Key Takeaways:
- Associate’s degree programs generally have lower tuition costs than bachelor’s degree programs. This can help you save money on tuition fees for the first two years of your nursing education.
- An ASN allows you to become a Registered Nurse (RN) sooner, typically after two years of study and passing the NCLEX-RN exam.
- Some employers offer tuition assistance or reimbursement for nurses pursuing further education, which can make obtaining a BSN more affordable.
- There are often bridge programs specifically designed for ASN graduates to transition smoothly into BSN programs.
- The demand for BSN-prepared nurses is growing. Having a BSN can open up more job opportunities and potentially higher salaries in the long term.
A number of routes will take you into the nursing profession. As you look into beginning or furthering your career in this field, you may be wondering what training path will be the most effective and economical. Among other things, you may be wondering about whether to get an associate’s degree before obtaining a bachelor’s.
The choice you make will likely depend on your life and financial situation, the ways you feel you learn the best, and even how quickly you want to begin work.
Featured Programs
If you’re interested we have a ranking featuring some of the cheapest online colleges offering associate’s degrees. In nursing, what job you can do usually comes down to what license you hold. We have an article explaining the differences between the basic nursing licenses.
Short-Term Benefits of an Associate’s Degree
Short-Term Benefits of an Associate’s DegreeAn associate’s degree for nurses is usually referred to as either an ADN or an ASN. It’s typically a two-year degree.
Obtaining an associate’s is one of the pathways you can take (along with a diploma program or a bachelor’s degree) to prepare for the national licensing exam (NCLEX) you’ll need to pass in order to become a registered nurse (RN).
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The short-term benefits of an associate’s degree are probably fairly obvious. You can finish it in a shorter amount of time than a bachelor’s degree, and it will cost less. Many people who pursue an associate’s degree do so at a community college, which can be more economical than a university.
Getting an associate’s degree and becoming an RN also has the benefit of getting you started in the profession pretty quickly. Within a couple of years of beginning your studies, you could be working in a hospital, clinic, or doctor’s office as an RN.
If your life or financial situation makes beginning your working life sooner necessary or desirable, this could be a smart move.
Associate’s Degree as a Stepping Stone to a Bachelor’s Degree
However, an associate’s degree can also be a stepping stone toward a bachelor’s degree. And yes, it has the potential to be an economical way to do so. Some of those reasons make sense, given the short-term benefits just enumerated.
You can do an associate’s degree at a community college and then transfer to a larger (and perhaps more prestigious) school for the final two years of your education, which means you will only be paying higher tuition for the final two years.
Another possible advantage comes from the fact that some employers who want to encourage their nurses to obtain bachelor’s degrees will offer some level of tuition reimbursement so you can complete that degree.
You would be able to continue to work while pursuing your bachelor’s, which would also mean less unpaid time. There are programs called RN-to-BSN, which allow for some scheduling flexibility since working nurses are typically the students enrolled in these programs.
One absolutely right path for those entering the field of nursing doesn’t exist. It can be important to evaluate your particular situation and goals before deciding what degree to pursue. While bearing in mind that the BSN is becoming the standard for many nurses and that many nursing jobs require it, you don’t have to discount an associate’s degree.
It can be a practical and economical way to begin your nursing career and move toward completing a bachelor’s degree, which will ultimately open more doors to you as a nurse.
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