Ranked among the top 10 nursing schools in Arizona, Grand Canyon University (GCU)* has a lot to offer aspiring students. But does the Grand Canyon University School of Nursing hold up to scrutiny from real nurses?
Before joining the Antelopes family, you should understand the pros and cons of attending GCU. This Grand Canyon University School of Nursing review will explore the school’s nursing programs, highlight relevant statistics, and answer your questions about GCU. Keep reading to learn whether Grand Canyon University School of Nursing is worth it.
The University of Texas at Arlington’s online programs are designed to help you achieve more in your nursing practice with a Bachelor of Science in Nursing. They offer convenient, flexible options for completing your RN to BSN or BSN online, both designed to fit into your busy schedule.
Accreditation Prerequisite RN RequiredEnrollment: Nationwide
WGU's award-winning online programs are created to help you succeed while graduating faster and with less debt. WGU is a CCNE accredited, nonprofit university offering nursing bachelor's and master's degrees.
Accreditation Prerequisite RN RequiredEnrollment: Nationwide
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GCU’s RN-BSN program is tailored to meet the needs of the RN adult learner and to maximize the strengths that the working RN already possesses. Transfer up to 90 credits and earn a BSN in as little as 12 months. GCU’s online classes allow you to study at the times that work for your schedule while still enjoying a close connection with your classmates and instructor via online discussions.
Accreditation Prerequisite RN RequiredEnrollment: Nationwide
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At Purdue Global, discover a faster, more affordable way to earn your Nursing degree. Purdue Global is committed to keeping your tuition costs as low as possible and helping you find the most efficient path to your degree.
Accreditation Prerequisite RN RequiredEnrollment: Nationwide, but certain programs have state restrictions. Check with Purdue for details.
RN-to-BSN - ExcelTrack
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As a working RN, you need a flexible, transfer-friendly program to help you save time and money as you take the next step in your nursing career. In our CCNE-accredited4
RN to BSN program, you can transfer in up to 134 credits—which is nearly 75% of program requirements. Your transfer credits can be reviewed in one business day (on average).
Enrollment: FL
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Grand Canyon University is a private Christian college in Phoenix, Arizona, dedicated to its Christian identity and worldview. GCU offers many specialized undergraduate and graduate nursing programs, including an RN-to-BSN program for associate-degree-trained nurses to earn their BSN quickly.
GCU's courses also emphasize hands-on clinical experience, which can help students meet their program's clinical requirements in various real-world healthcare settings.
Nurse.org may be compensated by some of the nursing schools we review. However, this does not affect our review process or the ratings these schools receive. All reviews are created independently by our editorial team. We review products and services from partner schools as well as schools we do not work with.
The GCU nursing program offers three pathways for earning a specialized bachelor of science in nursing:
GCU also offers several specialties for you to choose from if you want a non-bedside MSN role:
Grand Canyon University also offers nurse practitioner specialty degrees:
GCU has a double-masters option to expand your nursing career with a business focus:
One of the best indicators of a nursing program's quality is the school's NCLEX pass rate. As of 2022, Grand Canyon University has a 90% NCLEX pass rate. To put that in perspective, the national NCLEX pass rate for 2022 for BSN-trained nurses is 82.32%. So yes, Grand Canyon University is a good nursing program.
GCU's College of Nursing and Health Care Professions has a nearly 35-year tradition of preparing students to fill evolving healthcare roles as highly qualified professionals. GCU offers a full spectrum of nursing degrees, from a pre-licensure BSN degree to a Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) program.
Accreditation Prerequisite RN RequiredEnrollment: Nationwide
MSN - Family NP MSN - Adult Gerontology Acute Care NP MSN - Nursing Education MSN - Health Informatics MSN - Public Health Nursing MSN - Health Care Quality & Patient Safety MBA & MSN - Nursing Leadership in Health Care Systems See more GCU nursing programs
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WGU's award-winning online programs are created to help you succeed while graduating faster and with less debt. WGU is a CCNE accredited, nonprofit university offering nursing bachelor's and master's degrees.
Accreditation Prerequisite RN RequiredEnrollment: Nationwide
BSN-to-MSN - Family NP BSN-to-MSN - Psychiatric Mental Health NP BSN-to-MSN - Nursing Education RN-to-MSN - Nursing Education RN-to-MSN - Nursing Leadership & Management
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Walden’s online programs for nursing meet rigorous standards for academic quality and integrity, and the School of Nursing teaching faculty all hold doctorates. With three degree completion options, you can choose a bachelor’s in nursing path that makes sense for your busy, unpredictable schedule.
Accreditation Prerequisite RN RequiredEnrollment: Nationwide, excluding NY, RI and CT. Certain programs have additional state restrictions. Check with Walden for details.
MSN - Psychiatric-Mental Health NP MSN - Family NP MSN - Adult/Gerontology Acute Care NP MSN - Adult/Gerontology Primary Care NP MSN - Pediatric NP - Primary Care MSN - Nursing Education MSN - Nursing Informatics MSN - Public Health Nursing
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As a working RN, you need a flexible, transfer-friendly program to help you save time and money as you take the next step in your nursing career. In our CCNE-accredited4
RN to BSN program, you can transfer in up to 134 credits—which is nearly 75% of program requirements. Your transfer credits can be reviewed in one business day (on average).
Enrollment: FL
MSN - Nursing Education MSN - Pediatric NP - Primary Care MSN - Adult-Gerontology NP - Primary Care MSN - Family NP MSN - Psychiatric-Mental Health NP MSN - Nursing Leadership & Admin MSN - Healthcare Tech, Simulation & Informatics See more Rasmussen nursing programs
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Yes, Grand Canyon University is accredited. GCU maintains accreditation from the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE), a nationally recognized accrediting agency for nursing programs.
Prospective students must meet the following general requirements to get into the Grand Canyon University College of Nursing:
Even if your GPA is below 3.0, you may still be considered for GCU admission with a qualifying HESI exam score.
You should expect a rigorous and challenging program from Grand Canyon University School of Nursing. GCU will give you a demanding course load like other nationally accredited schools. Ensure you have the time and determination to face these rewarding academic challenges before enrolling in a Grand Canyon University nursing program.
How challenging the curriculum is for you may depend on several factors. For example, if you’re a full-time student with a job or you’re in an ABSN program, you may encounter more challenges than other students. Full-time students may want to consider not working or working significantly less during their studies.
Students have plenty of support as they navigate their GCU experience, from academic advising resources to tutoring services and student success centers. GCU also has a state-of-the-art campus with a nearly $1.6 billion expansion of new technologies, classrooms, laboratories, and student amenities.
Moreover, GCU offers flexible nursing programs to cater to students' different lifestyle needs by providing online learning, hybrid coursework, and evening class options.
GCU also offers a “by students, for students” coffee shop, the Grand Canyon Beverage Company. This student organization uses its profits to make improvements for the student body.
Several factors can impact the cost of attendance at GCU. Your tuition and expenses will vary depending on your degree program, whether you attend in-person or online classes, and whether you live on or off campus. Here are some general expenses students should anticipate before attending a Grand Canyon University nursing program:
Talk to your admissions advisor to learn more about specific GCU attendance costs.
Grand Canyon University's nursing program is worth your consideration for several reasons. GCU’s diverse and flexible offerings allow you to select a degree that suits your needs and career goals. Whether you’re going for a BSN, RN to BSN, MSN, DNP, or another path, GCU likely has a nursing program for you.
GCU has a progressive transfer process that takes three steps to complete:
You can also transfer from Grand Canyon University School of Nursing to other nursing programs quickly because of GCU’s CCNE accreditation. But remember that certification doesn’t determine whether another school will accept your GCU credits. You must speak with your transfer university’s admissions office to ensure your GCU credits will transfer.
Cassandra, A BSN student at GCU in 2023, gave her experience 4.5 out of five stars and wrote:
"I am currently in my last BSN course at GCU and I have not had one problem with tuition, customer service, grading times, instructor responsiveness, etc. I don't particularly like online group assignments or spreading out response posts throughout the week but that's to be expected with an online learning platform. I've been unclear instructions about assignments and instructors usually get back to me within a few hours, grades are in no longer than a week after the assignment is due and my counsellors have all been super responsive and helpful.”
Another 2020 BSN student reported that she also loved her experience at GCU, giving it 5 out of 5 stars:
“I have just completed my BSN and will begin my classes for my masters in nursing ed next month. I LOVE this school. The professors are outstanding and have all given my classes a way to teach them. In fact, several have their private cell phone numbers so that they could be reached anytime. I love that the classes are taken one at a time and that they are only 5 weeks long. I chose to take breaks in between classes, which was nice. At GCU, you pace yourself. The tuition is high, but if you take the time to look for scholarships, you'll be fine.”
The University of Texas at Arlington’s online programs are designed to help you achieve more in your nursing practice with a Bachelor of Science in Nursing. They offer convenient, flexible options for completing your RN to BSN or BSN online, both designed to fit into your busy schedule.
