Masters in Nursing USA: Top Universities, Fees, Requirements, Eligibility & Scholarships

The USA offers advanced programs for students pursuing a Masters in Nursing in USA or MS in Nursing in USA, focusing on clinical practice, healthcare management, and patient care. Top universities include Johns Hopkins University, University of Pennsylvania, and University of California–San Francisco. Tuition ranges from $40,000–$70,000 (₹34–60 lakh) per year, and students can study Nursing in USA with scholarships and clinical placements to gain hands-on experience.

Masters in Nursing in the USA-Masters in Nursing in the USA create the opportunity to acquire desired knowledge and skills as health care professionals. This gives you the scope to expand the prospect of your knowledge. It is most important to gain knowledge on the desired subject from the top universities and under thorough professional guidance. This blog will consider all the essential information required for pursuing the course.

There are as many as above 350 institutions providing Masters in Nursing in the USA. A total of 2 years’ time is required to complete the course. Students can develop high proficiency in nursing and caregiving roles by studying Nursing courses. The course opens a doorway to offer several roles in health care positions. The highly recommended and top Universities of the USA offering Nursing courses are the University of Pennsylvania, John Hopkins University, and the University of Washington.

Some of the criteria for applying to the top Universities in the USA

• Students should have a Bachelor of Science Degree (BSN) degree and should have a registered Nursing License (NL) License.
• For International Students, the minimum GPA score should be 3.0 on a 4.0 scale (~83-86%) for pursuing the master’s degree program. 
• It is also to be noted that some of the Universities also require the GRE score of the applicant for admission in the said course.

The Master in Nursing Course in the USAalso provides varied opportunities for students working in any part of the world. There are varied positions served by the students pursuing the course such as clinical nurse specialist, nursing administrator, researcher nurse, nursing educator or lecturer, nursing administrator, and many other roles. The salary can vary between 58,000 to 176,000 USD per year, obviously based on the years of experience and professional role.

Masters in Nursing in the USA Course Highlight

Below is the course highlight-

These are some of the details of the course mentioned above. There are other courses available such as Pediatric Primary Care Nurse Practitioner, Nursing Education Programme, Nursing-Entry to the Profession, Nursing-Adult-Gerontology Primary Care Nurse Practitioners, and others. There are around 796 Masters’Programsin the USA.

Why study the Master in Nursing Course in the USA?

There are several reasons considered for considering the USA as the best country to study a Master in Nursing Course:

Varied Opportunities-There isa varied career option after completion of the course. One can choose from varied options like a nursing consultant, research nurse, nurse educator, nurse administrator, advanced nurse practitioner, and clinical nurse specialist.

Top-Ranked Universities- Some of the top-ranked Universities are located in the USA. It is important to note that five Universities have been ranked in QS WUR for Nursing. These Universities provide world-class education.

Good Earning Opportunities- One can earn a handsome income after completion of the nursing course.The registered nurses have the opportunity to earn around 91,000 USD

Certification Prospects – The certification prospects are higher. After completion of the Nursing course in the USA, one can appear for the registered Nursing certificate. This certification facilitates the opportunity to work as 

More Vacancy Options-There are more vacancy options in this field of education. The BLS report reflects that new job opportunities are expected to reach 1.1 million. The growth rate from 2020 to 2030 will be about 9%.

Good Earning Opportunity- The registered nurses had good earning opportunities. They can earn 91,000 USD in a year.

Types of Master in Nursing Courses in the USA

There are around 796 Masters’ Programs in the USA. These include both online programs as well as offline programs. These includes:

1. Family Nurse Practitioner degree- The course helps to become the reliable medical authority of the community.
2. Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner certificate program-This is a 4-semester program on nursing in the Mental Health Nurse Practitioner program.
3. Adult-Gerontology Clinical Nurse Specialist graduate certificate- This course is for nurses who already have a graduate nursing degree and this is the additional course for them.
4. Adult-Gerontology Acute Care Nurse Practitioner (Certificate NDP)-This course will help to prepare as a beginner-level advanced practice provider to care the extremely ill persons.
5. Nursing Education-This is the online Nursing Education program.
6. Infection Prevention- This course help to incorporate knowledge about handling effective infection prevention program.
7. Nursing-Business Administration-Online- This is a dual degree designed for MS. In Nursing as well as an MBA for professionals.
8. Master of Science in Nursing - Psychiatric and Mental Health Nurse Practitioner program-This course is designed for advanced practice nursing for dealing with common medical conditions.
9. The Nursing Administration and Health Systems Leadership program- This course is designed to acquire knowledge about Nursing Administration and Health Systems Leadership.
10. Pediatric Primary Care Nurse Practitioner Program- The program is designed for gaining specialized knowledge about the pediatric primary care nurse practitioner role.

There are other various programs for a Master in Nursing in the USA. The master’s programs include Nursing Education, Family Nurse Practitioner program, The Nursing - Entry to the Profession degree, Adult-Gerontology Primary Care Nurse Practitioners, Adult-Gerontology Primary Care Nurse Practitioner, Nurse Educator, Adult-adolescent Sexual Assault Nurse Examiner, Primary Care Nurse Practitioner, and varied others.

Best Universities for Master in Nursing Course in the USA

There are the best Universities offering the best courses in Nursing in the USA. Some of the best Universities in the USA (according to QS World University Ranking 2022) providing Master in Nursing Courses are:

The University of Pennsylvania- the University Of Pennsylvania is one of the top-ranked universities offering courses on Masters of Nursing. The admission procedure is highly competitive.

John Hopkins University- The University is the first research university in the USA. The program has been offered by the Department of Nursing Education. This is one of the most prestigious universities in the USA.

Yale University- Yale University is an Ivy League school. The US News and World Report rank it No1 Beat Value School. The university provides the best courses in Nursing. The education fees cost around 60 lakhs INR per annum.

Columbia University-This University is aprivate research university and is best known for its academics, placements, and international student percentage. The university offers the best course in master in nursing.

The University of Michigan Ann-Arbor- The University is one of the best public research universities. This is one of the top-ranked universities in the USA offering Masters in Nursing courses for students.

List of some Best Universities with QS Ranking in 2022:

Course Curriculum of Master in Nursing Course in the USA

The students who are going to pursue aMaster’s in Nursing should focus on the curriculum of the following courses-

• Clinical Nurse Specialist (CNS)
• Certified Nurse Midwife (CNM)
• Nurse Practitioner (NP)
• Certified Nurse Anesthetist (CRNA)

Eligibility Criteria for Master in Nursing Course in the USA

The Eligibility criteria for seeking admission to the Master in Nursing courses in the USA are:

• The student should have a Bachelor’s in Nursing from arecognized university in the USA or from any other country. 
• The GRE test score is required for evaluation. However, it is not mandatory.
• The students seeking admission should fulfill any of the three criteria- an average of Grade B or GPA of 3.0 score or 80% score in Bachelor’s degree is required.
• A Registered Nursing License is required.

Admission Requirements for Master in Nursing Course in the USA

For applying for the Master in Nursing in the USA, the students should serve the basic Admissions Requirements-

• The students should have the RN License
• The Students should have the Bachelor’s Degree in Nursing
• All the educational Documents should be up to date

Admission Process for Master in Nursing Course in the USA

When the student is seeking admission to the Master in Nursing in the USA, he or she should have knowledge of the admission process in the USA.

One of the important facts to be noted while seeking admission is that two things are mandatory for applying for the course. A registered Nursing License and Bachelor’s Degree in Nursing are a must for applying for the Master’s in Nursing in the USA.

• The Application Fees required-Most of the Universities in the USA charge fees between 50 to 120 USD for the master’s application.
• Where to Apply- The students can apply for the Master in Nursing in the USA directly through Universities website.
• Requirement of English Proficiency-

It is mandatory to check the English Proficiency test for students who are not from an English-speaking country or for students whose language of instruction from the previous educational year was not in English. The minimum score requirement is-

• TOEFL iBT: 100
• IELTS: 7.0
• Visa Requirements- There are three types of Visas-student visas. The type of Visa depends upon the type and duration of the course applied. The three types of Visas are the F visa, M visa, and J visa.

F1 visas are for students who are pursuingan academic degree in the USA accredited university or in a college in the USA-

Cost of Studying for Master in Nursing Course in the USA

The cost of studying abroad is always expensive. The cost of studying involves many associated costs. So ultimately the cost rises.

• The cost involved prior arrival includes-

 The IELTS fees (215-240 in USD), TOEFL fees (180 in USD), GRE fee (205 in USD), the Transcription cost (80 in USD) for the prior educational certificates (this applies for the students applying for master), the one-way flight fare (700 USD), the Visa application fees (1200 in USD) and the SEVIS fee (200 in USD).

The course fees for the Masters in Nursing in the USA can vary from 11,500 USD approx. to 62,000 USD approx. This depends upon the different fee structures of different Universities in the USA.

• The cost of Living Expenses-

The cost of living can vary from 700 to 100 USD per month. These costs may include the accommodation cost, room cost, board, food, travel cost, and other costs like buying textbooks, food, travel, clothing, and for purposes.

• The Additional Expenses-

The student should be able to meet the additional expenses during their stay. The cost may increase by 5% to 7% per year due to inflation or for some external causes.

Scholarship and Financial Aid for Master in Nursing Course in the USA

There are different scholarship programs for students, especially for international students in the USA. The different scholarship programs can be discussed in the tabular form below:

The Student can look for other scholarship programs like 

Health Professional Scholarship Program (HPSP) Nursing Scholarship, A Place for Mom’s Senior Wisdom Video Scholarship, Future Nurse Scholarship Program, EduMed Graduate Scholarship, EduMed Diversity Scholarship, Health is a Right not a Privilege Scholarship award. These scholarships can also be good options for students planning to pursue a Master’s in Nursing in the USA.

Career Opportunities after Master in Nursing Course in the USA

There are ample job opportunities in the USA for the student pursuing the Master’s in Nursing in the USA. The person who is working as Nurse can earn up to 91,000 USD per year. The monthly salary can vary between 58,000 to 176,000 USD.

There is a range of opportunities for nursing students. As days are passing by the opportunities are also increasing. As per the US U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, the professional demand is increasing day by day. Therefore, if anyone is planning to pursue a Master’s in Nursing, the USA will probably be the best place for pursuing your dreams.

After completing the Master’s in Nursing in the USA, the students can serve different designations. Master in Nursing Courses in the USA jobs like Nursing-in-charge, Nursing Supervisor, Nursing Executive, Nursing tutor, Clinical Instructor, Assistant Nursing Superintendent, Paramedic Nurse, Tutor – Psychiatric Nursing, Staff Nurse/Critical Care Nursing, Anesthetist, Occupational Health Nurse, Nursing Consultant, Research Nurse, Nurse Educator, Nurse Administrator, Advanced Nurse Practitioner, Clinical Nurse Specialist, and others.