healthcare · United States edition
It’s easy to be a Registered Nurse.
Becoming a registered nurse requires graduating from a state-approved nursing program — a two-to-three-year associate degree (ADN) or a four-year bachelor's (BSN) — passing the NCLEX-RN exam ($200 fee), and obtaining a state nursing license. The full path takes two to four years. US registered nurses earned a median of $97,550 per year in May 2025, per BLS.
Last verified Version 1By Editorial Team
Key facts
United States- Median salary (2025)
$97,550/yr
Range $68,940 – $137,470
U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (May 2025)
- Time to qualify
2–4 years
Two to four years: about 2–3 years for an associate degree in nursing (ADN) including prerequisites, 4 years for a bachelor of science in nursing (BSN). Accelerated BSN programs take roughly 12–18 months for people who already hold a bachelor's degree in another field.
- Cost to qualify
$10,000 – $150,000
A community-college ADN typically costs $10,000–$25,000 in total tuition and fees (average public two-year in-district tuition was $4,150 per year in 2025–26, per the College Board). A four-year BSN runs about $48,000 in tuition and fees at an in-state public university ($11,950 per year) and can exceed $150,000 at private colleges. Add the $200 NCLEX-RN registration fee (NCSBN/Pearson VUE) plus state board application, fingerprinting, and background-check fees of roughly $100–$350, and program extras such as uniforms, equipment, and clinical fees.
- Job outlook (2024-2034)
+5% growth
About 189,100 openings per year
U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Employment Projections (Occupational Outlook Handbook)
All figures apply to United States. Salaries, licensing, and timelines differ by country — where other editions exist, switch between them at the top of the page.
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How to become a Registered Nurse — step by step
- 1
Choose your pathway: ADN, BSN, or accelerated BSN 1-3 months
Compare a 2–3 year community-college ADN (cheapest route to the same RN license), a 4-year university BSN (preferred or required by many large hospitals), and a 12–18 month accelerated BSN if you already hold a bachelor's degree. Check which local hospitals require a BSN before deciding.
- 2
Complete prerequisites and apply to an accredited program 6-12 months
Finish prerequisite courses such as anatomy and physiology, microbiology, and chemistry with strong grades, and take the TEAS or HESI entrance exam if required. Apply only to state-approved programs accredited by ACEN or CCNE, and check each program's published first-time NCLEX pass rate before enrolling.
- 3
Complete your nursing program and clinical rotations 2-4 years
Pass coursework in pharmacology, pathophysiology, and nursing practice while completing supervised clinical rotations in hospitals and community settings. Clinical performance matters: preceptors and clinical sites are a primary source of first-job offers.
- 4
Apply for licensure and Authorization to Test 4-8 weeks
Apply to your state board of nursing, complete fingerprinting and the background check, and register for the NCLEX-RN with Pearson VUE for $200. The board issues an Authorization to Test (ATT), which lets you schedule the exam.
- 5
Pass the NCLEX-RN 1 day, plus 4-8 weeks of focused prep
The Next Generation NCLEX-RN is computer-adaptive, with 85 to 150 items and a five-hour limit. Around 87–91% of first-time, US-educated candidates passed in 2024–2025 per NCSBN, and scheduling the exam within a few weeks of graduation measurably improves the odds.
- 6
Land your first job, ideally through a nurse residency 1-3 months
Apply for new-graduate positions, prioritizing structured nurse residency programs over the largest sign-on bonus. Residencies provide 6–12 months of mentored practice and significantly reduce first-year turnover and burnout.
- 7
Maintain your license and keep building credentials Ongoing
Renew your RN license every two to three years depending on the state, completing any required continuing education. Many ADN nurses complete an online RN-to-BSN program within a few years, and specialty certifications open doors to ICU, ER, and leadership roles.
Requirements to be a Registered Nurse
- Nursing degree or diploma from an approved programeducationRequired
An associate degree in nursing (ADN), a bachelor of science in nursing (BSN), or a hospital diploma from a state-approved program accredited by ACEN or CCNE. BLS lists a bachelor's degree as the typical entry-level education, but an ADN qualifies graduates for RN licensure in every state.
- State RN license (NCLEX-RN)licenseRequired
Every US state requires passing the NCLEX-RN and licensure through its board of nursing, which typically includes a criminal background check and fingerprinting. Most states participate in the Nurse Licensure Compact, so one multistate license covers practice in other compact states.
- Basic Life Support (BLS/CPR) certificationcertificationRequired
Nursing programs require BLS/CPR certification before clinical placements begin — most specify the American Heart Association course, though some accept equivalents — and virtually all employers require current BLS as a condition of hire.
- Supervised clinical rotationsexperienceRequired
All approved nursing programs include supervised clinical hours across specialties such as medical-surgical, pediatrics, and obstetrics; required hours vary by state and program. No paid work experience is required before licensure.
- Clinical judgment and communication skillsskillRequired
The Next Generation NCLEX explicitly tests clinical judgment. Daily practice demands accurate patient assessment, medication safety, precise charting, and clear communication with patients, families, and physicians.
- Specialty certification (CCRN, CEN, etc.)certificationOptional
Specialty credentials such as CCRN (critical care) or CEN (emergency nursing) typically require one to two years of bedside experience. They improve pay and mobility but are not needed for entry-level practice.
A day in the life of a Registered Nurse
Most hospital registered nurses work three 12-hour shifts a week, starting around 7 a.m. or 7 p.m. with a handoff report from the outgoing nurse. A typical medical-surgical assignment is four to six patients: head-to-toe assessments, timed medication passes, wound care, IV management, and near-constant charting in the electronic health record. Call lights, new admissions, and discharges interrupt every planned hour, and lunch is often 15 minutes or skipped. Nurses spend most of the shift standing, walking, and lifting or repositioning patients. Hard moments — a deteriorating patient, a death, an angry family — sit alongside genuine saves and gratitude. Clinic, school, and outpatient RNs trade that intensity for regular weekday hours and, usually, lower pay than hospital and government roles.
Is it worth it to be a Registered Nurse?
Nursing offers one of the strongest cost-to-income returns in US healthcare: a community-college ADN costing roughly $10,000–$25,000 leads to the same license behind a $97,550 median wage, 5% projected growth, and about 189,100 openings a year — and hands-on patient care is among the occupations least exposed to AI automation. Becoming a registered nurse is worth it for people who want stable, well-paid, meaningful work without mandatory four-year debt, and for career-changers using accelerated BSN routes. It is not worth it if it requires $100,000+ in private-school loans for the identical license, or if nights, weekends, holidays, twelve hours on your feet, body fluids, and emotionally heavy, sometimes understaffed units would wear you down — first-year burnout and turnover are real. Work as a CNA or shadow a nurse before committing.
Common mistakes to avoid
- Enrolling in an unaccredited or low-quality program without checking its ACEN/CCNE accreditation and its state-published first-time NCLEX pass rate — graduates of weak programs fail the exam at far higher rates and credits rarely transfer.
- Paying private for-profit tuition of $40,000–$80,000 for an ADN when a community college delivers the identical RN license for a fraction of the cost (average public two-year tuition is $4,150 per year).
- Underestimating prerequisites: competitive programs effectively require A/B grades in anatomy and physiology and microbiology, and community-college nursing programs often have one-to-two-year waitlists that applicants fail to plan around.
- Delaying the NCLEX-RN after graduation — NCSBN data show pass rates fall the longer candidates wait, and a failed attempt means a 45-day wait plus another $200 fee.
- Choosing a first job for the biggest sign-on bonus instead of a structured nurse residency, which is a leading driver of new-graduate burnout and first-year turnover.
- Stopping at the ADN in metro markets where major hospital systems and Magnet hospitals require or strongly prefer a BSN, then discovering promotion and unit-transfer options are blocked.
Frequently asked questions
How long does it take to become a registered nurse?
Becoming a registered nurse takes two to four years for most people: about 2–3 years for an associate degree in nursing (ADN) including prerequisites, or 4 years for a bachelor of science in nursing (BSN). Career-changers who already hold a bachelor's degree can finish an accelerated BSN in roughly 12–18 months. After graduating, candidates typically wait four to eight weeks for licensure paperwork and the NCLEX-RN.
Can I become an RN without a bachelor's degree?
Yes. An associate degree in nursing (ADN) from a state-approved program qualifies you to take the NCLEX-RN and become licensed in every US state. However, many large and Magnet-designated hospitals prefer or require a BSN for hiring and promotion, so many ADN nurses later complete an online RN-to-BSN program while working.
How much does it cost to become a registered nurse?
Total cost ranges from roughly $10,000–$25,000 for a community-college ADN (average public two-year tuition was $4,150 per year in 2025–26, per the College Board) to about $48,000 for an in-state public BSN and $150,000 or more at private universities. The NCLEX-RN registration fee is $200, and state licensure, fingerprinting, and background checks add roughly $100–$350. Many hospital systems offer tuition assistance or loan repayment for nursing students.
How hard is the NCLEX-RN exam?
The NCLEX-RN is a computer-adaptive exam with 85 to 150 items and a five-hour time limit, and the Next Generation version emphasizes clinical judgment through case studies. Roughly 87–91% of first-time, US-educated candidates passed in 2024–2025, according to NCSBN data. Pass rates drop sharply for repeat test-takers and for graduates who delay the exam, so most successful candidates test within a few weeks of finishing school.
How much do registered nurses make?
The median annual wage for US registered nurses was $97,550 in May 2025, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics; the lowest 10 percent earned under $68,940 and the highest 10 percent earned over $137,470. Pay varies sharply by state — in the same May 2025 data, mean RN wages ranged from about $77,000 in Alabama and South Dakota to $150,280 in California. Government and hospital jobs pay more than nursing homes and outpatient clinics on average.
Is there really a nursing shortage?
Demand is strong but uneven. BLS projects 5% employment growth for registered nurses from 2024 to 2034 — faster than the average occupation — with about 189,100 openings per year, most of them replacing nurses who retire or change occupations. Shortages are most acute in rural areas and high-burnout specialties, while new graduates in some desirable urban markets still face competition for hospital residency slots.
Sources
Every figure on this page traces to one of these primary sources.
- 1NCLEX Fees & Payment — National Council of State Boards of Nursing (NCSBN) · accessed June 15, 2026
- 2NCLEX Pass Rates — National Council of State Boards of Nursing (NCSBN) · accessed June 15, 2026
- 3Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics: Registered Nurses (29-1141) — U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics · accessed June 15, 2026
- 4Occupational Employment and Wages — May 2025 (news release) — U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics · accessed June 15, 2026
- 5Occupational Outlook Handbook: Registered Nurses — U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics · accessed June 15, 2026
- 6Registered Nurses (29-1141.00) Summary Report — O*NET OnLine · accessed June 15, 2026
- 7Trends in College Pricing 2025 — Highlights — College Board · accessed June 15, 2026