Maryland has three accelerated BSN programs and a two-year BSN option that accepts second-degree students. The nursing sequences take 15–24 months; for Maryland residents, tuition ranges from an estimated $9,622 at Coppin State to $60,690 published hybrid tuition at Notre Dame, before required fees, prerequisites and living costs.
Some highlights include:
Public HBCU Nursing in Baltimore
Coppin State University offers a 15-month second-degree route rooted in community health. Its tuition estimate uses three full-time fall/spring terms and eight summer credits, with fees shown separately.
Three Starts and a Choice of Coursework Format
Notre Dame of Maryland University offers January, May and September starts. Applicants can choose campus study in Baltimore or hybrid coursework with in-person skills and simulation in Elkridge; both formats require clinical attendance.
Eastern Shore Clinical Learning
Salisbury University combines a 16-month sequence with rural-community nursing and clinical placements in Maryland and Delaware. Students complete fall, spring and a second fall semester.
A TEAS Waiver and D.C.-Resident Tuition Savings
University of Maryland School of Nursing waives the TEAS for applicants with a non-nursing bachelor’s degree. Newly admitted D.C. residents enrolling at Shady Grove qualify for Maryland in-state tuition.
Last Updated: October 14, 2026
Maryland ABSN Programs at a Glance
| School | Tuition before fees | Duration | GPA | Start |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Coppin State University Baltimore, MD | Est. $9,622 resident | 15 months | 3.0 cumulative | Fall |
Notre Dame of Maryland University Baltimore / Elkridge, MD | $57,630 campus / $60,690 hybrid | 15 months | 3.0 cumulative | January, May, September |
Salisbury University Salisbury, MD | Est. $12,264 resident | 16 months | 3.0 generally more competitive | Fall |
University of Maryland School of Nursing Baltimore / Rockville, MD | Est. $21,684 resident | About 24 months | 3.0 overall and science | Spring, fall |
How to Compare Maryland Nursing Programs
Start with your previous degree, available campus locations and ability to attend clinical placements. Then compare tuition plus required fees, prerequisite completion dates and the application calendar for the cohort you want.
Coppin, Notre Dame and Salisbury offer accelerated nursing study. UMSON’s standard upper-division BSN takes about two years after prerequisites, although it provides a reduced prerequisite checklist and TEAS waiver for prior-degree students.
Best Maryland ABSN Programs by Goal
For a Baltimore HBCU and community-health focus: Coppin State
Coppin State University combines its Helene Fuld School of Nursing’s community mission with a second-degree cohort sequence. Its published sample leads from foundational and specialty nursing into leadership and a precepted senior practicum.
For hybrid coursework and multiple start months: Notre Dame
Notre Dame of Maryland University offers two coursework formats and three annual entry points. Hybrid students still attend labs, simulation and clinical placements in person, so the format should fit both your study preferences and travel schedule.
For Eastern Shore and rural-community practice: Salisbury
Salisbury University builds rural-community nursing into its required curriculum. Regional clinical sites include TidalHealth facilities in Salisbury and Seaford and Atlantic General Hospital in Berlin.
For a longer BSN route and Shady Grove access: UMSON
University of Maryland School of Nursing offers Baltimore and Rockville locations, 720 reported clinical-course hours and CNA application eligibility after its first foundations clinical course. The Shady Grove in-state tuition benefit may be especially useful to newly admitted D.C. residents.
Program Format and Attendance
Coppin’s accelerated nursing study is based in Baltimore. Its complete webpage sample spans seven sessions across fall, spring, two summer sessions and the following fall.
Notre Dame’s campus ABSN is based at Charles Street in Baltimore; its hybrid ABSN combines online theory with Elkridge skills and simulation attendance. Online coursework does not replace clinical travel or make the program available as fully remote study.
Salisbury starts in late August and ends in December of the following year, using three nursing semesters with no intervening summer nursing term. Clinical days may last 8–12 hours, with occasional evening or weekend assignments; students need reliable transport to regional sites.
UMSON describes its four-semester BSN as full-time and in person at Baltimore or Shady Grove. Individual course delivery can include online learning, but campus and clinical participation remain part of the program.
Admissions and Prerequisite Differences
| School | Entry and GPA | Entrance exam |
|---|---|---|
Prior non-nursing bachelor’s; 3.0 cumulative GPA | ATI TEAS required; the program checklist does not specify a minimum score | |
Prior-degree or qualifying transfer route; 3.0 cumulative undergraduate GPA | TEAS composite ≥65%; scores within one year | |
Prior bachelor’s; 3.0 cumulative described as generally more competitive | No TEAS/HESI requirement listed in current second-degree application checklist | |
Prior-degree or upper-division transfer entry; 3.0 overall and science GPA | TEAS proficient overall and in every subsection; waived for non-nursing bachelor’s holders |
Salisbury’s 3.0 figure is a competitive benchmark, not a stated absolute minimum. UMSON separately evaluates overall and specified science GPA; Notre Dame and Coppin use cumulative undergraduate GPA requirements.
Applicants with a prior degree generally need A&P, microbiology, chemistry and statistics, but check each school’s laboratory, nutrition, lifespan-development and pathophysiology requirements. A prior bachelor’s degree does not guarantee that all required supporting coursework will transfer.
Notre Dame’s prior-degree checklist identifies 22 prerequisite credits; its transfer checklist adds nutrition and development for applicable later cohorts, along with remaining university requirements. UMSON’s prior-degree core totals 25 credits, while applicants without a completed bachelor’s degree meet its full 59-credit lower-division checklist.
UMSON’s chemistry, A&P and microbiology must be within 10 years. Notre Dame’s starred science prerequisites must be within seven years, with C or better and restrictions on repeats or withdrawals.
Coppin’s current pre-nursing checklist requires NURS 221 and NURS 319 at Coppin, in addition to transfer review. Salisbury requires C or better in its 23-credit prerequisite checklist and completion at least one month before classes begin.
Application materials also differ: Coppin uses separate university and nursing steps; Salisbury uses NursingCAS; UMSON uses its Admissions Dashboard. Essays, recommendations and transcript routing must follow the relevant nursing application instructions.
Start Dates and Application Deadlines
| School | Application timing | Start |
|---|---|---|
March 1 final nursing application date; December 1 early decision | Fall | |
Apr. 1 summer; Jul. 15 hybrid fall; Dec. 1 hybrid spring. Later applications if space remains. | January, May, September | |
January 15 first consideration; separate final cutoff not published | Fall | |
Fall 2027: Dec. 15, 2026 priority; Feb. 1, 2027 regular/scholarships; later review if space remains | Spring and fall |
Coppin’s current checklist separates the March 1 application/recommendation deadline from April 1 TEAS results and the end of Summer Session I for prerequisite completion. Under its published annual schedule, fall 2027 planning uses December 1, 2026 early decision and March 1, 2027 final application submission.
Salisbury’s January 15, 2027 first-consideration target is for fall 2027 under the annual schedule. It should not be presented as a verified final cutoff; admission to Salisbury alone does not secure a nursing seat.
Notre Dame’s currently linked nursing handbook lists April 1 for campus summer consideration and April 1, July 15 and December 1 for hybrid summer, fall and spring consideration. Later submissions are reviewed if space remains; under that annual schedule, the next hybrid spring target is December 1, 2026.
UMSON’s fall 2027 applications are open. December 15, 2026 is priority consideration and February 1, 2027 governs regular review and scholarship consideration; later completed applications are reviewed only if space remains. Spring 2027 priority and regular dates have passed, and later complete applications are considered only if space remains.
UMSON’s February 1 and September 1 TEAS-result dates apply when the test is required. Its prior-degree waiver and the nursing-cohort final deadline are separate matters.
Tuition and Costs
| School / tuition category | Nursing-sequence tuition | Fees beyond tuition |
|---|---|---|
Coppin State University — Maryland resident | Est. $9,622 | Est. $4,414 mandatory fees; insurance and other expenses additional |
Coppin — nonresident | Est. $24,193 | Est. $4,414 mandatory fees; insurance and other expenses additional |
Notre Dame of Maryland University — campus | $57,630 published | $4,096 in listed ATI and registration/technology fees; ATI increase expected summer 2027 |
Notre Dame — hybrid | $60,690 published | Same $4,096 listed fees; other course/clinical expenses additional |
Salisbury University — Maryland resident | Est. $12,264 | Est. $4,935 mandatory fees; assigned nursing-course charges extra |
Salisbury — nonresident | Est. $30,450 | Est. $4,935 mandatory fees; assigned nursing-course charges extra |
University of Maryland School of Nursing — Maryland resident | Est. $21,684 | Partial flat fees: est. $10,798 Baltimore / $9,408 Shady Grove; per-credit clinical/simulation charges and insurance extra |
UMSON — nonresident | Est. $89,118 | Same campus-based fee categories; insurance and personal expenses extra |
Coppin estimate: three × $2,618 in fall/spring resident tuition plus eight × $221 summer credits = $9,622. The estimate follows the complete 55-credit webpage sample and applies current 2026–27 part-time tuition to future summer; individual cohort coursework and summer rates can change the bill.
Coppin’s estimated $4,414 mandatory fees use three full-time term charges plus per-credit and flat charges for two four-credit summer sessions. The $150 enrollment fee, $50 graduation application charge, books, nursing expenses and waivable insurance are additional.
Notre Dame published prices: $57,630 campus or $60,690 hybrid tuition applies to fall 2026/spring 2027 entrants staying four consecutive semesters. Listed ATI and registration/technology fees total $4,096, making the quoted combined amounts $61,726 campus or $64,786 hybrid before other expenses.
Notre Dame expects ATI fees to increase in summer 2027. Its approximately $2,450.31 supplies and clinical-expense allowance is separate; prerequisites, housing and travel are extra.
Salisbury estimate: three × $4,088 resident tuition = $12,264, plus three × $1,645 mandatory fees = $4,935. The combined estimate is $17,199 before assigned nursing-course fees, prerequisites and personal expenses; no summer nursing term is added.
Salisbury separately lists $100 nursing lab and $10 liability-insurance charges when assigned to a course. Its historical September 2023 supply allowances are planning context rather than current quoted prices.
UMSON estimate: four × $5,421 resident tuition = $21,684. Baltimore and Shady Grove charge the same tuition, but different auxiliary fees; the partial four-term flat fee subtotals of $10,798/$9,408 exclude the $108-per-credit clinical/simulation assessment, health insurance and other expenses.
UMSON’s flat charges include $750 per term for clinical education cost coverage and a first-semester $2,075 assessment fee. Review the detailed school profile’s campus fee breakdown rather than treating tuition alone as the full cost.
Current-rate estimates hold published rates constant across future semesters. Rate increases, extra coursework, transfer decisions and individual registration can change charges; these tuition figures exclude prerequisite tuition and living expenses.
Tuition Support and Work Commitments
UMSON lists merit and donor awards, need-based Conway support and a final-semester Clinical Scholars award of $5,000–$15,000 tied to an 18–36-month work commitment at University of Maryland Medical Center or Sinai Hospital. Scholarships are conditional awards and do not automatically reduce every student’s tuition.
Salisbury identifies Maryland’s nonresident nursing tuition-reduction opportunity with an agreement to practice in the state. That benefit depends on eligibility and commitment terms rather than ordinary residency classification.
Clinical Training and Professional Preparation
UMSON’s published plan reports 720 clinical-course hours, with simulation integrated into clinical learning. Its final practicum pairs students with an RN preceptor, and completing NURS 349 allows students to apply for CNA certification.
Coppin’s nursing coursework includes adult, maternity, pediatric, mental-health and community care. Its three-credit Senior Practicum course description specifies 135 clinical hours; that figure describes the practicum rather than a whole-program total.
Notre Dame lists Baltimore-area clinical partners including Johns Hopkins, University of Maryland Medical Center, MedStar, Mercy, Greater Baltimore Medical Center and Sinai/LifeBridge. A named partner does not guarantee an individual placement at that hospital.
Salisbury’s rural-community curriculum and distributed Eastern Shore placements make transport planning especially important. The program discourages outside employment; its FAQ recommends limiting work to about 10–12 hours weekly if students must work.
All four baccalaureate nursing programs hold CCNE accreditation and Maryland Board approval. Compare NCLEX results by reporting year, credential and student population; a school-level BSN result does not by itself establish accelerated-cohort performance.
Maryland ABSN Program Summaries
Coppin State University ABSN Program
Baltimore | $9,622 | 15 Months
Coppin State’s accelerated second-degree BSN in Baltimore spans about 15 months. Its complete programme webpage sample lists 55 nursing credits; the final cohort plan determines additional requirements. Resident tuition is estimated at $9,622 using three full-time fall/spring terms and eight summer credits; fees are additional. Minimum cumulative GPA is 3.0, ATI TEAS is required and March 1 is the published final deadline.
.. read more.Notre Dame of Maryland University ABSN Program
Baltimore | $60,690 | 15 Months
Notre Dame of Maryland offers 15-month campus and hybrid accelerated nursing formats with January, May and September starts. The new fall 2026 curriculum includes 56 nursing credits. Published tuition is $60,690 hybrid or $57,630 campus, with fees additional. Applicants need a 3.0 cumulative undergraduate GPA and TEAS score of at least 65%; prior-degree and transfer prerequisite checklists differ.
.. read more.Salisbury University ABSN Program
Salisbury | $12,264 | 16 Months
Salisbury’s second-degree BSN spans 16 months across fall, spring and the following fall, with rural-community nursing and Eastern Shore clinical placements. The catalog lists 43 nursing and 23 prerequisite credits. Resident tuition is estimated at $12,264, plus $4,935 in mandatory fees. January 15 is first consideration; the catalog describes 3.0 cumulative GPA as generally more competitive.
.. read more.University of Maryland ABSN Program
Baltimore or Rockville | $21,684 | 24 Months
UMSON’s entry-into-nursing BSN accepts prior-degree applicants and takes as little as two years across four semesters. Its 61-credit nursing sequence includes 720 reported clinical hours in Baltimore or Rockville. Maryland-resident tuition is estimated at $21,684 using 2026–27 rates, with substantial fees additional; prior-degree applicants receive a TEAS waiver and a reduced prerequisite checklist.
.. read more.More Options Nearby
Compare ABSN programs in Virginia or Pennsylvania for additional locations and nursing pathways.