Advance your career to nursing leadership and administration
No matter where you are in your nursing career, Herzing University offers unique MSN and DNP educational pathways for you to advance towards becoming a nurse executive, leader, or administrator.
- Program length: 16 months
- Classes: View the curriculum
- Enrollment: View the admissions requirements
- Program length: 20 months
- Classes: View the curriculum
- Enrollment: View the admissions requirements
- Program length: 8 months
- Classes: View the curriculum
- Enrollment: View the admissions requirements
- Program length: 28 months
- Classes: View the curriculum
- Enrollment: View the admissions requirements
Herzing University’s online nursing administration and leadership program pathways
| Accreditation | CCNE accredited,1 Accredited by the Higher Learning Commission |
|---|---|
| Program length | 8-20 months, depending on degree choice |
| Options | Options for nurses who hold an ADN/ASN, BSN, or MSN degree |
| Paying for school | Scholarships and financial aid available for those who qualify; transfer credit from prior college coursework to reduce cost and time |
| Clinicals | We pledge your clinical placement |
| Format | Flexible online study with multiple start dates |
| QuickPaths | Transfer credit, stackable credentials, and adaptive learning technology build a faster pathway to a higher education with Herzing University |
Discover your potential
Get in touch to learn more about our school and how we can help you reach your highest career goals.
Ranked by U.S. News & World Report as one of the best online graduate nursing programs in 2024
Your clinical placement is our pledge.
We understand securing clinical placement as part of a nursing leadership and administration program is one of the biggest concerns students face. At Herzing, we offer guidance and support through our step-by-step Clinical Guidance Process to ensure you can get the clinical practice experiences you need.
As a Herzing student, we’ll encourage you to find your own preceptor and clinical sites as there are many benefits to doing so. However, we provide extensive support should you find difficulty along the way. With Herzing, you are never on your own.
Because of our strong relationships with healthcare providers across the U.S. and our comprehensive Clinical Guidance Process, we are confident in our ability to help you find clinical placement. So much so that if you are unable to find a clinical site on your own, we pledge to step in and help you secure clinical placement.*
* Subject to terms and conditions outlined in the enrollment documents.
Scholarship Opportunity
You may be eligible for the Herzing University Nurses Circle of Achievement Scholarship.
Eligibility requirements include a minimum GPA earned in your undergraduate nursing program, and maintaining a minimum GPA throughout the MSN program.
You can potentially earn 10% tuition reduction!
Tuition & Cost
Our goal is your career advancement. That’s why we are always working to improve our curriculums and processes to make our nurse practitioner programs as affordable as possible while preparing you best for success in your work.
The cost of tuition for our nursing leadership and administration program options varies by program. Overall cost can be reduced through transfer credit from prior college coursework, scholarships and grants, loans, VA and military benefits, and several additional options for financial aid.
With Herzing University, you are never alone, and we offer many options to help you invest in yourself, earn your master’s degree in nursing and become a leader in nursing.
Pathways to Success
Many of our online programs offer pathways for continued learning, which allow you to move from one degree, such as an associate degree, to a bachelor’s degree, to a master’s degree.
Flexible and Convenient
Earn your degree from the comfort of your own home. There are no designated times you must be online. You can log into your virtual classroom when it’s convenient for you.
Personalized Attention
At Herzing, being online does not mean being alone.You’ll receive the same personalized attention and career-focused education that we offer in our traditional classroom.
Online and/or On-Campus
Get the best of both worlds. Some of our degree programs are offered exclusively online and some programs are offered as a combination of both campus and online classes.
I don’t have a nursing degree. Where do I start?
If you have already earned a non-nursing bachelor’s degree, there are two potential educational pathways in nursing we’ve designed with you in mind:
- Accelerated BSN (ABSN) program. Our on-campus ABSN program, available at select Herzing campuses, allows you to earn a Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) in as few as 20 months (most students complete in 24 months).
- MSN Direct Entry program. Start working towards a Master of Science in Nursing (MSN) right from the start in our online direct entry MSN program. You can graduate in as few as 20 months.
If you have not yet earned an undergraduate degree in any major, you will need to first earn an Associate of Science in Nursing (ASN) or BSN.
Once you’ve earned an undergraduate nursing degree, you can become eligible to enroll in an MSN, post master’s certificate, or BSN to DNP program with a specialization in nursing leadership and administration.
Frequently Asked Questions
Students considering career pathways between nursing vs. healthcare administration can potentially discover the best of both worlds. With the right experience, credentials, and additional education—yes, nurses can become a healthcare administrator. Deep experience as a nurse can be a major differentiator between you and other applicants for the position.
However, most employers will be seeking prospects with a doctoral, master or bachelor degree in healthcare administration. Herzing University offers a bachelor degree program in healthcare administration and an advanced online MHA program in healthcare administration for students seeking a career in these advanced roles.
Nursing administrators fall under the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics’ (BLS) medical and health services manager category. According to the BLS, the average salary for medical health and service managers is $134,440 per year ($64.64 per hour).*
Discover how much nurse administrators can make by state and find salary estimates in the area near you.
A master’s degree may not always be required, but you will very likely need to hold a Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) or be currently enrolled in a postgraduate program.
Attaining a master’s degree best qualifies you to apply for the Nurse Executive Certification (NE-BC) and help you find the position you desire.
The idea of earning a MBA degree is often overlooked by nursing students – but it can be a very valuable way for a nurse to advance in their profession.
Understanding the motivations behind financial decisions made by hospital CEO’s and CFO’s is crucial to getting a seat at the table in the decision-making process. Working towards a master’s degree in business administration can put you in a position to advance professionally on the business side of healthcare. Learn more about why nurses should consider getting an MBA.
However, hospitals looking for a Chief Nursing Officer (CNO) or Certified Nurse Educator (CNE) will most often prefer candidates with an MSN in Nursing Leadership. They will certainly consider a RN with an MBA, but the Master’s of Science Degree in Nursing is the top-tier credential most employers will be looking for.
Getting a master’s degree from an accredited nursing school is the biggest step you need to take to become a nurse administrator. If you have an ADN/ASN, BSN or RN diploma and hold a current, active and unrestricted license as an RN, you are eligible to enroll in the Herzing University online MSN or BSN to DNP program in nursing leadership & administration right now.
Accreditation & Disclosures
1. The master’s degree program in nursing, the Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) program, and post-graduate APRN certificate programs at Herzing University Madison are accredited by the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (http://www.ccneaccreditation.org). Herzing University is approved to offer programs in an online learning modality through association with the main campus in Madison, Wisconsin.
Eligible states for enrollment: Alabama, Alaska, Arizona, Arkansas, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New Mexico, North Carolina, North Dakota, Ohio, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Vermont, Virginia, West Virginia, Wisconsin, and the District Of Columbia.
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