The fastest ways to become an RN

ALREADY HAVE A BACHELOR'S?

1. Accelerated BSN: 12–18 months

• The fastest route to RNFor people with a bachelor's in another field
• 340 programs in the U.S.Most want at least a 3.0 GPA
• Full time, no breaksSame clinical hours as a regular BSN

NO DEGREE YET?

2. ADN: about 2 years of nursing classes

• Once your prerequisites are doneOffered at most community colleges
• Same RN license as a BSNYou take the same NCLEX-RN
• Hospital diploma programs2–3 years, but there aren't many left

ALREADY AN LPN?

3. LPN-to-RN bridge

• Skip part of RN schoolBridges give credit for your LPN training
• Starting from zero?LPN school takes about a year, then bridge to RN
• Earn while you climbWork as an LPN between steps

WANT A MASTER'S TOO?

4. Direct-entry MSN: about 2–3 years

• For non-nursing bachelor's holdersYou finish with an RN license and a master's
• 104 programs in the U.S.A head start toward NP or nurse leadership

SPEED UP ANY ROUTE

5. Save months, not just weeks

• Finish prerequisites at a community college, summers included
• Apply to several programs at once to dodge waitlists
• Look for programs with more than one start date a year
• Book your NCLEX soon after you graduate, while it's fresh

KNOW THIS FIRST

6. Fast means full time

• Accelerated programs advise you not to work
• Prerequisites usually come first, and they take time
• Fast programs are competitive, so keep your GPA up
• Check each program's NCLEX pass rate and accreditation

Program lengths: AACN (May 2026), BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook, school sites. Checked Oct 2, 2026.