The number of students enrolling baccalaureate nursing programs decreased by 1.4% last year, reversing a 20-year period growth trend in enrollment, according to a recent report from the American Association of Colleges of Nursing.
“Consistent with enrollment declines across higher education, nursing programs are enrolling fewer students, which raises serious concerns about how this will impact the nation’s nursing supply,” Deborah Trautman, PhD, RN, FAAN, president and CEO of AACN, stated in the report. “With enrollments trending downward, academic and practice leaders should work together to ensure that schools are able to accommodate all qualified applicants to meet the growing demand for nurses to provide care and serve as faculty, researchers and leaders.”
According to the AACN, 844 colleges and universities offer Bachelor of Science in Nursing degree programs. Year over year, data show that enrollment in BSN programs declined by 1.4%, or 3,518 students, from 2021 to 2022.
“This was the first time since the year 2000 that enrollments decreased in these programs,” the association said. “Though a one-year decline may not signal a trend, any decrease in these critical programs raises concerns and deserves further investigation.”
Additionally, data show that the number of registered nurses enrolling in bridge programs to earn their BSN degrees decreased significantly for the fourth consecutive year. Last year, enrollment in RN-to-BSN programs decreased by 16.9%, or 19,871 students.
“These bridge programs for nurses entering the nursing profession in an associate degree or diploma programs provide an important pathway for nurses looking to advance their education to better meet patient care needs and employer expectations,” according to the report.
At the graduate school level, enrollments also declined. According to the data, the number of nurses in master’s degree programs decreased by 9.4%, or 13,965 students, year over year in 2022. This change marked the second year of enrollment decline in master’s degree programs for nurses. The programs prepare nurses for roles in administration, teaching, research, informatics and direct patient care. Currently, according to the AACN, 658 nursing schools nationwide offer master’s degree programs, with a combined enrollment of 131,524 students.
“AACN continues to monitor master’s program enrollments to identify any factors that may be influencing student demand, including the steady increase in enrollment in the practice doctorate,” the report said.
Enrollment in PhD nursing programs has been declining for the past nine years, the report stated. Those programs saw a 4.1% decrease in enrollment, or 183 students, from 2021 to 2022.
