What Education is Needed to Become a Registered Nurse?

So you’ve decided you want to be a nurse. Congrats! That is a huge decision, and feeling like you know what you want to be when you grow up is an amazing feeling. But … what if you’re not sure where to go from here? Or what education is actually needed to become a registered nurse?

Nurse.org has a pretty good article about the steps to take to become a registered nurse, but I know first hand how overwhelming it can feel to wade through the TONS of different types of nursing programs. So I’ve tried to simplify it for you here!

Some things that might impact your education path when becoming a registered nurse can include (but are not limited to):

• When you’ve decided to pursue nursing. If you’re fresh out of high school, you’ll likely be looking into a 3 or 4-year nursing program. If nursing is your second degree / career, your path might look a little bit different.
• How quickly you want to finish the program. ADN programs are generally quick (2-3 years) and BSN programs can range from 11 months to 2 years. I personally chose nursing as a second degree (after already having a Bachelor of Science from a 4-year college in Public Health,) and attended an accelerated MSN program (24 months long.) I did so because I never want to go back to school again and wanted a MSN. There are tons of options!
• Your career goals after graduation. If you just want your degree quickly and want to start working as a nurse ASAP, it may be best to go through an ADN program or an accelerated BSN program. Keep in mind that some magnet hospitals only hire nurses with BSN degrees or above. If that doesn’t matter to you, that’s no problem, and you can always go back to school later and get your BSN. If you want to teach one day, you may have to eventually obtain your MSN or DNP. Remember, you can always get more schooling later if you wish, so these things are not dealbreakers when you’re first starting out by any means.
• The nursing program that you choose. Make sure you do your research and choose the program that best aligns with your goals.

Remember: There is no right or wrong way to become a nurse, only what is best for you! 

What is the difference between ADN, BSN, & MSN degrees and programs?

Herzing University has a great breakdown of the 6 different types of nursing degrees, as does NursingCAS (this one is in chart form for you visual learners.) We’ll chat about the 3 most common types you may encounter when thinking about the education you need to become a registered nurse.

Associates Degree in Nursing (ADN)

While an ADN can be considered a “minimum” degree, I don’t consider it as such and think it opens many doors. It is an entry-level degree, meaning it prepares you with the basic knowledge you need to efficiently and safely practice as a nurse. Though not required, many do go on to get their BSN, MSNs, or DNPs (think CRNAs or NPs.) Getting this degree takes about 2 years (though this can be more or less depending on the program and how many prerequisites you’ve completed) and can be completed by anyone who has no previous nursing education. You are eligible to apply for an ADN program with a high school diploma or a GED, but you do have to complete certain prerequisite classes. These classes will vary based on the program you choose to apply to. I completed several of mine at a community college, which I would highly recommend for both price and convenience.

Getting your ADN is often the cheapest way to enter the nursing profession, and if you wish to obtain a BSN later on, there are plenty of RN to BSN programs. You are eligible to take the NCLEX after completion of an ADN program and are a nurse just like everyone else upon passing the exam. You can work in hospital or healthcare clinics as a staff nurse. However, if you wish to enter a position of leadership, you may have to obtain higher education and go on to get your BSN or MSN later on.

The downside? Like I said before, Magnet hospitals often want BSN prepared nurses or higher, HOWEVER, if you can get a job with a large hospital, oftentimes they will help you pay to go back to school for your RN to BSN! Salary can also differ depending on degree. Of all three of these, ADNs MAY get paid the least, but this is of course hospital-dependent. Many hospitals offer differentials based on education, but many do not.

You can read more about the ADN degree here.

Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN)

BSN programs come in a whole lot of varieties, so picking which one is right for you can be tricky.

If you already have a Bachelors degree (aka you finished college) in something else, you can look into accelerated BSN programs (in addition to ADN programs):

These programs are only available to those who already have a degree and have completed extensive amounts of prerequisite courses because they are SO QUICK to complete (we’re talking anywhere from 11 months to 24 months.) This is a great option if you’re looking to spend the least amount of time (and money, depending on the school) working towards your degree.

I will warn you though that these programs are not for the faint of heart, and are generally INTENSE. Think about how much nurses are expected to know, jam that all into one year, and you have an accelerated BSN program. Because of this, students are usually not able to work during the program, and these can be tough on those with families and other life commitments. In order to be admitted, you will also need to have done well in your science prerequisite courses, as many schools place more emphasis on those than on your overall GPA. Always aim for 3.0 or higher!

Though these programs are tough, they are totally doable. I believe in you, and would definitely highly recommend this option if you already have a bachelors degree.

You can read a bit more about accelerated BSN programs here.

If you are fresh out of high school (aka you’ve earned your high school diploma,) you can look into traditional BSN or “direct entry” programs (in addition to ADN programs.)

These programs are considered “Traditional BSN” programs and are usually highly competitive. They are 3 or 4-year, full-time programs. You are essentially going to college and declaring your major as nursing from the beginning.

To be offered admission to these programs, your cumulative high school GPA as well as your GPA in all of the science and/or mathematics courses you’ve taken will be considered. Most programs will blatantly state that they will give preference to those with a high science GPA. So, if you’re a high school student who thinks they might be interested in nursing, study hard – especially when it comes to math, chemistry, biology, and any science classes that have labs.

Still not sure which is right for you? This article highlights some key differences between the ADN and BSN degrees.

Master of Science in Nursing (MSN)

Your path to a MSN will vary depending on how much education you’ve already gotten. Please note it’s not really an option to jump straight to an MSN if you’re fresh out of high school, so if that’s the case, start with an ADN or BSN first. You can then look into BSN to MSN programs, or jump straight to a DNP program if that interests you!

If you have an ADN

You have a few options: Go back to get your BSN or MSN. You’ll be looking for an RN to BSN or RN to MSN program. Which degree you end up with doesn’t really matter and is really up to you and your goals. The California Board of Nursing has a great list of these programs, and there is a great comparison of the different programs here.

If you have a BSN

BSN to MSN programs are one option. You should still look into getting your job to help you pay for this if possible. Though it varies by program, how long it takes to complete your BSN to MSN program will generally be about 2 years. There’s a great article on BSN to MSN program specifics here!

If you are interested in getting your Doctorate of Nursing Practice (DNP), there are also BSN to DNP programs available. These programs allow you to specialize in specific areas, and – depending on the program – include specialties like Adult-Geriatric Acute Care Nurse Practitioner, Family Nurse Practitioner, Pediatric Nurse Practitioner, Psychiatric-Mental Health Nurse Practitioner, Clinical Nurse Specialist, or a combination or dual track of specialties. There are tons of specialties out there, so which one you are interested in will dictate which program you choose.

If you have no nursing degree at all, but have a Bachelors degree in something else

The popularity of these programs is in on the rise, and – as I’ve mentioned before – the path I decided to take. These programs are often referred to as Masters Entry in Nursing Programs or “MEPN” programs and are essentially accelerated MSNs. Much like the accelerated BSN, the programs are full-time, intense, and fast-paced. They usually take a bit longer to complete than an accelerated BSN (about 2 years,) but you graduate with an MSN instead of a BSN and are considered a Masters-prepared nurse. Unlike other MSN programs, you don’t specialize in a certain area before obtaining your Masters Degree. It’s just a plain old Masters Degree.

Graduating from these programs can also make you eligible to sit for other exams such as the Public Health Nurse Certification or the Clinical Nurse Leader (CNL) exam. This is a great way to boost your resume or enter into a specific area if you wish to! Being Masters-prepared upon entry into the nursing profession can be helpful in getting job opportunities in leadership or nursing education, or if you don’t want to go back to school ever again.

This is also a great option if you want to expand on your license later on but don’t want to get a DNP, as there are several post-masters certificate programs that prepare you to be a Nurse Practitioner. This is usually a much quicker (and cheaper) route to the Nurse Practitioner designation than the standard DNP. Please do your research on this before deciding, as there has been a push to require all Nurse Practitioners to have DNPs by 2025 in recent years.

I wanted to note that I have also seen some programs that allow people who have Bachelors Degrees in something other than nursing to spend a bit more time in school (3ish years) and graduate as a Nurse Practitioner. To each his own, but after being a nurse for several years I’m not sure I would ever go this route. I strongly believe you need to have some experience before becoming a nurse practitioner and am honestly not sure this is is the safest way to go. Job prospects here could be tricky as well as a nurse with no experience who is attempting to be a Nurse Practitioner.

What does this all have to do with the Registered Nurse (RN) title?

It can be really confusing to see all of these letters, but think of them as two separate categories:

• Your ADN, BSN, or MSN is the degree you are given. It is nothing more than a reflection of your academic coursework. All these degrees do is qualify you to actually be able to sit for the NCLEX exam. Think of them as prerequisites you must complete for the NCLEX.
• Your RN is the license you hold. Everyone, regardless of degree, has to pass this exam to practice as a nurse. When people say “I’m a nurse,” they had to pass the NCLEX exam to get that designation.

Honestly, in my humble opinion, the RN license is more important than the degree you hold. We are all nurses at the end of the day!

What prerequisites are required to get into any of these programs?

This will vary greatly by program, but generally you will be expected to take (and get at least a 3.0GPA in) classes in the following categories:

• Chemistry with lab
• Organic Chemistry with lab (I did not apply to schools that needed this because I hated it so much)
• Biology / Microbiology with lab
• Statistics, Biostatistics, or Algebra

You will also need to provide official transcripts, answer several questions or an essay prompt with your application, submit several recommendation letters or contacts, and complete an interview before admission to the program.

I know this all sounds scary, but you got this! I have some great resources you can use to prepare for your nursing school interview here as well as a list of over 100 questions to prepare you for any interview!

How do you become eligible to take the NCLEX?

You should always look at the website for the state board of nursing (aka the state Board of Registered Nursing or state BRN) in the state you are located in OR in the state in which you wish to be licensed / practicing. A quick google search will help you here.

Generally, the process for registering for the NCLEX-RN looks like this:

• Prove that you graduated (have a degree) from a board-approved nursing school. This is why picking an accredited school is SO important! This may be in the form of official transcripts sent to the BRN. It does not matter whether this degree is an ADN, BSN, or MSN, but it MUST be at least an ADN. It also matters which state you are applying to. Always check the board – approved schools in that state.
• Get fingerprinted.
• Apply for the exam through the state BRN. Make sure your information is extremely accurate. This includes providing a government-issued ID as well as answering several questions about any previous life events (think arrests, warrants, etc.)
• Wait for the board to approve your application. You cannot sign up to take the test until you are approved by the board. This can take weeks (yea, I know,) so be patient. You will receive a “testing number” that you MUST have in order to register for the exam.
• Register for the exam and pay an exam fee to the board (this is usually done online.)
• Take your exam and pass it!

I hope this has been a helpful start in figuring out what education you need to become a registered nurse. At the end of this, we know you’ll pass the NCLEX-RN because you are strong, capable, and very smart!

As always, if you have any other questions, please fill out the form on the CONTACT page!