BSN (Bachelor of Nursing) Average Salary & Career Options

If you want to become a registered nurse, you only need an associate’s degree. However, by going back to school to get your bachelor of science in nursing (BSN), you’ll not only qualify for better jobs with more responsibilities, but you’ll also enjoy higher starting salaries. What kinds of jobs are open to you? Here are some of your career options, as well as the average salaries you can expect if you have a BSN:

Charge Nurse: $63,876
Clinical Nursing Manager: $74,338
Emergency Room Registered Nurse: $62,722
General Registered Nurse: $55,227
Nurse Case Manager: $60,937
Nursing Director: $73,834
Nursing Manager: $72,901

As you can see, you have the change to make a fairly high salary in the field of nursing if you have a bachelor’s degree. Getting your BSN only takes about four years, and if you already have an associate’s degree in nursing and your RN license, it only takes an addition one to two years of education. While nursing programs can be expensive out of pocket, you’ll make your money back in just a few years after graduating. Don’t forget that you’ll also often qualify for tuition reimbursement programs through your employer and government loan forgiveness programs.

You have other career choices as well if you go on to get your master’s degree, as you can then choose to become a nurse practitioner, clinical nurse specialist, nurse anesthetist, or nurse midwife. Even if you don’t go on to get an advanced degree, you can often increase your salary just by moving. Location makes a big difference in the field of nursing. If you’re willing to live and work in a major city, especially in an area desperately in need of nurses, you can make a lot more money than if you work in a rural community with less of a need. There is a nursing shortage across the United States, but some areas are definitely more affected than others. The most nursing jobs are found in the founding metropolitan areas, according to the United States Department of Labor’s Bureau of Labor Statistics:

Rochester, Minnesota
Gainesville, Florida
La Crosse, Wisconsin-Minnesota
Johnstown, Pennsylvania
Cumberland, Maryland-West Virginia

In all of these cities, you can expect an average salary of $42,000 to $64,000 per year, which isn’t too shabby. If you’re looking for the highest-paying nursing jobs in the country, though, check out the average salaries available at the following cities:

San Jose/Sunnyvale/Santa Clara, California: $104,400
Visalia-Porterville, California: $103,660
San Francisco/San Mateo/Redwood City, California: $96,700
Oakland/Fremont/Hayward, California: $96,150
Napa, California: $88,970

With a bachelor’s degree in your field, you can expect to be on the high end of these averages, as they also take into account registered nurses who only have an associate’s degree. California isn’t the only place that pays nurses well, though. Other states that offer nurses average salaries of above $70,000 include Massachusetts, Hawaii, Maryland, and New York.

Online LVN to BSN Degree Programs

For those looking to make the jump from being a licensed vocational nurse (LVN) to registered nurse (RN), the LVN to BSN degree is the perfect choice. Below are several accredited online colleges that offer nursing degree programs, ideal for any LVN/LPN looking to advance their careers and earn higher salaries.

Featured Programs

Indiana State University LVN to BSN

The Indiana State LVN to BSN program allows nurses to transition from vocational nursing and become eligible for the registered nurse licensure exam. Curriculum includes Professional Nursing Synthesis, Transition to Professional Nurse Practice, and Nurse Leadership. Read more »

The College Network LVN/LPN to BSN LVN/LPN to RN LVN/LPN to ADN

Earn your LPN/LVN to BSN degree entirely online with no campus attendance and no waiting list. Learn at your place, your pace, and earn an NLNAC-accredited associates degree in half the time and cost of traditional programs. Read more »