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Kraena Pre-Health
Career Library

Nursing Paths

Registered Nurse (RN)

The professional who spends the most time with patients and catches problems first.

Years after high school

2–4

Degree

ADN or BSN

Entrance exam

TEAS or HESI for many nursing program admissions

Median pay

$97,550 national median for registered nurses (BLS, May 2025).

What the job is actually like

Twelve-hour shifts are standard in hospitals. You assess patients continuously, administer medications, coordinate with every other member of the care team, educate families, and are usually the first person to notice when a patient is deteriorating. Physically and emotionally demanding, and genuinely irreplaceable.

The path

  1. 01Either a 2-year ADN (associate degree) or a 4-year BSN
  2. 02Pass the NCLEX-RN
  3. 03Optional later: bridge from ADN to BSN while working, often employer-funded

Good fit if

  • You want to be working in healthcare within two to four years
  • You want enormous flexibility — ICU, ER, OR, pediatrics, travel nursing, informatics, and dozens more
  • You want a clear ladder upward to NP, CRNA, or nursing leadership

Think twice if

  • You are not prepared for the physical demands of 12-hour shifts on your feet
  • You want to avoid nights, weekends, and holidays early in your career

Similar paths worth comparing

Nurse Practitioner (NP)

An advanced practice nurse who diagnoses, treats, and prescribes — with full independent practice in many states.

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Nurse Anesthetist (CRNA)

Administers anesthesia and monitors patients through surgery — among the highest-paid nursing roles.

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Certified Nurse-Midwife (CNM)

An advanced practice nurse who manages pregnancy, birth, and women's health care — often with prescribing authority and independent practice.

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All salary figures here are median annual wages from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Outlook Handbook, May 2025 — the most recent full national dataset. 'Median' means half of workers earn more and half earn less. Three things to keep in mind: (1) pay varies enormously by state, city, setting, and experience — a nurse in California and a nurse in rural Alabama earn very different salaries; (2) training lengths are typical, not guaranteed, and programs differ; (3) these numbers change every year. Always verify current figures at bls.gov/ooh before making a decision. For context, the BLS median wage for all U.S. occupations was $50,980, while healthcare practitioner and technical occupations had a median of $86,530 — one of the reasons health care is such a stable field.