by our College Data Analytics TeamA major in Registered Nursing involves the study of Registered Nursing/registered Nurse. A Program That Generally Prepares Individuals In The Knowledge, Techniques And Procedures For Promoting Health, Providing Care For Sick, Disabled, Infirmed, Or Other Individuals Or Groups. Includes Instruction In The Administration Of Medication And Treatments, Assisting A Physician During Treatments And Examinations, Referring Patients To Physicians And Other Health Care Specialists, And Planning Education For Health Maintenance. Examples: [Nursing (Asn)], [Nursing (Bsn, Bscn)], [Nursing (Msn, Mscn, Mn)], [Registered Nurse (Rn)]. Continue reading for the important information every registered nursing student should know — including career paths, salary data, the skills you will develop, and the best colleges offering registered nursing programs.
Across the country, registered nursing is a widely-pursued major, with 256,965 degrees awarded annually.
Our 2026 Best Registered Nursing Schools ranking analyzes these 2,035 schools to determine the best overall colleges for registered nursing students. Continue reading to check out one of our many unbiased rankings of registered nursing programs later in this article.
Programs in Registered Nursing develop a specific mix of skills, knowledge, and abilities — derived from O*NET surveys of workers in the occupations registered nursing graduates commonly enter.
The skill set built by a registered nursing program reflects the day-to-day work of related occupations:
According to O*NET, a registered nursing major emphasizes the following knowledge areas:
There are several registered nursing degree levels. The table below shows the typical length of the most common levels, and how many graduates earn each one.
| Degree | Typical Program Length | Graduates Annually |
|---|---|---|
| Certificate | Varies | 2,426 |
| Associate Degree | 2 years | 83,968 |
| Bachelor’s Degree | 4 years | 147,392 |
| Master’s Degree | 1-3 years | 22,322 |
| Doctorate | At least 4 years | 852 |
People currently working in careers related to registered nursing tend to have obtained the following education levels.
| Level of Education | Percentage of Workers |
|---|---|
| Master’s degree | 39.4% |
| Bachelor’s degree | 29.2% |
| Associate’s degree (or other 2-year) | 11.1% |
| Postsecondary certificate | 9.7% |
| Doctoral degree | 6.0% |
| First professional degree | 1.8% |
| Post-master’s certificate | 1.6% |
| Post-doctoral training | 0.6% |
| High school diploma or equivalent | 0.3% |
| Post-baccalaureate certificate | 0.2% |
See the chart below to get an idea of what level of education most of those in registered nursing careers hold.
Source: ONET Online education / training / experience requirements.*
Studying registered nursing opens doors to a variety of career paths. Here are some of the most common occupations related to registered nursing.
The following options are some of the most in-demand careers related to registered nursing.
| Occupation | Projected Jobs | Expected Growth |
|---|---|---|
| Registered Nurses | 3,793,806 | 10.2% |
| Clinical Nurse Specialists | 1,937,405 | 12.3% |
| Advanced Practice Psychiatric Nurses | 1,349,827 | 0.0% |
| Nursing Instructors and Teachers, Postsecondary | 790,445 | 5.7% |
| Critical Care Nurses | 590,563 | 14.4% |
| Acute Care Nurses | 191,452 | 4.1% |
College Scorecard reports median earnings of registered nursing graduates 1, 4, and 5 years after completion. Earnings tend to climb as graduates gain experience.
| Years Out | Median Earnings |
|---|---|
| 1 year | $83,453 |
| 4 years | $80,149 |
| 5 years | $90,156 |
Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard, field-of-study earnings tracker.
Salaries for registered nursing graduates vary widely by occupation. The following table shows the top highest-paying careers registered nursing grads often go into.
| Occupation | Median Annual Salary |
|---|---|
| Advanced Practice Psychiatric Nurses | $143,854 |
| Registered Nurses | $105,741 |
| Nursing Instructors and Teachers, Postsecondary | $69,718 |
| Critical Care Nurses | $65,103 |
| Acute Care Nurses | $56,247 |
| Clinical Nurse Specialists | $52,889 |
With 2,035 different registered nursing programs to choose from, finding the best fit can be a challenge. We have analyzed these schools to produce unbiased registered nursing school rankings to help you.
Those considering registered nursing, you may also want to explore other closely related fields of study within the same broad area.
| Related Major | Annual Graduates |
|---|---|
| Family Practice Nurse/Nursing | 14,847 |
| Nursing Practice | 9,206 |
| Nursing Administration | 7,911 |
| Psychiatric/Mental Health Nurse/Nursing | 4,379 |
| Nursing Science | 4,245 |
| Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing, Other | 4,125 |
| Adult Health Nurse/Nursing | 2,457 |
| Nurse Anesthetist | 1,960 |
| Public Health/Community Nurse/Nursing | 1,505 |
| Geriatric Nurse/Nursing | 641 |
More about our data sources and methodologies.
