Becoming a nurse starts with choosing the right level of education for the career you want, then passing a national licensing exam. The fastest route takes about one year, while the most advanced nursing roles require a master’s or doctoral degree. Your path depends on how much time and money you can invest and what kind of nursing work appeals to you.
Nursing Levels at a Glance
Nursing isn’t a single job. It’s a career ladder with distinct levels, each requiring different education and offering different responsibilities.
Licensed Practical Nurse (LPN): LPNs provide basic patient care, monitor health, update records, and assist registered nurses or physicians. You need a high school diploma and completion of an accredited practical nursing certificate program, typically one year long. You then pass the NCLEX-PN exam.
Registered Nurse (RN): RNs have a broader scope. They monitor and treat patients, coordinate care across teams, administer treatments, run diagnostics, and educate patients and families. This requires either a two-year associate degree (ADN) or a four-year bachelor’s degree (BSN), followed by passing the NCLEX-RN exam.
Advanced Practice Registered Nurse (APRN): APRNs hold a master’s or doctoral degree and include nurse practitioners, nurse anesthetists, clinical nurse specialists, and certified nurse midwives. Nurse practitioners can prescribe medications in all 50 states, and in nearly half of states they have full practice authority to run their own practice.
Choosing Between an ADN and BSN
Both the associate degree and the bachelor’s degree make you eligible to sit for the same NCLEX-RN exam, and both produce a registered nurse license. The differences come down to time, cost, and career options.
An ADN is a two-year program, usually offered at community colleges, with tuition ranging from roughly $6,000 to $20,000. Some schools offer accelerated versions you can finish in 18 months. A BSN is a four-year program at a college or university, with tuition ranging from about $40,000 to over $200,000 depending on the school.
The trade-off for that extra time and expense is significant. Many hospitals and health systems now hire only BSN-prepared nurses, and BSN holders typically earn higher salaries. If you start with an ADN to get working sooner, you can later complete an RN-to-BSN bridge program online while you work. The median annual wage for registered nurses was $93,600 in May 2024, and employment is projected to grow 5 percent from 2024 to 2034, faster than average.
Step-by-Step Path to RN Licensure
The process follows a predictable sequence regardless of which degree you pursue.
1. Complete prerequisites. Most nursing programs require courses in anatomy, physiology, microbiology, chemistry, and statistics before you start core nursing classes. Some programs let you complete these during the first year; others require them before admission.
2. Graduate from an accredited nursing program. Accreditation matters. Look for programs accredited by the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE) or the Accreditation Commission for Education in Nursing (ACEN). Accredited programs are recognized by the U.S. Department of Education, which also affects your eligibility for federal financial aid.
3. Complete clinical rotations. Every nursing program includes hands-on clinical hours in hospitals, clinics, or community settings. The exact number of hours varies by state, as each state’s board of nursing sets its own requirements. Clinicals are where you learn to apply classroom knowledge to real patients under supervision.
4. Apply for licensure with your state board of nursing. This is a separate step from registering for the exam itself. Your state board reviews your education credentials and determines your eligibility.
5. Register for and pass the NCLEX-RN. You register through Pearson VUE and pay a $200 exam fee. After your state board confirms your eligibility, you receive an Authorization to Test (ATT) letter. You typically have about 90 days to schedule and take the exam from the date on that letter, with no extensions. The name on your registration must exactly match your government-issued ID.
Options for Career Changers
If you already hold a bachelor’s degree in another field, an accelerated BSN program is the fastest route to becoming an RN. These programs compress a full nursing curriculum into 11 to 18 months, including prerequisites. Admission standards are high: most programs require a minimum 3.0 GPA and a thorough prescreening process. According to the American Association of Colleges of Nursing, these are the quickest path to RN licensure for adults with a prior degree.
There are also accelerated entry-level master’s programs that take 15 to 36 months and give you a graduate nursing degree from the start, positioning you to move into advanced practice roles more quickly.
Bridge Programs Between Levels
Nursing is designed so you can advance without starting over. LPN-to-RN bridge programs give you credit for your prior nursing education. At City Colleges of Chicago, for example, LPN-bridge students receive credit for their first nursing course and can complete the associate degree program in as few as three semesters.
RN-to-BSN programs are widely available online and designed for working nurses. Most take 12 to 18 months of part-time study. These are increasingly popular as more employers expect a bachelor’s degree.
Advancing to Nurse Practitioner or Other APRN Roles
To become an APRN, you need an active RN license plus a master’s degree at minimum. Many nurses pursue a Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) instead. After completing your graduate program, you must pass a national certification exam in your specialty and obtain an APRN license in your state.
The four main APRN paths look quite different in practice. Nurse practitioners provide primary or specialty care and, in many states, function similarly to physicians. Certified nurse midwives manage pregnancy, birth, and reproductive health. Clinical nurse specialists focus on improving care systems and outcomes within a specialty. Certified registered nurse anesthetists (CRNAs) administer anesthesia, and their programs require at least one year of critical care nursing experience before you can even apply.
Additional certifications in CPR, basic life support, or advanced cardiac life support are commonly required for APRN positions.
Licensing Across State Lines
Nursing licenses are issued by individual states, but 43 states and jurisdictions currently participate in the Nurse Licensure Compact (NLC). If you live in a compact state and meet the requirements, you can hold a multistate license that lets you practice in any other compact state without applying for a separate license. This is especially relevant for travel nursing. If you move to a new compact state, you have 60 days to apply for licensure in your new home state.
If your state is not part of the compact, you need a separate license for each state where you want to practice.
Picking the Right Nursing School
Beyond accreditation, look at NCLEX pass rates. State boards of nursing publish these for every program, and they tell you how well a school prepares its graduates. A pass rate consistently above 90 percent is a strong signal. Programs with rates below the national average may indicate weaker preparation.
Consider clinical placement sites. Schools with partnerships at major hospitals or health systems give you better hands-on training and networking opportunities. Also look at whether the school offers flexibility, such as evening, weekend, or hybrid classes, if you plan to work while studying. Community colleges with ADN programs are often the most affordable and schedule-friendly option for students who need to balance work or family responsibilities.