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How Long Does It Take to Finish a Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN)?
Herzing Staff Sep 9, 2026
Wondering how long it will be before you can finish your Bachelor of Science in Nursing and start working as a registered nurse (RN)? The answer is: it depends. A BSN can take anywhere from 12 months to four years to complete.
The amount of time required to earn your BSN will vary based on whether you're already a licensed RN, whether you have a prior degree, whether you have credits to transfer and how the school you choose structures its program.
For example, Herzing University offers a BSN program that takes new students as few as three years to complete compared to the traditional four years.
This article looks at the different potential timelines for BSN students at Herzing depending on their starting point and describes some of the other features of our BSN pathways.
Four Factors That Influence How Long It Takes You to Finish Your BSN
Every student brings a unique background to their BSN degree. Here are the four aspects of your history that determine how long it takes you to finish your BSN:
Transfer credit: If you’ve already taken general education classes or other prerequisites, you may not need to retake them when you start your BSN. Herzing accepts up to 90 approved credits; finishing the BSN requires 120 credits.
Previous credentials in healthcare: If you’re a licensed practical nurse (LPN) or a certified cardiovascular technician, respiratory therapist, paramedic or military medic, you may be eligible to block transfer credit toward your BSN. Depending on your past training, you could transfer anywhere from 54 to 90 credits. And if you're already a registered nurse with a diploma or an associate degree, our RN to BSN program is built to credit the nursing education you've already completed.
Course load and breaks: Our published program lengths assume that you’ll study on a full-time schedule and stay continuously enrolled throughout your program. If you choose to study part-time or need to take a break, that will obviously impact your BSN timeline.
Admission readiness and prerequisites: If you’re a career changer with a prior bachelor’s degree in another field, you may need to take science prerequisites before you can start your Accelerated BSN program at Herzing. This can extend your timeline.
Another important fact to remember: if you're not yet licensed, you don’t complete the licensure process until after you graduate from your BSN program, which means you don’t start work immediately.
Tack on another one to two months to your plans to preparing to take the exam, completing all licensure paperwork in your state and finally completing the NCLEX-RN exam.
Comparing Herzing’s BSN Pathways
The reason earning a BSN with Herzing can take 12 months to three years is because we offer different pathways for students coming from different starting points. Here’s an overview of the different options available:
Pathway | Program length | Credits | Format | Who it’s built for | Where it’s offered |
36 months | 120 | Gen eds online; core nursing courses, labs and clinicals on campus | Students new to nursing who want an on-campus experience | 10 campuses in GA, WI, TN, MN, LA and FL | |
36 months | 120 | 100% online didactic; in-person clinicals near you + three on-site intensives (Brookfield or Nashville) | Students new to nursing who need schedule flexibility | Online: available in 23 approved states | |
20–24 months | 120 | Gen eds online; core nursing on campus. Year-round, no traditional breaks | Career changers who already hold a bachelor’s degree in another field | 10 campuses | |
As few as 12 months | 120 | 100% online, no traditional clinicals; includes a community health project. Eight-week sessions, full- or part-time | Licensed RNs who hold a diploma or an associate degree (ADN/ASN) | Online | |
28 months | 120 | Hybrid (gen eds online + on-campus nursing classes) or online + in-person labs and intensives | Licensed practical nurses | 10 campuses + online | |
28 months | 120 | Hybrid or online + in-person labs and intensives | Licensed paramedics | 10 campuses + online | |
28 months | 120 | Hybrid or online + in-person labs and intensives | Practicing respiratory therapists | 10 campuses + online | |
28 months | 120 | Hybrid or online + in-person labs and intensives | Practicing cardiovascular technologists | 10 campuses + online | |
28 months | 120 | Hybrid or online + in-person labs and intensives | Military medics (Air Force med techs, Army 68W/68C, Navy Hospital Corpsmen, etc.) | 10 campuses |
Working out how long it would take you to complete your BSN with full-time, continuously enrolled study is as simple as finding the row that describes where you are today. Note that transfer credit and other prior learning may shorten the time it takes you to finish.
Also note that all pre-licensure pathways lead to the same 120-credit bachelor’s degree program: one that prepares you to become eligible to take the NCLEX-RN exam to become an RN. The RN to BSN program is also 120 credits, but it's built for nurses who have already passed the NCLEX-RN and hold a license.
A Closer Look at Each BSN Pathway
The table gives you the timeline at a glance. Here’s a little more about who each pathway is built for and what your experience will look like along the way.
BSN — Traditional On-Campus Program
This is where most students new to nursing begin. You’ll take your general education courses online and complete your core nursing courses, labs and clinicals on campus. Studying full time and staying continuously enrolled, you can finish the 120-credit degree in 36 months rather than the traditional four years.
We offer it at 10 campuses across Georgia, Wisconsin, Tennessee, Minnesota, Louisiana and Florida.
BSN — Online
If you’re new to nursing but can’t build your week around a campus schedule, this pathway gives you another way in. Your didactic coursework is 100% online, and you’ll complete in-person clinicals at a healthcare facility near you plus three on-site intensives in Brookfield or Nashville.
The timeline and the credit count match our on-campus program: 36 months and 120 credits. Available only in select states; make sure you check whether we enroll in your state before you apply.
Accelerated BSN (ABSN)
If you already hold a bachelor’s degree in another field, you don’t need to begin at the beginning. The ABSN is built for career changers. You’ll transfer general education credit from your prior degree. If you need to take gen ed or science prerequisites, you can complete them online.
Core nursing courses and labs take place on campus. The schedule requires you to study year-round without traditional breaks, and can be completed in 20 to 24 months, depending on whether you need to complete science prerequisites before you start.
RN to BSN
If you're already working as a registered nurse with a diploma or an associate degree, you don't need a pathway to licensure: you need a pathway to the bachelor's. Our RN to BSN program is delivered 100% online with no traditional clinicals. It can be completed in as few as 12 months.
Classes run in eight-week sessions with full-time and part-time options, so you can set a pace that fits around your shifts. In place of clinicals, you'll complete a community health project. How quickly you finish depends largely on how much credit transfers in from your nursing program and any prior coursework.
LPN to BSN Bridge
If you’re a licensed practical nurse, this 28-month pathway is designed to build on the training, coursework and experience you already have. You can study on campus (with online gen eds) take the online route, completing all didactic coursework online plus in-person labs and intensives. Depending on your past training, you may be eligible to block transfer anywhere from 54 to 90 credits.
Paramedic to BSN Bridge
Licensed paramedics already work in patient care, and this 28-month pathway is designed to build on that experience. You’ll focus on the nursing coursework, labs and clinical hours that help prepare you to become eligible for the NCLEX-RN exam. Choose the on-campus route or study online with in-person labs and intensives. You may be eligible to block transfer 54 to 90 credits.
RT to BSN Bridge
Practicing respiratory therapists spend their days in clinical settings alongside nursing teams. This 28-month pathway is designed to build on that background as you complete the coursework, labs and clinicals required for the 120-credit degree. Like our other bridge options, it’s available on campus or online with in-person labs and intensives, and you may be eligible to block transfer 54 to 90 credits.
CVT to BSN Bridge
If you’re working as a practicing cardiovascular technologist, this 28-month pathway is designed to build on the clinical training you already have rather than start you over. You can complete it on campus or online with in-person labs and intensives, and you may be eligible to block transfer 54 to 90 credits toward the 120-credit degree.
Military Medic to BSN Bridge
Military-connected students who trained as medics bring real patient care experience with them, and this 28-month pathway is designed to build on it. You may be eligible to block transfer 54 to 90 credits toward the 120-credit degree, depending on an evaluation of your prior training.
Frequently Asked Questions About Earning a BSN Degree
What is a BSN degree, and how long does it take to earn one?
A BSN, or Bachelor of Science in Nursing, is a 120-credit baccalaureate undergraduate degree and a key step toward becoming a registered nurse (RN). At Herzing University, the time it takes to complete a BSN degree varies depending on your starting point. The Accelerated BSN (for students with a non-nursing bachelor’s degree) takes 20 to 24 months.
The bridge pathways for LPNs, paramedics, respiratory therapists, cardiovascular technologists and military medics take 28 months. The traditional on-campus and online programs take 36 months. If you're already a licensed RN, the online RN to BSN program takes as few as 12 months.
Can I earn a Bachelor of Science in Nursing degree faster if I already have a bachelor’s degree?
Yes. The Accelerated BSN (ABSN) is built for career changers who already hold a bachelor’s degree in another field, and it takes 20 to 24 months rather than three years. The program runs year-round without traditional breaks, which is part of what shortens the timeline.
Depending on your prior coursework, you may need to complete science prerequisites first, so it’s worth walking through your transcript with an admissions advisor early.
How many credits can I transfer into a Herzing BSN program?
We accept up to 90 approved transfer credits toward the 120 credits required to finish the BSN. If you hold a healthcare credential as a licensed practical nurse, paramedic, respiratory therapist, cardiovascular technologist or military medic, you may be eligible to block transfer anywhere from 54 to 90 credits through one of our bridge pathways.
The exact number depends on your past training and the results of your prior credit evaluation.
Can I earn a BSN degree online?
You can complete your didactic coursework 100% online through our online BSN pathway, which is available in select states. Nursing is a hands-on profession, though, so the program also includes in-person clinicals at a healthcare facility near you and three on-site intensives in Brookfield or Nashville.
Clinicals put you in a real care setting with real patients. Intensives bring online students together to practice skills in person.
I'm already an RN. How long does an online RN to BSN program take?
Herzing's RN to BSN program takes as few as 12 months and is delivered 100% online, with no traditional clinicals. It's built for registered nurses who hold a diploma or an associate degree (ADN/ASN) and want to complete the 120-credit bachelor's degree. Classes run in eight-week sessions, and you can study full time or part time.
Because you're already licensed, there's no NCLEX-RN at the end of this program: you finish with the bachelor's degree that opens the door to leadership roles, specialized practice and graduate study.
Am I a registered nurse the day I graduate?
Not quite. Graduating from a BSN program makes you eligible to sit for the NCLEX-RN exam, and you become an RN once you pass it and complete the licensure requirements in your state. Plan on another one to two months after graduation for preparation, testing, and licensure paperwork before you can begin working as an RN.
What happens to my BSN timeline if I study part time or take a break?
Your completion date moves out. The program lengths listed above assume full-time study with continuous enrollment, so a part-time course load or a term away will extend your timeline. That’s a reasonable choice for a lot of working adults. It just helps to plan for it, and we’re here to talk through what it means for your finish date.
Find the BSN Pathway That Fits Where You Are
There isn’t one right way to earn a BSN degree. Whether you’re coming straight out of high school, changing careers after a bachelor’s degree, finishing your bachelor’s as a working RN or building on years of experience as a licensed practical nurse, paramedic, respiratory therapist, cardiovascular technologist or military medic, we have a pathway built for where you are right now.
The next step is a conversation. Our admissions advisors will discuss your background and prior coursework with you, help you find the pathway that fits and give you a timeline based on your own starting point instead of an average.
Explore Herzing’s BSN pathways or request information to get started.
Learn about our BSN programs
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