You can become a registered nurse with an associate degree, a bachelor’s degree, or a hospital-based diploma. All three pathways qualify you to take the NCLEX-RN licensing exam and practice as an RN. The difference comes down to how long each takes, what it costs, and how it shapes your career options down the road.
Three Paths to Becoming an RN
There is no single required degree for registered nurses. State boards of nursing accept graduates from any of three accredited program types, and all three lead to the same licensing exam. Here’s how they compare:
- Nursing diploma: Offered through hospitals rather than colleges, these programs can be completed in under two years. They’re increasingly rare but still exist and tend to be more affordable. Graduates are eligible to sit for the NCLEX-RN.
- Associate Degree in Nursing (ADN): The most common entry point, typically offered at community colleges. An ADN takes two to three years and covers core nursing skills, anatomy, pharmacology, and supervised clinical rotations.
- Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN): A four-year university degree that includes everything in an ADN plus coursework in research, public health, leadership, and community nursing. This broader foundation opens doors to more specialized and advanced roles.
All three routes produce licensed RNs who can work in hospitals, clinics, and other healthcare settings. The clinical skills you learn are largely the same. The difference is that a BSN adds depth in areas that matter more as your career progresses.
Why the BSN Is Becoming the Standard
While an associate degree still qualifies you to practice, the hiring landscape has shifted significantly toward the bachelor’s degree. Many large hospital systems, particularly those seeking or maintaining Magnet Recognition status (a quality designation from the American Nurses Credentialing Center), require all nurse managers and nurse leaders to hold at least a BSN. That preference increasingly filters down to staff nurse positions as well, with many hospitals favoring or requiring BSN-prepared applicants even for bedside roles.
New York State took this a step further with legislation requiring new RNs who don’t already hold a bachelor’s degree to earn one within 10 years of becoming licensed. Regulations clarifying this requirement took effect in April 2026. While New York is currently an outlier, similar proposals have surfaced in other states, signaling a broader trend.
The salary data reflects this shift. Nurses with a BSN report average annual earnings of around $92,000, compared to about $75,000 for those with an associate degree. That $17,000 gap adds up quickly over a career, and it widens further for nurses who use the BSN as a stepping stone to graduate education and advanced practice roles.
Starting With an ADN and Upgrading Later
Many nurses take a practical middle path: earn an ADN, start working, and then complete a BSN while employed. RN-to-BSN bridge programs are designed specifically for this. Michigan State University’s program, for example, awards 30 credits for passing the NCLEX (recognizing what you already know), then requires 30 additional credits of BSN-level coursework. That can be finished in as few as four semesters.
Most RN-to-BSN programs are offered online, making them manageable alongside a full-time nursing schedule. Many hospitals offer tuition reimbursement for employees pursuing a BSN, which can offset much of the cost. This route lets you start earning a nursing salary years earlier than a traditional four-year program while still reaching the same educational endpoint.
Accelerated Programs for Career Changers
If you already hold a bachelor’s degree in another field, you don’t need to start over. Accelerated BSN (ABSN) programs compress the nursing curriculum into roughly 12 months of intensive, full-time study. Texas Tech’s program, for instance, requires a prior bachelor’s degree in science or arts, completion of prerequisite courses, and then covers 61 semester credit hours in one year.
These programs are fast and demanding. Most don’t allow students to work during the program because of the clinical hours involved. But they’re one of the quickest ways to enter nursing with a BSN already in hand.
Which Degree Should You Choose?
Your best option depends on your timeline, budget, and career goals. If you need to start earning income quickly, an ADN from a community college gets you into the workforce in two to three years at a lower tuition cost. You can always bridge to a BSN later. If you have the time and financial flexibility for a four-year program, starting with a BSN gives you stronger job prospects and higher earning potential from day one. And if you’re coming from another career with a degree already completed, an accelerated program is the most efficient route.
Regardless of which path you take, you’ll need to pass the NCLEX-RN to practice. Every state requires graduation from an accredited nursing program and successful completion of this exam. The degree you hold determines your long-term options, but the license is what lets you work as a nurse.