10/14/2022
Are you considering a Bachelor’s Degree in Nursing?
You must be interested in knowing your earning potential!
Luckily, BSN nurses make excellent money and have numerous opportunities to earn much higher. A fair return for the effort it takes to acquire the degree.
Read this piece to discover how much a BSN earns per hour and other relevant information, such as how the figures compare to the wages of other RNs, such as Associate and Diploma nurses.
Ready? Here we go!
A BSN is a degree awarded to nursing students who complete specific 4-year programs in accredited schools. High-school applicants for these programs must meet specific prerequisites, including credits in biology, chemistry, and math.
Registered nurses with lesser degrees may also apply, as the BSN curriculum offers more knowledge and increases ability.
According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the average salary for registered nurses is $77,600, beating the national salary average of $51,000+.
What’s better? This average may improve if you’re in a high-paying location, work for a big employer, or are experienced and specialized.
Your hourly wage as a BSN nurse commensurates with your annual salary, and it ranges from $28 (North Carolina) to $45 (Washington), although other factors may also contribute.
BSN nurses with five years of experience in Washington or California may earn as high as $65.
As a BSN nurse, your state plays a considerable role in your salary. Below, we cite a Ziprecruiter table of the five highest-paying states in the US.
See the table below for the average BSN salary in each state, covering annual, monthly, weekly, and hourly considerations.
| State | Annual Average | Monthly Average | Weekly Average | Hourly Average |
| Alabama | $69,016 | $5,751 | $1,327 | $33.18 |
| Alaska | $73,176 | $6,098 | $1,407 | $35.18 |
| Arizona | $73,256 | $6,105 | $1,409 | $35.22 |
| Arkansas | $63,981 | $5,332 | $1,230 | $30.76 |
| California | $83,471 | $6,956 | $1,605 | $40.13 |
| Colorado | $68,123 | $5,677 | $1,310 | $32.75 |
| Connecticut | $74,978 | $6,248 | $1,442 | $36.05 |
| Delaware | $67,994 | $5,666 | $1,308 | $32.69 |
| Florida | $66,604 | $5,550 | $1,281 | $32.02 |
| Georgia | $70,668 | $5,889 | $1,359 | $33.97 |
| Hawaii | $76,879 | $6,407 | $1,478 | $36.96 |
| Idaho | $78,592 | $6,549 | $1,511 | $37.78 |
| Illinois | $63,634 | $5,303 | $1,224 | $30.59 |
| Indiana | $72,786 | $6,065 | $1,400 | $34.99 |
| Iowa | $68,102 | $5,675 | $1,310 | $32.74 |
| Kansas | $68,489 | $5,707 | $1,317 | $32.93 |
| Kentucky | $69,767 | $5,431 | $1,253 | $33.54 |
| Louisiana | $69,294 | $5,775 | $1,333 | $33.31 |
| Maine | $77,249 | $6,437 | $1,486 | $37.14 |
| Maryland | $72,753 | $6,063 | $1,399 | $34.98 |
| Massachusetts | $79,179 | $6,598 | $1,523 | $38.07 |
| Michigan | $63,925 | $5,327 | $1,229 | $30.73 |
| Minnesota | $71,452 | $5,954 | $1,374 | $34.35 |
| Mississippi | $64,166 | $5,347 | $1,234 | $30.85 |
| Montana | $74,017 | $6,168 | $1,423 | $35.59 |
| Nebraska | $71,585 | $5,965 | $1,377 | $34.42 |
| Nevada | $72,601 | $6,050 | $1,396 | $34.90 |
| New Hampshire | $84,739 | $7,062 | $1,630 | $40.74 |
| New Jersey | $73,703 | $6,142 | $1,417 | $35.43 |
| New Mexico | $67,721 | $5,643 | $1,302 | $32.56 |
| New York | $87,488 | $7,291 | $1,682 | $42.06 |
| North Carolina | $58,250 | $4,854 | $1,120 | $28.00 |
| North Dakota | $72,671 | $6,056 | $1,398 | $34.94 |
| Ohio | $70,923 | $5,910 | $1,364 | $34.10 |
| Oklahoma | $66,532 | $5,544 | $1,279 | $31.99 |
| Oregon | $69,488 | $5,791 | $1,336 | $33.41 |
| Pennsylvania | $75,659 | $6,228 | $1,437 | $36.37 |
| Rhode Island | $73,736 | $6,145 | $1,418 | $35.45 |
| South Carolina | $68,357 | $5,696 | $1,315 | $32.86 |
| South Dakota | $70,549 | $5,879 | $1,357 | $33.92 |
| Tennessee | $71,443 | $5,954 | $1,374 | $34.35 |
| Texas | $76,258 | $6,355 | $1,466 | $36.66 |
| Utah | $69,916 | $5,826 | $1,345 | $33.61 |
| Vermont | $80,022 | $6,669 | $1,539 | $38.47 |
| Virginia | $70,647 | $5,887 | $1,359 | $33.96 |
| Washington | $93,772 | $7,814 | $1,803 | $45.08 |
| West Virginia | $76,026 | $6,336 | $1,462 | $36.55 |
| Wisconsin | $71,264 | $5,939 | $1,370 | $34.26 |
| Wyoming | $78,178 | $6,515 | $1,503 | $37.59 |
Source: Ziprecruiter
BSN-schooled nurses have other benefits apart from superior pay. They include:
Below is a more extensive table of roles you can fill when you advance your BSN degree.
Data culled from ZipRecruiter.com, Salary.com, Payscale.com, and Indeed.com.
| Nursing Job | Estimated Annual Salary |
| Cardiac Care Registered Nurse | $70,316 |
| Cath Lab Registered Nurse | $101,472 |
| Clinical Nurse Specialist | $100,523 |
| Critical Care Registered Nurse | $94,981 |
| CVICU Registered Nurse | $86,647 |
| Emergency Room Registered Nurse | $76,415 |
| Family Nurse Practitioner | $105,267 |
| Gerontological Nurse Practitioner | $119,647 |
| Home Health Nurse | $77,808 |
| Informatics Registered Nurse | $90,935 |
| Labor and Delivery Registered Nurse | $99,043 |
| Medical/Surgical Registered Nurse | $95,054 |
| Neonatal Intensive Care Nurse | $87,269 |
| Oncology Registered Nurse | $89,614 |
| Operating Room Registered Nurse | $84,163 |
| PACU Registered Nurse | $92,397 |
| Pain Management Nurse | $98,636 |
| Pediatric Nurse Practitioner | $107,067 |
| PICU Registered Nurse | $82,929 |
| Progressive Care Unit / Stepdown Registered Nurse | $86,924 |
| Psychiatric Registered Nurse | $77,853 |
| Psychiatric/Mental Health Nurse Practitioner | $117,634 |
| Telemetry Registered Nurse | $88,005 |
| Wound Care Registered Nurse | $76,197 |
Data culled from ZipRecruiter.com, Salary.com, Payscale.com, and Indeed.com.
Yes, you can practice interstate as a BSN-holder with a multi-state license. This license is obtainable from the Nurse Licensure Compact (NLC) program and grants you a permit in over 35 US states.
Participating states in the program are:
The cost of earning a BSN degree depends on two main factors: in-state versus out-of-state and traditional versus accelerated.
In-state students pay more than out-of-state students for traditional programs, with the average cost per credit hour at a community college no more than $100 per hour versus out-of-state tuition rates of up to $250 per credit hour.
As for traditional versus accelerated, accelerated BSN programs cost more than conventional four-year alternatives. Consider it the price for the extra speed!
Yes, BSN students can tap into several financial aid choices, including scholarships, grants, and work-study programs.
Many scholarships follow a central format. For example, the Caroline E. Holt Nursing Scholarship is a one-time general award for students in financial need. In contrast, the $5000 Delaware Nursing Incentive Program is only open to Delaware residents who rank in the upper half of their class.
Here is a select list of BSN scholarships:
To see if you qualify for scholarships, complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) form.
Your state of primary residence influences your waiting time, as states issue licenses faster than others. For example, Arizona may take one to two months, while Alaska takes ten business days only.
Taking an accelerated BSN program can earn this degree within 18 months versus four years under a traditional program.
Meanwhile, LPNs in BSN programs generally spend between 28 and 32 months due to the transferable credits.
Here is a traditional BSN plan by the University of Miami Nursing School:
| Areas of Proficiency | |
| Written Communication Skills | Credits |
| ENG 105 English Composition I | 3 |
| ENG 106 English Composition II | 3 |
| Quantitative Skills | |
| NUR 202 Introductory Statistics in Health Care | 3 |
| Areas of Knowledge | |
| Arts & Humanities | 9 |
| People & Society | 9 |
| Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM)* | 0 |
| Clinical Prerequisites | |
| BIL 150 General Biology | 5 |
| & BIL 151 and General Biology Laboratory | |
| CHM | |
| HCS 212 Human Anatomy | 4 |
| & HCS 213 and Human Anatomy Laboratory | |
| HCS 215 Principles of Systemic Physiology | 3 |
| MIC 301 Introduction to Microbes and the Immune System | 3 |
| MTH | 3 |
| NUR 202 Introductory Statistics in Health Care | 3 |
| NUR 306 Principles of Nutrition | 3 |
| NUR 317 Theories in Growth and Development | 3 |
| PSY 110 Introduction to Psychology | 3 |
| Major | |
| NUR 300 Seminar in Inter-Professional Health Care | 1 |
| NUR 304 Adult Health I: Fundamentals of Nursing Practice (C) | 6 |
| NUR 307 Pharmacology | 3 |
| NUR 308 Adult Health II (C) | 7 |
| NUR 311 Theories and Concepts of Nursing | 2 |
| NUR 314 Health Assessment and Promotion (L) | 3 |
| NUR 315 Pathophysiology | 3 |
| NUR 318 Women’s Health Nursing (C) | 4 |
| NUR 320 Child and Adolescent Health Nursing (C) | 4 |
| NUR 400 Theories, Research and Evidence-Based Practice | 3 |
| NUR 411 Adult Health III (C) | 5 |
| NUR 412 Epidemiology for Population-Based Care | 2 |
| NUR 418 Pre-Immersion for Traditional Option Students | 0 |
| NUR 430 Leadership in Nursing | 3 |
| NUR 441 Public Health Nursing (C) | 2 |
| NUR 448 Psychiatric Mental Health Nursing (C) | 4 |
| NUR 453 Role Transition (C) | 5 |
| Total Credit Hours | 121-122 |
Here is an example of a shorter RN to BSN curriculum, courtesy of North Carolina Wesleyan University.
Becoming a registered nurse requires passing the National Council Licensure Examination (NCLEX) after completing your program.
This exam covers the eight nursing fields covered in school, from health promotion to pharmacological therapies:
Candidates who pass the NCLEX receive a permanent license subsequent to a temporary one, and the waiting duration depends on your state.
The BSN degree is the standard expected of a qualified nurse. This certification holder earns considerably higher than their diploma and associate counterparts and can make even more.
Consider that you work in Washington as a private nurse-midwife with over five years of experience. You’d earn over $120,000 annually! This figure may be better with a multi-state license.
In addition, a favorable jobs outlook with nearly double-digit percentage growth and the growing demand for nurses will ensure you have a steady career to last a lifetime!
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