSN program
- Become more familiar and educated with evidence-based practice opportunities
- Increase knowledge and understanding of RN specialties and skills
- Transition from “technical” to “professional” RN
- Gain a deeper knowledge of nursing theory and leadership theory
A 2022 study from the American Association of Colleges of Nursing (AACN) indicates employers have the level of education at top of mind in the hiring process. Based on responses from nursing schools, the survey revealed 69.8% of employers show a strong preference for BSN graduates.
The ultimate benefit is bettering yourself, becoming the best nurse you can be and following the career path of your choosing.
Regulation has been deliberated for many years. There is currently only one state which has taken concrete action to make BSNs effectively mandatory for nurses – New York. Their “BSN in 10” bill, passed in January 2017, requires registered nurses holding an associate degree to earn their BSN qualification within 10 years of their initial RN licensure.
Two primary competing factors cloud the issue:
- Hospitals are incentivized to hire more BSN-prepared nurses. Organizations seeking Magnet Recognition must require all nurse managers to hold a BSN.
- Nurses are in very high demand. The American Association of Colleges of Nursing (AACN) calls it a shortage in nursing. Raising minimum education requirements may decrease the pool of eligible employable RNs.
Because of the high demand for nurses, sweeping legislation making bachelor’s degrees mandatory across the board seems unlikely. However, make sure to keep an eye on what’s happening in your state!
It’s a question of:
- What your goals are
- How quickly you want to reach them
If your goal is to go from LPN to RN quickly, the best choice may be an associate’s degree program since you may be able to become an RN in less than 2 years.
If your goal is to become an RN and potentially advance further by working towards a master’s degree in nursing (MSN), your best option is a bachelor’s degree in nursing program.
Read about the most basic differences between ADN vs. BSN and discover what's best for you.
Disclosures & accreditation
1. The baccalaureate degree program in nursing at Herzing University Brookfield, Kenosha, Madison, Minneapolis and Orlando are accredited by the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (http://www.ccneaccreditation.org). This accreditation includes the baccalaureate degree program offered at the satellite Herzing University Tampa location. Herzing University is approved to offer programs in an online learning modality through association with the main campus in Madison, Wisconsin.
Associate of Applied Science in Nursing: The Associate of Applied Science in Nursing program at the Akron location has accredited status with the State of Ohio Board of Nursing (17 South High Street, Suite 400, Columbus, Ohio, 43215-7410, 614-466-3947, www.nursing.ohio.gov). Consequently, graduates are eligible to sit for the National Council of State Boards of Nursing (NCLEX-RN) licensing exam upon successful completion of the program. Passing this exam allows graduates to apply to the State Board of Nursing for licensure as a registered nurse.
The Associate of Applied Science in Nursing program at Herzing University Akron is accredited by the Accreditation Commission for Education in Nursing (ACEN, 3390 Peachtree Road NE, Suite 1400 Atlanta, GA 30326, (404) 975-5000, www.acenursing.org). The most recent accreditation decision made by the ACEN Board of Commissioners for the Associate of Applied Science in Nursing program is Continuing Accreditation with Conditions. View the public information disclosed by the ACEN regarding this program at http://www.acenursing.com/accreditedprograms/programsearch.htm.
The Associate of Science in Nursing and Associate of Science in Nursing LPN-RN Bridge programs at the Birmingham location are approved by the Alabama Board of Nursing (RSA Plaza, 770 Washington Avenue, Suite 250, Montgomery, Alabama, 36104, 334-293-5200, www.abn.alabama.gov). Upon completion of the program, graduates are eligible to apply the State Board of Nursing to sit for the National Council of State Boards of Nursing (NCLEX-RN) licensing exam.
The Associate of Science in Nursing program at Herzing University – Birmingham located in Birmingham, Alabama is accredited by the:
Accreditation Commission for Education in Nursing (ACEN)
3390 Peachtree Road NE, Suite 1400, Atlanta, GA 30326
(404) 975-5000
The most recent accreditation decision made by the ACEN Board of Commissioners for the Associate of Science in Nursing program is Initial Accreditation.
View the public information disclosed by the ACEN regarding this program at http://www.acenursing.com/accreditedprograms/programsearch.htm
Associate of Science in Nursing: The Associate of Science in Nursing program at the Orlando location has an accredited status with the Florida Board of Nursing (4042 Bald Cypress Way, Tallahassee, Florida, 32399-3252, 850-245-4125, (www.floridasnursing.gov). Consequently, graduates are eligible to sit for the National Council of State Boards of Nursing (NCLEX-RN) licensing exam upon successful completion of the program. Passing this exam allows graduates to apply to the State Board of Nursing for licensure as a registered nurse.
The Associate of Science in Nursing program at Herzing University at the Orlando campus located in Winter Park, Florida is accredited by the: Accreditation Commission for Education in Nursing (ACEN), 3390 Peachtree Road NE, Suite 1400 Atlanta, GA 30326, (404) 975-5000. . The most recent accreditation decision made by the ACEN Board of Commissioners for the Associate of Science in Nursing program is Continuing Accreditation. View the public information disclosed by the ACEN regarding this program at http://www.acenursing.com/accreditedprograms/programsearch.htm.
Associate of Science in Nursing: The Associate of Science in Nursing program at the Tampa location has an approval status with the Florida Board of Nursing (4042 Bald Cypress Way, Tallahassee, Florida, 32399-3252, 850-245-4125, (www.floridasnursing.gov). Consequently, graduates are eligible to sit for the National Council of State Boards of Nursing (NCLEX-RN) licensing exam upon successful completion of the program. Passing this exam allows graduates to apply to the State Board of Nursing for licensure as a registered nurse.
Effective April 24, 2023, this nursing program is a candidate for initial accreditation by the Accreditation Commission for Education in Nursing. This candidacy status expires on April 24, 2025.
Accreditation Commission for Education in Nursing (ACEN)
3390 Peachtree Road NE, Suite 1400
Atlanta, GA 30326
(404) 975-5000
http://www.acenursing.com/candidates/candidacy.asp
Note: Upon granting of initial accreditation by the ACEN Board of Commissioners, the effective date of initial accreditation is the date on which the nursing program was approved by the ACEN as a candidate program that concluded in the Board of Commissioners granting initial accreditation.
Herzing University is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission (hlcommission.org), an institutional accreditation agency recognized by the U.S. Department of Education.
* Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), U.S. Department of Labor, Occupational Outlook Handbook 2022. BLS estimates do not represent entry-level wages and/or salaries. Multiple factors, including prior experience, age, geography market in which you want to work and degree field, will affect career outcomes and earnings. Herzing neither represents that its graduates will earn the average salaries calculated by BLS for a particular job nor guarantees that graduation from its program will result in a job, promotion, salary increase or other career growth.