RN Colleges vs. RN Universities

When you are choosing a school, you may wonder what the difference is between an RN college and an RN university. In short, colleges are schools that have a limited ability to offer post-secondary education. Colleges can usually confer either two-year or four-year degrees to their students, but do not have any postgraduate degrees available.

Universities, on the other hand, confer four-year degrees and can also confer postgraduate degrees, such as Master's degrees and Ph.D.s. They are usually accredited by various affiliations for individual programs. If you are deciding between a RN university and a RN college, consider to what lengths you want to take your education. If there is a conveniently located college in your area that confers four-year degrees, and you have no interest in earning a MSN degree in the near future, go ahead and investigate that school.