What Aspiring Nurses in Ohio Want to Know
From transfer credits and financial aid to program requirements and job outlook in Cincinnati, choosing an RN school comes with a lot of considerations. Our BSN program is your pathway to becoming an RN in Ohio, and we’ve organized the answers by topic to help you make a confident decision.
Contact our Cincinnati campus directly for personalized guidance.
Nursing Career Frequently Asked Questions
Hospital units, specialized care, leadership, and community health roles are all open to nurses who earn a BSN in Cincinnati, Ohio, and pass the NCLEX-RN for licensure. In 2025, RNs across the U.S. held about 3.5 million jobs. Some of their largest employers were:
- Hospitals (59%)
- Ambulatory healthcare services (19%)
- Nursing and residential care facilities (6%)
- Government (5%)
- Educational services; state, local, and private (3%)
Many nurses begin in medical-surgical or emergency department nursing. As your experience grows, you can branch into other specialties or step into leadership.
Learn which nursing jobs you can get with a BSN.
Updated 10/2026. Source: https://www.bls.gov/ooh/healthcare/registered-nurses.htm#tab-3
RN employment in Ohio is projected to grow 2% between 2024 and 2034, building on a 2024 workforce of 139,710 RNs. Nationwide, RN employment is projected to increase 6% from 2025 to 2035, with about 180,800 job openings expected each year.
Updated 10/2026: Data Source: https://www.onetonline.org/link/localtrends/29-1141.00?st=OH
Nurse managers work in hospitals, outpatient care centers, long-term care facilities, skilled nursing facilities, and home health care services. In each setting, they’re registered nurses who have moved into leadership after gaining clinical experience. If leadership interests you, nurse management offers a way to advance your nursing career.
Becoming a nurse manager in Ohio takes education, licensure, and clinical experience. Here’s how the process typically works:
- Earn at least a BSN degree
- Pass the NCLEX-RN and obtain your Ohio RN license
- Gain clinical experience as a registered nurse (many healthcare facilities require at least five years)
Nursing Program Questions at Arizona College of Nursing – Cincinnati
At Arizona College of Nursing – Cincinnati, our three-year BSN program covers topics such as clinical thinking, community health, critical care, gerontology, leadership, surgical care, obstetrics, pediatrics, and psychiatric care. You’ll study each of these areas as part of our RN school curriculum.
Arizona College of Nursing – Cincinnati doesn’t offer an LPN to BSN or LPN to RN bridge program, but LPNs can still enroll in our RN program and earn a BSN degree in just three years. Your LPN background can be an advantage in your coursework, especially during clinical training. Our admissions team can talk with you about how your LPN experience may help you in our BSN program.
You may be able to. Qualifying transfer credits from general education coursework you’ve already completed can be applied toward our BSN program at Arizona College of Nursing – Cincinnati. Depending on what transfers, you could graduate in three years or less and at a lower cost.
To find out how your credits might apply, including credits from college-level credit test scores, visit our Campus Locations page and contact your local campus. Our admissions team will evaluate your transcripts and explain which courses may be eligible.
See Arizona College of Nursing’s credit transfer requirements.
At Arizona College of Nursing (AZCN) – Cincinnati, general education courses meet in the evening, and some are offered in a convenient on-campus/online hybrid format. Your exact schedule depends on your prior academic experience.
Students are often busy when they start nursing school and can’t immediately change their entire schedule, which is why we offer these courses in the evening. Core nursing courses, which come later in the program, are held during the day.
Whether you can receive financial aid at Arizona College of Nursing – Cincinnati depends on your eligibility. For students of all ages and backgrounds who qualify, options may include:
- Federal student loans
- Federal PELL and SEOG grants
- Eligible State-based grant programs
- Private educational loans
- Military veteran educational benefits (ex: Post-9/11 G.I. Bill®)
Scholarships are another option to explore through Arizona College of Nursing. For more about financial aid, visit our financial aid page.
General Nursing College FAQs
A BSN, or Bachelor of Science in Nursing, is an undergraduate college degree that prepares you for a career as a nurse. A BSN curriculum includes general education classes alongside advanced nursing studies. If you have a specific state or city in mind for your nursing career, a BSN may improve your chances of finding a position there.
You can earn your BSN in three years at Arizona College of Nursing – Cincinnati, a year sooner than the four years a typical BSN program takes when you start from scratch. Prior college coursework may let you use qualifying transfer credits to finish even faster. For a timeline based on your education background, contact our admissions team.
Licensure in Ohio comes next. Your program’s dean or director notifies the Ohio Board of Nursing that you’ve met the educational requirements, and you’ll also need to pass the NCLEX-RN and a criminal background check. Our RN school curriculum includes NCLEX-RN exam preparation to help you get ready.
Source: https://www.nursinglicensure.org/state/nursing-license-ohio/
An accelerated BSN and a BSN program both lead to a Bachelor of Science in Nursing, but they differ in who they’re designed for and how long they take. Graduates of either program can pursue RN licensure by passing the NCLEX-RN.
An accelerated BSN, sometimes referred to as a second-degree BSN or ABSN, is designed for people who’ve already earned a bachelor’s degree outside nursing. ABSN programs generally run 12 to 18 months with prerequisites included, as reported by the American Association of Colleges of Nursing. Most also require prerequisite science courses and a minimum GPA before enrollment.
A BSN program is typically designed for students who don’t already have a bachelor’s degree, though admission requirements vary by school. When you’re starting from scratch, a typical BSN program takes four years to complete.
At Arizona College of Nursing – Cincinnati, you can earn your BSN in three years with no previous college degree or prerequisite coursework required. Qualifying transfer credits may shorten your time in school even further.
Explore the differences between an accelerated BSN and a 3-year BSN.
Nursing assistants and registered nurses (RNs) differ in their level of training and responsibility. Nursing assistants provide basic patient care under the supervision of an RN, including help with daily activities and monitoring vital signs. RNs typically complete more advanced training and take on duties such as developing and implementing patient care plans, administering medications, performing complex procedures, and coordinating the care nursing assistants and other healthcare staff provide.
A BSN prepares you to pursue RN licensure and the advanced roles that come with it. In Cincinnati, our RN program pairs comprehensive coursework with clinical experience to support your career growth.
LPN and BSN programs in Cincinnati differ in length, depth, and the type of nurse you become. An LPN program prepares you for Licensed Practical Nurse roles, while a BSN program prepares you to become a registered nurse (RN). Some states use the title Licensed Vocational Nurse (LVN) instead of LPN.
Expect an LPN program to take about one to two years. LPNs provide basic nursing care under the supervision of RNs and physicians, so programs center on entry-level skills.
A BSN program typically takes three to four years and covers nursing in more depth, preparing you for work across a variety of nursing areas. RNs have a broader scope of practice that includes patient care planning and diagnostic testing. They also generally have more opportunities for advancement and higher earning potential. Contact our admissions team to find out how our three-year BSN program in Cincinnati can prepare you for a career as an RN.
Compare LPN and BSN programs in more detail.
Training and education separate a BSN from an Associate Degree in Nursing (ADN). A BSN gives you a more extensive educational foundation and more practical clinical exposure, and employers value that preparation. It can also open additional job growth opportunities, such as employment at Magnet-designated hospitals.
Hospitals earn Magnet designation from the American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC) based on excellence in nursing, patient care, and professional development. As part of their commitment to high standards of care and better patient outcomes, Magnet hospitals typically hire nurses with a Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) or higher.
NCLEX-RN and NCLEX-PN exams lead to different nursing licenses. NCLEX-RN candidates are graduates of BSN or ADN programs seeking registered nurse licensure, while NCLEX-PN candidates are graduates of LPN or LVN programs seeking practical/vocational nurse licensure.
Both exams are developed by the National Council of State Boards of Nursing (NCSBN) and standardized across all states. Passing the exam that matches your program is required for nursing licensure in the United States and shows you’ve met the minimum competency standards for entry-level nursing practice.
Compared with LPNs, who typically work under the supervision of RNs or physicians, RNs in Cincinnati have greater autonomy, higher-level clinical responsibilities, and more opportunities for career advancement. Once you pass the NCLEX-RN, you can apply for your nursing license and begin your professional nursing career in Ohio.
Costs to become a nurse in Ohio include your nursing education and state licensing fees. First, you’ll complete an accredited nursing program. After that, Ohio charges a $75 fee for initial RN licensure by examination, and you’ll pay $65 to renew your license every two years.
Source: https://nursing.ohio.gov/licensing-and-certification/fees
You can retake the NCLEX-RN in Ohio as many times as needed, as long as you wait 45 days after each exam and pay all applicable exam fees each time. Before scheduling another attempt, you’ll need a new Authorization to Test (ATT) from the Ohio Board of Nursing. Once you have it, you can schedule your next exam.
Source: https://nursingexams.org/nclex/taking-the-nclex-in-ohio/
State Board of Career College and Schools registration number 2211.