Bachelor of Science in Nursing
BSN Program (RN Prep)

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the average salary for registered nurses is $94,480 per year ($45.42 per hour)*. Nurses with a bachelor’s degree tend to fall on the upper side of that average due to their advanced education and their qualification to help hospitals earn Magnet Recognition.

The BLS projects a 9% increase in need for registered nurses from 2020-2030*. RNs are in high demand, and earning a BSN can help your resume stand out and give you a better chance of getting the job you really want.

Increasingly yes, but it ultimately depends on the institution who issued the degree.

As the popularity of online degrees continues to rapidly trend upward in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, so has mainstream acceptance of online degree programs.

Attitudes toward online degrees were already becoming more positive before the pandemic forced the issue. According to a 2019 study from Northeastern University, 61 percent of HR leaders say online learning is “of equal or greater quality to more traditional methods.” More than half believe that in the future, most advanced degrees will be online.

Regarding nursing applicants who earned online degrees, there are a few important factors employers consider:

• The school and degree program’s accreditation. Herzing University is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission (HLC) and programmatically accredited by the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE).¹
• If you have earned nursing licensure. Our program is designed to help you pass the NCLEX and become licensed before getting your first job.
• The school’s reputation and history of producing excellent employees. Consider our many happy graduates and 50+ years producing more than 40,000 alumni.

For all these reasons employers know what it means when they see “Herzing University” on a resume!

It’s a question of:

1. What your goals are
2. How quickly you want to reach them

If your goal is to become an RN quickly, the best choice may be an associate’s degree program since you may be able to become an RN in less than 2 years.

If your goal is to become an RN and potentially advance further by working towards a master’s degree in nursing (MSN), your best option is a bachelor’s degree in nursing program.

Read about the most basic differences between ADN vs. BSN and discover what's best for you.

We work to provide as many pathways as possible for you to join the rewarding career field of nursing. If your high school or college GPA is too low to qualify for enrollment, you have a few additional options with Herzing University:

• Enroll in a Pre-Nursing associate degree program. We’ve developed an Associate of Science/Associate of Applied Science in General Studies in Pre-Nursing curriculum specifically designed to help you improve your GPA and qualify for a BSN program in the future. Our minimum GPA requirement is 2.25, with availability through our Atlanta, Brookfield, Kenosha, Madison, Minneapolis, Orlando and Tampa campuses.
• Enroll in an Associate of Science in Nursing (ASN/ADN) program. You can qualify for the NCLEX-RN by earning an associate degree in nursing. Our minimum GPA requirement is 2.5, with campus availability in Akron, Birmingham, Nashville, Orlando, and Tampa.
• Enroll in a Practical Nursing Diploma program (LPN/PN). As an alternative, you may consider becoming a practical nurse. You can earn a diploma in as few as 12 months and qualify to take the NCLEX-PN exam. Our minimum GPA requirement is 2.0, with campus availability in Akron, Birmingham, Brookfield, Kenosha, Madison, Orlando and Tampa.

No matter which educational pathway you choose, you’ll be building a strong foundation to pursue a bachelor’s degree in the future.

BSN stands for Bachelor of Science in Nursing, a baccalaureate undergraduate nursing degree you can earn as a key step to becoming a Registered Nurse (RN), or the next educational pathway for current ADN nurses seeking career advancement.

A BSN is a step up from an associate in nursing (ADN/ASN) and can offer further job opportunities for nurses seeking a particular specialty or are looking ahead to earning a master’s degree in nursing (MSN).

You don’t need a bachelor’s degree in nursing to become a registered nurse. Earn your associate’s degree in nursing and you can become an RN more quickly and earn your first set of scrubs.

However, if your goal is to continue climbing the ladder to become a nurse practitioner or pursue roles in nursing leadership or administration, you may be best off enrolling in a BSN program so you can reach your goals faster.

No matter what you choose, Herzing is here to empower you to become the best nursing professional you can be.

The advantages of earning a BSN vs. ADN or going from RN to BSN may include:

• Increased autonomy in decision making while on the job
• Open doors to more specialties in the nursing field
• Become a more attractive candidate for hospitals seeking Magnet Recognition
• Build a foundation to grow into education or leadership pathways
• Positions you better for nursing jobs with higher pay
• Qualify to enroll in an MSN program
• Become more familiar and educated with evidence-based practice opportunities
• Increase knowledge and understanding of RN specialties and skills
• Transition from “technical” to “professional” RN
• Gain a deeper knowledge of nursing theory and leadership theory

A 2017 study from the American Association of Colleges of Nursing (AACN) indicates employers have the level of education at top of mind in the hiring process. Based on results from 586 schools of nursing, the study revealed 49% of hospitals and other healthcare facilities require new hires to hold a bachelor’s degree in nursing, and 86.3% of employers show a strong preference for BSN graduates.

The ultimate benefit is bettering yourself, becoming the best nurse you can be and following the career path of your choosing.

There are a wide variety of different career paths in nursing, and depending on what makes the most sense for you there are several different types of nursing degrees you may consider:

• Diploma in Practical Nursing. The fastest way to start your nursing career is to earn a diploma in practical nursing and become a Licensed Practical Nurse. This isn’t a “degree” but it’s an alternative starting point if you’re ready to get your feet wet in nursing.
• Associate degree in nursing. Earn an associate’s degree in nursing and you’ll be eligible to site for the NCLEX and become a Registered Nurse (RN).
• Bachelor’s in nursing. A bachelor’s degree is becoming the new educational standard for registered nurses, and it will qualify you for a master’s degree program.
• Master’s in nursing. Many roles up the ladder in nursing will require a master’s degree.

All schools have their own distinct degree programs based on their qualifications and expertise. Herzing University offers many different options to provide the shortest path to your destination no matter where you are right now, including campus bridge programs and online programs to help you reach the next level in your education. View all of our nursing programs.