Slippery Rock University adds new 1+2+1 nursing pathway

Bachelor's degree at SRU to help address state's shortage of registered nurses

SLIPPERY ROCK, Pa., June 17, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Pennsylvania is facing a critical shortage of nurses, with recent reported vacancy rates of 30% for registered nurses who provide direct care and an anticipated shortfall of more than 20,000 RNs in the state by 2026 is among the highest in the nation. Slippery Rock University is helping provide an immediate solution at the lowest possible cost to future nurses by introducing a new nursing degree pathway.

Beginning in the fall 2025, SRU will offer a 1+2+1 nursing program where students:

1. take general education classes at SRU in their first year,
2. earned their RN at a partner institution in the second and third years, and
3. complete their Bachelor of Science in Nursing degree at SRU or online by the end of their fourth year.

SRU has articulation agreements for this pathway with two institutions: Community College of Beaver County and the Allegheny Health Network Schools of Nursing. 

LOW COST, HIGH IMPACT
SRU's tuition of $7,716 for in-state students has remained flat for seven straight years and the total cost of attendance per year is $22,754 for full-time undergraduates from Pennsylvania. Nurses with BSN degrees earn an average base salary of $96,000 per year, nearly $20,000 more than the average RN, which, over a 30-year career, can make difference of more than a half million dollars.

Nurses working in communities also impact the local economy. The addition of one health care employee in Pennsylvania generates about $112,000 in direct economic output and more than $206,000 in total economic output, when including an employee's purchasing, selling and other economic exchanges in a community.

THE SRU ADVANTAGE
The 1+2+1 nursing pathway at SRU is designed to help students complete their BSN in an efficient and cost-effective manner with an accessible and flexible route to becoming a registered nurse. After completing their third year, students will be eligible to sit for the NCLEX-RN licensure exam and begin working as registered nurses.

The BSN degree is completed in an online format that accommodates the schedule of a working professional.  

"The new 1+2+1 nursing program at SRU is designed to provide students with the skills they need to enter, adapt and thrive in the nursing profession and the ever-changing health care environment," said Michele Crytzer, associate professor of nursing and department chair. "With the critical demand for nurses, SRU is leading the way for future nurses to earn their bachelor's degree with the highest quality education in the shortest amount of time and with the lowest possible costs."

BUILDING ON SUCCESS
SRU's existing RN-to-BSN program was one of the first nursing programs in the country to offer classes completely online, but it requires students to have an RN before enrolling. It is designed to meet the needs of registered nurses looking to build on their associate degree or diploma education and earn their BSN. Most of the students in the program are working in the field and complete their degrees at their preferred pace through eight-week sessions each semester. Now, there is an option to start and finish at SRU.

CCNE ACCREDITED
SRU's baccalaureate nursing program is nationally accredited by the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education through 2034, meaning the program meets rigorous standards to ensure the high quality of the program, continuous improvement and the educational preparation in the field of nursing.

DONOR SUPPORTED 
Scholarships to support the next generation of nursing professionals are available thanks to a transformative $500,000 gift from Art Williams, '64. The gift underscores the vital importance of SRU graduates in the health care profession and celebrates the 50th anniversary of SRU's nursing program, which has produced 763 RN-to-BSN graduates in the last 10 years.

More information about SRU's nursing programs is available on the University's website.

Media Contact:
Justin Zackal
[email protected]

SOURCE Slippery Rock University