RN Programs in Virginia – Schools, Salary, and License Info

Known as the ‘’Birthplace of a nation’’ because many of the US presidents came from there, Virginia seems to be used with being privileged.

This privilege does not include this aspect of politics only.

It extends to Registered Nursing too.

After all, a place that brings about great men is predestined to be a source of progress in the future.

And Nursing is one of these areas to focus on.

With all this glorification, I know finding the right school in Virginia is a challenge as well.

But that should not stop you from chasing your dream career.

I will tell you how to become a successful RN in a few steps.

Let’s start with a school choice.

In Virginia, you have in total of 65 RN programs available.

They all offer an Associate Degree in Nursing, meaning a BSN, ADN, ASN, or an MSN one.

To help you choose the school, I have measures the NCLEX-RN exam first by reviewing both the current and previous passing rates of students in the state.

From this analysis, only 20 RN programs have been listed as the best to find in the state.

All you have to make sure in them is nursing licensure and career growth.

The rest, you will do yourself, with a bunch of educational degrees awaiting you there already.

The Beginning of a Nursing Career

In life, it is important to make the right thing.

Right now it is the right time to do so.

I mean it’s the right time for you to begin a nursing career.

But will you ask me why?

Well, the number of nurses in Virginia has decreased.

As a result, there is space for new ones.

And I am not talking without facts.

The Virginia Nurses Association suggests that as soon as we reach 2020, one in three people will lack healthcare because of this lack of nurses.

The other reason is the attractive average salary in the state.

With $69,790 for an RN, the Bureau of Labor Statistics is not only stimulating you but convincing to go for this career path.

For RN bridge programs visit:

• RN to BSN Programs in Virginia
• RN to MSN Programs in Virginia

ADN Programs in Virginia

The RN programs available in Virginia are three.

To begin with, an ADN degree is a very favorable path in nursing.

The fact that it is short, it makes it popular and accessible.

Then, its availability in technical and community colleges makes it affordable as well.

With 40 ADN schools in Virginia, you will most likely find yourself a suitable one.

These schools are located in both urban and rural areas of the state, so there’s enough for everyone.

What to Look For in an ADN Program in Virginia

The right thing for you is the one that meets your sets of criteria you have created for it.

If you stand for an accredited school that offers licensure and has good program outcomes, keep going.

You’re on the right track!

Accreditation

Accreditation is like a jewelry, it beautifies everything that it covers.

In Virginia, try to get in touch with two accrediting bodies.

The Accreditation Commission for Education in Nursing will surely do you this favor.

While it is not to be underestimated the American Association of Colleges of Nursing’s Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education either.

However, you can also try to reach the Virginia Board of Nursing for local accreditation.

Licensing

Nursing licensure comes always through an NCLEX exam.

The RN program however is designed to prepare you for it first.

According to the American Association of Colleges of Nursing 87% of new nurses who graduated from an RN program took the exam, passed it, and got the licenses.

This report dates from 2015.

Program Outcomes

Each RN program outcome determines a school’s lack of growth of reputation.

The better the outcome, the more chances students will apply to it.

Some of the key requirements students should meet in an RN school include:

• Graduation rate
• Licensure exam pass rate
• Graduate satisfaction
• Employment rate

One College that meets these criteria and has reached its reputation through them is the Centra College of Nursing in Lynchburg.

The College offers an accredited ADN program.

ADN Program Admission Requirements in Virginia

To be able to register an RN program in Virginia, you need to meet its criteria.

An ADN program stands for the same.

The main criteria to meet include:

• Sending Official transcripts is mandatory
• Complete pre-requisite courses with C grade and higher
• A Cumulative GPA of 2.5 or higher

Tuition and Costs of ADN Programs in Virginia

As you check different ADN programs, you will see they differ in cost.

Tuition is just one portion of the entire cost of it.

The rest can be counted with additional fees, which include fees, textbooks, and uniforms.

These are separate costs.

Just to give you a hint, at the Virginia Western University in Roanoke, you will find a cost of tuition of $15,467.

In this cost, both additional fees and textbooks are covered.

Advantages of ADN Programs

The most noticeable advantages of ADN programs in Virginia are cost and length.

Both are let’s say short.

First, they are affordable.

And second, they take only two years to complete.

Their affordability is present since they are mostly found in institutions such as community colleges.

LPN to RN Programs in Virginia

Besides so many nursing programs to go for in Vermont, guess what, you can also go for bridge ones?

The fastest bridge program is the LPN to RN.

This program is also the source of two other recurring ones.

The LPN to BSN, and the LPN to ADN.

Let’s go through them.

LPN to ADN/BSN Programs

The LPN to AND program is the first bridge program to go for in Virginia.

Being one year long, it is clearly the fastest way to become a Registered Nurse in the state.

If you have a keen interest in this path, you can pursue it at Virginia Western Community College.

Roanoke has fortunately this offering for you.

LPN to BSN programs on the other hand last longer and are available in Virginia too.

This nursing path culminates in a Bachelor’s degree.

You can find it at Hampton University and pursue it in three years’ time.

Whichever path you choose, you will have to meet the following requirements to pursue it:

• Having graduated from an accredited LPN program
• Have an active, unencumbered LPN license in Virginia
• Complete any prerequisite courses
• Minimum GPA

BSN Programs in Virginia

They say: ”There is no elevator to success, you need to take the stairs”.

They are right.

A significant step in a nursing career is the Bachelor’s Science in Nursing as well.

The degree is a good fit for many because it helps them become a nurse educator or a public health nurse in the future.

Any of these jobs are rewarded with higher pay.

While you have to expect a traditional BSN to take nearly 4 years to complete.

In Virginia, you have more than 20 BSN programs to choose from.

What To Look For in a BSN Program in Virginia

Choosing the right BSN program in Virginia isn’t as complicated as finding your true love, but it is some kind of research, too.

This research includes looking for a program with a good accreditation, good program outcomes, and a straight path to licensure along the way.

However, if you already have a nursing license, the RN to BSN program would do best for you.

And you have to make sure the schools in this state offer it too.

By all means, you will find an accredited program at Norfolk State University.

BSN Program Length in Virginia

Somehow we’re all obsessed with time.

The way it passes and what we do with it is highly crucial to leading a good life.

Spending time in nursing education such as the BSN program is, is worth it.

With four years, we should expect to learn much from it as well.

However, BSN programs differ from type to type.

An RN to BSN for instance may take shorter than that.

While accelerated ones only months.

So basically, it depends on your availability and aspiration to pursue any of these paths.

BSN Program Admission Requirements in Virginia

Here are some of the key things you have to make sure you manage to enter a BSN program in the state:

• Provide official transcripts from the colleges you’ve attended or high school
• Having completed one biology course with C grade
• Having completed an algebra course, with a grade of C or better
• Cumulative GPA of 3.0 or higher

Tuition and Costs of BSN Programs in Virginia

The concept of difference is good because it opens up possibilities of choice.

Similarly, having different costs for different types of BSN Colleges is good, because it helps us meet that cost.

In all cases, in Virginia tuition and cost may come separate or joined.

An example is the Bon Secours Memorial College of Nursing in Richmond.

Its tuition cost of a BSN program along with fees, books, and other expenses goes around $46,320.

Advantages of BSN Programs

Almost everything about a BSN program is an advantage.

But let’s go to the most specific ones.

First and foremost, a BSN path is a road to more job options.

Second, it rewards you with a higher salary at work.

And thirdly, a BSN degree is accessible to all RNs who seek to make progress in their nursing career.

MSN Programs in Virginia

A BSN degree is a good nursing path, but have you tried going further?

An MSN degree is a higher level of nursing and culminates in other nursing jobs These jobs are various.

Starting from a Nurse Practitioner, moving on with a Certified Midwife, and a final with a Clinical Nurse Specialist.

The best way to go for an MSN is to have a BSN in the first place.

MSN Program Length in Washington

A typical MSN program in Virginia takes 3 years.

The beauty of this program is that their schedule fits students who both work and study in the field.

However, a check before applying to a program is necessary for you to have an idea of the length and schedule you want to attend the program in.

Basically, you can choose from an online, night, or part-time classes.

The schedule varies from school to school.

MSN Admission Requirements in Virginia

Different MSN schools in Virginia have set different admission requirements.

But you don’t have to be confused by this.

You have to be aware of the standard requirements valid for all of them, and eventually, meet them.

They usually include the following:

• Having a BSN degree from an accredited institution in the region
• Have an active Virginia RN license
• Own a current CPR card
• Work experience as a Registered Nurse

Tuition and Costs of MSN Programs in Virginia

Just like length, the cost of an MSN program varies from school.

However, having a  role model school cost will help you a lot.

This way you will have a clearer idea of what to expect in regards to payment.

The University of Virginia School of Nursing has made public its tuition of $18,128.

This cost is valid for students within the state.

While other additional fees are not included.

For NP programs feel free to visit:

• Virginia DNP Programs
• Virginia FNP Programs
• Virginia Nurse Practitioner Programs
• Virginia Post-Graduate Certificate Nursing Programs

Getting a Virginia Nursing License

Nursing licensure will usually require some effort.

First, you need to fill the necessary application.

And secondly, attach documents.

In Virginia, you can earn your licensure in two ways.

One way is by taking an exam.

The other is by means of an endorsement.

The first way requires you to complete an application as well as send these documents:

• Send official transcripts – sent directly to the Board via the school
• Criminal Background Check – with fingerprint
• Register for the NCLEX – successful outcome after taking it

Applying for it the other way, which is by endorsement, means sending these documents mentioned above and other information like the following:

• Verify Nursing licensure from the base state – you can do that either by request form or through NURSYS

If you have more questions, you can easily contact the Virginia Department of Health Professions Board of Nursing.

It will tell you a lot about license requirements and how you can meet them easily.

Accelerated Nursing Programs in Virginia

So many things seem impossible until you try them.

Who said that you can fasten your nursing career in only 18 months?

18 months may seem little, but you need to dedicate your time fully to them.

For this reason, working during this time isn’t a good idea.

These programs have their own admission requirements which you need to meet before entering the program.

Payment for this program depends on the credit hour rate.

The more credit hours needed, the higher the pay.

• Virginia Accelerated BSN Programs
• Virginia Accelerated MSN Programs

Latest Virginia NCLEX-RN Pass Rates and Statistics

• State Approved Schools number: 65
• Test Takers Total Number in 2019: 4,532
• Statewide Average Virginia NCLEX-RN Pass Rate in 2019: 89.5%

The Best RN Schools in Virginia

Somehow the 20 has become my favorite number.

Partly from being in that age.

And partly from seeing this number of R schools so frequently in the USA.

Not surprisingly, Virginia has the same RN school number too.

This number of schools is actually the best you can find there.

So don’t hesitate to check them soon.

RN Salaries in Virginia

No matter the type of profession, by the end of the day, you want a good salary.

Don’t you agree with me?

I bet you do.

However, you should bear in mind that you’re the master of your destiny at some point.

Basically, the more you invest in your professional profile, the better the job you will get.

And consequently, the better the pay.

Honestly, a good education is a key to a good income.

Other factors such as place, skills, and work experience always come second.

That’s how RN careers work in Virginia.

Annual Salary Range:

Regional Salary in Virginia

RN Programs by State