Best RN-to-BSN Programs in Colorado for 2026

Denver College of Nursing structures its BSN completion option as 100 quarter credits of nursing coursework (87 nursing credits plus 13 gen-ed) built on top of up to 80 transferred general-education credits, for 180 total credits earned toward the degree. The program runs seven quarters, generally 21 months (1 year, 9 months) of full-time study, and at least 75% of your program credits must be earned directly at Denver College of Nursing. New cohorts start on a rolling basis, with the next class beginning July 6.

Tuition is listed at $18,427, the same rate for in-state and out-of-state students since this is a private for-profit school rather than a public one with residency tiers. The program's page does not post a CCNE or ACEN accreditation statement, so none is claimed here. Denver College of Nursing earned a Hakia Score of 74.8, the highest among Colorado's ranked completion programs in this data set, reflecting a curriculum built exclusively around nursing rather than spread across a general college catalog. It fits an RN who wants a compact, structured, full-time timeline rather than a slower part-time path.

Trinidad State College runs its RN-to-BSN as a 100% online, four-semester pathway built specifically for working RNs, with a personal nursing coach assigned to keep you on track from start to finish. Up to 89.5 credits from your ADN or diploma program apply toward the 120 total credits required for the degree. Practicum is completed in your own community, not on campus: 22.5 hours attached to the Leadership course and 45 hours attached to Community Health. Three start terms run each year (fall, spring, summer), and you can go full-time or part-time.

In-state tuition works out to $175 per credit hour, and out-of-state RNs pay that same in-state rate on the NUR 300/400-level nursing courses that make up this program, a real cost break most out-of-state completion students do not get. The IPEDS-reported cost for the program lands at $4,058/yr in-state versus $6,768/yr out-of-state. The baccalaureate program is CCNE-accredited, and 55% of Trinidad State nursing students complete on time. Trinidad State earned a Hakia Score of 73.5, rank 2 among Colorado's completion programs here, and fits an RN who wants the lowest realistic cost with zero campus travel, regardless of home state. A BSN from a CCNE program also checks the box hospitals increasingly require and that Magnet-designated systems expect; see BLS for national RN outlook.

The University of Northern Colorado runs its RN-to-BSN as a five-semester pathway for registered nurses who already hold an ADN and an active license, delivered through UNC Extended Campus with dual-enrollment options at affiliated Colorado community colleges. Admission is competitive and enrollment is limited by available resources, unlike UNC's Traditional or Second-Degree BSN tracks which serve students without a license yet. Coursework builds on existing nursing experience with an emphasis on research, leadership, critical thinking, and preparation for graduate study.

In-state tuition runs $9,047/yr versus $24,125/yr out-of-state, the widest resident/non-resident gap among Colorado's ranked completion programs here, so this option pencils out best for Colorado-licensed RNs. UNC's BSN, MSN, DNP, and post-graduate APRN programs are all CCNE-accredited, and UNC posts a 51% graduation rate. UNC earned a Hakia Score of 72.4, rank 3 in this Colorado set, and fits an RN who wants a state-university BSN that leads directly into UNC's own MSN or DNP pipeline rather than a separate application to a different school later.

Front Range Community College's RN-to-BSN is an online completion program open to RNs who already hold an ADN and an active license, plus a dual-track option for students still finishing the final semester of an ADN who want to move straight into BSN coursework. The program's own 2024 outcomes report a 100% employment rate for graduates and 94% who rated themselves "prepared" or "very prepared" for the baccalaureate nursing role. FRCC does not post a specific transfer-credit cap or total program length on its RN-to-BSN page, so neither is claimed here.

Tuition runs $4,058/yr in-state and $16,658/yr out-of-state, the same in-state rate as Trinidad State but a steeper out-of-state jump. FRCC's institution-wide graduation rate is 35%. FRCC earned a Hakia Score of 71.1, rank 4 among Colorado's completion programs in this data set. It fits a Colorado-resident RN already anchored to FRCC's Westminster or Larimer nursing department who wants the lowest in-state sticker price and is comfortable with fewer published specifics on transfer credit and timeline than the other three programs here.

Morgan Community College's RN-to-BSN completion program is built around 7-week courses with three start dates a year, so you are never waiting a full semester to begin. The college advertises low practicum hours specifically because its students are working RNs, and most finish in 3 to 5 semesters depending on how many prior credits you bring in. The program runs fully online, which matters if you are holding down shifts while you study.

The math here is the story. Morgan Community College charges $200 per nursing credit hour against a regional average of $470, and the school states that adds up to roughly $6,100 for the full NUR coursework sequence, a savings of up to $15,000 compared with other RN-to-BSN programs in the region. Some of that cost may be offset further if your employer covers tuition. The bachelor's program is accredited by the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE). That combination of low cost, short course cycles, and CCNE accreditation is why it lands a Hakia Score of 70.5 in this Colorado ranking. It fits an RN who wants the fastest, cheapest path to a bachelor's without a big-name campus attached.

Arapahoe Community College runs its RN-to-BSN Completion Program online, built for two kinds of students: RNs with an active, unencumbered license, and current ADN students who dual-enroll and start BSN coursework before they even finish their associate degree. The upper-division sequence runs 24.5 credits (NUR 3001 through NUR 4011) plus 6 elective credits and 18 general education credits, totaling 120 credits for the full degree. Three of those courses, Leadership, Community Health Practicum, and Senior Seminar, require you to already hold your ADN and RN license before you can start them. Admission runs on three deadlines a year: June 30 for fall, October 15 for spring, and April 1 for summer.

Arapahoe is a public Colorado community college, with in-state tuition around $4,058 a year, well below the cost of a four-year university BSN. It earns a Hakia Score of 69.8 in this ranking on the strength of that dual-enrollment path and its narrow, clearly mapped 48.5-credit nursing sequence, one of the leaner completion tracks among Colorado's RN-to-BSN options. It fits an RN still finishing an ADN who wants to lock in BSN progress now rather than start a separate application later, or a licensed RN who wants a short, itemized course list instead of a vague credit block.

Pueblo Community College's BSN completion program runs entirely online in 8-week courses, with rolling admissions and three start points a year: July 31 deadline for fall, November 30 for spring, and March 31 for summer. Graduates of an accredited ADN program, or students dually enrolled in PCC's own ADN program in good standing, can transfer up to 71.5 credits toward the 120-credit degree, or receive credit based on a valid RN license. What remains is 18 general education credits and 30.5 credits of advanced nursing coursework covering leadership, research, and community health, taught in small cohorts by master's and doctorate-level nursing faculty.

The program carries accreditation from the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE), and Pueblo Community College is a public Colorado school with in-state tuition around $4,058 a year. It earns a Hakia Score of 69 in this ranking, the credit-transfer figure and 8-week course format are its strongest cards even though its overall score trails Morgan and Arapahoe. It fits an RN who wants to bank the maximum number of ADN credits and finish the remaining coursework in short, online sprints.