Is Transitioning from ADN to BSN Good for Your Career?

By Martina Mascali, Monster Contributor

Are you an Associate Degree in Nursing (ADN) holder, or still a student, wanting to take your nursing career to the next level? Advancing from ADN to BSN (Bachelor of Science in Nursing) might be the right move.

Despite the nursing shortage in nearly every U.S. state, many nurses with an associate degree are struggling to find a job. On the contrary, the demand for BSN degree holders has been steadily increasing, with more healthcare organizations and institutions recognizing that BSN-prepared nurses play a critical role in:

  • delivering high-quality patient care
  • promoting better health outcomes
  • driving healthcare innovation
  • keeping up with changes in our complex healthcare system

Let’s dig into various aspects of the ADN to BSN transition, including understanding and comparing the curriculums, and identifying the additional knowledge and skills acquired for a BSN program. We also look at the best career options available to both ADN and BSN degree holders. Whether you ultimately choose to advance from ADN to BSN or not, this article aims to equip you with the insights necessary to make well-informed decisions about your nursing career.

Understanding the ADN and Its Career Prospects

So, what is an ADN and what can you do with it? The Associate Degree in Nursing (ADN) is a program designed to provide individuals with the foundational knowledge and skills required to begin a career in nursing. It is typically a two-year program offered by community colleges and vocational schools.

The ADN program is the ideal choice if you want to enter the nursing workforce relatively quickly and gain practical experience. It serves as a stepping stone and is designed to prepare students for entry-level nursing positions. Both ADN and BSN holders qualify to be Registered Nurses (RNs) and do similar nursing jobs at the beginning of their careers, however, the latter earn more and have more responsibilities at work in the long term.

Best Career Opportunities Available to ADN Holders

Here are five top ADN jobs, their responsibilities, and their average salary.

Staff Nurse in Hospitals

Play a vital role in ensuring the well-being and recovery of patients in the hospital by providing direct patient care, administering medications, monitoring conditions, and collaborating with healthcare teams. The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reports that the average salary for RNs working in hospitals is $78,070 per year, and that includes nurses who have transitioned from ADN to BSN.

Browse all hospital jobs available on Monster.

Travel Nurse

Work as a registered nurse on short-term assignments in various healthcare facilities across different locations. As a travel nurse, your pay largely depends on the assignment location, demand for temp labor, as well as a combination of other factors. Travel nurses can earn more than other types of RNs and their typical salary is between $3,000 and $7,000 for a 36-hour work week.

Browse all travel nurse jobs available on Monster.

Rehab Care Nurse

As a rehab care or rehabilitation nurse, you assist patients with temporary or permanent disabilities, or chronic illnesses in their recovery. It’s a rewarding career that allows you to make a great impact on patients’ lives and help them regain function, independence, and confidence. Rehab care nurses in the U.S. earn an average salary of $64,605 per year.

Browse all rehab care jobs available on Monster.

Home Health Care Nurse

As a home health care nurse, you provide care and support to patients in their homes instead of in a hospital, clinic, or other medical facility. Having great communication and team working skills is a must, as you’ll need to work even more closely with patients, their families, and other healthcare professionals. According to our research, the salary for home health registered nurses in the U.S. averages $73,449 per year within a range of $56,765 to $94,087.

Browse all home health care jobs available on Monster.

Community Health Nurse

As a community health nurse, you promote health and wellness by engaging in health education, disease prevention, and advocating for underserved populations. The BLS reports that the employment for community health workers and health education specialists will grow 12% over the next decade, offering about 16,000 jobs each year. The salary for community health nurses in the U.S. averages $68,207 per year within a range of $51,463 to $91,669.

Browse all community health nurse jobs available on Monster.

Benefits of Advancing from ADN to BSN

Advancing from an ADN to a BSN program offers a multitude of benefits that can significantly enhance your nursing career, such as:

  • Expanded career opportunities: By earning a BSN degree you can expand your career prospects beyond entry-level positions to unlock a broader range of job opportunities, and increase your chances of career advancement.
  • Enhanced clinical competence and critical thinking skills: The BSN curriculum delves deeper into various nursing concepts and provides a more comprehensive understanding of patient care. This additional knowledge equips you with a broader perspective, enabling you to provide both advanced and general care to patients.
  • Improved patient outcomes: Medical facilities staffed with BSN nurses have lower mortality rates, shorter patient stays, and fewer readmissions, which translate into a better care experience for patients and their families and lower costs. This is the main reason why more and more medical organizations and institutions now prefer to hire BSN nurses even for positions one could do with just an ADN.

ADN vs BSN Salary

Even when working in the same role, BSN nurses have a higher earning potential compared to ADN nurses. This is because employers recognize the additional education and skills acquired through a BSN program. Let’s take a look at the salaries for some common nursing roles:

  • Licensed practical nurses (LPN) with a 1 or 2-year nursing degree: salary of $48,070.
  • Registered Nurses (including associate degree in nursing): salary of $89,010.
  • Nurses with a Bachelor of Science in nursing: salary of $101,100.

Nurses with a BSN represent the top 25% of earners in the field and the estimated ADN vs BSN salary difference is around $12,090.

ADN vs BSN Curriculum Comparison

Let’s see the difference between ADN and BSN programs by comparing their duration, focus, and the main skills acquired. Remember that the specific curriculum of each program may vary between institutions, as some offer additional clinical experience and specialized courses to further develop skills. However, generally, this is how the two programs differ:

  • ADN Program: Typically, a two-year program offered by community colleges and vocational schools that primarily focus on clinical skills, patient care, and basic medical knowledge. Skills acquired in an ADN program include proficiency in performing nursing procedures, direct patient care, medication administration, and collaborating with other healthcare professionals.
  • BSN Program: Typically, a four-year program offered by colleges and universities. However, some institutions have ADN to BSN bridge programs allowing ADN nurses to complete their BSN in a shorter timeframe. A BSN degree gives you a comprehensive nursing education with an emphasis on skills such as critical thinking, evidence-based practice, research, leadership, and community health.

The Best Career Opportunities Available to BSN Nurses

Here are 10 top BSN jobs, their responsibilities, and their average salary.

Clinical Nurse Educator

Play a vital role in shaping the next generation of nurses by becoming a clinical nurse educator and working as a teacher and mentor. Depending on the work environment, this role requires at least a BSN degree and experience in the field. For high-paying nursing jobs, the minimum education requirement may be a master’s or higher. The salary for clinical nurse educators in the U.S. averages $74,919 per year within a range of $53,819 to $97,990.

Browse all clinical nurse educator jobs available on Monster.

Nurse Manager

Working as a nurse manager or administrator means you oversee some or all of the operational and administrative aspects in a healthcare facility. This involves coordinating and supervising nursing staff, managing budgets, developing policies, and ensuring quality patient care. BLS predicts that over the next decade the job market for medical and health services managers will increase by a whopping 28%, generating approximately 56,600 jobs each year. The average salary for nurse managers in the U.S. is $85,598 and in locations with high demand, such as Seattle and Los Angeles, it reaches over $100,000.

Browse all nurse manager jobs available on Monster.

Research Nurse

Work as a research nurse to contribute to the advancement of nursing knowledge and evidence-based practice through scientific inquiries and research studies. As such, you can find employment in academic institutions, research institutes, and healthcare organizations. On-the-job duties include investigating healthcare issues, designing research protocols, collecting, and analyzing data, and disseminating findings through presentations and publications. The average salary for nurse researchers is $72,900 per year.

Browse all research nurse jobs available on Monster.

Nurse Informatics

Help bridge the gap between healthcare and technology by working as a nurse informatics specialist. You can become one with just a BSN, however advancing your education to a master’s degree will grant you access to more job opportunities, higher pay, and easier career advancements. Most nurse informatics earn a base salary of over $100,000 per year and receive benefits such as money purchase pension plans, 401(k) or 403(b), medical and dental health insurance.

Browse all nurse informatics jobs available on Monster.

Nurse Case Manager

As a nurse case manager - sometimes referred to as an RN case manager - you assess your patients’ needs and advocate for their well-being. You also develop individualized care plans, monitor patient progress, coordinate with healthcare providers, and optimize resource utilization. One survey shows that nurses working as case managers earn more and have more benefits, as well as higher job satisfaction, compared to many other nursing careers. Nurse case managers with a BSN earn an average salary of $80,000 per year.

Browse all nurse case manager jobs available on Monster.

Legal Nurse Consultant

Offer your expertise and guidance to various healthcare organizations, legal firms, insurance companies, or government agencies by becoming a legal nurse consultant. Job duties include explaining the content of medical records, attending autopsies, providing support and guidance to attorneys, and giving expert testimony in court. Depending on your educational background, experience, and job location, your salary could range from $125 to $200 per hour, or as high as $250 to $400 when serving as a testifying expert.

Browse all legal nurse consultant jobs available on Monster.

Nurse Quality Improvement Specialist

As an RN quality specialist, you’ll work in hospitals, quality improvement organizations, or healthcare consulting firms to enhance the quality and safety of patient care. Your daily duties may include analyzing healthcare processes, identifying areas for improvement, developing quality improvement initiatives, and monitoring outcomes. The average salary for nurse quality improvement specialists in the U.S. is $63,027 within a range from $46,616 to $79,947.

Browse all nurse quality improvement specialist jobs available on Monster.

Nurse Navigator

Guide patients through complex healthcare systems and help them navigate diagnoses, treatment options, and care coordination by becoming a nurse navigator. In this role you’ll provide support, education, and advocacy to patients and their families, and work for hospitals, insurance companies, non-profit organizations, patient-focused firms, or government agencies. The median salary for nurse navigators in the U.S. ranges from $32,901 to $77,190 per year. Locations with high demand include Miami, FL, and Boston, MA where the median salary is above $50,000.

Browse all nurse navigator jobs available on Monster.

Nurse Recruiter

As a nurse recruiter you source, screen, and select qualified nursing candidates for employment. Duties may include conducting interviews, verifying credentials, collaborating with hiring managers, and assisting in the onboarding process. The median salary for healthcare recruiters in the U.S. ranges from $43,147 to $72,861 per year. Locations with high demand for these roles include Los Angeles, CA and Denver, CO where the median salary is above $57,000.

Browse all nurse recruiter jobs available on Monster.

Forensic Nurse

Become a forensic nurse and combine your nursing expertise with forensic science to provide specialized care to victims of violence, abuse, and trauma. Your duties include collecting and preserving evidence, documenting injuries, and providing medical examinations and referrals as necessary. This job requires great communication skills, compassion, empathy, and attention to detail in identifying, collecting, and preserving medical evidence. Most forensic nurses in the U.S. earn a salary between $46,509 to $90,960 per year.

Browse all forensic nurse jobs available on Monster.

Discover Better Opportunities For Nurses Advancing From ADN to BSN

Create an account on Monster today so you can stay up to date on all the nursing opportunities for ADN to BSN holders and beyond. Upload your resume and we’ll showcase it to recruiters looking to hire nurses with your background and skills.