MSN Programs in Ohio

By EveryNurse Staff on January 17, 2023

As the nursing industry grows at a phenomenal rate in the state of Ohio, qualified nurses of all kinds are in demand, especially nurses holding Master’s of Science in Nursing Degrees. These professionals can not only step into advanced roles within the industry, but they are qualified to teach nurses as well as fulfill nursing management positions. The benefits and opportunities for MSN holders is certainly worth the time it takes to earn the degree.

Schools With MSN Programs in Ohio

In the Columbus area, individuals can take advantage of Capital University’s School of Natural Sciences, Nursing and Health. Several routes to an MSN degree are available at this school, including the traditional route for BSN-holders, the “fast track” for registered nurses who have an associate’s degree or a diploma, and an ADN to MSN bridge program. Individuals can specialize in a number of roles, including Adult-Gerontology Clinical Nurse Specialist, Nursing Education, Nursing Administration, Legal Studies and Theology. Those taking the traditional route must hold a BSN from an accredited college or university while those taking the “Fast Track” route must have a diploma or Associate’s Degree in nursing.

Case Western Reserve University offers up many different routes to an MSN degree through their Frances Payne Bolton School of Nursing. With the graduate entry nursing program, those who have a bachelor’s degree in another field can become a registered nurse. With the traditional program, individuals who have earned their BSN degree can focus on specialties like Adult-Gerontology Acute Care Nurse Practitioner, Adult-Gerontology Oncology and Palliative Care Nurse Practitioner, Family Nurse Practitioner, Neonatal Nurse Practitioner and many others. Nurses who take the traditional route must have a BSN from an accredited college or university.

Those in the Cleveland area can take advantage of Cleveland State University’s School of Nursing, which offers MSN programs with numerous specialties: Clinical Nurse Leader, Forensic Nursing, Nursing Education, and Specialized Populations. This school also offers an MSN/MBA dual degree program. Applicants must have a BSN degree from an accredited college or university to be considered for the program, and must have an undergraduate GPA of 3.0 or higher.

The College of Mount St. Joseph Department of Nursing allows individuals to gain their MSN in two ways: the traditional pathway or the “MAGELIN” path, which caters to students who hold a bachelor’s degree in something other than nursing. Specializations include Nursing Administration and Nursing Education, and individuals can choose to study full-time or part-time. Those taking the traditional route must hold a valid, current registered nurse license in the state of Ohio.

The Nursing Department at Franciscan University of Steubenville allows individuals to earn their MSN degree through a number of routes: the traditional BSN to MSN method and the RN to MSN route. With the RN to MSN bridge program, individuals must hold a diploma or Associate’s degree in nursing. Those pursuing the traditional path must hold a BSN from an accredited college or university. Nurses can specialize in one of two specialties, including Family Nurse Practitioner and Education Specialist.

Kent State University’s College of Nursing offers individuals the chance to specialize in a variety of nursing specialties through the MSN program: Adult Gerontology Acute or Primary Care Nurse Practitioner, Adult Gerontology Clinical Nurse Specialist, Family Nurse Practitioner, Mental Health Family Nurse Practitioner, Pediatric Nurse Practitioner or Pediatric Clinical Nurse Specialist, Women’s Health Nurse Practitioner, Nurse Educator or Nursing Healthcare Management. This school also offers the MSN/MBA or MSN/MPA dual degrees.

For those in or around the Sylvania area, Lourdes University’s College of Nursing provides two routes to the MSN degree: the traditional route and the RN to MSN bridge route. The bridge route is for registered nurses who hold a diploma or Associate’s Degree in Nursing, while the traditional method is for those who have earned their Bachelor’s Degree in Nursing. Three specializations are offered, including Nurse Anesthesia, Nurse Educator and Nurse Leader. Applicants must have an undergraduate Grade Point Average of 2.75 or more on a 4.0 scale.

Malone University offers up their School of Nursing & Health Sciences, which gives individuals the option of earning their MSN degree and specializing as a Family Nurse Practitioner. All applicants will need a Bachelor’s of Science Degree in Nursing, as well as an undergraduate GPA of 3.0 or more and a valid, unencumbered license as a registered nurse within the state of Ohio.

Specialize as an Adult-Gerontology Acute Care Nurse Practitioner, Adult-Gerontology Clinical Nurse Specialist, Family Nurse Practitioner, Nurse Administrator or Nurse Educator with the Mount Carmel College of Nursing. This college offers the traditional route for earning the MSN for those who have already earned their BSN degree from an accredited college or university. Their undergraduate GPA must be 3.0 or higher, and they must have a valid registered nurse license in the state of Ohio or be eligible for licensure.

Ohio University’s School of Nursing offers an MSN program for those who have already earned their BSN, as well as an RN to MSN bridge program for individuals who have a diploma or Associate’s degree in nursing. Participants can choose one of the following specializations: Acute Care Nurse Practitioner, Family Nurse Practitioner, Nurse Educator or Nurse Administrator. Traditional applicants must hold a BSN from an accredited program, and must have an undergraduate GPA of at least 3.0. Courses in Management, Statistics, Nursing Research and Accounting will be required before starting the MSN program.

The Department of Nursing at Otterbein University allows individuals to gain their MSN degree through one of two routes: the traditional method for those who have a BSN degree and the RN to MSN bridge program. Both routes enable individuals to specialize in one of the following specializations: Family Nurse Practitioner, Nurse Anesthesia, or Clinical Nurse Leader. This school also provides an MSN/MBA dual degree for both routes. Those entering the bridge program will be required to have a diploma or Associate’s Degree in nursing, and traditional applicants will need a BSN degree from an accredited program.

Ohio State University’s College of Nursing allows individuals to obtain their MSN degree through three different routes: the traditional method for those who have a BSN from an accredited university, the RN to MSN bridge program and the direct entry pathway for individuals who have a bachelor’s degree in another field. This school also offers a slew of different specializations, from Adult-Gerontology Acute Care Nurse Practitioner to Nurse Midwifery.

Those in or around the Akron area can take advantage of the School of Nursing at the University of Akron. Individuals can choose from the traditional MSN route and the RN to MSN bridge program. Those entering the bridge program will have to take courses for the BSN as well as the MSN; it’s designed to take about 8 semesters to complete. All applicants can choose from a variety of specializations, including Adult-Gerontological Clinical Nurse Specialist, Adult-Gerontological Nurse Practitioner, Family Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner, Child/Adolescent Primary Care Nurse Practitioner, Nurse Anesthesia or Nursing Administration. All applicants must have a current, valid RN license in the state of Ohio.

The University of Cincinnati College of Nursing allows individuals to gain an MSN degree through the traditional method as well as the direct entry route, which is designed for men and women holding a bachelor’s degree in another field. This school offers up a huge variety of specializations, from Family Nurse Practitioner to Occupational Health to Nurse Midwifery and more. Applicants are required to have an undergraduate GPA of 3.0 or more, and individuals applying for the traditional route must have a BSN from an accredited college or university.

The University of Toledo College of Nursing gives individuals a lot of options when it comes to their MSN programs. Those who have already gained a BSN from an accredited program can continue on with their education through the traditional path. Those who are registered nurses in the state of Ohio who possess a diploma or Associate’s degree in nursing can earn their MSN through the RN to MSN bridge program. Those who have a Bachelor’s degree in another field can go for the “Graduate Entry Clinical Nurse Leader” pathway to earn their MSN. Specialties available for those going the traditional route or through the bridge program include Family Nurse Practitioner, Pediatric Nurse Practitioner, Nurse Educator and Clinical Nurse Leader (traditional route only).

Individuals in the Urbana area can take advantage of the Urbana University College of Nursing and Allied Health, which offers an RN to MSN bridge program as well as the traditional route to the MSN for those who have earned a BSN from an accredited college or university. Students here can specialize in Nursing Administration or Nursing Education, allowing them to take on educator or manager roles within the industry. Individuals going for the traditional route must have an undergraduate GPA of at least 3.0

The Breen School of Nursing at Ursuline College provides several different specialization options for their MSN program: Adult-Gerontology Clinical Nurse Specialist, Adult Nurse Practitioner, Family Nurse Practitioner and Nursing Education. This school caters only to those who have already gained their BSN degree, and who are registered nurses in the state of Ohio.

The College of Nursing and Health at Wright State University offers an MSN degree to registered nurses who have a diploma or Associate’s degree in nursing, BSN holders and those with a Bachelor’s degree in a different field. A huge array of specializations is available, including everything from Neonatal Nurse Practitioner and Family Nurse Practitioner to School Nursing and Health Care Administration. Those who already have a BSN must have a 3.0 undergraduate GPA and those entering the RN to MSN bridge program must have a current, unencumbered RN license in the state of Ohio.

Men and women in or around the Cincinnati area can take advantage of the Xavier University School of Nursing, which offers three different routes to the MSN degree: the traditional route for BSN holders, the RN to MSN bridge program, and the MSN Direct Entry for those who have a Bachelor’s Degree in a different field. Individuals can be prepared to step into roles as Nursing Administrator, Clinical Nurse Leader, Nursing Educator, Family Nurse Practitioner, Forensic Nursing, Health Care Law and Informatics.

Youngstown State University’s Department of Nursing offers a wonderful MSN program for those who have already earned their BSN from an accredited program. There are three specializations available, including Chronic Illness Care Clinical Nurse Specialist, School Nursing Clinical Nurse Specialist and Nurse Anesthetist. Those who enter the program must have an undergraduate Grade Point Average of 3.0 or higher and must have an RN license in the state or be eligible for licensing.

Level Up Your Career

DNP Programs

Nurse Practitioner Programs

RN to MSN Programs

Ohio MSN Checklist

Become licensed as a Registered Nurse (RN) in the state of Ohio – those who do not have an RN license within the state may be able to earn an MSN through a direct entry program at the college of their choice.
Enter an accredited MSN program and choose a specialty, if desired.
Complete all required supervised clinical hours, if possible, before finishing the MSN program.
Apply for a certificate of authority with the Ohio Board of Nursing and include any appropriate fees – $100.
Pass a nationally-accredited certification examination for the specialty of your choice.

Ohio MSN Salary & Job Outlook

Nurses who have earned their MSN degree in the state of Ohio will be qualified to take on roles as Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetists, Clinical Nurse Specialists, Certified Nurse-Midwives and Certified Nurse Practitioners in addition to many other roles. These professionals earn significantly more than their Registered Nurse counterparts; the Bureau of Labor Statistics gathers data for these occupations and according to most recent data, the annual median salaries are as follows: Nurse Anesthetists ($146,770), Nurse Midwives ($88,620), Nurse Practitioners ($89,530), Nursing Instructors and Teachers ($65,970).