Compare Indiana ABSN Programs

Last Updated: October 11, 2026

Compare seven accelerated BSN options for Indiana students: five Indiana-based providers and two out-of-state providers with online coursework. Nursing sequences range from 13 months to as few as 20 months, with Anderson using a five-semester plan. All require in-person clinical learning; prerequisites can add time before the nursing sequence.

Tuition figures below run from a $19,353 resident illustration to a $60,520 published estimate. The lower public-university calculations have degree-map or summer-rate limitations, and Marian’s figure covers required nursing courses only. Fees, prerequisite coursework, travel and living expenses are additional; compare the tuition basis before using these amounts to build a budget.

Indiana ABSN Programs at a Glance

How to Compare Indiana ABSN Programs

• Shorter nursing sequence: Huntington’s 13-month route requires Fort Wayne attendance and Parkview clinical learning.
• Public-university options: Indiana State offers mostly online theory over 15 months; IU offers in-person study over 16 months. Resident tuition examples need a current individual quote.
• More entry dates: Marian lists January, May and August starts; Joyce lists three annual starts. IU, Huntington and Elmhurst have two entry cycles.
• Distance-study travel: Elmhurst requires two Illinois residencies; Joyce requires three Utah immersions and a transfer evaluation for its shortest timeline.
• Employment-linked support: Huntington’s Parkview option carries qualifying employment and repayment terms. Review the commitment alongside the tuition benefit.

Program Format and Attendance

Central Indiana — Indianapolis and Anderson

Indiana University Indianapolis offers an in-person public-university pathway. Marian University offers online theory with required local labs, examinations and Ascension St. Vincent clinical learning, plus January, May and August starts. Anderson University offers a five-semester sequence beginning in May; confirm its assigned clinical travel and individualized 60–62-credit requirement.

Northeast Indiana — Fort Wayne

Huntington University faculty teach at Indiana Tech’s Fort Wayne campus, with Parkview Health clinical training. Its employment-linked tuition support may be relevant to students willing to review qualifying employment and repayment terms. Indiana University Fort Wayne offers the same accelerated curriculum structure as Indianapolis, with clinical partners in the Fort Wayne region.

West-Central Indiana — Terre Haute

Indiana State University may suit students who can combine online theory with regular access to Terre Haute and Indiana clinical sites. Its annual March 15 application deadline requires early prerequisite planning; hybrid delivery does not remove hands-on attendance requirements.

Distance Options for Indiana Residents

Elmhurst University and Joyce University are out-of-state providers with Indiana eligibility. Elmhurst requires two campus residencies in Illinois, while Joyce requires approximately one week in Utah during each of semesters three, four and five. Both assign clinical learning, and students must plan transportation around actual placements rather than assume every shift will be near home.

Before choosing an online or hybrid pathway, confirm your state of residence is eligible, the assigned clinical area, required travel, exam attendance and the consequences of relocating during enrollment. Online lectures provide a different attendance pattern, not an exemption from clinical schedules.

Admissions and Prerequisite Differences

Compare the GPA definition as well as the number. Overall, science and selected-prerequisite GPAs measure different coursework.

Prior education: Indiana State, IU, Anderson, Huntington and Elmhurst require a previous bachelor’s degree. Marian also offers an ASHS transfer route: applicants enter that preparatory pathway with at least 30 non-nursing credits and a 2.0 GPA, then must complete the ASHS and meet the ABSN’s 2.8 GPA requirement. Joyce’s shortest 20-month schedule depends on 46 qualifying transfer credits; including needed sciences in the degree does not guarantee that minimum timeline.

Application preparation: IU requires campus admission, an advisor’s planning sheet and a separate nursing application; its current FAQ says TEAS and HESI are not required. Anderson requires an interview after application materials are submitted. Indiana State applies a ten-year prerequisite recency rule; IU and Marian use seven-year limits for the specified courses.

Check the type of GPA each school uses: overall undergraduate GPA, science GPA and a selected prerequisite GPA are different measures. Have admissions approve course equivalents and recency before spending money on replacement classes; a minimum score establishes eligibility for review rather than a guaranteed seat.

Start Dates and Application Deadlines

Start dates and deadlines are separate. IU has two entry cycles, rather than one annual cohort. Huntington lists fall and spring admission; Marian and Joyce list three starts. Anderson and Indiana State have a single annual starting point, so a missed requirement can delay the nursing sequence substantially.

Work backward from the intended start to transcript evaluation, prerequisites, application submission and clinical clearance. Even programs with ongoing review may fill seats before the start date; a published start month is not permission to submit an incomplete application at the last minute.

Tuition and Costs

Figures are tuition-only amounts or calculations unless specifically labeled otherwise. Public-university examples use Indiana-resident rates and are not current cohort quotes. Prerequisites, required fees, travel and living costs can materially change the budget.

Public-university calculations: Indiana State’s example uses its 2022–23 degree map and four current-rate terms. IU’s illustration uses three $4,758.96 standard-term tuition charges plus 16–17 summer credits at the available summer-2025 rate of $317.26. Obtain the current campus and cohort calculation before treating either as a full-program quote.

Budget Beyond the Nursing Sequence

• Prerequisites and support courses: tuition for courses completed before entry may be outside the headline nursing figure. Marian’s support courses are separate from its required nursing tuition calculation.
• Clinical compliance: budget for health clearances, screenings, uniforms and supplies, following the selected school’s current requirements.
• Travel and living costs: include local clinical transportation and, for Elmhurst or Joyce, the required out-of-state residencies or immersions.
• Aid and employment commitments: review confirmed financial-aid awards and written conditions before reducing a budget. Huntington’s Parkview support is paid over time and depends on qualifying employment; it does not mean every expense is prepaid.

Clinical Training

Every option includes in-person nursing practice. Indiana State requires direct clinicals in Indiana and campus skills learning; IU and Anderson combine campus instruction with assigned placements. Huntington uses the Parkview network, while Marian’s Indianapolis pathway uses Ascension St. Vincent. No partnership guarantees an individual student a particular hospital, specialty or job.

These figures measure different portions of training and should not be ranked as if they were interchangeable. For Marian, Anderson and Indiana State, request a current cohort breakdown of direct patient care, simulation, laboratory and capstone hours. Ask all schools about nights, weekends, transportation and placement travel before committing.

Accreditation and NCLEX Outcomes

The reviewed profiles identify CCNE accreditation for each listed baccalaureate nursing program. Nursing accreditation, institutional accreditation and state approval are separate checks; confirm the applicable program and state licensure disclosures, especially when enrolling with an out-of-state provider.

The Indiana Board’s 2025 BSN results provide school-level comparisons below. They do not isolate accelerated students. IU’s figure combines Indianapolis, Fort Wayne and Bloomington, so it is not a result for one ABSN campus.

Out-of-state outcomes: Elmhurst reports an 86% pass rate for its 2023 online ABSN graduates without specifying the attempt basis. Joyce reports 83.73% first-time for BSN graduates in calendar year 2025; that university-wide figure does not isolate Indiana accelerated students. Different years, pathways and populations prevent a direct ABSN ranking.

Questions to Ask Before Applying

• Which prior courses are accepted, and what coursework remains before entry?
• Which GPA calculation will admissions use, and are any courses too old?
• What is the exact application deadline for the intended start?
• Where will labs, exams and clinicals occur, and what travel is required?
• What is the written tuition and fee total for my individual plan and residency classification?
• What are the recent NCLEX, completion and placement outcomes for this pathway and campus?

A useful shortlist fits both academic eligibility and practical attendance. Compare the written course plan, clinical travel and full budget before choosing between a shorter nursing sequence, more entry dates or an online theory component.

Indiana ABSN Program Summaries

List of ABSN Programs in IN

Anderson University ABSN Program

Anderson | $40,800–$42,160 | 5 Semesters

Anderson University’s Christian ABSN begins in May and follows five full-time semesters. The school lists 60–62 nursing credits, a 2.75 admission GPA and six prerequisites with C or better. Campus learning, simulation and supervised clinical experiences support the transition to nursing.

Elmhurst University ABSN Program

Online but must reside in Indiana. | $50,000 | 16 Months

For Indiana residents, Elmhurst offers a 16-month ABSN with online coursework, university-arranged in-person clinical placements and two required Illinois campus residencies. The 60-credit program lists $50,000 tuition; NCLEX preparation, travel and other expenses are additional.

Huntington University ABSN Program

Fort Wayne | $44,016 | 13 Months

Huntington’s 13-month, 56-credit ABSN pairs in-person classes at Indiana Tech in Fort Wayne with Parkview Health clinical training. Applicants need a prior bachelor’s degree, a 2.75 GPA and completed prerequisites. Employment-linked tuition support is available; fees and repayment terms require separate review... read more.

Indiana State University ABSN Program

Terre Haute | $19,956 | 15 Months

Indiana State’s full-time, 15-month accelerated second-degree BSN combines mostly asynchronous online theory with campus skills work in Terre Haute and clinical experiences in Indiana. Admission requires a 2.75 prerequisite GPA and a 2.50 science GPA.

Indiana University ABSN Program

Fort Wayne, Indianapolis | $19,353–$19,670 | 16 Months

IU’s 16-month, 64-credit accelerated BSN is offered full-time in person at Fort Wayne and Indianapolis. It includes four semesters, simulation, supervised clinical care and a precepted final experience. Minimum GPAs are 2.7 overall and 3.0 in evaluated prerequisites.

Joyce University ABSN Program

Draper | $60,520 | 20 Months

Joyce offers Indiana residents a hybrid second-degree BSN with online coursework, assigned Indiana direct-care clinicals and three required Utah skills immersions. The shortest 20-month plan depends on qualifying transfer credit. Published tuition is $60,520 before the NCLEX resources fee and other expenses.

Marian University ABSN Program

Indianapolis | $50,880 | 16 Months

Marian’s 16-month hybrid ABSN offers January, May and August starts in Indianapolis and Nashville. Admission requires a 2.8 cumulative GPA and 2.8 science GPA. Online theory is paired with local labs, exams and clinicals; estimated required nursing tuition is $50,880 before support courses, prerequisites and fees.