Join AACN

AACN is the only U.S. organization representing exclusively baccalaureate-and-higher nursing education. Apply for membership today and join more than 865 member schools nationwide committed to advancing the nursing profession.

AACN membership is held by institutions. All faculty, staff, and students are a part of AACN institutional membership. Learn more about the benefits.

To access your MyAACN account affiliated with your institution, create an account or log in using your institutional email address.

By nomination, AACN grants individual membership awards to exemplary nursing and healthcare leaders. Learn more about individual membership.

About Institutional Membership

Institutional membership is open to any institution that has a baccalaureate or higher degree program in nursing that meets either of the following criteria:

  1. One or more of the nursing programs at the institution is accredited or pursuing accreditation (e.g., by holding new applicant or candidacy status for any baccalaureate or higher degree in nursing) by the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE) or other U.S. Department of Education-recognized nursing accrediting agency.
    OR
    1. The institution is approved to offer a nursing program(s) by the appropriate state agency or agencies that have legal authority for educational programs in nursing; and
    2. The institution is accredited by an institutional (regional or national) accrediting agency recognized by the U.S. Department of Education; and
    3. The institution will pursue nursing program accreditation for one or more of its nursing programs within three (3) years. Exception would be made if an institution’s only nursing degree program is a research doctorate.

Provisional Institutional Membership​

Provisional institutional membership may be held for a total of three (3) years and is open to any institution that is in the process of developing a baccalaureate or higher degree program in nursing that meets the following criteria:

  1. Authorization to grant the credential to which the program leads; and
  2. The institution is accredited by an institutional (regional or national) accrediting agency recognized by the U.S. Department of Education.

As a first-year member, you will pay half-price dues ($2,852). Full-price institutional dues for July 2023-June 2024 are $5,705.

Apply for Membership

Please complete either the online application or PDF application. Once we receive your application, we will send it to the Membership Committee for approval. When your application has been approved, we will contact you and send an invoice for first-year dues. Your school will become a member as soon as we receive your payment.

Apply Online  Download Application

Still not sure?

Are you interested in learning more about AACN before joining?

As a special introductory offer, we invite you to attend the Academic Nursing Leadership Conference or the AACN Deans Annual Meeting in Washington, D.C. free of charge.

These deans-only meetings are the perfect opportunity to see what AACN is all about. At the meeting, you will:

  • Network with fellow nursing deans from across the country
  • Participate in discussion groups with schools similar to yours
  • Visit your state’s senators and representatives at Capitol Hill
  • Attend a wide variety of sessions and earn Continuing Education (CE) credits
  • Learn about the many services and benefits we offer our members
  • Meet with the Membership Committee
  • And more!

Note: This offer is available only to non-member schools who have never sent a representative to a free meeting before. To check your eligibility and register, please email membership@aacnnursing.org or call (202) 463-6930 ext. 279.

Contact

If you have any questions or need additional information, please contact Beth Aronson, Director of Membership and Business Development, baronson@aacnnursing.org, (202) 463-6930 ext. 263.

Why AACN Membership Is Essential to Success

“It’s really important for me to hear that some of the challenges that we face with our program and the high volume of minorities that we have in our program are issues that others are facing as well. Talking about ways that they resolve their issues really helps when I have to go to my administration to work through funding issues to support the initiatives that we need to have to make sure our program is a success.“Dr. Maija Anderson from Morgan State University

With AACN Membership You Get...

“AACN is the only place that I can come and truly be among peers.” Dr. Susan Bakewell-Sachs from Oregon Health & Sciences University