School of Nursing and Health Sciences • Minneapolis, MN • Online • $465/Quarter Credit
Capella University offers 2 Nursing Informatics programs:
- MSN
- RN-to-MSN
Program Overview
| Program | Est. Tuition | Est. Duration | Credits |
|---|---|---|---|
| MSN in Nursing Informatics | $25.1K GuidedPath; $11.9K–$29.9K FlexPath | 2.5 years (10 quarters) GuidedPath; 11–27 months FlexPath | 54 quarter |
| RN-to-MSN Nursing Informatics | $30.7K GuidedPath; $14.9K–$35.8K FlexPath | 3 years (12 quarters) GuidedPath; 13–33 months FlexPath | 66 quarter |
Capella prices the same curriculum two ways: $465 per quarter credit, or a flat $2,985 per 12-week FlexPath session that rewards speed and punishes drift. Both routes require 500 practicum hours, more than double the ANCC’s 200-hour graduate pathway, with the student finding the preceptor.
Quick Facts
| Feature | Details |
|---|---|
| Program Types | MSN (BSN entry); RN-to-MSN (ADN entry, no BSN awarded) |
| Format | Online; GuidedPath (10-week quarters) or self-paced FlexPath (12-week sessions) |
| Practicum Hours | 500 minimum, both tracks |
| Practicum Placement | Student finds site and preceptor in their local community |
| RN License Required | Yes, current unrestricted U.S. license, maintained throughout |
| Who It’s For | Working RNs who want to control pace and cost |
| Distinctive Coursework | Data mining with database development; informatics life cycle management |
| Certification Pathway | 500 practicum hours clear ANCC NI-BC 200-hour graduate pathway |
| Tuition | $465/quarter credit or $2,985 per FlexPath session |
| Accreditation | CCNE (master’s); Higher Learning Commission (institution) |
| Start Dates | GuidedPath quarterly (Oct, Jan, Apr, Jul); FlexPath monthly |
| Enrollment Restrictions | Not accepting residents of AS, GU, MP, PR, VI |
MSN in Nursing Informatics
The estimated tuition for the MSN in Nursing Informatics at Capella University is approximately $25,110 (54 quarter credits at $465/credit) in GuidedPath.
The program can generally be completed in about 30 months in GuidedPath, or 11 to 27 months in FlexPath.
MSN Curriculum
The 54 quarter credits (about 36 semester credits) split into 28 credits of shared MSN core, 16 credits of informatics specialization, and 10 credits of practicum and capstone. The four informatics courses each carry 50 practicum hours, so field work starts during coursework rather than waiting for the end. The data mining course has students build databases, which is the most hands-on technical element.
- NURS6400 Nursing Informatics Fundamentals (4 qc, 50 practicum hrs)
- NURS6422 Clinical Information Systems and Application to Nursing Practice Analysis (4 qc, 50 hrs)
- NURS6424 Data Mining to Advance Healthcare (4 qc, 50 hrs)
- NURS6426 Nursing Informatics Life Cycle Management (4 qc, 50 hrs)
- NHS6008 Economics and Decision Making in Healthcare (4 qc)
- NHS6004 Healthcare Law and Policy (4 qc)
- NURS6016 Quality Improvement of Interprofessional Care (4 qc)
- NURS6080 MSN Practicum (4 qc, 100 hrs)
- NURS6085 MSN Practicum and Capstone (6 qc, 200 hrs)
More curriculum details are available here.
You Should Know
- Credits are quarter credits. Divide by 1.5 for semester equivalents (54 qc ≈ 36 semester credits).
- Specialization, practicum, and capstone courses cannot be fulfilled by transfer or credit for prior learning. Transfer is capped at 8 quarter credits (4 FlexPath points).
- All seven core courses are shared with Capella’s other MSN specializations. Informatics content sits in 16 of the 54 credits.
MSN Practicum and Capstone
- 500 hours total: 4 specialization courses × 50 hrs = 200, plus NURS6080 (100) and NURS6085 (200).
- Student is responsible for finding the preceptor and site; faculty support but do not place.
- Site of the student’s choice, recommended in the local community. Employer sites are not ruled out.
- Site compliance requirements (immunizations, screening) may add cost.
- Hours are verified only once all 500 are complete; partial hours cannot be certified for transfer.
The 500 hours clear ANCC’s 200-hour graduate-program pathway with room to spare. The load peaks in the capstone: 200 hours in a 10-week GuidedPath quarter is about 20 hours a week on top of a job. Specialization courses run about 5 hours a week each. Securing a willing informatics preceptor early is the main scheduling risk.
MSN Admissions
FlexPath has a higher recommended GPA than GuidedPath.
- BSN from an accredited institution
- Cumulative GPA 2.8 or higher (FlexPath recommended 3.0; lower GPAs may move over after two GuidedPath courses at 3.0)
- Current, unrestricted U.S. RN license; no minimum clinical experience stated
- No GRE, no application fee
- Background check via CastleBranch by end of the first term
- Not accepting residents of AS, GU, MP, PR, or VI
RN-to-MSN Nursing Informatics
The estimated tuition for the RN-to-MSN Nursing Informatics at Capella University is approximately $30,690 (66 quarter credits at $465/credit) in GuidedPath.
The program can generally be completed in about 36 months in GuidedPath, or 13 to 33 months in FlexPath.
RN-to-MSN Curriculum
The bridge adds three courses (12 quarter credits) in front of the full MSN curriculum. All 66 credits bill at the graduate rate. Everything after the bridge, including the 500 practicum hours, matches the MSN.
- NURS5003 Health Assessment and Promotion for Disease Prevention in Population-Focused Health (4 qc)
- NURS5005 Introduction to Nursing Research, Ethics, and Technology (4 qc)
- NURS5007 Leadership for Nursing Practice (4 qc)
- Plus the full 54-credit MSN core, specialization, practicum, and capstone
More curriculum details are available here.
You Should Know
- Capella does not award a BSN during or after this program. Leaving before graduation means leaving with no new degree.
- Transfer is capped at 12 quarter credits (6 FlexPath points).
RN-to-MSN Practicum and Capstone
Identical to the MSN: 500 student-sourced hours across the same six courses, with the same 20-hour-a-week capstone peak.
RN-to-MSN Admissions
No bachelor’s degree required, but substantial prior college credit is.
- At least 90 semester (135 quarter) undergraduate credits completed
- Undergraduate GPA 2.8 or higher (FlexPath recommended 3.0)
- Current, unrestricted U.S. RN license
- Same state restrictions as the MSN
Tuition
GuidedPath costs $465 per quarter credit, about $697.50 per semester-credit equivalent. FlexPath charges a flat $2,985 per 12-week session regardless of how many courses a student finishes. Rates are Capella’s program-page estimates effective July 13, 2026.
| Scenario | MSN | RN-to-MSN |
|---|---|---|
| GuidedPath, no transfer | $25,110 (30 months) | $30,690 (36 months) |
| FlexPath, fastest 25% | $11,940 (4 sessions, 11 months) | $14,925 (5 sessions, 13 months) |
| FlexPath, median | $20,895 (7 sessions, 19 months) | $26,865 (9 sessions, 23 months) |
| FlexPath, slower 75th percentile | $29,850 (10 sessions, 27 months) | $35,820 (12 sessions, 33 months) |
Break-even (derived): FlexPath beats GuidedPath only if the MSN is finished in 8 sessions or fewer (8 × $2,985 = $23,880 vs $25,110). A ninth session costs $26,865. For the RN-to-MSN, the line falls at 10 sessions ($29,850 vs $30,690).
Confirmed costs:
- Resource kit: $125 per quarter or FlexPath session
- Background check: $33.70, plus $2.99 CastleBranch fee
- Credit for prior learning: $50 per quarter requested
- No application fee
Be aware that:
- Capella’s headline claims “14 months and under $15,000” (MSN) and “15 months and under $18,000” (RN-to-MSN). Its own pace tables show 11 months/$11,940 and 13 months/$14,925 for the same fastest-25% group. The tables are more specific and are used here.
- The FlexPath estimates assume an average transfer load; the GuidedPath estimates assume none.
- Military Tuition Assistance cannot be used for FlexPath.
- Transfer and prior-learning credit must be posted before starting FlexPath.
- Practicum site compliance costs and travel are not included.
All-in, a GuidedPath MSN runs about $26,400 with 10 resource kits and the background check. A median-pace FlexPath MSN runs about $21,800. The deciding variable is not the rate but whether the student can sustain FlexPath’s pace through 500 practicum hours. See Capella’s tuition page.
Why Choose This Nursing Informatics Program?
The fit is strongest for a disciplined, employed RN who can line up an informatics preceptor and move fast.
Speed sets the price. FlexPath turns tuition into a subscription. A student who finishes the MSN in four sessions pays less than half the GuidedPath total. One who stalls past eight sessions pays more. Students unsure of their pace can start in GuidedPath’s fixed weekly deadlines, though transfer credit must be settled before switching.
The practicum is heavy and self-sourced. 500 hours is a real workload, and the student finds the site. Nurses already inside a health system with an informatics team have a large advantage. Those without one face the hardest part of the degree before the capstone starts.
The RN-to-MSN skips the BSN. It saves time for ADN nurses committed to finishing. It offers no fallback credential for those who might stop early.
Accreditation
Capella’s master’s degree program in nursing is accredited by the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE). Both informatics tracks are specializations within that MSN. Capella does not list CAHIIM accreditation for these programs.
Capella University is institutionally accredited by the Higher Learning Commission. It is owned by Strategic Education, Inc.
For ANCC Informatics Nursing certification (NI-BC), one eligibility route is a graduate informatics nursing program with at least 200 faculty-supervised practicum hours. Capella’s 500 hours exceed that. Candidates still need 2 years of full-time RN practice, a BSN or higher, and 30 informatics CE hours within 3 years, per ANCC.
Weigh Other Nursing Informatics Options
Compare Capella against other programs on the Nursing Informatics Schools page, or start with the nursing informatics degree overview.