Each of the Indiana University School of nursing campuses have joined to create an RN and BSN Degree Completion Option. This makes nursing courses distance accessible using web-based and video technologies, which require nursing students to attend class on campus. In a full-time program, nursing students can complete a program in 12 months and part-time students can complete a program in 18-24 months. The curriculum is designed to meet the needs of adult-learners of working nurses. Semesters are split in two learning modules, which can be completed in 7-8 weeks. Electives are meaningful to RN’s today because they are designed to relevant to your experience and work goals. Current topics include: Informatics, Complementary Therapies, and Genetics.
In our Indiana RN program guide, find rankings for both ADN and BSN Degree programs, tuition costs, NCLEX passing rates, and more. Research key Indiana RN Program information to help you compare program metrics and to apply to best RN program for your career in nursing.
In the State of Indiana, nurses are helping to change the face of healthcare. To ensure that they have the best education and preparation for future health care challenges, registered nurses need to graduate from a state-approved associate's degree in nursing program or a BSN degree program.
Nurses who graduate from an RN program can obtain certification in over 100 nursing specialties, go on to earn an RN to BSN or RN to MSN degree.
BSN degree holders have options to earn an Advance Practice Register Nursing (APRN) degree and become a Nurse Practitioner (NP), or earn an advanced degree for a career in any number of nursing leadership roles such Nurse Educator or Clinical Nurse Specialist.
Indiana RN Program Comparisons: ADN vs BSN
| Compare RN Programs | ADN | BSN |
|---|---|---|
| Number of Nursing Programs | 8 | 25 |
| Average NCLEX Passing Rate | 77.83% | 89.30% |
| NCLEX Passing Rate Range | 44.60% to 96.43% | 76.75% to 97.73% |
| Average Net Price | $16,792.22 | $16,497.96 |
| Average Net Price Range | $8,532.00 to $22,336.00 | $7,948.00 to $26,913.00 |
| Average Student Loan | $15,058.22 | $19,209.48 |
| Average Student Loan Range | $8,997.00 to $21,425.00 | $11,477.00 to $27,000.00 |
| See Additional Detail | ADN Rankings for Indiana State | BSN Rankings for Indiana State |
Best Ranked RN Programs in Indiana
To help nursing students in their search for a top RN program, the education experts at RNCareers.org publish their annual findings of the best nursing schools for both Indiana and the country. Schools ranked on our list have proven their ability to educate highly competent nurses.
To create our rankings, we evaluated 8 ADN degree programs and 23 BSN degree programs in Indiana. We obtained each institution’s first-time NCLEX-RN passing rates, the number of students taking the test, the program nursing accreditation and more. We then compared the results against other nursing programs in Indiana to provide our state rankings. View our methodology.
Grade | Degree | University | IN Rank | US Rank | City | Type: | Offered As: | Accreditor(s): | More: | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 92.03 | ADN | Bethel College-Indiana | 1 | 281 | Mishawaka | Bethel College – Indiana is located in Mishawaka, Indiana. Their nursing program offers a variety of programs to fit the needs of their students – they have an ADN program and a BSN program. The also have an RN to BSN program. Their RN to BSN program can be completed in 12 or 20 months, by attending classes one night per week or two nights per week. Classes can also be attended on campus or online. | Private Not-For-Profit | Campus | ACEN | See School Details | |
| 89.60 | ADN | Ivy Tech Community College-Indianapolis | 2 | 378 | Indianapolis | Public | Campus | See School Details | |||
| 88.45 | ADN | Harrison College-Indianapolis | 3 | 415 | Indianapolis | Harrison College is located in Indianapolis, Indiana. They offer an ASN degree program. This program is offered on-campus. They also offer an online RN to BSN option. This is open to students with an RN license, and is especially desirable for Harrison ASN graduates. | Private For-Profit | Campus, Online | CCNE | See School Details | |
| 83.24 | ADN | University of St Francis | 4 | 572 | Fort Wayne | University of Saint Francis – Fort Wayne is located in Fort Wayne, Indiana. Their nursing department is vast – they have several options for their students. They have an ASN degree program, an LPN to ASN program, a BSN program, and an RN to BSN program. The RN to BSN program is offered online. | Private Not-For-Profit | Campus, Hybrid, Online | ACEN, ACME, CCNE, COA | See School Details | |
| 75.08 | ADN | Vincennes University | 5 | 670 | Vincennes | Public | Campus, Online | ACEN | See School Details | ||
| 74.56 | ADN | Fortis College | 6 | 671 | Indianapolis | Private For-Profit | Campus | ACEN | See School Details | ||
| 73.67 | ADN | Ancilla Domini College | 7 | 680 | Donaldson | Private Not-For-Profit | Campus | See School Details | |||
| 98.24 | BSN | Anderson University | 1 | 30 | Anderson | Private Not-For-Profit | Campus | CCNE | See School Details | ||
| 97.58 | BSN | Indiana University-Northwest | 2 | 51 | Gary | Indiana University – Northwest is located in Gary, Indiana. They offer a traditional BSN program. They also offer an online RN to BSN program. They also offer a BA/BS to BSN program, which allow those already holding a bachelor’s degree to become a BSN. | Public | Campus, Online | ACME, COA | See School Details | |
| 96.68 | BSN | University of Southern Indiana | 3 | 81 | Evansville | University of Southern Indiana is located in Evansville, Indiana. They offer a BSN program and a RN to BSN program. Their nursing programs are unique because they partner with local hospitals and specifically, partner with certain nursing units – Designated Education Units (DEUs). These DEUs allow students to spend a duration of their clinical practice with the same staff to “ensure consistency with clinical skill progression.” | Public | Campus, Hybrid, Online | ACEN, ACME, CCNE, COA | See School Details | |
| 94.91 | BSN | Purdue University | 4 | 148 | West Lafayette | Public | Campus, Hybrid | ACEN, ACME, CCNE, COA | See School Details | ||
| 94.39 | BSN | Indiana University-Purdue University-Fort Wayne | 5 | 173 | Fort Wayne | Indiana University-Purdue University – Fort Wayne (IPFW) is located in Fort Wayne, Indiana. They offer a traditional BSN program and an RN to BSN program. IPFW boasts that it is the largest university in northeast Indiana. It also educates approximately 13,000 students at a time. | Public | Campus, Online | ACEN, ACME, CCNE, COA | See School Details | |
| 94.06 | BSN | Indiana University-Kokomo | 6 | 188 | Kokomo | Public | Campus, Online | CCNE | See School Details | ||
| 93.96 | BSN | Valparaiso University | 7 | 191 | Valparaiso | Valparaiso University is located in Valparaiso, Indiana. Valparaiso University offers a BSN program. They also offer an RN to BSN program. They have a variety of advanced nursing degrees; unique to their program, they have an RN to MSN degree option. | Private Not-For-Profit | Campus, Hybrid | ACEN, ACME, CCNE, COA | See School Details | |
| 93.36 | BSN | Bethel College-Indiana | 9 | 223 | Mishawaka | Bethel College – Indiana is located in Mishawaka, Indiana. Their nursing program offers a variety of programs to fit the needs of their students – they have an ADN program and a BSN program. The also have an RN to BSN program. Their RN to BSN program can be completed in 12 or 20 months, by attending classes one night per week or two nights per week. Classes can also be attended on campus or online. | Private Not-For-Profit | Campus | ACEN | See School Details | |
| 93.21 | BSN | University of St Francis | 10 | 229 | Fort Wayne | University of Saint Francis – Fort Wayne is located in Fort Wayne, Indiana. Their nursing department is vast – they have several options for their students. They have an ASN degree program, an LPN to ASN program, a BSN program, and an RN to BSN program. The RN to BSN program is offered online. | Private Not-For-Profit | Campus, Hybrid, Online | ACEN, ACME, CCNE, COA | See School Details | |
| 92.29 | BSN | Indiana University-South Bend | 11 | 257 | South Bend | Public | Campus, Online | ACEN, ACME, CCNE, COA | See School Details | ||
| 92.21 | BSN | Saint Mary's College | 12 | 261 | Notre Dame | Private Not-For-Profit | Campus, Online | ACEN, ACME, CCNE, COA | See School Details | ||
| 91.75 | BSN | Indiana Wesleyan University | 13 | 275 | Marion | Private Not-For-Profit | Campus, Hybrid, Online | ACEN, ACME, CCNE, COA | See School Details | ||
| 91.05 | BSN | Ball State University | 14 | 300 | Muncie | Ball State University is located in Muncie, Indiana. Their nursing department offers a variety of options. They have a basic baccalaureate track. They also have an LPN transition track, which allows an LPN to transition to a BSN degree. They also offer an RN to BSN program and a second baccalaureate degree program, which allows those holding a prior bachelor’s degree to become a BSN. | Public | Campus, Online | ACEN, ACME, CCNE, COA | See School Details | |
| 90.96 | BSN | Chamberlain College | 15 | 303 | Indianapolis | Private For-Profit | Campus | ACME, COA | See School Details | ||
| 90.50 | BSN | Goshen College | 16 | 312 | Goshen | Private Not-For-Profit | Campus, Online | ACEN, ACME, CCNE, COA | See School Details | ||
| 89.74 | BSN | Indiana University-Purdue University-Indianapolis | 17 | 333 | Indianapolis | Indiana University – Purdue University Indianapolis (IUPUI) is located in Indianapolis. They offer a BSN Traditional Track, an RN to BSN Online Degree Completion Option and a BSN Accelerated Second Degree Option. Their programs are unique because they offer a welcoming ceremony to their new nursing students where friends and family can celebrate your achievement. | Public | Campus, Hybrid, Online | ACEN, ACME, CCNE, COA | See School Details | |
| 88.06 | BSN | Indiana University-Southeast | 18 | 377 | New Albany | Public | Campus, Online | CCNE | See School Details | ||
| 87.61 | BSN | University of Indianapolis | 19 | 391 | Indianapolis | University of Indianapolis is located in Indianapolis, Indiana. The Ulndy’s School of Nursing has various program options: a BSN program, an RN to BSN program and a BSN program designed specifically for those already holding a bachelor’s degree (“career changers”). Their RN to BSN program can be completed on-campus, online, or off-campus, at one of their partnering cohort schools. | Private Not-For-Profit | Campus, Hybrid, Online | ACEN, ACME, CCNE, COA | See School Details | |
| 86.92 | BSN | Huntington University | 20 | 409 | Huntington | Private Not-For-Profit | Campus | CCNE | See School Details | ||
| 86.67 | BSN | Marian University | 21 | 415 | Indianapolis | Private Not-For-Profit | Campus, Online | CCNE | See School Details | ||
| 85.24 | BSN | Indiana State University | 22 | 438 | Terre Haute | Public | Campus, Online | ACEN, ACME, CCNE, COA | See School Details | ||
| 84.27 | BSN | University of Evansville | 23 | 451 | Evansville | Private Not-For-Profit | Campus | ACME, COA | See School Details | ||
| 73.61 | BSN | Indiana University East | 24 | 519 | Richmond | Public | Campus, Online | ACEN, ACME, CCNE, COA | See School Details |
Become an Advance Practice Registered Nurse (APRN) in Indiana
RNs who wish to become advanced practice registered nurses will want to pursue any number of avenues to earn Master of Science in Nursing (MSN) degree. Earning a Master of Science in Nursing consists of graduate-level coursework and clinical practice for those nurses who wish to direct patient roles such as a nurse practitioner. You can also pursue indirect patient roles such as teaching or leadership roles, or become involved in policy, state-wide health initiatives or community engagement. There are many clinical and non-clinical avenues that an RN with MSN can pursue.Become a Nurse Practitioner (NP) in Indiana
Learn how to become a Nurse Practitioner (NP) and research schools in Indiana offering the following high paying nurse practitioner specialties:- Adult-Gerontology Primary Care Nurse Practitioner
- Adult-Gerontology Acute Care Nurse Practitioner
- Family Nurse Practitioner
- Neonatal Nurse Practitioner
- Pediatric Primary Care Nurse Practitioner
- Acute Care Pediatric Nurse Practitioner
- Psychiatric Nurse Practitioner (PMHNP)
- Women’s Health Nurse Practitioner (WHNP)
Indiana RN Licensing Requirements
RN Licensure by Exam
Each candidate who wishes to obtain licensure by examination must submit an application to the Indiana Professional Licensing Agency (IPLA). The licensure application and the NCLEX registration process must be completed before candidates are eligible to take the exam. The application must include:- Passport-type photo with the school seal and signature of the candidate and Dean on the lower front
- Check or money or for $50.00 (non-refundable) may payable to the Indiana Professional Licensing Agency
- NCLEX Application and Registration which costs $200 and must be made payable to the National Council of State Boards of Nursing in the form of a certified check, cashier’s check, or money order
- Certificate of Completion form completed by the Dean/Director/Designee of the nursing program
- Verification of Licensure from every state in which the candidate held licensure. Nurses who hold licensure in a non-compact state are required to submit Verification of State Licensure Form.
RN Licensure by Endorsement
Nurses who are licensed in one of the other 50 states can obtain licensure through endorsement. Along with the application, candidates must submit the following:- Proof of current, active licensure from another state
- Completed background check
- Verification of licensure from every state or country the candidate has obtained licensure in
RN License for Nurses Educated Abroad
Along with the items that are needed for licensure by examination, foreign nurse graduates must also submit the following:- Official nursing transcripts provided through a evaluation services such as CGFNS
- Official copy of high school diploma or official transcripts
- If not written in English, all documents must be accompanied by an official
Indiana State Board of Nursing
Indiana Professional Licensing Agency 402 W. Washington Street, Room W072 Indianapolis, IN 46204 (317) 232-2960RN Salaries in Indiana
Ample job opportunities for registered nurses are available in the state of Indiana. Nursing employment is expected to grow rapidly, and the nursing industry is rather large, and new jobs are continuously created. Many of the jobs created are due to nurses who are leaving the occupation due to retirement. Technological advances also drive job growth in patient care. Last, but not least, rapid growth is expected in outpatient facilities such as rehabilitation and chemotherapy.Indiana Registered Nursing Salaries
Although the Indianapolis metropolitan area has the largest number of registered nurses, it is the Gary Metropolitan area that has the highest annual median wage.| Area name | Employment | Hourly median wage | Annual median wage |
|---|---|---|---|
| Anderson, IN | 820 | $27.82 | $57,870 |
| Bloomington, IN | 1,410 | $27.65 | $57,510 |
| Columbus, IN | 610 | $28.49 | $59,250 |
| Elkhart-Goshen, IN | 1,390 | $25.64 | $53,320 |
| Evansville, IN-KY | 4,330 | $24.99 | $51,990 |
| Fort Wayne, IN | 4,930 | $24.85 | $51,690 |
| Gary, IN Metropolitan Division | 6,340 | $30.75 | $63,960 |
| Indianapolis-Carmel, IN | 21,500 | $29.64 | $61,650 |
| Kokomo, IN | 820 | $26.70 | $55,540 |
| Lafayette, IN | 1,280 | $27.65 | $57,500 |
| Michigan City-La Porte, IN | 700 | $30.37 | $63,170 |
| Muncie, IN | 1,050 | $26.66 | $55,440 |
| South Bend-Mishawaka, IN-MI | 2,790 | $27.58 | $57,370 |
| Terre Haute, IN | 1,600 | $28.48 | $59,230 |
| Northern Indiana nonmetropolitan area | 2,540 | $24.62 | $51,210 |
| Central Indiana nonmetropolitan area | 2,650 | $27.56 | $57,320 |
| Southern Indiana nonmetropolitan area | 2,890 | $24.85 | $51,690 |