Do Registered Nurses Need a Bachelor's Degree to Secure Their Career?

The Shift Toward Nursing Higher Education

Do RNs need a bachelor's degree? Addressing this question can be complex, as the matter goes beyond initial licensure. All U.S. states allow nurses to take licensing exams to become an RN after completing an ADN, but industry associations have been advocating to raise the educational entry requirements for decades.

However, the Pew Health Professions Commission recommended increasing the number of BSN-trained nurses in a report. In 2010, the National Advisory Council on Nurse Education and Practice (NACNEP) went a step further, setting a target goal to have two-thirds of the nursing workforce hold bachelor’s degrees.

Since then, the healthcare industry has exceeded that goal, with 71.7 percent of RNs holding a BSN degree or higher as of 2022, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.

When considering your options, it’s critical to remain aware of trends at the regional, statewide, and organizational levels. Throughout the industry, many healthcare organizations have already enforced their own policies that restrict hiring to registered nurses with at least a BSN degree. With the enactment of the BSN in 10 law in 2019, New York was the first state to require all RNs to obtain a baccalaureate degree or higher within 10 years of licensure. Although other states haven’t followed suit yet, a nationwide shift is a growing possibility—especially in areas with larger talent pools.

Benefits of Earning a Bachelor’s Degree as an RN

While a BSN is entirely optional, earning this degree equips nurses with growth-oriented skills and qualifications. Here are the most beneficial ways a BSN can further your career.

Enhances Patient Care

Associate and baccalaureate programs provide the same clinical foundation, preparing nurses to handle the task-driven aspects of direct care.

“A lot of it is getting confident with your knowledge of the diseases and the patients that you're taking care of, your hospital policies, and procedures,” says Deborah Roy, Director of the RN-to-BS in Nursing degree program at Regis College.

An ADN gives nurses the technical insight and core scientific knowledge to understand patient needs, collect information about their health, and address health issues with patient safety and wellbeing in mind. The additional coursework in a bachelor’s degree nursing program is designed to enhance a nurse's ability to assess, plan, and implement patient care in a more informed manner.

“When you get your bachelor's, you're looking at the theories, the critical thinking, the evidence-based information as to why we are doing things,” says Sharon Higgins, Interim Dean of Regis’s Young School of Nursing.

BSN programs put more emphasis on the conditions surrounding healthcare processes, such as patient education, clinical decision-making, policy development, and community health. As a result, baccalaureate-trained nurses have more opportunities to evaluate ways to improve nursing operations and healthcare access.

“I think that BSN-trained nurses will ultimately be the change agent and real advocate for what's happening at the bedside,” Roy says.

Increases Employment Opportunities

A BSN opens the door to a wider range of nursing professions, such as positions in management, education, and research. Many of these specialized fields require hands-on clinical experience as well as in-depth knowledge of healthcare operations, policies, and ethics.

“You can move up into formal leadership positions, such as nurse managers, directors, care coordinators, and quality management,” Roy says. “Just about anything within the hospital environment.”

RNs with a bachelor’s degree are also in a better position to take advantage of nursing job market trends. Employers typically prefer BSN degree holders for non-entry level and multidisciplinary roles. As new applications of nursing emerge, baccalaureate-trained RNs can often compete for these roles without the immediate need for more education.

“A lot of the telework jobs are going to want a bachelor's versus the associate, so if they're in a position in life where they want to have more balanced, hybrid work, they'll most likely need a bachelor's for most of those,” Roy adds.

Outpatient clinics and insurance companies are other environments where RNs with a bachelor’s degree are in demand. In these positions with more autonomy, nurses must have the expertise, confidence, and decision-making skills to oversee and improve the patient experience.

Higher Salary Potential

The ability to move up to higher salary ranges is a major benefit of earning a BSN degree. Healthcare organizations that employ associate-trained nurses often restrict their duties and enforce earnings caps. Even with years of nursing experience, you might be unable to earn more at the ADN level despite increases in the cost of living.

Having additional education can qualify nurses for raises and promotions with their current employer and increase their competitiveness in the wider job market. If you want to pursue higher-paying positions in a leadership capacity or in specialized fields, keeping up with industry education standards is crucial to stand out to employers.

Leadership Skill Development

The strong focus on leadership development is one reason healthcare policymakers are encouraging the shift to baccalaureate education. BSN degrees facilitate a more seamless shift to higher-level decision-making by preparing nurses to think about the stakeholders and organizational components of healthcare.

“You learn critical leadership behaviors on how to build teams, how to communicate, and how to deal with things like instability in the workplace,” Roy says.

Through coursework and practical experiences, BSN students gain insight into healthcare systems, quality management techniques, and ethical considerations. The advanced training primes nurses to ask more in-depth questions that aid in improving patient-centric care and driving positive change.

“When you look at our curriculum, we're talking about contemporary topics in nursing,” Roy explains. “What's happening in the news? What's going on with these strikes and with nurses and their patient safety and patient-ratio concerns? We talk about the application of diagnostic measures, but we go into more detail as to what we’re doing this for. How do we interpret this data? How do we apply that to how we're going to care for our patients?”

Three Factors to Consider Before Advancing Your Education

Although a BSN offers numerous benefits, managing the time and financial commitment of a degree program can be challenging. As you explore options, here are important factors to take into consideration when deciding if a BSN program is right for you.

1. Financial Considerations

Cost is a common hurdle for professionals who want to complete a degree, but resources like financial aid can help students reduce out-of-pocket expenses.

Financial aid is available in the form of scholarships, grants, and subsidized loans to people who meet federal standards for need-based support. Aid can come from various sources, including federal and state governments, colleges, private organizations, and employers. Prospective students can look for financial aid that’s specifically allocated for continuing education for RNs, academic achievement, or underrepresented populations.

When paying out of pocket, employment income and tuition reimbursement can also offset education costs. For instance, choosing an affordable part-time BSN program makes it easier to continue earning income while paying for courses at a slower pace. Working for employers who partially or fully cover the cost of related education also allows nurses to advance their skills and pursue higher roles within their current organization.

2. Work-Life Balance

Nursing programs have a reputation for being rigorous. If you’re serious about earning a degree, it’s helpful to have a plan for balancing your work, school, and personal life.

Academic advisors and fellow nurses are indispensable allies for figuring out how to get the most out of your education while staying engaged in other areas of life. Advisors can also offer guidance on managing the curriculum and extracurricular opportunities and tailoring the academic experience to your strengths and interests.

Make sure the program you’re interested in is known for providing strong educational support through career counselors and mentors. Counselors can help nursing students identify passions and career objectives, research specialty areas, and find professional development opportunities. If challenges arise during your education, advisors, and counselors can assist you in making informed decisions that take your long-term goals and personal circumstances into account.

3. Flexible Program Options

BSN degree programs are available in flexible formats to complement a variety of lifestyles. Employed RNs can benefit from part-time enrollment options and online or hybrid courses to accommodate busy schedules.

Remote learning, in particular, offers the convenience of accessing coursework from anywhere, making academic achievement more attainable for working professionals. Night and weekend classes allow even more flexibility, and students have the option to take fewer courses at a time to learn at a comfortable pace.

Regis College’s RN to BS program offers many of these options to support student success, including asynchronous or synchronous online classes. By consulting with former nursing students who have completed BSN programs, you can compare different formats to find out which path will be most advantageous for you.

Take the Next Step Toward Career Advancement

So, do nurses need a bachelor's degree to have a fulfilling career? The answer depends on your personal interests, career aspirations, and state regulations.

If you want more career flexibility, mobility, and income potential, completing a BSN degree is a crucial step in advancing your professional skills. The degree gives RNs more options for pivoting into new branches of nursing and healthcare, especially as the job market evolves.

“There’s never going to be a good time,” Roy says. “But the closer you do it to your ADN program, you're still in school mode and you’ll know how to best manage your time.”

The RN-to-BS in Nursing degree program at Regis College is designed for RNs who want to take their training to the next level. The program lasts 12 to 16 months and is available in online and part-time formats, giving working nurses the flexibility to complete their degrees at a manageable pace.

If you’re interested in applying or requesting more information, contact a Regis admissions counselor for details about the program.