Online LPN to BSN Programs in Virginia: View Top VA Schools
Are you ready to make the jump from licensed practical nurse (LPN) to registered nurse (RN)? As an LPN, you can earn a Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) degree quickly and affordably through an LPN to BSN program in Virginia. In this guide, you’ll find valuable information and advice that can help you get started. This info includes spotlighted programs, what you’ll learn as you study, how much money you can expect to pay for your degree, and how much time LPN to BSN programs in Virginia take to complete. Let EduMed help you take the first step in your LPN to BSN journey by reading the guide below.
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Inside Online LPN to BSN Programs in Virginia
We’ll emphasize LPN to BSN programs available in Virginia to give you a jumpstart on your program search and give you a clear idea of what to expect from the program you choose. Our selections are based on several important program elements, including affordability, academic quality, and access to useful student support services.
In an LPN to BSN program, you’ll receive training that builds on your LPN skills so you can provide an advanced level of nursing care and take on the greater professional responsibilities of an RN. Read on for programs that will foster your growth as an LPN while you earn a BSN.
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Eastern Mennonite University – LPN to BSN program
Eastern Mennonite University (EMU), a private school, offers a full range of undergraduate and graduate nursing degrees and certificates, including a four-semester LPN to BSN program. This program can be considered a degree completion program because it allows students to transfer 58 semester hours of previously earned college credit (including general education and seven program-specific prerequisite courses) prior to the start of the LPN to BSN curriculum.
Following completion of the first semester of the program, LPNs are awarded seven semester credits that are applied to the Foundations of Professional Nursing and Fundamentals Practicum courses. Students will attend didactic nursing classes and simulation labs on EMU’s Harrisonburg, Virginia, campus. Students can also complete 350 direct-care clinical hours at a program-approved healthcare facility. LPNs can convert all of their clinical hours into adult health practicum courses. This allows them to complete clinical requirements in less time than traditional BSN students.
Eastern Mennonite University is regionally accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACSCOC). Its BSN program is accredited by the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education(CCNE) and approved by the Virginia Board of Nursing (VBON). Graduates of the LPN to BSN program are eligible to take the NCLEX-RN exam.
Duration: 120 credits (Four years)
Mode: Hybrid
Cost: $44,800 per year (tuition)
Admissions Requirements:
- Current LPN license
- Cumulative GPA of 2.8
- Must complete 58 credit hours of college courses before enrollment
Curriculum:
- Holistic Health
- Pathophysiology/Pharmacology
- Faith, Ethics, Power, Systems, and Justice
- Adult Nursing Care
- Psychological Nursing
- Nursing Care of Children/Beginning Family
- Evidence Based Practice
- Leadership
- Community Health
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Hampton University – LPN to BSN option
Hampton University is a private, historically Black university located in the city of Hampton in the Virginia Beach-Norfolk-Newport News metropolitan area. The school offers an LPN to BSN option as part of its four-year traditional BSN program. The 120-credit, full-time course of study consists of two years of pre-professional coursework (which includes all general education and pre-nursing course requirements) followed by two years of professional nursing courses, labs, and clinical hours.
The program is campus-based; some courses are offered online but students must attend classes on the school’s Hampton campus for many courses. The program does not allow the transfer of credits for previously completed LPN courses. However, seven advanced placement credits are awarded to students who are currently licensed as an LPN.
Hampton University’s School of Nursing is approved by the VBON. So, graduates of the LPN to BSN program are academically eligible to take the NCLEX-RN exam. In addition, the university is institutionally accredited by the SACSCOC, and its BSN program is accredited by the CCNE.
Duration: 123 credits (36 months)
Mode: Hybrid
Cost: $27,482 per year (tuition)
Admissions Requirements:
- Current LPN license
- Must earn admission to Hampton University, then to the School of Nursing
- ATI TEAS exam score (taken within the previous year)
Curriculum:
- Pathophysiology/Pharmacology
- Adult Nursing
- Nursing and Childbearing/Childbearing Family
- Nursing Informatics
- Leadership and Management in Nursing
- Community/Mental Health Nursing
- Electives
Wilson College – Online LPN to BSN program
LPNs who live in Northern Virginia and want to earn a BSN should consider the Online LPN to BSN program at Wilson College in Chambersburg, Pennsylvania. This program is primarily online, so you won’t need to travel to campus to attend classes. But, students in the Online LPN to BSN program are required to travel to Pennsylvania to attend clinical hours. However, students who live more than two hours from the Wilson College campus are eligible for the program’s low-residency option; they can complete clinical requirements within seven to 10 days, once a semester.
Duration: Approximately three years
Mode: Hybrid
Cost: $475 per credit hour (tuition)
Admissions Requirements:
- Current LPN license
- High school diploma or GED (minimum unweighted GPA of 2.0)
- Official standardized test scores (for nursing program)
Curriculum:
- Fundamentals of Nursing
- Healthcare Informatics
- Childbearing/Child Rearing Families
- Medical-Surgical Patients
- Care Across the Lifespan
- Medical Terminology
- Microbiology for Nurses
- Nursing Leadership
- Anatomy & Physiology
- Genetics
- Statistics
- Ethics
FAQs for Online LPN to BSN Online Students in Virginia
Most students who apply to a BSN degree program have questions. We want to provide the information you need to make this decision so you feel confident about earning a BSN.
How do I go from being an LPN to an RN in Virginia?
As an LPN in Virginia, you’re already familiar with the process of applying for and obtaining a nursing license. You’ll find that the process for licensure as an RN is similar. Listed below are the steps that LPN to BSN students need to take to obtain an RN license in Virginia:
- Complete an LPN to BSN degree program, including the minimum of 500 direct client care hours required for RN licensure.
- Begin the Virginia RN license application process by using the online Application Wizard. Complete the application and pay the required application fee. As part of the application process, you are required to submit a fingerprint-based criminal background check, attestation of graduation or a final transcript from an LPN to BSN program, and, if your nursing school is located outside of Virginia, verification of clinical hours.
- Apply for the NCLEX-RN with Pearson VUE, the exam’s administrator. To avoid delays, apply immediately after you submit your RN license application.
- Receive an Authorization to Test (ATT) from Pearson VUE. After you meet all RN application requirements, the VBON will inform Pearson VUE, which will then issue your ATT.
- Schedule and take the NCLEX-RN. If you pass, Pearson VUE will inform the VBON, which will then issue your Virginia RN license.
What should I look for in an LPN to BSN program in Virginia?
The purpose of earning a BSN degree is to gain the knowledge and skills needed to take the NCLEX-RN and obtain an RN license. You should look for three specific items in the LPN to BSN programs you consider:
- Program approval by the VBON
- Program accreditation
- High NCLEX-RN pass rates
Can I get financial aid to help pay for my LPN to BSN program in Virginia?
If thinking about the cost of LPN to BSN programs gives you sticker shock, you’ll be relieved to learn that a number of financial aid options are available for qualifying students in most of these programs in Virginia. For example, Eastern Mennonite University claims that 99% of its undergraduate students receive financial aid, most commonly in the form of scholarships, grants, work-study programs, and loans.
The biggest source of student loans is the U.S. Department of Education, through Federal Student Loans. The federal government is also a major source of several funding opportunities designed for nursing students, including scholarships and loan repayment programs. Other important funding resources to check out are the nursing scholarship programs offered through the Virginia Department of Health’s Office of Health Equity.
To find out about funding opportunities for specific LPN to BSN programs, contact the financial aid offices at the schools offering those programs. To learn more about financial aid for nursing programs in general, check out EduMed’s nursing scholarship and financial aid guides.
Can I finish an LPN to BSN program in Virginia faster by taking classes online?
It’s unlikely that you’ll finish faster online, since most LPN to BSN programs in Virginia follow a relatively strict semester course schedule. However, programs with asynchronous coursework might allow students to increase their study pace, resulting in a shortened completion time. The only way to know for sure is to speak with a program advisor at the schools you’re considering.
Will earning an LPN to BSN degree online affect my ability to get licensed? Will employers care if I took some of my LPN to BSN classes online?
The fact that your program includes online coursework will not impact your eligibility for RN licensure in Virginia or any other state. As long as your LPN to BSN program qualifies you to take the NCLEX-RN and meets any and all other RN license requirements, you’ll be fine.
Online education is a common part of college programs today. So, it’s unlikely that any employer of registered nurses in Virginia or other states would disqualify a job applicant who earned a BSN degree in a program with online classes or other components.
Salary and Career Comparison: LPNs vs. RNs
Becoming an RN often leads to a significant increase in salary and job security. This is true for nurses in Virginia, who can anticipate strong job growth from 2025 to 2032. RNs in Virginia will experience a 4.3% job growth in the coming years. This is below the national average growth rate of 5.6%, but sufficient to result in 4,160 job openings. Many of these jobs will be in metropolitan areas, such as Richmond or Arlington.
Regarding salary, RNs can significantly increase their pay by earning higher credentials. LPNs in Virginia earn a median annual wage of $58,200, while RNs in the state earn a median annual wage of $84,100. The gap widens slightly as RNs progress in their career and earn more money. LPNs in the 90th pay percentile can earn $72,800, while RNs can earn $115,120. Refer to the chart below for more information on what RNs can expect to make in Virginia.
Becoming a registered nurse often comes with a significant increase in salary and job security. This is true for nurses in Virginia, who can anticipate strong job growth from 2022 to 2032. Registered nurses in Virginia will experience a 4.3% job growth in the coming years, which is below the national average growth of 5.6% but still sufficient to result in 4,160 job openings. Many of these jobs will be in metropolitan areas, such as Charlottesville or the Research Triangle area of the state.
Regarding salary, registered nurses can significantly increase their pay by earning higher credentials. LPNs in Virginia earn a median annual wage of $58,200, while RNs in the state earn a median of $84,100. As individuals progress in their careers and earn more, the gap widens slightly; LPNs in the 90th pay percentile can earn $72,800, while RNs can earn $115,120. Refer to the charts below for more information on what RNs can expect in Virginia.
| Occupation | Area | 10th Percentile | Median | 90th Percentile |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Licensed Practical and Licensed Vocational Nurses | Virginia | $45,000 | $58,200 | $72,800 |
| Registered Nurses | Virginia | $63,710 | $84,100 | $115,120 |
Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics
Data based on national numbers, not school-specific information.
| Occupation | Area | Curr. Jobs | Proj. Jobs | New Jobs | Growth % | Avg. Ann. Openings |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Registered Nurses | United States | 3,172,500 | 3,349,900 | 177,400 | 5.60% | 193,100 |
| Licensed Practical and Licensed Vocational Nurses | United States | 655,000 | 689,900 | 34,900 | 5.30% | 54,400 |
| Registered Nurses | Virginia | 70,190 | 73,240 | 3,050 | 4.30% | 4,160 |
| Licensed Practical and Licensed Vocational Nurses | Virginia | 18,880 | 20,240 | 1,360 | 7.20% | 1,620 |
Source: Projections Central
Data based on national numbers, not school-specific information.
