RN to MSN Programs in Virginia

Online RN to MSN Programs in Virginia

We found one university in Virginia that was willing to an offer an online RN to MSN pathway—James Madison University. Having said that, a number of your other options, including Shenandoah and George Mason, have hybrid concentrations that don’t require a great deal of time on campus. So check ’em all out!

• At JMU, the CNL and Nursing Administration concentrations are 100% online (with the possible exception of intensive dates). The remaining specialties are delivered in a hybrid/blended format.
• JMU uses the CANVAS course management system, which allows professors to create asynchronous discussions, archive lectures, and post syllabi, quizzes, and presentations. Students also have access to online bulletin boards and occasional online work groups.
• You can ask the program coordinator how many face-to-face visits are required. These meetings might involve guest speakers or student project presentations.

JMU is a member of SARA, which means State Authorization is—usually—fairly straightforward for out-of-state residents in non-NP concentrations. Talk to the program coordinator to be sure.

Cheapest RN to MSN Programs in Virginia

Our ranking of the most affordable Virginia RN to MSN programs is based on per credit graduate tuition rates. But it’s just a start! Each program and concentration in our school listings will have a different number of credits, different fees, and different transfer policies. In other words, a more “expensive” school may end up being cheaper for your needs.

1. James Madison University: In-State (Out-of-State is much higher)—View Tuition Rates
2. George Mason University: In-State (Out-of-State can be almost 3 times as high)—View Tuition Rates
3. University of Virginia: In-State (Out-of-State is much higher)—View Tuition Rates
4. Shenandoah University: View Tuition Rates

Overall, Virginia public programs are a good deal for in-state students—you can earn a hybrid or online MSN from a highly respected university and you may qualify for scholarships or employer reimbursement. Even Shenandoah’s prices are fairly reasonable.

Out-of-state students who are interested in public options should put together a detailed budget before committing. Virginia has some of the highest non-resident graduate tuition rates that we’ve seen among states.

Virginia’s Healthcare Landscape

Virginia is a conundrum wrapped in a healthcare puzzle. On the one hand, it’s a relatively healthy state:

• It has a wide-ranging network of excellent hospitals & healthcare systems that are affiliated with big-name universities. According to Leapfrog Hospital Safety Grade, Virginia hospitals are some of the safest in the country.
• In 2018, thousands of Virginia residents, including low-income adults in small towns and rural areas, gained Medicaid coverage under a bipartisan expansion plan approved by state lawmakers.
• According to America’s Health Rankings, childhood poverty rates have been dropping and primary care physician numbers have been rising in recent years.
• In 2018, a change in state law gave Virginia nurse practitioners the chance to achieve full independent practice authority after completing 5 years of full time clinical experience as a licensed NP under a practice agreement with a physician.

On the other hand, it still faces some significant challenges. Again, according to data from America’s Health Rankings, the state has been experiencing a rise in frequent mental distress and often suffers from low per capita health funding.

Healthcare problems are often more readily apparent in rural counties. If you look at Virginia’s County Health Rankings, you’ll notice that areas in Southern Virginia and some counties bordering West Virginia have it much harder than counties to the north. Think of names like Mecklenburg, Brunswick, Charlotte, Halifax, and Greensville. In the U.S. Rural Health Report Card, Virginia frequently gets an abysmal grade. In 2018:

• The poverty rate in rural Virginia was 6% higher than the rate in urban areas.
• Low birth rates were a particular problem, giving Virginia a grade of F.
• Virginia ranked last in the nation for urban/rural difference in mortality. The age-adjusted mortality rate in rural Virginia was 30% higher than the rate in urban counties.

The result of these trends may be a greater demand for Virginia FNPs (including those with independent practices), nurse midwives, and primary care providers in non-urban areas. PMHNPs who are equipped to handle complex mental health issues may also be needed.

Jobs for Virginia RN to MSN Graduates

Career Outlook for RN to MSN Graduates

We’re pleased to report that Virginia’s Board of Nursing posts annual NP Workforce Survey Reports and the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) publishes detailed job & wage data for Nurse Practitioners and Nursing Instructors & Teachers, Postsecondary. Not only that, but the BLS also provides intriguing employment maps that allow you to compare regions and states. Hover over an area to see the data points.

For example, experienced RNs in Virginia won’t be surprised to hear that the main hotspots for NP jobs are the metropolitan areas around Arlington/Alexandria (i.e. Washington D.C. border), Richmond, and Virginia Beach-Norfolk-Newport News.

• Richmond alone sustains around 27% of the state’s NPs, with the Virginia Beach and Hampton Roads area not far behind. Only 10% of Virginia’s NPs worked in rural areas in 2018.
• Many Virginia NPs are going where the healthcare systems are. The single largest employer of Virginia’s NPs is the inpatient department of hospitals, where 20% of all NPs have their primary work location.
• In 2018, Family Health was the most popular specialty for Virginia NPs (27%), followed by CRNAs (18% Acute Care/ER (8%), Pediatrics (8%), and PMHNPs (4%).

If you’re aiming for a hospital job, be sure to take a look at U.S. News & World Report’s rankings of the Best Hospitals in Virginia and ANCC’s list of Magnet Facilities in Virginia.

• Many of these hospitals are in Richmond, Arlington, Alexandria, and the Norfolk area.
• But you could also consider names like Carilion Roanoke Memorial Hospital, the University of Virginia Medical Center in Charlottesville, and Mary Washington Hospital in Fredericksburg.

Thanks to all of those big public universities you’ll see in the school listings, there are also plenty of nursing instructors in Virginia. As per usual, there tend to be clusters of jobs in the northeast (e.g. Shenandoah & GMU), the southeast (e.g. Old Dominion University), and Richmond (e.g. VCU and University of Richmond). But even the southwest Virginia nonmetropolitan area has a high concentration of employment.

Career Resources for Future APRNs

Virginia Nursing Job Boards

• VNA Career Center: Job listings for Virginia nurses, including APRNs, nurse educators, and nurse leaders
• VHHA Hospital Jobs in Virginia: Job openings in Virginia hospitals and healthcare systems
• VONEL Career Center: Job openings for Virginia nurse leaders

Virginia APRN Salary & Wage Data

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

Virginia Nursing Organizations

State Board of Nursing

• Virginia Board of Nursing

Virginia Nursing Associations & Coalitions

• National Black Nurses Association (NBNA): Virginia Chapters
• Virginia Action Coalition (VAC)
• Virginia Council of Nurse Practitioners (VCNP)
• Virginia Hospital and Healthcare Association (VHHA)
• Virginia Nurses Association (VNA)

Virginia Nursing Specialty Organizations

• American College of Nurse-Midwives – Virginia Affiliate (Virginia ACNM)
• American Psychiatric Nurses Association – Virginia Chapter (APNA Virginia)
• Association of Women’s Health, Obstetrics and Neonatal Nurses – Virginia (AWHONN Virginia)
• Virginia Association of Nurse Anesthetists (VANA)
• Virginia Association of School Nurses (VASN)
• Virginia Emergency Nurses Association (Virginia ENA)
• Virginia League for Nursing (VLN)
• Virginia Nursing Students’ Association (VNSA)
• Virginia Organization of Nurse Executives and Leaders (VONEL)
• Virginia Society of PeriAnesthesia Nurses Association (VSPAN)