Home

Entry-Level Nursing Programs

RN Licensure Options

There are three different entry-level paths into nursing, each offered by a different type of school:

  • The 4-year BSN is preferred by most nursing leaders and provides the best opportunities in today's job market. If you look in the classifieds, you'll find that a BSN is a requirement for many positions. It is the entry point for professional nursing practice. Find a 4-year BSN program
  • The 2-year Associate Degree focuses more on technical skills than theory and is often a stepping stone to the BSN. It allows a student to become a Registered Nurse and earn money more quickly than a 4-year BSN program, so it works better for many students. It is the entry point for technical nursing practice. Find a 2-year Associate's program
  • The diploma, a 2-3 year experience was more common before the 1970s, when there were more than 800 diploma schools in existence. There are now less than 100 such schools. A diploma experience prepares students for work in a hospital or other inpatient facility. Depending on your career aspirations, this may or may not seem limiting to you. Find a Diploma Nursing school

While each of these entry level paths qualifies you to take the RN licensure exam (the NCLEX-RN® examination), you'll find that each qualifies you for different types of jobs.

Find Nursing Programs

Compare Nursing Programs

Diploma Associates Degree (ADN) Bachelor of Science (BSN)
  • Usually 3-year program
  • Located in a hospital, sometimes in conjunction with a community college
  • Prepares nurses for staff positions in hospitals and other inpatient facilities
  • Usually 2-year program
  • Usually located in a community college
  • Prepares nurses for staff positions in hospitals and other inpatients facilities
  • Usually 4-5 year program
  • Located in colleges and universities
  • Prepares nurses for positions in both inpatient and community settings

Adapted from How to Survive and Maybe Even Love Nursing School by Kelli S. Dunham.

Find Nursing Programs

Choosing Between Nursing Programs

Choosing a nursing program is a very personal choice. For many prospective students, the choice involves complex tradeoffs between finances (e.g. need to support a family), your age (high school graduate vs. mid-life career change), and future career plans.

Current RNs follow the breakdown shown below, but to some extent this reflects the aging population of nurses - many of whom were trained before the 1970s, when Diploma Schools were more prevalent.

Program Type % of RN's by Highest
Education Completed
Master's + Doctorate 10.2%
Baccalaureate 32.7%
Associate Degree 34.3%
Diploma 22.3%
Practical Nurse NA

Source: National Sample Survey of Registered Nurses. March 2000.

Bachelor's in a Non-Nursing Field

Then you probably want an "Accelerated BSN" or "Second Degree BSN" program. These programs are for students with a previous bachelor's degree in a non-nursing field of study. Accelerated programs are often intense, fast paced courses, but they can let you earn a BSN in as little as 12-16 months.

A GPA of 3.0 or higher is often required. These programs are also known as "Second Degree" programs. Second Degree programs that aren't designated as "Accelerated" tend to be less fast paced, and are more like regular BSN programs except the student's prior degree is accepted as meeting the general education requirements of the BSN degree program.

Find Second Degree BSN Nursing Programs

Find Accelerated BSN Nursing Programs

RN-to-BSN Programs

In that case, you're looking for an RN-to-BSN program. These programs are designed for Registered Nurses who are graduates of associate's degree or diploma programs who want to complete their BSN degree. It provides credit for nursing skills already learned through school or work experience. Most often these programs are available with a very flexible schedule designed to meet the needs of working nurses.

Classes might meet only evenings, or weekends. Some schools have "RN-only" classes which are separate from classes taught to pre-licensure students. Many schools have multiple start dates each year for these programs, rather than just one date in the Fall. Several online RN-to-BSN programs are available. These programs are also known as "Bridge Programs", "BSN for RN's", "Completion Programs", "Nursing Mobility in Education Programs", "Advanced Placement", "Advanced Standing", or "Transition Options."

Find RN-to-BSN Nursing Programs

LPN-to-RN Programs

Some schools have LPN-to-Associates or LPN-to-BSN programs. These programs are designed for Licensed Practical Nurses who want to earn a degree that will enable them to sit for the NCLEX® examination. It provides credit for nursing skills already learned through work experience or an LPN program.

Find LPN to BSN Schools