Ball State nursing accreditation: what CCNE lists and what it does not
CCNE's directory lists three Ball State programs as accredited through June 30, 2031: the baccalaureate, the master's and the post-graduate APRN certificate, each due for an on-site visit in fall 2030. The DNP does not appear in the directory, although one Ball State handbook still describes DNP accreditation, so treat the DNP's status as unconfirmed and ask the School of Nursing directly.
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What CCNE's directory shows
Ball State's national nursing accreditor is the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education, known as CCNE. Its public directory, checked on September 26, 2026, shows three Ball State programs and no DNP:
| Program | First accredited | Most recent review | Term ends | Next on-site visit |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Baccalaureate (BSN) | April 8, 2006 | October 7, 2020 | June 30, 2031 | Fall 2030 |
| Master's (MS in Nursing) | April 8, 2006 | October 7, 2020 | June 30, 2031 | Fall 2030 |
| Post-graduate APRN certificate | October 7, 2020 | October 7, 2020 | June 30, 2031 | Fall 2030 |
| Doctor of Nursing Practice | Not listed | Not listed | Not listed | Not listed |
Ball State's own accreditation page names the same three: the baccalaureate degree, the master's degree and the post-graduate APRN certificate program. It leaves the DNP out. For students in the MS in Nursing, whether FNP, Nurse Educator or Leadership and Management, and for Post-Master's Certificate students, the picture is clear and current.
The DNP: not in CCNE's directory
Ball State's DNP has two lives. The first program was approved in December 2007 and graduated its last cohort on May 5, 2018. A revised DNP opened in fall 2025 with FNP, Nurse Executive and Nurse Educator cognates. The School of Nursing Universal Handbook Section I, dated 2026-27, still records a DNP first accredited on November 16, 2011 and reaccredited on October 5, 2016 through June 30, 2027, and its general accreditation paragraph lists the DNP among accredited programs.
CCNE's directory lists no Ball State DNP, and Ball State's accreditation page does not name one. The Section I dates line up with the earlier program, not the one that opened in 2025. This site describes the current DNP as not listed by CCNE, which is exactly what the directory shows, and never as accredited.
If accreditation matters to your plans, whether for a certification application, a later degree or an employer, ask the School of Nursing in writing about the revised DNP's status and check CCNE's directory again before you commit. The DNP guide covers the program itself.
Ball State's Section I handbook calls the DNP accredited through June 30, 2027, but those dates belong to the DNP that closed in 2018. CCNE's directory lists no Ball State DNP today.
2030 or 2031: two end dates for one term
Section I gives a second date that does not match. It says the BSN and MSN received initial CCNE accreditation on April 8, 2006, were reaccredited on November 15, 2010, and were reaccredited again in October 2020 through June 2030. CCNE's directory shows the same October 2020 action but a term ending June 30, 2031, and a fall 2030 on-site visit ahead.
Ball State does not explain the difference. The directory is the accreditor's own record, so this site uses June 30, 2031. Either way the programs are accredited now, and the fall 2030 visit is the review that sets the next term. If a site or employer quotes the 2030 date back to you, the CCNE directory entry is the document to show them.
Indiana approval and state authorization are separate
Accreditation is one of three approvals students run into, and they answer different questions. The Indiana State Board of Nursing approves Ball State's Baccalaureate Nursing program, as it does for every Indiana school whose graduates sit for a first RN or LPN license. The Board does not review graduate programs, so the MS, certificate and DNP carry no Board approval; the Indiana Board of Nursing page explains its role.
The third is state authorization, which decides where an online student may live and train. Ball State takes part in the State Authorization Reciprocity Agreements, and NC-SARA lists it as a participant. The School of Nursing then limits each graduate program to the states its State Authorization Map marks as authorized. An accredited program is still closed to a student living in a state the map excludes, as the state authorization guide shows program by program.
NCLEX pass rates: two Ball State figures
Ball State publishes two different licensing exam figures for its bachelor's graduates. On its BSN page, Ball State reports a 94% NCLEX pass rate in 2024. On the School of Nursing's About page, Ball State reports an 89% pass rate for licensing exams, with no year given. Neither page explains the other, and both are Ball State's own claims. If you are weighing them, ask which graduating class each one covers and whether it counts first-time test takers only.
The NCLEX is the RN licensing exam, so these figures describe BSN outcomes, not graduate ones. Graduate FNP students take a national certification exam instead, and Ball State has published no current FNP certification pass rate; the certification exams page sets out what is on record.
When a clinical site asks about accreditation
Some health systems screen schools by accreditation before they take a student. Reid Health in Richmond, in east-central Indiana, said on its student form that after May 1, 2019 it would no longer accept students from an Online Exclusive school or from one not accredited by CCNE or ACEN. Ball State's master's and certificate meet the CCNE part. Whether Reid counts an online program as Online Exclusive is not stated, and the form now survives only in an archived copy.
When a site asks, point it to Ball State's entry in CCNE's directory and to Ball State's accreditation page. Our placement desk checks each site's school requirements, accreditation included, before we propose it, so a question like Reid's is answered before you spend weeks on a site. Request a placement with your program and county.
Questions Ball State students ask
Is Ball State's online FNP program accredited?
Yes. Ball State runs the FNP as a concentration within the MS in Nursing, which CCNE lists as accredited through June 30, 2031. The Post-Master's FNP Certificate sits under CCNE's post-graduate APRN certificate listing, which carries the same end date and the same fall 2030 on-site visit.
Does CCNE accreditation let me enroll from any state?
No. Accreditation and state authorization are separate. Ball State's MS in Nursing enrolls only from the 26 jurisdictions its State Authorization Map marks as authorized, and the FNP certificate and the DNP have shorter lists. Check the map for your exact program before applying or moving.
Where can I check Ball State's accreditation myself?
CCNE's online directory of accredited programs lists each Ball State program with its dates, and the School of Nursing's accreditation page names the programs Ball State considers accredited. Where the two differ, as on the DNP and on 2030 versus 2031, the directory is the accreditor's own record.
Is Ball State's BSN approved by the state of Indiana?
Yes. Ball State says the Baccalaureate Nursing program is approved by the Indiana State Board of Nursing, on top of its CCNE accreditation. The Board reserves its approval for pre-licensure programs, which is why Ball State's graduate programs carry no Board approval.
Was Ball State's earlier DNP accredited?
Ball State's Section I handbook says so: first accredited on November 16, 2011 and reaccredited on October 5, 2016 through June 30, 2027. That program graduated its last cohort in May 2018. The revised DNP that opened in fall 2025 is a different program and does not appear in CCNE's directory.
Related pages
Last checked 2026-09-26
We check these pages against Ball State's own catalog, graduate handbook, program pages and State Authorization Map, and Indiana rules. Your course faculty, your advisor and the Graduate Clinical Placement Coordinator have the final word.
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