Hannah Pierce, BSN
June 26, 2025
Alaska’s vast and varied healthcare landscape presents numerous opportunities for nurses at every stage of their careers. From hands‑on training programs for Certified Nursing Assistants (CNAs) and Licensed Practical Nurses (LPNs) to bridge pathways that elevate Registered Nurses (RNs) to a Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN), and on through advanced practice degrees for Nurse Practitioners (NPs), the state’s educational offerings are designed to fit both newcomers and seasoned professionals. Whether you’re taking your first steps into patient care or seeking to deepen your clinical expertise, Alaska’s nursing programs combine rigorous coursework with practical experience, preparing graduates to meet the unique challenges of delivering quality care across the Last Frontier.
Anchorage, AK - Private 4-year - alaskapacific.edu
Online Learning - Visit Website
Alaska Pacific University's RN to BSN program offers a transformative educational pathway for practicing nurses, strategically designed to elevate professional competencies. Delivered entirely online, the curriculum uniquely emphasizes cultural sensitivity and indigenous perspectives in healthcare delivery. Nurses transitioning from associate degrees can benefit from flexible distance learning modules that integrate professional nursing principles with ethical frameworks. The program requires an active RN license, official transcripts, and maintains a competitive 2.5 minimum GPA threshold. Students explore comprehensive coursework in Professional Nursing and Healthcare Ethics, preparing graduates to serve Alaska's diverse communities with advanced clinical insights and culturally responsive care strategies.
Anchorage, AK - Public 4-Year - uaa.alaska.edu
Online & Campus Based - Visit Website
The University of Alaska Anchorage's BSN program offers a dynamic hybrid nursing education designed to prepare students for comprehensive healthcare roles. With two specialized tracks for aspiring RNs and current registered nurses, the program emphasizes evidence-based practice and interprofessional collaboration. Students benefit from an ACEN-accredited curriculum that develops advanced clinical reasoning skills and prepares graduates to serve diverse populations. Pre-licensure students must maintain a 3.00 GPA, while working RNs can enter with a 2.00 GPA. The program strategically prepares students for the NCLEX-RN examination and provides a robust foundation for potential graduate nursing studies. Admission requires completing specific prerequisite coursework and demonstrating strong academic potential in healthcare education.
Anchorage, AK - Private 4-year - chartercollege.edu
Online & Campus Based - Visit Website
Charter College's Associate of Applied Science in Nursing delivers a comprehensive 19-month hybrid program uniquely positioned for Alaska's healthcare landscape. Blending online coursework with in-person instruction, students receive dynamic nursing education preparing them for diverse clinical environments. The curriculum emphasizes practical skills in patient care, pharmacological management, and technological integration. Aspiring nurses benefit from hands-on clinical rotations that provide real-world experience across pediatric, adult, and specialized nursing domains. Graduates are strategically positioned to successfully complete the NCLEX-RN examination, with the program's accreditation by ACEN ensuring high-quality educational standards. Military-friendly and offering financial aid opportunities, the program addresses the critical nursing workforce needs in Alaska's healthcare sector.
Alaska’s LPN programs equip students with the fundamental nursing knowledge and practical skills needed to deliver care across the state’s unique and often remote communities. Through structured coursework in anatomy, physiology, pharmacology, and hands‑on training, learners gain experience in hospitals, long‑term care facilities, and rural health clinics. Graduates emerge prepared to assist RNs and physicians by administering medications, monitoring patient status, and promoting wellness. By addressing workforce demands and enhancing access to care in Alaska’s challenging environments, LPN programs play a crucial role in sustaining the state’s healthcare infrastructure.
Built around the state’s unique geography, Alaska’s CNA courses pair infection‑control lectures and daily‑living assistance labs with real‑world rotations in Anchorage hospitals and Yup’ik village clinics. Students learn to deliver comfort and dignity, whether helping a patient use the restroom in a sprawling hospital or supporting elders in a remote health outpost, and relay critical vital‑sign data back to supervising nurses. Their presence is essential for keeping care flowing in communities where every pair of hands counts.
Alaska’s RN to BSN tracks are crafted to meet the state’s vast, often remote healthcare needs by blending flexible online instruction, spanning clinical leadership, community and rural health, research methods, and culturally responsive care, with hands‑on practicums at urban hospitals and village clinics. These bridge programs enable experienced RNs to earn a Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN), equipping them for supervisory and specialty positions, meeting growing employer and accreditation standards, and honing skills critical to improving patient outcomes across Alaska’s diverse communities. Offered in part‑time and accelerated formats, they fit around shift work and life in Alaska, helping nurses advance without pausing their careers.
Alaska’s Nurse Practitioner programs build upon a bachelor’s degree in nursing by offering rigorous advanced clinical coursework and extended supervised residencies, typically spanning two to four years, in specialties such as family practice, pediatric care, and psychiatric-mental health. Available in online, hybrid, and on-campus formats, these MSN and DNP pathways equip graduates for APRN certification and state licensure. As primary care providers, chronic disease managers, and telehealth clinicians in hospitals, tribal health centers, and remote village clinics, NPs help bridge critical gaps in rural and indigenous communities. By expanding access to high-level care and improving patient outcomes, NP programs play an essential role in fortifying Alaska’s healthcare infrastructure.
| Degree | Typical Length | Prerequisites | Outcome / Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Associate’s Degree in Nursing (ADN) | ~2 years | High school diploma or GED | Common entry point, vital for rural and underserved communities |
| RN Diploma | 2-3 years | High school diploma or GED | Not currently offered in Alaska |
| Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) | 4 years | High school diploma or ADN transfer | Includes rural health and indigenous care focus, preferred by employers |
| Master of Science in Nursing (MSN) | 2 years (post-BSN) | BSN + RN license | Prepares for advanced practice roles, full practice authority for NPs |
| Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) | 3-6 years (post-BSN or post-MSN) | BSN or MSN + RN license | Highest degree, NPs can practice independently, critical in frontier regions |
Online Learning - Website
Online & Campus Based - Website
Online & Campus Based - Website