Best Degree for a Career in Nursing (2024)

Nursing is one of the most satisfying of all health professions. It pays well, it offers a lot of career advancement opportunity and diversity, and best of all, it's personally rewarding and fulfilling. However, becoming a successful nurse requires more than just desire and good intentions, it requires education, and it requires a college degree. If you're serious about a career in nursing, it's important that you become familiar with the different nursing certificate, diploma and degree programs available, and the value of each to your career aspirations. Below we'll expore the best educational and degree paths to becoming a nurse, as well as which nursing careers and specialties each degree will prepare you for.

Diploma in Nursing

Earning a diploma in nursing is the quickest path to launching your nursing career. A diploma in nursing can be acquired in as little as one year. The nursing diploma is the minimum qualification for becoming a practicing nurse. While nursing diplomas are still available through hospital-sponsored nursing schools, the majority of accredited community colleges, vocational schools and four-year universities no longer offer nursing diplomas. Earning a nursing diploma does not qualify student to become a registered nurse. For this reason, the popularity of the nursing diploma has dropped in recent years.

The diploma in nursing will qualify students for a career as a:

Associate of Science in Nursing (ASN)

Earning the Associate of Science in Nursing (ASN) degree is the fastest path to becoming a licensed Registered Nurse. This is a two-year nursing degree program offered by community colleges and vocational schools across the United States. The ASN degree is the minimum qualification for licensure as a Registered Nurse (RN). Earning an ASN is not only great preparation for career in nursing, it is a stepping stone into a Bachelor's of Science in Nursing (BSN) program down the road. Once students complete the ASN from an accredited nursing program, they're able to it sit for the NCLEX® exam and become a licensed Registered Nurse.

The Associate of Science in Nursing (ASN) is the best degree for students who–in shortest time possible–want to launch a career as a:

LPN-to-Associate or LPN-to-RN

The LPN-to-Associate degree, sometimes referred to as a LPN-to-RN, is a 1 to 2-year associate degree program designed for licensed practical nurses (LPNs) and licensed vocational nurses who want to earn a degree that will enable them to become a licensed Registered Nurse (RN). This program is often called a "bridge" program because it bridges the gap between LPN and RN. The LPN-to-Associate degree program is offered at select community colleges and vocational schools throughout the United States.

The LPN-to-Associate or LPN-to-RN is the best degree for licensed practical nurses and licensed vocational nurses who–in the shortest time possible–want to launch a career as a:

Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN)

Like the Associate of Science in Nursing (ASN), the Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) prepares students to sit for the NCLEX® exam to become a registered nurse. However, unlike the ASN, which takes two years to complete, the BSN is a 4-year degree program. The BSN is the nursing degree that most employers prefer, and it provides graduates the best career opportunities straight out of school. The minimum requirement for many nursing positions these days is a BSN.

The BSN is the best degree for those who want to prepare for future higher education and career advancement opportunities and launch a career as a:

RN-to-BSN

The RN-to-BSN degree is a 2-year degree program designed for Registered Nurses with an associate's degree who want to earn a Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) degree. RNs who pursue the RN-to-BSN degree are allowed to apply the credits they earned from their associate's degree toward the completion of their BSN degree. Typically, the RN-to-BSN degree is designed to be flexible so it can meet the needs of working nurses who want to complete the bachelor's degree while pursuing their current nursing career.

Unlike most traditional BSN programs that start in the spring or fall, RN-to-BSN programs typically have multiple start dates each year, whereby allowing RNs to start a program whenever it fits into their work schedule. About a third of all RNs with a bachelor's degree, earned their degree through an RN-to-BSN program.

The RN-to-BSN degree offers graduates the same benefits and career opportunities as the more popular BSN degree.

Second Degree or Accelerated BSN

The Second Degree BSN is an accelerated Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) program designed for individuals who have earned a bachelor's degree in a non-nursing field but want to make a transition into a nursing career. The Second Degree BSN allows students to apply general education credits earned via a non-nursing bachelor's degree toward the completion of a BSN degree. The Second Degree or Accelerated BSN typically takes students anywhere from 18 to 20 months to complete.

The Second Degree BSN prepares student for the same entry-level, career advancement and higher education opportunities as a traditional BSN degree program.

Master of Science in Nursing (MSN)

The Master of Science in Nursing (MSN) is a graduate level degree designed to prepare aspiring nurses with the knowledge, skill and credential required to tackle more complex and demanding nursing responsibilities. The MSN is the required for positions in research and nursing positions requiring advanced clinical training. The MSN is often offered as a joint degree with complimentary disciplines such as healthcare administration, hospital administration, business adminstration or public health. As the complexities and demands of nursing and healthcare management increase, joint, interdisciplinary degree programs are growing in popularity.

Most MSN programs require applicants to have a BSN. However, there are a few Accelerated MSN programs that allow Registered Nurses with an ASN degree to earn their BSN and MSN at the same time. There are also special MSN programs designed for students who have earned their bachelor's degree in a non-nursing field. A traditional MSN program takes about two years to complete.

The MSN is the best degree for aspiring nurses and nurse professionals who want a career as a:

RN-to-MSN

The RN-to-MSN is a Master of Science in Nursing degree designed specifically for registered nurses who have earned an Associate of Science in Nursing (ASN). The RN-to-MSN programs allows qualifying RNs to earn their Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) and Master of Science in Nursing (MSN) simultaneously. The RN-to-MSN programs is designed to allows RNs to transfer the maximum number of credits from their ASN or BSN degree toward the completion of their MSN degree.

RNs who successfully complete the RN-to-MSN program will be awarded the MSN designation and will be prepared to pursue the same career opportunities as those individuals who complete a traditional 2-year MSN degree program.

Direct Entry MSN

The Direct Entry MSN is designed for non-nursing professionals who have earned a bachelor's degree in a field other than nursing, but who want to transition into a career in nursing by earning a Master of Science in Nursing (MSN). The Direct Entry MSN allows students to transfer general education credits earned through their bachelor's degree toward the completion of a Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) and then move directly into the MSN curriculum. The Direct Entry MSN allows student to (1) prepare to obtain licensure as an RN while (2) receiving advanced training in a nursing specialty. A typical Direct Entry MSN degree takes about three years to complete. The first year of a Direct Entry MSN is dedicated to completing all BSN requirements, while years two and three focus on advanced practice nursing training and education.

Grduates of Direct Entry MSN programs are qualified for the same entry-level and career advancement opportunities as RNs who complete a traditional MSN degree program.

Post-master's Certificate

Post-master's certificates are designed for registered nurses who have already obtained a Master of Science in Nursing (MSN) degree. These certificates are earned by passing specialized nursing exams provided through the American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC), a division of the American Nurses Association. Through the ANCC, registered nurses with an MSN can get certified as generalist, advanced practice and clinical specialist nurses in over 30 specialized areas of nursing. Nurses seeking to demonstrate additional expertise beyond an MSN should consider earning a Post-master's certificate.

Doctorate of Nursing Practice (DNP)

The Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) is one of only two terminal degrees awarded in nursing (the other being the DNSc). Even though the DNP is a doctoral degree, it is a practice-oriented degree that focuses on practical skills development. Curriculum in most DNP programs focuses on the application of clinical research in direct patient-care environments, leadership development, and advanced practice nursing. The DNP usually requires 4 years of advanced practice education in addition to an undergraduate degree in nursing.

The DNP is the best advanced practice nursing degree an individual can obtain for a career as a:

Roughly 50% of all CRNA programs award the DNP to their students upon graduation.

Doctor of Nursing Science (DNSc, DNS or DSN)

The Doctor of Nursing Science (DNSc) is like the PhD in Nursing. It is an academic doctorate degree that focuses on research and theory. Like the DNP, the DNSc is a terminal degree in the field of nursing. Both the United States Department of Education and the National Science Foundation recognize the Doctor of Nursing Science to be the equivalent of the Doctor of Philosophy in Nursing (PhD). More and more colleges and universities are discontinuing the DNSc in favor of the more popular PhD in Nursing.

Doctor of Philosophy in Nursing

The Doctor of Philosophy in Nursing, also known as the PhD in Nursing, is a terminal degree in nursing focused on research and theory. This program of study is specifically designed to produce researchers and scholars who can make contributions to the growth, development and knowledge of nursing science through clinical research in an effort to advanced health care delivery systems. Graduates of the PhD in Nursing will be prepared to perform research at the university level, form public policy and provided leadership in various nursing and health care settings.

The Doctor of Philosophy in Nursing (PhD) is the best nursing degree an individual can earn for a career as a:

MSN/PhD Dual Nursing Degree

The dual MSN/PhD degree programs, as its name suggests, allows aspiring nurses and nurse professionals to complete a Master of Science in Nursing (MSN) degree while working toward the completion of a Doctor of Philosophy in Nursing (PhD). The minimum prerequiste to entry into this program is a Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) and substantial experience as a Registered Nurse. The Dual MSN/PhD degree programs is a rigorous programs that introduces students to advanced research and practice-oriented training at the master's and doctoral levels. This degree program typically takes 4 to 5 years to complete.

Earning the MSN/PhD degree will qualify students for the same career advancement opportunities available to RNs who earn an MSN or PhD in Nursing.

Joint Degree Programs

Within nursing education there are several joint degree programs offered at the graduate level for nursing professionals who want to develop competency in disciplines which are complimentary in nature to nursing and health care professions. The three most popular joint degrees include the MSN/MPH, MSN/MSHA and the MSN/MBA. The MSN/MPH combines the Master of Science in Nursing with a master's degree in public health. The MSN/MSHA combines the Master of Science in Nursing with a master's degree in health administration. The MSN/MPH combines the Master of Science in Nursing with a master's degree in business administration. Joint degrees are best for nursing professionals seeking careers in public health, health care administration and business adminstration.