RN to MSN Programs in Maryland

Online RN to MSN Programs in Maryland

A couple of MD universities have developed 100% online RN to MSN programs in Maryland. Each School of Nursing has specific admissions requirements, so we recommend you examine the profiles in our school listings to determine if you’re eligible to apply. Here are a few extra points to consider:

• Stevenson University: Stevenson is eager to cater to working nurses. Online courses are primarily offered in 8-week sessions (with the exception of one undergraduate course that requires 45 clinical hours) and there are 6 different start dates per year. Since this is a private school, tuition prices are the same for in-state and out-of-state residents.
• University of Maryland-Baltimore: UMB’s program is flexible. You can take courses online, or you can decided to attend some classes at UMSON in Baltimore or the Universities at Shady Grove. Check with the program coordinator to see which courses are offered in each location. Full-time and part-time scheduling is available and in-state residents pay considerably less than out-of-state residents.

Keep in mind, too, that Salisbury University appears to have gone the hybrid route. According to the program website, most MSN classes are offered online using a combination of synchronous and asynchronous distance learning techniques. You may be able to finish a considerable chunk of the degree without visiting the campus.

Cheapest RN to MSN Programs in Maryland

To develop this ranking of the most affordable Maryland RN to MSN programs, we compared per credit graduate tuition rates. But please take it with a grain of salt! Each program will have a unique number of credits, different transfer policies, and different fee structures. For instance, Stevenson Online charges separate rates for undergraduate coursework and graduate coursework and has no fees whatsoever.

1. Stevenson University: View Tuition Rates
2. Washington Adventist University: View Tuition Rates
3. Salisbury University: In-State (Out-of-State is higher)—View Tuition Rates
4. University of Maryland-Baltimore: In-State (Out-of-State is much higher)—View Tuition Rates

Maryland’s Healthcare Landscape

Despite its small size, Maryland is a complicated place for healthcare. On the one hand, medical centers like Johns Hopkins and UM are some of the best in the world. The state has chosen to adopt an innovative all-payer model that is expanding to a total cost of care model. It benefits from its proximity to Virginia and D.C. hospitals. And nurse practitioners have considerable leverage and autonomy to practice independently.

But national health statistics tell a sobering tale. According to America’s Health Rankings, the state suffers from a high violent crime rate, a high infant mortality rate, and ever-increasing drug deaths. The CDC’s National Center for Health Statistics often places it in the top 15 of states for low birthweight and pre-term birth rates. And the BCBS Health Index Map is frequently one mass of red, with hypertension, high cholesterol, and depression registering as major areas of concern.

The primary driver behind these data—as any RN in Maryland will already know—is Baltimore. Every year, the Baltimore City Health Department issues white papers on the State of Health in Baltimore, and every year the same problems keep cropping up. In 2018, in Baltimore City:

• 1 in 3 children and almost a quarter of the city’s population lived below the Federal Poverty line.
• 1 in 3 high school students were either obese or overweight.
• Life expectancy could differ by up 19 years between neighborhoods like Roland Park and those like Downtown/Seton Hill and Greenmount East.
• HIV diagnosis rates were more than twice that of the state.
• About 11% of city residents were estimated to abuse or be dependent on drugs or alcohol.

The opioid crisis has been particularly damaging for Baltimore. In 2011, the city’s overdose death rate was 22.7 per 100,000 people. In 2017, it was 85.2. And it climbed even higher in 2018. That gave Baltimore the unenviable title of having the highest overdose fatality rate of any city in the United States.

And it’s not the only issue. If you examine the County Health Rankings for Maryland, you’ll often see a cluster of less healthy counties around the southern corner, near the Delaware border. These correspond to areas monitored in the U.S. Rural Health Report Card, where poverty rates can be almost 5% higher than in urban areas and low birthweights are a commonplace occurrence.

In short, aspiring nurse leaders and APRNs in Maryland will have plenty of challenges to tackle in public health education, rural primary care & midwifery, urban pediatric care, and mental health (especially for drug users, single mothers, and kids growing up in Baltimore).

Jobs for Maryland RN to MSN Graduates

Career Outlook for RN to MSN Graduates

We’re happy to report that the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) keeps a close eye on job & wage data for Nurse Practitioners and Nursing Instructors & Teachers, Postsecondary. If you’d like a bird’s-eye-view of how Maryland is doing in comparison to its neighbors, be sure to check out the employment maps on both pages (hover over an area to see the actual data).

• As you might expect, the Baltimore-Columbia-Towson area employs the greatest number of nurse practitioners (e.g. 65%) and nursing instructors (e.g. 83%) in the state. This is also where you’ll find some of the highest wages in the country, especially for nurse educators.
• If you’re interested in a hospital job, be sure to check out U.S. News & World Report’s ranking of the Best Hospitals in Maryland the ANCC’s list of Magnet Facilities in Maryland. It’s a given that both of these lists usually include JHU, the Anne Arundel Medical Center in Annapolis, and the UM Medical Center in Baltimore. But there are plenty of other Baltimore, Towson, Easton, and Salisbury-based options to consider.

We also want to note that Maryland passed a Nurse Practitioner Full Practice Authority Act in 2015. Before authority can be granted, a Maryland NP must have a regulated collaborative relationship for 18 months with a physician or NP with full practice authority. But after that, Maryland NPs can independently prescribe and dispense drugs and act as primary care providers.

If you’re thinking of running your own show, NPAM has a list of Nurse Practitioner Owned Practices. Some of these owners may be willing to offer advice and mentorship as you plan your career path.

Career Resources for Future APRNs

Maryland Nursing Job Board

• MNA Career Center: Job listings for Maryland nurses, including APRNs and nurse leaders
• NPAM Career Center: Job listings for Maryland NPs
• MONL Career Center: Job listings for Maryland nurse leaders, directors & executives

Maryland APRN Salary & Wage Data

• Annual Mean Wages for Maryland Healthcare Practitioners and Technical Occupations: Categories can include “Nurse Practitioners,” “Nurse Midwives,” and “Nurse Anesthetists”
• Annual Mean Wages for Maryland Nursing Instructors & Teachers, Postsecondary
• AANP National Compensation Survey: Available to AANP members

Maryland Nursing Organizations

State Board of Nursing

• Maryland Board of Nursing (MBON)

Maryland Nursing Associations & Coalitions

• Maryland Hospital Association (MHA)
• Maryland Nurses Association (MNA)
• National Black Nurses Association (NBNA): Maryland Chapters
• Nurse Practitioner Association of Maryland (NPAM)

Maryland Nursing Specialty Organizations

• American College of Nurse-Midwives – Maryland Affiliate (Maryland ACNM)
• Association of Women’s Health, Obstetrics and Neonatal Nurses – Maryland (AWHONN Maryland)
• District of Columbia/Maryland National League for Nursing (DC/MD NLN)
• Maryland Area Association of Occupational Health Nurses (MAAOHN)
• Maryland Association of Nurse Anesthetists (MANA)
• Maryland Association of Nursing Students (MANS)
• Maryland Association of School Health Nurses (MASHN)
• Maryland Emergency Nurses Association (MDENA)
• Maryland Organization of Nurse Leaders (MONL)