Salaries for Nurses with an Associate Degree in Nursing
The median annual salary for registered nurses is $77,600, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS). This number includes nurses with an Associate Degree of Nursing (ADN) and a Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN). But salaries can vary widely based on education and other factors.
In this Article
Nursing Salary Comparisons | Salary Compared to Other Healthcare Careers | Factors that Influence Salaries | How to Increase Your Earnings
Pursuing an ADN is one of the fastest ways to launch your career as a registered nurse (RN) and reap the financial rewards that go with it.
As a new graduate, you’ll qualify for many of the same positions as nurses with a BSN, though you may notice a difference in pay rates. For example, for staff nurses, who work in hospitals, RNs with a BSN can sometimes earn about 8% more, says Joseph A. Dunmire, a board member of the National Association for Health Care Recruitment (NAHCR).
How Does ADN Pay Compare to Other Entry-level Nursing Jobs?
An RN’s salary is a big step up from pay for lower-level nursing jobs such as certified nursing assistant (CNA) and licensed practical nurse (LPN). That’s because registered nurses are more skilled, have greater responsibilities, and sometimes supervise nursing assistants and LPNs.
Entry-Level Nursing Salary Comparison
“An ADN is a great entry-level into healthcare and into nursing,” says Keith Carlson, BSN, RN, NC-BC, and a board-certified nurse coach, nursing career expert, and host of the nursing career podcast “The Nurse Keith Show.” “It’s a great option for someone who wants to go beyond practical nursing or a diploma-based study program.
“For someone who’s not sure, for someone who doesn’t want to go into greater debt, and they’d like to get out of school as quickly as possible and earn a living, then the ADN is the faster path.”
How Does ADN Pay Compared to Other Healthcare Jobs that Require an Associate Degree?
Many other healthcare occupations also have entry-level opportunities at the associate degree level. Here’s how some of them stack up against RNs in terms of salary, according to the BLS.
Your Salary Can Depend on Many Factors
There’s much more in play than just education: The salary you earn with an ADN may also depend on factors such as where you live, your position, your employer, and your experience.
Registered nurses have the highest employment of all healthcare occupations, the BLS says, so you’ll find a wide range of opportunities to explore. This demand is largely due to a nursing shortage that’s expected to grow in the coming years.
The salary you earn with an ADN may depend on factors such as where you live, your position, your employer, and your experience.
Here are four factors that could influence your salary.
The Care You Provide
Many hospitals look for nurses with a BSN, but many other healthcare settings offer opportunities for nurses with an ADN.
“Long-term care, medical-surgical nursing, rehabilitation, mental health nursing, and home care nursing are areas that readily hire ADN-prepared nurses,” says Damion Jenkins, RN, MSN, an NCLEX prep expert, nurse educator, and CEO of The Nurse Speak. “Some of the more specialized areas, such as pediatrics, maternal newborn, ICU and OR, typically require that their nurses have more experience and therefore would most likely hire BSN-prepared new grads, if a new grad position were available.”
Specialization
Earning a certification in a nursing specialty could increase your job opportunities and earning potential. “The whole issue in the marketplace when you’re looking for work is, ‘How do I differentiate myself from my competition? What makes me different?'” Carlson says.
Requirements for certification vary by specialty. Many require one to five years of practice or a minimum number of hours in the specialty.
The American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC) offers credentials in nine nursing specialties, including pediatrics and pain management. Many specialty nursing organizations offer certifications as well.
Requirements for certification vary by specialty. Many require one to five years of practice or a minimum number of hours in the specialty.
Where You Work
Your healthcare setting can make a substantial difference in your pay, as this chart shows.
Outpatient Care Centers
Provide outpatient care services directly or indirectly to ambulatory patients
Annual Median RN Salary: $93,070
General Medical and Surgical Hospitals
Provide medical, diagnostic, treatment, and special accommodation services to inpatients and may provide outpatient services as a secondary service
Annual Median RN Salary: $78,070
Provide skilled nursing services, including high-tech care such as IV therapy, in the home
Annual Median RN Salary: $78,190
Nursing Care Facilities (Skilled Nursing Facilities)
Provide a mix of health and social services in a residential care setting
Annual Median RN Salary: $72,420
Where You Live
Your physical location can also influence your pay. This can be due to the demand for nurses or the cost of living in an area.
For example, the BLS reports that the annual median salary for nurses in Sioux Falls, South Dakota is $60,550, while in San Jose, Sunnyvale, and Santa Clara, California, it’s $159,860.
The top 10 highest-paying areas in the nation are in California, according to the BLS.
How to Increase Your Earnings
As a nurse with an ADN, you have many options to increase your earnings. It all depends on your goals.
With professional insight from:
Board Member, National Association for Health Care Recruitment (NAHCR); and Vice President—Workforce Solutions, Qualivis
Nurse Coach
Nursing Consultant