Massachusetts has 12 schools with accelerated BSN pathways covering full-time BSN sequences of 12–20 months, plus a 24-month part-time option. Current tuition planning figures range from $39,150 at UMass Boston to $109,540 at Elms, before fees and prerequisites. Salem State has a lower $34,715 cohort-charge estimate, but whether that charge includes tuition remains unconfirmed.
Some highlights include:
A One-Year Full-Time Route or a Part-Time Alternative
UMass Boston and Mass General Brigham University of Health Professions offer 12-month full-time programs. The latter also offers a 24-month part-time option, which may suit students who need a longer nursing sequence.
Entry Without a Completed Bachelor’s Degree
Elms College considers applicants with an associate degree and a higher admission GPA requirement. Northeastern University also has a transfer route for applicants with at least 62 eligible non-nursing college credits.
Amherst Applications Have Reopened
UMass Amherst is accepting applications for fall 2027. The application deadline is January 8, 2027, followed by a February 1 supporting-material deadline.
Last Updated: October 16, 2026
Massachusetts ABSN Programs at a Glance
| School | Est. Tuition | Duration | GPA | Start |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Salem State University Salem, MA | $34,715 cohort charge* | 15 Months | 3.0 cumulative | May |
UMass Boston Boston, MA | $39,150 estimate | 12 Months | 3.0 cumulative; 3.3 prerequisites | January, May, September |
UMass Amherst Springfield, MA | $40,310 estimate | 16 Months | 3.0 prerequisites | Fall |
UMass Dartmouth Dartmouth, MA | $41,418 estimate | 17 Months | 3.0 prior degree; 3.2 prerequisites | Fall; summer preparation |
Curry College Milton, MA | $60,000 estimate | 16 Months | 2.7 minimum; 3.0 preferred | Fall; separate spring option |
Assumption University Worcester, MA | $61,500 summer 2026 package | 16 Months | 3.0 prior degree | Summer |
Endicott College Beverly, MA | $73,966 estimate | 16 Months | 3.0 degree; 2.7 prerequisites | 2027 application open; confirm cohort start |
Regis College Weston, MA | $81,960 estimate | 16 Months | 3.0 prior degree | January, September |
MCPHS University Boston / Worcester, MA | $85,080 estimate | 16 Months | C+ prerequisites; admissions review | Spring, fall |
$87,200 2027 tuition | 12 Months full-time; 24 months part-time | 3.0 preferred | January, May; check option availability | |
Northeastern University Burlington / Fall River, MA | $88,768 estimate | 16 Months | 3.0 cumulative | January, May, September |
Elms College Chicopee, MA | $109,540 estimate | 20 Months | 3.2 bachelor’s; 3.4 associate | Fall |
*Cost comparison: Figures use published school rates; they are not all guaranteed cohort prices. Salem’s figure is a cohort charge with unclear tuition inclusion, Elms assumes five full-time billing periods, and Dartmouth’s preparation-course credits need school confirmation. Fees, transferred prerequisites and living costs can change what you pay.
How to Compare Massachusetts ABSN Programs
Begin with your previous degree, prerequisite record and ability to attend the required campus and clinical locations. Then compare application dates, the time you can commit to full-time study, and tuition plus mandatory fees.
A hybrid format can reduce classroom travel, but it does not remove laboratory, simulation, exam or clinical attendance. A lower headline price also may exclude charges included in another school’s package.
Best Massachusetts ABSN Programs by Goal
For a 12-month full-time nursing sequence: UMass Boston or Mass General Brigham
UMass Boston combines online study with simulation and Boston-area clinical learning. Mass General Brigham University of Health Professions offers a 54-credit sequence and reports Massachusetts General Hospital rotations during students’ first two semesters; the 24-month option has a different attendance calendar.
For a public-university tuition estimate: UMass Boston, Amherst or Dartmouth
UMass Boston, UMass Amherst and UMass Dartmouth have tuition estimates of $39,150, $40,310 and $41,418 respectively, before fees. Compare Boston’s one-year pace, Amherst’s 16-month cohort and Dartmouth’s 17-month hybrid sequence, including Dartmouth’s unresolved summer preparation billing.
For hybrid coursework at a Massachusetts nursing site: Assumption or Northeastern
Assumption University pairs online theory with Worcester campus and clinical attendance. Northeastern University offers Burlington and Fall River locations, three annual starts and online theory; all routes still require in-person nursing practice.
For transfer entry before completing a bachelor’s: Elms or Northeastern
Elms College accepts qualifying associate-degree applicants with a 3.4 admission GPA. Northeastern University reviews applicants with at least 62 non-nursing credits, with additional transfer-route prerequisites and a writing requirement.
For first-semester clinical learning: Endicott
Endicott College begins clinical experiences in its first semester. Its 62-credit sequence also includes an internship and seminar, senior research and a capstone; confirm the actual ABSN cohort deadline before relying on November 1.
For January or September entry in Weston: Regis
Regis College offers a 60-credit sequence over four semesters, with a final professional-practice preceptorship. Its priority and preferred dates help applicants plan earlier than space-available rolling review.
For a 2.7 minimum GPA: Curry
Curry College lists a 2.7 undergraduate minimum and 3.0 preferred. Compare the science-grade requirements separately: its laboratory sciences require B− or higher.
For a North Shore program with a final preceptorship: Salem
Salem State University starts in May and includes a 150-hour Role Immersion Practicum. Its $34,715 cohort-charge estimate needs an itemized tuition check before comparing the full bill.
Program Format and Attendance
| School / route | Attendance considerations |
|---|---|
Online coursework with in-person simulation and clinicals; commuting access to Boston required. | |
Asynchronous online theory, campus learning in Worcester and clinical attendance. | |
Online theory with in-person labs, simulation and clinicals tied to the selected Massachusetts site. | |
Hybrid coursework; expect in-person activities three to four days weekly. No part-time or evening/weekend-only route. | |
12-month full-time or 24-month part-time route, with required in-person clinical learning. | |
16-month postbaccalaureate route with campus learning and clinical placements. Distinct from the longer undergraduate Boston pathway. |
Salem State University, Elms College, Endicott College, Curry College and Regis College require campus and clinical participation through intensive nursing sequences. Amherst’s published plan includes at least two clinical days each week in terms with clinical courses, with assignments possible on different shifts and weekends.
MCPHS’s postbaccalaureate program takes 16 months. Applicants considering its longer Boston undergraduate pathway should compare that separate curriculum and price rather than apply the second-degree estimate to it.
Admissions and Prerequisite Differences
GPA definitions matter. UMass Boston requires a 3.0 cumulative GPA and 3.3 prerequisite GPA; UMass Dartmouth specifies 3.0 for the prior degree and 3.2 across prerequisites. Curry College lists 2.7 as the minimum and 3.0 as preferred. Mass General Brigham describes 3.0 as preferred, not an absolute minimum.
Complete your file on the school’s timeline. Boston requires the prior degree and all seven prerequisites by the application deadline. Assumption permits no more than two prerequisites in progress at application, and Salem permits up to two with enrollment evidence; those courses must be finished before entry.
Online laboratory policies differ. UMass Dartmouth explicitly accepts qualifying online Anatomy and Physiology and Microbiology courses and labs. Salem and Northeastern do not accept online coursework to satisfy laboratory prerequisites under their published policies. Mass General Brigham does not require labs for its Chemistry, Anatomy/Physiology and Microbiology prerequisites.
Check course age and substitutions. Amherst applies a five-year limit to Nutrition and Microbiology and a 10-year limit to its other named prerequisites. Assumption includes Ethics and permits Nutrition or General Chemistry with lab; its Ethics requirement is exempt from the normal 10-year window. Regis has separate seven-year science and 10-year chemistry limits.
Use each linked profile’s complete checklist before enrolling in prerequisite courses. Entrance-exam requirements and waivers are pathway-specific; older general-undergraduate requirements should not be substituted for the current second-degree checklist.
Start Dates and Application Deadlines
The dates below distinguish final deadlines from priority and preferred review dates. A date for prerequisites, documents or NursingCAS verification is a separate requirement from submitting the application.
| School | Application dates and deadline type |
|---|---|
May 2027: November 15, 2026 early action; January 15, 2027 regular decision. | |
May 2027: February 1, 2027. September 2027: May 1, 2027. January entry: September 1 in the preceding year. | |
Fall 2027: January 8, 2027 application deadline; February 1, 2027 supporting materials. | |
Fall 2027: February 15, 2027 priority review; later review while seats remain. | |
Fall 2027: May 1, 2027 priority; July 15, 2027 prerequisites. Full-time spring 2027 is full. | |
Summer 2027: January 15, 2027 application deadline. | |
November 1 provisional planning date; November 15 documents under the first-year Nursing Admission Plan. Applicability to ABSN is unconfirmed. | |
Fall: December 15 priority, March 15 preferred. Spring: October 15 priority, November 15 preferred. Rolling review afterward if space remains. | |
Fall 2027: May 1, 2027 priority. Spring: October 1 in the preceding year; spring 2027 priority date has passed. Later review if seats remain. | |
May 2027: January 15, 2027 full-time final; March 3, 2027 part-time final. NursingCAS must show Verified status. | |
Rolling for January, May and September. Applications usually due about two months before classes; confirm the exact site/cohort cutoff. | |
Rolling admission; no fixed deadline. Apply early for a limited fall cohort. |
Endicott’s November 1 date comes from its published first-year Nursing Admission Plan and is provisional for ABSN planning. Ask the adult/graduate admissions team for the second-degree cohort’s actual cutoff and start. For Northeastern, about two months before class is an approximate application window, not a verified calendar-day deadline.
Tuition and Costs
The calculations below show which credits, billing periods or published packages underlie each figure. Current rates may increase during a program; grants, scholarships and employee benefits can depend on eligibility and should not be subtracted from everyone’s price.
| School | Tuition basis / estimate | Fees and qualifications |
|---|---|---|
53 × $655 = $34,715 cohort-charge estimate. Whether tuition is included remains unconfirmed. | Additional tuition may apply. Matriculation, insurance and other applicable charges need an itemized bill. | |
54 × $725 = $39,150 tuition. | $25/credit technology fee; $1,750 one-time book fee. Tuition plus these listed fees: $42,625. | |
58 × $695 = $40,310 tuition. | Budget separately for prerequisites, materials, clinical clearance, transportation and living costs. | |
59 × $702 = $41,418 tuition; preparation-course inclusion is unclear. | Listed fees $121.95/credit: approximately $48,613.05 with 59-credit tuition. If three preparation credits are additional at the same rate: $51,084.90 tuition and listed fees. | |
50 × $1,200 = $60,000 tuition at the current rate. | Budget separately for clinical, materials, insurance and other applicable expenses. | |
$61,500 summer 2026 published package; 2027 pricing is not guaranteed. | Package includes iPad, ATI resources, credentialing and listed lab/clinical supplies; uniforms, equipment and travel remain separate. | |
62 × $1,193 = $73,966 tuition. | Budget separately for registration, clinical clearance, equipment, insurance and living costs. | |
60 × $1,366 = $81,960 tuition. | Tuition does not include all course, clinical, clearance, equipment or living expenses. | |
Estimated four-term tuition $85,080, including the final fall at the current published rate. | Listed clinical fees total $2,252; insurance and other expenses additional. Up to $32,000 scholarship is not guaranteed. | |
$87,200 published tuition for the 2027 cohort. | Estimated tuition plus listed fees: $98,432; personal expenses and any additional applicable charges are separate. | |
64 × $1,387 = $88,768 gross second-degree tuition. A $16,500 Massachusetts award would reduce this to $72,268. | Transfer route includes additional writing credits. Check award eligibility and remaining course/clinical charges. | |
5 × $21,908 = $109,540 tuition, assuming the summer is billed at the same full-time semester rate. | Summer method unconfirmed. Posted program says 72 credits; required rows total 69. Nursing fees include $692 ATI in fall/spring and $397 per clinical course, plus other charges. |
Three Estimates That Need Extra Budget Checks
Salem: 53 credits at $655 produce the $34,715 estimate. Its schedule calls this a cohort cost/fee, and the public documents do not settle whether separate tuition is added. Ask Student Accounts for a complete itemized estimate.
Elms: $109,540 assumes five full-time periods at $21,908, including summer. Summer billing is unconfirmed, and the advertised 72 credits differ from the 69 itemized required credits. Ask for the approved cohort plan and term-by-term bill.
Dartmouth: $41,418 uses the advertised 59 credits. Its handbook rows and totals conflict, and it is unclear whether the three-credit preparation course is included. Ask the school for the correct billable credits; the preparation course is described as nonmatriculated and not covered by financial aid.
Scholarships and Financial Aid
Northeastern’s Massachusetts award can reduce eligible second-degree tuition by $16,500. MCPHS advertises awards up to $32,000, with eligibility and award amounts varying. Assumption’s $61,500 figure is a published summer 2026 package; confirm the price offered to a 2027 entrant.
Second-bachelor’s financing can differ from financing a first undergraduate degree. Salem specifically warns that this pathway is eligible for federal Direct loans rather than federal or state grants, and that aid may not cover all program costs. Build a budget for prerequisites, clinical clearance, health coverage, transportation and living expenses as well as the tuition bill.
Clinical Training, Accreditation and NCLEX Outcomes
Compare the learning structure as well as named hospital partners. Endicott begins clinicals in the first semester; Salem’s final Role Immersion Practicum includes 150 precepted hours; Regis finishes with a professional-practice preceptorship. A practicum-hour figure is one course’s requirement, not necessarily the program’s total clinical hours.
Mass General Brigham’s BSN program is CCNE accredited. Endicott currently lists initial ACEN accreditation. Consult the profile and the nursing board for the applicable program approval and licensure requirements.
NCLEX comparisons need a reporting year, credential, first-time or repeat-test population and campus/program definition. A school-wide BSN result does not establish an ABSN-only pass rate. Avoid choosing a program from an unqualified percentage or ranking; successful graduation, NCLEX-RN passage and board requirements all matter for licensure.
Massachusetts ABSN Program Summaries
Assumption University ABSN Program
Worcester | $61,500 | 16 Months
Assumption University’s post-bachelor’s accelerated nursing pathway is offered through the Froelich School of Nursing in Worcester. Students complete 56 nursing credits over four consecutive summer, fall, spring and summer terms. Academic coursework is asynchronous online, while clinical instruction, simulation, skills practice and proctored examinations require in-person attendance. The model suits students who want online theory and can still attend campus and clinical sites regularly... read more.
Curry College ABSN Program
Milton, Plymouth | $60,000 | 16 Months
Curry College’s Accelerated Bachelor of Science in Nursing is designed for applicants with a bachelor’s degree in another field. Students attend daytime classes in Milton and complete laboratory, simulation and clinical learning with their cohort. The full-time spring 2027 cohort is already full. The program lists a fall 2027 application cycle, and Curry also advertises a separate part-time spring option; its schedule should be evaluated separately from the 16-month full-time pathway described here... read more.
Elms College ABSN Program
Chicopee | $109,540 | 20 Months
Elms College’s Accelerated Second Degree in Nursing is a full-time, in-person pathway in Chicopee. Students study over two academic years plus an intensive summer, with a cohort limited to 24 students. Unlike programs requiring a prior bachelor’s degree, Elms also considers applicants with a completed associate degree. Those applicants have a higher admission GPA requirement and additional general-education preparation... read more.
Endicott College ABSN Program
Beverly | $73,966 | 16 Months
Endicott College’s Accelerated Bachelor of Science in Nursing is a campus-based second-degree program in Beverly. Applicants enter with a bachelor’s degree in any field and complete a 62-credit nursing sequence over four semesters. The cohort model combines classroom instruction, laboratory practice, simulation and healthcare placements. Its curriculum retains a distinct internship-and-seminar experience alongside senior research and a capstone, rather than treating all three as the same requirement... read more.
MCPHS ABSN Program
Boston | $85,080 | 16 Months
MCPHS offers a 16-month postbaccalaureate BSN distinct from its longer Boston accelerated undergraduate nursing degree. The second-degree curriculum comprises 64 professional nursing credits over four consecutive semesters. The current program lists Boston, Worcester and Manchester, New Hampshire. This Massachusetts profile focuses on Boston and Worcester; Manchester is a separate location outside the state. Applicants without a bachelor’s degree should assess the additional transfer requirements rather than assume that a second-degree pathway applies unchanged... read more.
MGH Institute ABSN Program
Boston | $87,200 | 12 Months
MGH Institute of Health Professions is now Mass General Brigham University of Health Professions . Its Accelerated BSN remains a second-degree program for non-nursing graduates, based in Boston’s Charlestown Navy Yard. The full-time option takes 12 months; the part-time option takes 24 months. Both lead to the BSN and eligibility to take the NCLEX-RN, with a 54-credit nursing curriculum... read more.
Northeastern University ABSN Program
Burlington, MA; Fall River, MA; Charlotte, NC | $88,768 | 16 Months
Northeastern University’s Accelerated BSN offers two entry routes: a second bachelor’s degree for graduates, and a transfer pathway for applicants with at least 62 non-nursing college credits. Both use four full-time semesters and can be completed in as few as 16 months after prerequisites. Massachusetts students attend at Burlington or Fall River. The university also operates a Charlotte, North Carolina site, but the Massachusetts scholarship and attendance details below relate to the two Massachusetts locations... read more.
Regis College ABSN Program
Weston | $81,960 | 16 Months
Regis College’s Accelerated BS in Nursing serves graduates with a non-nursing bachelor’s degree. The full-time Weston program comprises 60 credits across four semesters, with starts in September and January. Students progress from assessment and foundational practice into acute, complex, maternal-child, psychiatric and community nursing. The final semester includes a preceptorship focused on the transition into RN practice... read more.
Salem State University ABSN Program
Salem | $34,715 | 15 Months
Salem State University offers an accelerated BSN for applicants with a bachelor’s degree outside nursing. Its program overview describes a 15-month sequence running from May through the following August. Students study nursing across the lifespan and move from group clinical learning into a final precepted experience. Classes and clinical placements can be scheduled during the day, evening or weekend, and the school recommends that students avoid working during the intensive program... read more.
UMass Amherst ABSN Program
Amhearst | $40,310 | 16 Months
UMass Amherst’s Accelerated BS in Nursing is accepting applications for fall 2027 . The University+ application office confirms the reopened cycle and a January 8, 2027 application deadline. The Elaine Marieb College of Nursing publishes a 16-month, 58-credit plan for students who already hold a bachelor’s degree in another field. Students study full time and complete clinical learning throughout the sequence... read more.
UMass Boston ABSN Program
Boston | $39,150 | 12 Months
UMass Boston’s Accelerated BSN is a second-degree pathway for applicants with a conferred non-nursing bachelor’s degree. Students complete three consecutive 18-credit semesters, with entry in January, May or September. The program uses a concept-based curriculum rather than a separate course for every patient population. Online study is paired with required clinical and simulation experiences, so students need to live within commuting distance of Boston... read more.
UMass Dartmouth ABSN Program
Dartmouth | $41,418 | 17 Months
UMass Dartmouth’s full-time Second Degree Accelerated BS in Nursing is accepting applications for fall 2027 . The university describes a 17-month hybrid program, with nursing placements across the Southcoast and surrounding region. The university advertises 59 nursing credits and also requires a three-credit nonmatriculated summer preparation course. Its public materials do not clearly establish whether preparation is included in the 59-credit total or billed in addition. Ask the school to confirm the current required and billable credits before budgeting... read more.
Compare Boston-Area Options
For a closer look at locations around the city, visit the Boston ABSN program guide. Confirm its figures against the linked school profiles when planning an application.