05/23/2022
BSN (short for Bachelor of Science in Nursing) is a degree that enables you to apply for a nursing license. Owning this degree is one of the ways to become an RN (registered nurse).
Typical BSN programs last four years, although specific colleges now offer accelerated options that take 16 months only. Note the BSN may be substituted with an ADN (associate degree in nursing), but the former remains the standard among employers.
The US Bureau of Labor Statistics reported that registered nurses earn a median pay of $77,600 per year or $37.31 per hour (2021).
However, this figure varies according to various factors, such as location, experience, and specialty. For instance: Alabama BSN holders average $69,000 annually while their Connecticut counterparts average $75,000.
See the table below for every state’s average annual and hourly BSN salary, courtesy of ziprecruiter.com.
| State | Annual Salary | Hourly Salary |
| Alabama | $74,455.00 | $35.80 |
| Alaska | $79,420.00 | $38.18 |
| Arizona | $79,029.00 | $37.99 |
| Arkansas | $69,505.00 | $33.42 |
| California | $89,529.00 | $43.04 |
| Colorado | $74,012.00 | $35.58 |
| Connecticut | $81,271.00 | $39.07 |
| Delaware | $73,893.00 | $35.53 |
| Florida | $71,853.00 | $34.54 |
| Georgia | $76,327.00 | $36.65 |
| Hawaii | $83,409.00 | $ 40.10 |
| Idaho | $84,251.00 | $40.51 |
| Illinois | $69,127.00 | $33.23 |
| Indiana | $78,522.00 | $37.75 |
| Iowa | $73,756.00 | $35.46 |
| Kansas | $74,276.00 | $35.71 |
| Kentucky | $70,781.00 | $34.03 |
| Louisiana | $75,003.00 | $36.06 |
| Maine | $82,194.00 | $39.86 |
| Maryland | $79,067.00 | $38.01 |
| Massachusetts | $85,988.00 | $41.34 |
| Michigan | $69,454.00 | $33.39 |
| Minnesota | $77,338.00 | $37.18 |
| Mississippi | $69,586.00 | $33.45 |
| Missouri | $67,982.00 | $32.52 |
| Montana | $79,850.00 | $38.39 |
| Nebraska | $77,805.00 | $37.41 |
| Nevada | $78,795.00 | $37.88 |
| New Hampshire | $91,299.00 | $43.89 |
| New Jersey | $79,650.00 | $38.29 |
| New Mexico | $73,233.00 | $35.21 |
| New York | $94,296.00 | $45.33 |
| North Carolina | $58,250.00 | $28.00 |
| North Dakota | $78,839.00 | $37.90 |
| Ohio | $76,746.00 | $36.90 |
| Oklahoma | $72,312.00 | $34.77 |
| Oregon | $75,374.00 | $36.24 |
| Pennsylvania | $80,558.00 | $38.73 |
| Rhode Island | $79,983.00 | $38.45 |
| South Carolina | $74,275.00 | $35.71 |
| South Dakota | $76,537.00 | $36.80 |
| Tennessee | $77,307.00 | $37.17 |
| Texas | $81,709.00 | $39.28 |
| Utah | $75,688.00 | $36.39 |
| Vermont | $86,178.00 | $ 41.43 |
| Virginia | $76,785.00 | $36.92 |
| Washington | $100,401.00 | $48.27 |
| West Virginia | $81,945.00 | $39.40 |
| Wisconsin | $77,068.00 | $37.05 |
| Wyoming | $84,293.00 | $40.53 |
Having noted that states influence your earnings as an RN, you may be interested in knowing the top five states on the chart..
| State | Annual Salary |
| Washington | $93,772 |
| New York | $87,488 |
| New Hampshire | $84,739 |
| California | $83,471 |
| Vermont | $80,022 |
Current and upcoming RNs can delight in the profession’s favorable job predictions. The US Bureau of Labor Stats (USBLS) projects a 9% growth in the next eight years, with about 276,800 new nurses.
Note increasing healthcare demand for seniors and the currently aging nursing populace are significant reasons for this projection.
An RN is a nursing professional who’s completed an accredited nursing degree and passed the NCLEX (National Council Licensure Examination). This nurse has the license to practice in any healthcare setting.
On the other hand, a BSN is a degree secured to become an RN. However, you must pass the NCLEX after securing the BSN before becoming an RN.
However, RN may be used differently in specific contexts. The term also describes nurses with a nursing degree less than BSN, like an ADN or an ND. So, the difference between RN and BSN sometimes may be that the former is a lower nursing certification than the latter.
A standard BSN online program consists of three vital components: coursework, nursing labs, and clinical rotations.
Coursework covers numerous healthcare aspects, such as family health, mental health, pharmacology, pathophysiology, and personalized nursing.
Nursing labs facilitate hands-on experience by simulating a hospital setting to put theory into practice. Standard activities include wound care and catheterization.
Lastly, clinical rotations rely on partnerships between hospitals and healthcare facilities to place you in the field. Expect plenty of real-world experience working alongside supervising nurses.
This particular element requires physical involvement, so it’s advisable to confirm if your institution has partners close to your location before enrolling in an online program.
Please refer to the University of Florida’s College of Nursing’s Traditional BSN Curriculum Plan below for a sample BSN curriculum.
| Course Number | Credits | Clinical Hours | |
| Fall | |||
| NUR 3106 | Lead and Inspire 1: Professional Nursing Practice | 2 | |
| NUR 3196 | Pathophysiology/Pharmacology in Nursing 1 | 4 | |
| NUR 3066C | Clinical Reasoning: Health Assessment | 3 (2/1) | 45 |
| NUR 3737C | Principles of Personalized Nursing Care 1 | 6 (3/3) | 135 |
| 15 | |||
| Spring | |||
| NUR 3168 | Lead and Inspire 2: Research and Evidence-Based Nursing Practice | 2 | |
| NUR 3128 | Pathophysiology/Pharmacology in Nursing 2 | 3 | |
| NUR 3227C | Principles of Personalized Nursing Care 2 | 2 (1/1) | 45 |
| NUR 3219C | Clinical Reasoning and Personalized Nursing Care: Adult Acute Conditions | 4 (2/2) | 90 |
| NUR 3535C | Clinical Reasoning and Personalized Nursing Care: Mental Health | 4 (3/1) | 45 |
| 15 | |||
| Fall | |||
| NUR 4108 | Lead and Inspire 3: Policy and Change in Nursing Practice | 3 | |
| NUR 4467C | Clinical Reasoning and Personalized Nursing Care: Women, Children and Families | 6 (4/2) | 90 |
| NUR 4768C | Clinical Reasoning and Personalized Nursing Care: Adult Chronic Conditions | 6 (3/3) | 135 |
| 15 | |||
| Spring | |||
| NUR 4827 | Lead and Inspire 4: Leadership and Innovation in Nursing Practice | 2 | |
| NUR 4636C | Clinical Reasoning and Personalized Nursing Care: Population Health | 4 (3/1) | 45 |
| NUR 4766C | Clinical Reasoning and Personalized Nursing Care: Adult with Complex Conditions | 6 (3/3) | 135 |
| NUR 4815 | Professional Nursing Transformation | 3 | |
For a sample accelerated BSN curriculum, refer to Florida Atlantic University Christine E. Lynn College of Nursing’s plan below, worth 60 credit hours.
| Course Number | Course Title | Credits |
| NUR 3065 | Health Assessment in Nursing Situations | 2 |
| NUR 3065L | Health Assessment in Nursing Situations Lab | 1L |
| NUR 3115 | Foundations of Caring in Nursing Situations | 3 |
| NUR 3119C | Foundations of Nursing Practice | 2L |
| NUR 4125 | General Pathophysiology | 3 |
| NUR 3145 | Pharmacotherapeutics | 3 |
| NUR 4824 | Professional Development in Nursing I | 1 |
| Spring 1 | ||
| NUR 3262 | Chronic Care in Nursing Situations for Adults and Aging Populations | 3 |
| NUR 3262L | Chronic Care in Nursing Situations with Adults and Aging Populations in Practice | 2L |
| NUR 4525 | Psychiatric and Mental Health: Nursing Situations Across the Lifespan | 3 |
| NUR 4525L | Psychiatric and Mental Health: Nursing Situations in Practice | 2L |
| NUR 4638 | Population Health: Nursing Situations | 3 |
| NUR 4165 | Nursing Research | 3 |
| Summer 1 | ||
| NUR 4937 | Scholarship for Evidence-Based Nursing Practice | 3 |
| NUR 4716 | Acute Care Nursing Situations with Adults and Aging Populations | 4 |
| NUR 4716L | Acute Care Nursing Situations with Adults and Aging Populations in Practice | 2 |
| NUR 3465 | The Developing Family: Nursing Situations | 4 |
| NUR 3465L | The Developing Family: Nursing Situations in Practice | 2 |
| NUR 4833;4860 | Professional Development in Nursing II, III | 2 |
| Fall 2 | ||
| NUR 4764 | Complex Care in Nursing Situations with Adults and Aging Populations | 3 |
| NUR 4764L | Complex Care in Nursing Situations with Adults and Aging Populations in Practice | 1L |
| NUR 4829L | Nursing Practice Immersion | 4L |
| NUR 4861L | Professional Development in Nursing IV: Member of a Caring Profession | 1L |
| NUR 3171 | Creating Healing Environments | 3 |
Earning a BSN online without initial nursing education starts from the applicant’s high school diploma or GED. Your result will have to include biology, chemistry, and math. Subsequently, you’ll have to sit for SATs or TEAS (depending on your preferred institution).
Suppose you meet these prerequisites; selecting your program type comes next. There are two BSN program types for applicants: the traditional four-year and the accelerated sixteen-month option, and we recommend the latter alternative for a faster, less expensive curve.
Several paths lead to the BSN nursing counter. So, you can still secure your BSN degree without applying for any of the programs mentioned above. The standard options are:
Admissions counselors help review your information and arrange a pre-admission interview to define your goals and reasons for seeking a nursing degree.
You can settle for a start date upon completing this interview.
Ensure to learn a program’s eligibility criteria before your application. The general requirements may be similar, but specific schools have unique requisites.
For example, admission into the University of Rochester School of Nursing upholds the following requirements:
In contrast, Texas-based Baylor University’s Louise Herrington School of Nursing’s online accelerated BSN program requires minimum grades in these subjects:
Complete the application for admission to the school of your choice, providing all official transcriptions and optional HESI A2 entrance exam scores.
Suppose you gain admission, and endeavor to pay tuition within the stipulated period. It’s also essential to browse the payment page for other fees you have to pay. Start learning!
Enrolling on a digital BSN program has the following merits:
Choosing an ABSN program over the traditional four-year option has its exclusives pros, and they include:
You can find BSN scholarships through various resources, such as the FastWeb and the Nurse Corps Scholarship Program.
BSN scholarships currently available include:
Note: You must complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) to qualify for scholarships.
A Master of Science in Nursing degree opens plenty of opportunities with improved pay, better career prospects, and increased specialization.
MSN nurses are among the highest earners in the field, thanks to the various roles available to them:
Median annual salaries for these five highest paying nursing titles range from $115,401 to $190,726.
Similarly, MSN-RNs can apply for:
So, yes, an MSN is advisable to interested persons. What’s better? The job outlook is equally excellent, as the USBLS projects double-digit percentage job growth for certified registered nurse anesthetists through 2028.
Turning a non-nursing degree into BSN online may be a frightening prospect due to the time and resources you’ll have to spare. Not to mention that balancing your current career with your classes may pose a challenge sometimes.
However, becoming a BSN-RN has outstanding benefits. Apart from the excellent pay, a BSN nurse can find fulfillment in the healthcare they render to their numerous patients.
Subsequently, we recommend following through with this dream should you begin. Few feelings beat the surge of joy after nursing a patient back to good health!
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