Last Updated: October 3, 2026
The Miami and Fort Lauderdale metro area has four accelerated BSN programs worth comparing directly, ranging in cost from roughly $12,300 to $56,300.
Duration runs 12 months at the University of Miami to 16 months at FIU and Keiser. Barry University sits at 15 months.
South Florida’s private market is dense with clinical partnerships — Barry names 11 hospital systems, UM manages placement across 200+ partners — but the cost gap between public and private programs here is among the steepest in the state.
Florida resident applicants who can meet FIU’s competitive admissions bar are looking at the most affordable second degree nursing program in the region by a wide margin.
Quick Summary Table
| School | Location | Cost | Duration | GPA Required |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Miami Shores | $31K | 15 months | 3.0 GPA | |
North Miami | $12K (FL resident) | 16 months | 3.0 cumulative / 3.25 prereq | |
Fort Lauderdale (+ 12 other FL campuses) | $64,540 | 16 months | 3.0 | |
Miami (Coral Gables) | $43,260 | 12 months | 3.0 GPA |
ABSN Programs in Miami and Fort Lauderdale: What You Need to Know
TL;DR: Which ABSN Is Right for You?
Choose Florida International University if you want the lowest total tuition (~$12K as a Florida resident), can meet the 3.25 prerequisite GPA threshold, and are prepared for a competitive, point-ranked admissions process with only 60 seats per year.
Choose University of Miami for a 12-month, three-semester sequence with program-arranged clinical placement. SONHS reports a 97% first-time NCLEX-RN pass rate for its baccalaureate graduates in 2025; that is a school-wide result, rather than an accelerated-only rate.
Choose Barry University if you want direct clinical training at 11 named South Florida hospital systems — including Baptist Health, Cleveland Clinic, and Nicklaus Children’s — with small cohorts of 15–25 students and a January start date.
Choose Keiser University to compare a 13-campus Florida network and a one-class-at-a-time approach. Confirm the selected campus’s cohort availability and clinical calendar; estimated tuition is $64,540 under a four-full-time-plus-semester budget, with nursing fees additional.
Shortest ABSN Programs
The University of Miami is the fastest option at 12 months across three consecutive semesters — no summer gaps, no semester breaks.
Barry runs 15 months across four semesters starting each January.
FIU and Keiser both have approximately 16-month accelerated sequences. FIU publishes a semester-by-semester plan; Keiser promotes one-class-at-a-time learning, with nursing laboratory and clinical attendance that applicants should confirm by campus.
That block format is unusual in an accelerated BSN program and meaningfully changes how students manage weekly workload — less simultaneous pressure, but a sustained intensity through each block.
Most Affordable ABSN Programs in Miami
Florida International University charges approximately $12,336 in total tuition for Florida residents — roughly $3,084 per semester across four terms. This is the only program in the Miami–Fort Lauderdale market that delivers an accelerated BSN at public university tuition, and it’s a CCNE-accredited program with an 88% first-time NCLEX pass rate and more than 12,000 nursing alumni. The caveat is selectivity: FIU’s point-based admissions system, 3.25 prerequisite GPA requirement, and 60-seat annual cap mean the price advantage is only accessible to competitive applicants.
Barry University is the next most affordable at approximately $31,150 total — structured as $7,000 per semester in nursing tuition plus a $50/credit nursing resources fee across 63 credits. For a private university with 11 named hospital partners, Barry’s pricing sits well below UM and Keiser. More than 90% of Barry students receive some form of financial assistance, and privately funded scholarships are available specifically for ABSN students in both fall and spring semesters.
Prerequisite Course Patterns
All four programs require Anatomy & Physiology I and II with labs, Microbiology, Statistics, and Introduction to Psychology as core prerequisites. FIU and UM add Chemistry with lab and Nutrition as standalone requirements.
UM also requires Human Growth and Development as a distinct prerequisite.
Barry stands apart with additional requirements not found elsewhere in this group: Biomedical Ethics, Digital Literacy, Developmental Psychology, and two theology distribution courses — a reflection of its Catholic university identity.
FIU and UM both enforce a 10-year recency rule on science prerequisites; Barry does not publish a formal recency limit but requires all prerequisites be completed before nursing courses begin.
Start Dates and Cohort Availability
| School | Start Dates | Admissions Type |
|---|---|---|
January only | Fixed deadline (Oct 31); holistic review with possible interview | |
One annual cohort | Fixed deadline (Feb 15) via NursingCAS; point-based ranking | |
Campus-specific starts | Confirm campus cohort and final cutoff | |
May and January | October 1, 2026; March 1, 2027 final deadlines |
Barry and FIU are the most restrictive on timing — both run a single annual cohort. Miss the Barry deadline of October 31 or the FIU NursingCAS deadline of February 15 and the next entry point is a full year away.
UM offers two start dates per year (May and January) with rolling review, so a strong application submitted early doesn’t sit in a batch queue until after the deadline closes.
Keiser’s Fort Lauderdale campus offers another local accelerated option. Confirm its available cohort dates and nursing attendance requirements rather than assume unrestricted year-round entry.
Clinical Training Structure
The University of Miami arranges clinical placements among more than 200 partners, including UHealth and Jackson Health System. Its simulation hospital supports patient assessment, medication administration, teamwork and management of evolving clinical situations. The current FAQ describes approximately 140–336 clinical hours per semester; course credits combine classroom and practice work, and the final semester’s clinical credits are spread across several courses.
Barry University names all 11 of its clinical partner hospitals directly — Baptist Health System, Jackson Healthcare, Memorial Healthcare System, Cleveland Clinic, Nicklaus Children’s Hospital, Holy Cross, Broward Health, and four others across Dade and Broward counties. Placement is assigned by random allocation, not student preference or geography, and students must provide their own transportation.
FIU embeds clinical hours into paired lab courses throughout all four semesters, anchored by daily simulation at the STAR Center — faculty describe it as real-world clinical practice integrated into regular coursework rather than treated as a supplemental block.
Keiser’s clinical network operates campus-by-campus; the Fort Lauderdale campus assigns students through its local hospital system, but specific named partners are not published in available materials and should be confirmed directly.
Who Should Choose an ABSN in Miami or Fort Lauderdale?
South Florida’s accelerated BSN market is best suited to applicants who want to enter one of the country’s strongest nursing employment markets — Baptist Health, Cleveland Clinic Florida, Jackson Health, and Memorial Healthcare System all recruit directly from programs in this group.
Compare each program’s academic thresholds, fees and attendance requirements. Keiser requires a 3.0 prior-degree or last-60-credit GPA, a separate 3.0 prerequisite/general-education GPA and an on-site Wonderlic SLE score of 23. Its current program page identifies ACEN nursing accreditation.