Nevada’s accelerated nursing programs split neatly across two markets and two very different value propositions. Las Vegas-area career changers have access to three programs:
- a large Christian university with a hybrid model and 12 national learning sites,
- a mastery-based program with a genuinely unique learning structure,
- a Utah-based hybrid option with no prerequisite requirement
Northern Nevada is served by a single public university with the state’s lowest cost and its oldest nursing program.
Total program costs range from roughly $30,000 to over $67,000, and all four programs coordinate some or all clinical placements for students.
For career changers comparing second degree nursing programs in Nevada, the most important decisions are geography, learning format, and whether the lowest barrier to entry or the strongest institutional credential matters most.
Nevada ABSN Programs at a Glance
| School | Location | Est. Cost | Duration | Min. GPA | NCLEX Pass Rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Reno / Lake Tahoe | $31K | 16 months | 2.8 | Not published | |
Henderson (Las Vegas metro) | $51K | 16 months | 3.0 programmatic / 3.25 prereq. | 92.31% at Henderson (2024) | |
Hybrid (Draper, UT campus) | $64K | 20 months | 2.75 | 94.31% (2024) | |
Henderson / South Jordan, UT | $68K | 18 months | 2.75 | 91.22% |
How to Choose the Best ABSN Program in Nevada
TL;DR: Quick-Match Guide
Choose Grand Canyon University if a faith-based curriculum, three annual starts, and access to one of the largest hybrid ABSN networks in the country align with your priorities.
GCU’s Henderson learning site is one of 12 across eight states, and its hybrid model keeps theory online while placing all labs, simulation, and clinicals locally. Confirm CCNE programmatic accreditation status directly with GCU before enrolling, as the program page emphasizes HLC institutional accreditation and AACN Essentials alignment rather than CCNE.
Choose Joyce University if you want to skip the prerequisite phase entirely and complete the program largely from home.
Joyce builds all sciences — anatomy, physiology, pathophysiology, pharmacology, and statistics — into its 85-credit curriculum, so Nevada residents can start without backfilling coursework. Skills immersions in Draper, Utah are condensed to roughly one week per semester; everything else is online. A 94.31% NCLEX pass rate in 2024 backs the outcomes despite the remote-first format.
Choose Roseman University if a structured mastery model and four annual start dates appeal to you.
Roseman’s Block System focuses students on one content area at a time, with a 90% mastery requirement before progressing — a fundamentally different learning structure than any other Nevada program. Both on-campus and hybrid-online delivery options are available at its Henderson campus. The program arranges all clinical placements through affiliate facilities in Southern Nevada.
Choose the University of Nevada, Reno if you’re in Northern Nevada and want the most affordable accelerated nursing option in the state by a significant margin.
At roughly $30,387 all-in, UNR’s public-university pricing is less than half the cost of Roseman and about 60% of GCU’s nursing major tuition. The program offers a unique second campus at Lake Tahoe focused on rural and mountain healthcare — an uncommon specialization with genuine workforce demand. The school coordinates all clinical placements, and two cohort starts per year (spring and fall) provide reasonable scheduling flexibility.
Program Length and Format
16-month programs: GCU’s 60-credit nursing major and the University of Nevada, Reno’s 16-month BSN are the fastest options in Nevada.
Format differences: Nevada’s programs cover a wider format range than most states in this series.
UNR is fully in-person at either the Reno or Lake Tahoe campus.
GCU is hybrid — nursing theory online, in-person time concentrated in skills labs, simulation, and clinical rotations at the Henderson learning site.
Roseman offers a choice between traditional on-campus (Monday-Friday, 8 AM-3 PM) and hybrid-online (synchronous/asynchronous lectures with in-person assessments, labs, and clinicals).
Joyce is the most remote-friendly — asynchronous online didactics with skills immersions at a single campus in Draper, Utah, each condensed to approximately one week per semester.
Most Affordable Programs
University of Nevada, Reno — ~$30,387: UNR’s all-in estimate covers tuition, mandatory student fees, textbooks, uniforms, immunizations, and background checks — making it the most transparent cost published among Nevada programs and by far the lowest.
Grand Canyon University — ~$51,000 (nursing major only): For career changers who enter with a completed bachelor’s degree and whose prior coursework satisfies general education and prerequisites, GCU’s primary cost is the 60-credit non-transferable nursing major at $850 per credit.
Prerequisite Course Patterns
Three of the four Nevada programs require Anatomy & Physiology I and II, Microbiology, Chemistry, and Statistics as prerequisites — the standard pre-nursing core.
The exception is Joyce University, which eliminates the prerequisite period by building all sciences into its 85-credit curriculum alongside nursing coursework. For students who haven’t yet cleared prerequisite requirements, Joyce’s integrated model can save a year or more of separate coursework.
Among the three programs with conventional prerequisites, the entry bars differ meaningfully.
GCU requires a HESI A2 entrance exam with an 80% minimum in most sections (75% for A&P) — the highest exam score floor of any Nevada program — and a 3.25 prerequisite GPA, which is also the strictest in the state.
UNR requires a TEAS score of at least 65%, a 2.8 GPA, and admits on a competitive point matrix that also weighs Nevada residency, military service, and prior healthcare licensure.
Roseman requires a TEAS score of 58.7% — the lowest floor among programs with a published exam requirement — alongside a 2.75 GPA.
Start Dates and Cohort Availability
| School | Start Date(s) | Application Window / Deadline | Admissions Cycle |
|---|---|---|---|
Fall, Spring, Summer (4 per year) | Rolling; classes may fill before deadline | Four annual cycles; competitive rolling review | |
Three per year | No application fee; contact counselor | Three annual cycles; rolling counselor-guided | |
Spring and Fall | September (for spring); January (for fall) | Two annual cycles; NursingCAS application | |
Contact program | Contact program | Hybrid; contact for Nevada-eligible start dates |
Maximum scheduling flexibility: Roseman University offers four annual cohort starts — the most entry points available in Nevada — though the rolling competitive review means cohorts can fill before published deadlines. Early applicants in each cycle have the best chance of securing a seat before capacity is reached.
Two-cycle programs: UNR admits spring and fall cohorts of approximately 96 students each, using NursingCAS with deadlines in September (for spring entry) and January (for fall entry).
UNR’s Lake Tahoe campus: The Lake Tahoe cohort uses a residential model — students live in the Lake Tahoe area during the program — which differs structurally from the main Reno campus. Prospective students considering the Lake Tahoe option should contact UNR directly to confirm cohort availability and housing expectations before applying.
Clinical Training Structure
Nevada’s programs range from roughly $30,000 to over $67,000 and 16 to 20 months, with every program arranging some or all clinical placements for students rather than leaving site-sourcing to individuals. The clinical models differ significantly in structure, depth, and geographic scope.
Fully coordinated placement: UNR’s Orvis School of Nursing coordinates all clinical placements at partner facilities across Reno and Northern Nevada — and for the Lake Tahoe cohort, provides transportation to clinical sites. Students gain faculty-guided experiences across community health, critical care, mental health, pediatrics, and maternal-newborn settings without arranging their own sites.
Roseman similarly arranges all placements at affiliated facilities throughout Southern Nevada through the College of Nursing.
GCU’s local placement model: GCU coordinates clinical rotations locally at facilities near each learning site — no student needs to travel to Phoenix or another central location.
Joyce’s local arrangement: Joyce University arranges clinical placements locally near each Nevada student’s residence, completing 517.5 supervised clinical hours.
Roseman’s mastery-based clinical progression: Roseman’s Block System structures clinical progression differently from every other Nevada program.
Simulation facilities: GCU’s Lopes Center for Nursing Simulation at its learning sites integrates high-fidelity manikins and realistic clinical scenarios structured around evidence-based practice and servant leadership principles.
Roseman’s simulation components are embedded within clinical courses throughout the Block System, with separate simulation credits (0.4–1 sim credit per major clinical course) tracked independently of clinical hours.
Nevada ABSN Program Summaries
Grand Canyon University ABSN Program
Las Vegas | $53,550 | 16 Months
Nevada residents can complete Grand Canyon University's 16-month hybrid ABSN at its Las Vegas (Henderson) learning site, close to home. Nursing theory is delivered online, with in-person skills labs, simulation, and clinical rotations at local Las Vegas-area facilities.
Why Grand Canyon University Stands Out
- 92.31% first-time NCLEX-RN pass rate at the Las Vegas location (2024); GCU ranks #13 nationally for nursing (2026).
- Three cohort starts a year; clinical placements coordinated locally in the Las Vegas area.
- Nevada students take POS-305 (Nevada and U.S. Constitution) within the general education requirements.
- Two entry pathways, plus a Christian worldview woven through every course.
- $53,550 estimated tuition for the 63-credit accelerated portion; HLC-accredited institution (programs designed to meet AACN Essentials).
Joyce University ABSN Program
Draper | $60,520 | 20 Months
Joyce’s hybrid second-degree BSN integrates required sciences and combines online coursework with Utah skills immersions and assigned clinical placements. Completion in as few as 20 months requires qualifying transfer credits. Estimated tuition is $60,520, with a separate $3,710 NCLEX Resources Fee. Clinical schedules and locations are assigned and may require travel; the 517.5 training hours combine simulation and direct care.
Roseman University ABSN Program
Henderson | $73,200 | 18 Months
Roseman University offers an accelerated BSN in less than 18 months at its Henderson, Nevada and South Jordan, Utah campuses, in on-campus or hybrid-online formats. Its signature Block System has students master one content area at a time (90% to progress), and the school arranges clinical placements for you.
Why Roseman University Stands Out
- Distinctive Six-Point Mastery Learning Model — one content area at a time, 90% mastery required to progress.
- Flexible delivery: on-campus or hybrid-online, with four start dates a year.
- Two campuses across Nevada (Henderson, near Las Vegas) and Utah (South Jordan, near Salt Lake City).
- Coordinated clinical placements at partner facilities; Roseman reports a 91.22% first-time NCLEX pass rate and 92.3% employed within six months.
- CCNE-accredited;
University of Nevada, Reno ABSN Program
Reno | $31,000 | 16 Months
The University of Nevada, Reno offers an accelerated 16-month BSN at Nevada's oldest nursing school (founded 1956), with a choice of the main Reno campus or a new Lake Tahoe campus focused on rural and mountain healthcare. The Orvis School of Nursing coordinates all clinical placements for students.
Why University of Nevada, Reno Stands Out
- Two-campus choice: the main Reno campus or a rural-health-focused Lake Tahoe campus (residential cohort).
- The school coordinates all clinical placements — no sourcing your own sites.
- Nevada's oldest nursing school (founded 1956), part of a Carnegie R1 research university.
- 16-month, four-semester completion for those with two years of college or a prior bachelor's degree.
- CCNE-accredited through 2031 and approved by the Nevada State Board of Nursing.
Find More ABSN Programs
View ABSN programs in Arizona, Utah and California for more options.