Rowan University Nursing Programs: What to Know (2026)
The Rita & Larry Salva School of Nursing & Health Professions (Virtua Health College of Medicine & Life Sciences) offers a cooperative pre-licensure pathway with Virtua Our Lady of Lourdes School of Nursing, an online RN-to-BSN, and hybrid MSN tracks (Nurse Educator, Nurse Practitioner, Nurse Executive). Tuition figures below cite Rowan’s 2025–26 bursar schedules; NCLEX-RN outcomes for the diploma phase are published under the partner school name in New Jersey’s quarterly RN reports.
Contents
Quick Facts
Key Takeaway
Rowan’s nursing department combines a public university foundation in Glassboro with a clinical partner (Virtua Our Lady of Lourdes) for the diploma phase of the cooperative pathway, then stacks the CCNE-accredited RN-to-BSN and hybrid MSN for career advancement. Nursing differential fees support simulation labs; graduate students can pair an MBA through Rowan’s documented MSN–Business pathway.
Overview & Why Students Choose Rowan University
Rowan University is a public doctoral research university in Glassboro, New Jersey. Nursing sits in the Rita & Larry Salva School of Nursing & Health Professions within the Virtua Health College of Medicine & Life Sciences. Unlike a single-site four-year pre-licensure BSN, Rowan’s public materials emphasize a cooperative model: foundational coursework at Rowan, then competitive admission to the Virtua Our Lady of Lourdes School of Nursing diploma program, NCLEX-RN, and completion of the RN-to-BSN online—plus MSN options for licensed RNs.
That structure matters for applicants: NCLEX-RN “first-time” pass rates in state reports typically align with the approved pre-licensure program name (the Lourdes diploma program), not a standalone “Rowan University” four-year BSN line. RN-to-BSN and MSN Nurse Practitioner students are already RNs (or completing advanced practice); they sit for NP certification exams, not NCLEX-RN for initial RN licensure. Rowan states CCNE accreditation for its baccalaureate and master’s nursing programs; Lourdes lists ACEN accreditation for the RN diploma program.
For the cooperative pre-licensure phase, Rowan’s BSN page describes study for the NCLEX after the Lourdes diploma. Official New Jersey quarterly NCLEX-RN PDFs (e.g., “RN Schools, 2025 Q4”) list programs by board-approved school name—locate Virtua Our Lady of Lourdes (or similar listing) in the report. NJCCN links these PDFs. This page does not substitute a percentage from those PDFs here because automated verification was blocked; open the PDF directly for the cohort you care about.
Reasons students choose Rowan nursing
Cooperative pipeline with Virtua Lourdes
Rowan plus an established diploma school lets you pursue RN licensure through a defined partner pathway, then finish the BSN through Rowan’s RN-to-BSN—useful if you want a public university anchor and a specialized clinical school.
South Jersey / Philadelphia corridor
Glassboro sits between Philadelphia and the Jersey Shore health markets—clinical options and employers span Virtua, Jefferson, Penn Medicine affiliates, and other regional systems (specific sites vary by program and cohort).
Online RN-BSN pricing signal
Rowan’s bursar lists BS, Nursing (RN to BSN) online at $519.38 per credit for 2025–26—compare to other NJ completion programs on your short list.
Hybrid MSN with NP tracks
MSN Nurse Practitioner offers Adult Gerontology Acute Care, Family, and Psychiatric Mental Health NP options in a part-time hybrid format, plus Educator and Executive tracks.
MBA stack for leaders
Rowan describes an MSN–Business pathway with the Rohrer College of Business for nurses who want graduate business coursework alongside the MSN.
Nursing Programs Offered
Programs below follow Rowan’s Department of Nursing pages and the Virtua Our Lady of Lourdes — Rowan applicants hub. They are grouped as pre-licensure (diploma / NCLEX-RN), post-licensure undergraduate (RN-to-BSN), and graduate (MSN).
Pre-licensure (diploma / NCLEX-RN phase)
Cooperative BSN pathway (Rowan + Lourdes)
Students typically complete a foundational year at Rowan, then apply to the limited-seat diploma program at Virtua Our Lady of Lourdes School of Nursing. After the diploma, graduates take the NCLEX-RN, then complete Rowan’s RN-to-BSN for the bachelor’s degree. The diploma program is ACEN-accredited; Rowan’s RN-BSN and MSN are CCNE-accredited per Rowan’s disclosure.
Post-licensure undergraduate
RN to BSN
Online BS in Nursing completion for licensed RNs who hold a diploma or associate degree. Rowan’s 2025–26 online tuition table lists this program at $519.38 per credit hour (same rate in-state and out-of-state on that schedule).
Graduate nursing (MSN)
MSN Nurse Practitioner
Hybrid, part-time MSN NP for RNs: Adult Gerontology Acute Care NP, Family NP, or Psychiatric Mental Health NP. Graduates pursue national NP certification per specialty—confirm exam eligibility with the program and the New Jersey Board of Nursing.
MSN Nurse Educator
Prepares RNs for educator roles—curriculum, instruction, and evaluation—in a hybrid part-time format.
MSN Nurse Executive
Leadership and management focus for RNs advancing into executive nursing roles; hybrid delivery.
Rowan’s MSN hub pages reviewed for this guide describe MSN tracks; a DNP was not listed on those department pages. If Rowan adds doctoral nursing offerings later, confirm on the official SNHP site—do not assume a DNP exists.
NCLEX-RN Pass Rate
Cooperative pathway: Rowan’s materials route pre-licensure clinical nursing education through the Virtua Our Lady of Lourdes School of Nursing diploma program. New Jersey’s quarterly NCLEX-RN PDFs (accessed via NJCCN — NJ NCLEX) report first-time pass rates by approved program—look for the Lourdes / Virtua program listing for the cohort you are researching.
RN-to-BSN: Enrollees are already licensed RNs; this completion program does not produce first-time NCLEX-RN candidates.
MSN (NP / Educator / Executive): These tracks serve licensed RNs; outcomes relate to national NP certification exams or role preparation—not NCLEX-RN for initial RN licensure. Confirm specialty exam pass disclosures on Rowan’s program pages if published.
| Metric | Value |
|---|---|
| NCLEX-RN first-time pass rate (pre-licensure diploma cohort) | Not stated on this page—see the current RN Schools PDF on NJCCN for Virtua Our Lady of Lourdes / related program name. |
| RN-to-BSN / MSN (initial RN licensure) | Not applicable—these programs require RN licensure (or prepare advanced practice); they are not first-time NCLEX-RN pre-licensure BSN programs on Rowan’s Glassboro campus alone. |
| Source | NJCCN — New Jersey NCLEX quarterly PDFs; New Jersey Division of Consumer Affairs (Nursing). Confirm current rates with the Board and the partner school. |
NCLEX outcomes change by cohort and reporting table. Always confirm the latest pass rates with the New Jersey Division of Consumer Affairs, Virtua Our Lady of Lourdes School of Nursing, and Rowan University for your entry year.
International Students & Internationally Educated Nurses
Requirements for international students and internationally educated nurses vary by institution and state. Use the points below as a checklist; verify everything with Rowan University, Virtua Our Lady of Lourdes School of Nursing (if applying to the cooperative pathway), and the New Jersey Division of Consumer Affairs (Nursing).
- English-language proficiency: TOEFL, IELTS, or other requirements and minimum scores for Rowan and/or Lourdes.
- Transcript / credential evaluation: WES, CGFNS, or other evaluators required by the school.
- New Jersey Board of Nursing: For RN licensure (with or without a U.S. degree), confirm NCLEX eligibility and document requirements with the Board.
- Immigration & visa: Program eligibility for F-1 or other visa types and impact on clinical placements—especially important for the Lourdes diploma phase.
Policies change frequently. Verify with Rowan’s international office, Virtua Lourdes admissions, and the New Jersey Board of Nursing.
Admissions: A Realistic Look
Rowan’s cooperative BSN is a multi-step process: admission to Rowan, then competitive, limited-seat admission to the Virtua Our Lady of Lourdes diploma program. RN-to-BSN requires an active RN license. MSN programs require an RN license, a BSN (or equivalent per program policy), and typically a 3.0 GPA—confirm on each Rowan Global / SNHP program page.
Application timeline (from Rowan’s BSN page, verify future years)
| Program | Deadline / pattern | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Cooperative BSN (example: Fall 2026) | Application deadline January 15, 2026; all materials in by January 31, 2026 | Rowan’s BSN page; applicants choose a secondary major on the application. |
| RN-to-BSN | Multiple starts per year | See Rowan Global nursing page for current application windows. |
| MSN (NP / Educator / Executive) | Varies by track | Hybrid part-time; confirm with Rowan Global and SNHP. |
Admissions snapshot
| Factor | Details |
|---|---|
| Acceptance rate (nursing) | Not publicly disclosed; cooperative Lourdes phase has limited seats. |
| Minimum GPA | MSN: Rowan’s MSN materials cite a 3.0 minimum for many tracks—confirm for your specialty. Cooperative BSN: see Rowan and Lourdes criteria pages. |
| TEAS / HESI | Not publicly disclosed on the Rowan BSN overview reviewed—confirm with both Rowan and Lourdes whether an entrance exam is required. |
Honest tip: If you want the cooperative pathway, plan for two admissions processes (Rowan, then Lourdes) and budget time to commute to Stratford-area clinical sites during the diploma phase. Use NJTransfer to align prerequisites across NJ colleges.
Tuition & Cost of Attendance
Rowan is a public New Jersey university; in-state vs. out-of-state rates apply to Glassboro-based undergraduate programs. Online RN-to-BSN lists one per-credit rate on the online schedule. Figures below are from Rowan’s 2025–26 bursar pages unless noted.
| Metric | Value |
|---|---|
| Glassboro undergraduate (per credit, part-time) | In-state: $473.75 tuition + fees = $692.50 total per credit. Out-of-state: $891.75 tuition + fees = $1,110.50 total per credit (Fall 2025 / Spring 2026 table). |
| Glassboro full-time undergraduate (12–17 credits / semester) | In-state tuition + mandatory fees = $8,714 per semester total line; out-of-state = $14,126 (same bursar page). |
| Nursing differential (undergraduate nursing clinics / labs) | $1,500 per semester full-time or $125 per part-time credit (Rowan bursar nursing differential table). |
| RN-to-BSN (online) | $519.38 per credit hour on the Online 2025–26 schedule for BS, Nursing (RN to BSN) (listed as same in-state and out-of-state on that table). |
| MSN nursing courses (online schedule) | $868.80 per credit for MS, Nursing on the Online 2025–26 per-credit list. |
| Virtua Lourdes diploma phase | Tuition and fees are billed by Virtua Our Lady of Lourdes School of Nursing—see its tuition PDF and Rowan’s financial aid office for the Rowan portion. |
| Source | Rowan — Undergraduate Tuition and Fees 2025–26; Rowan — Online 2025–26 Tuition and Fees; Virtua Lourdes — Tuition. |
Student Outcomes & Career Prospects
Rowan’s site links CCNE accreditation and program descriptions but does not, on the pages reviewed for this guide, publish a single consolidated “achievement outcomes” table comparable to some private colleges. Use the sources below for outcomes:
| Metric | Value |
|---|---|
| NCLEX-RN (pre-licensure diploma cohort) | See current RN Schools quarterly PDF via NJCCN for Virtua Our Lady of Lourdes / approved program name. |
| NP certification (MSN) | Not publicly disclosed in aggregate on the Rowan MSN pages reviewed; confirm with the Department of Nursing and specialty boards. |
| Employment / placement | Not publicly disclosed on the pages reviewed; see Rowan career services and confirm with employers in the Philadelphia/South Jersey corridor. |
| Source | Rowan — Department of Nursing; NJCCN NCLEX PDFs. |
Is Rowan University the Right Fit for You?
Rowan fits students who value a public research university experience and can navigate a cooperative pre-licensure model—or who already hold an RN license and want online RN-to-BSN or hybrid MSN NP options in South Jersey.
✓ Good fit for students who—
- Want a defined Rowan + Virtua Lourdes pipeline rather than a single-campus four-year BSN.
- Plan to work in Philadelphia, Camden, or South Jersey health systems and can commute for diploma-phase clinicals.
- Are licensed RNs seeking affordable online RN-to-BSN pricing relative to other NJ online listings.
✗ May not be ideal for students who—
- Want a standalone traditional four-year BSN entirely on one campus without a diploma-school partner phase.
- Cannot relocate or commute for Lourdes-based coursework and clinicals during the diploma segment.
- Expect a published single-school NCLEX % labeled “Rowan University” identical to a standard four-year BSN—verify how NJ reports the cooperative program.
Local Healthcare Ecosystem
Glassboro sits in Gloucester County between Philadelphia and the Jersey Shore. Major employers and clinical partners accessible from Rowan’s region include Virtua Health, Jefferson Health (including South Jersey campuses), Penn Medicine affiliates, Cooper University Health Care, Inspira Health, and numerous post-acute and community providers. Exact clinical sites depend on program (Lourdes diploma vs. RN-to-BSN vs. MSN practicum)—confirm with your program coordinator.
| System / facility | Details |
|---|---|
| Virtua Health | Parent system for Virtua Our Lady of Lourdes School of Nursing; broad South Jersey footprint. |
| Cooper University Health Care | Camden / regional academic medicine and trauma services. |
| Jefferson Health — South Jersey | Includes Washington Township, Stratford, and other campuses serving the corridor. |
| Inspira Health | Multi-campus system in Cumberland/Gloucester/Salem counties. |
| Philadelphia market | Many graduates commute to Philadelphia-area hospitals; verify employer requirements independently. |
Clinical assignments change by cohort; confirm with Virtua Lourdes and Rowan nursing field offices.
Student Experience & Campus Life
Rowan emphasizes simulation laboratories supported by the nursing differential fee (see bursar). Student life includes NCAA Division III athletics, hundreds of student organizations, and proximity to Philadelphia for cultural and clinical opportunities. Nursing-specific clubs and honor societies—confirm active chapters with the Department of Nursing.
Resources & Next Steps
Contact & location
- Campus location
- Glassboro, NJ
- Address
- 201 Mullica Hill Road, Glassboro, NJ 08028, US
- Telephone
- (856) 256-4000 (Rowan main)
- Website
- rowan.edu
Official links
Your “Next 7 Days” checklist
- Read Rowan’s cooperative BSN page and Lourdes’ criteria side by side.
- Download the cooperative application packet from Lourdes and list outstanding documents.
- If you are RN-to-BSN, open Rowan’s online RN-to-BSN page and compare per-credit cost to your employer tuition benefit.
- If you are MSN NP, open each specialty page on Rowan Global and note clinical hour expectations.
- Pull the latest RN Schools NCLEX PDF from NJCCN and locate the Lourdes program line.
- Estimate nursing differential fees if you take face-to-face undergraduate nursing courses on Glassboro—see the bursar nursing differential table.
- Bookmark the NJ Division of Consumer Affairs — Nursing for licensure questions.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Rowan University a good school for nursing?
Rowan’s nursing department states CCNE accreditation for its baccalaureate and master’s nursing programs; the cooperative diploma phase is delivered through Virtua Our Lady of Lourdes School of Nursing (ACEN-accredited diploma). Use NJ’s quarterly NCLEX PDFs for objective pass-rate context. Confirm current approval and outcomes with Rowan, Lourdes, and the New Jersey Division of Consumer Affairs (Nursing).
What is the Rowan–Lourdes cooperative BSN pathway?
Students typically begin at Rowan, then apply to a limited-seat diploma program at Virtua Our Lady of Lourdes, take the NCLEX-RN, and finish the BSN through Rowan’s RN-to-BSN. Fall 2026 entry listed a January 15, 2026 application deadline and January 31, 2026 materials deadline on Rowan’s BSN page—verify future cohort dates.
What is the NCLEX pass rate for Rowan nursing students?
First-time NCLEX-RN rates for the pre-licensure diploma appear in New Jersey’s RN Schools quarterly PDFs under the approved program name (look for Virtua Our Lady of Lourdes). RN-to-BSN students are already licensed RNs. Confirm current cohort data with the Board and the schools.
How much is Rowan RN-to-BSN tuition (2025–26)?
Rowan’s Online 2025–26 schedule lists BS, Nursing (RN to BSN) at $519.38 per credit hour. MS, Nursing courses are listed at $868.80 per credit on the same online schedule. Confirm fees and annual totals with the Office of the Bursar.
Does Rowan offer a standalone four-year BSN on the Glassboro campus?
Rowan’s public materials describe a cooperative model with Virtua Lourdes for the diploma / NCLEX phase, then RN-to-BSN—not a single traditional four-year BSN entirely on Glassboro without the partner pathway described on Rowan’s site.
What MSN tracks does Rowan offer?
Nurse Educator, Nurse Practitioner (Adult Gerontology Acute Care, Family, Psychiatric Mental Health), and Nurse Executive—part-time hybrid formats for licensed RNs. An optional MBA pathway is described for business coursework.
Does Rowan require an RN license for the Nurse Practitioner MSN?
Yes—Rowan’s MSN hub describes these programs for registered nurses preparing for advanced certification. Verify exam eligibility with the program and the New Jersey Board of Nursing.
Where do Virtua Lourdes nursing students complete clinicals?
Clinical sites vary by cohort and curriculum; Virtua Health and other South Jersey systems are common in this region. Confirm assigned sites with Virtua Our Lady of Lourdes School of Nursing.
References
- Rowan University — Department of Nursingsites.rowan.edu/snhp/departments/nursing
- Rowan University — Cooperative BSN (BSN overview)sites.rowan.edu/…/bsn
- Virtua Our Lady of Lourdes School of Nursing — Rowan University applicantslourdesnursingschool.org/rowan
- Rowan University — Office of the Bursar (Undergraduate Tuition 2025–26)sites.rowan.edu/bursar/…/2025-26-undergraduate-tuition-and-fees
- Rowan University — Online Tuition and Fees 2025–26sites.rowan.edu/bursar/…/2025-26-online-tuition-and-fees
- Rowan University — MSN Programssites.rowan.edu/snhp/…/msn
- NJCCN — New Jersey NCLEX quarterly PDFsnjccn.org/nj-nclex
- New Jersey Division of Consumer Affairs — Nursingnjconsumeraffairs.gov/nur
- National Council of State Boards of Nursing (NCSBN)ncsbn.org
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics — Registered Nursesbls.gov/ooh
Editorial Standards & Review
About the author: Francesco Di Siena, RN, writes evidence-based nursing education guides for NurseOnShift.
Review: This page was reviewed by Araceli Collado, RN, for alignment with Rowan’s SNHP nursing pages, Rowan bursar tuition tables (2025–26), Virtua Lourdes cooperative materials, and New Jersey NCLEX reporting pathways.
Disclaimer: This page is for general reference only. It does not constitute professional, admissions, or financial advice. Requirements, deadlines, tuition, and policies change; always verify with the institution and the New Jersey Division of Consumer Affairs (Nursing).
Published: 2026-03-27 · Last reviewed: March 27, 2026 · Medical Review Process · Editorial Policy