BSN Career Outlook: Jobs, Careers, and Salaries

Advance Your Skills in a Growing Profession

The online Bachelor of Science in Nursing (RN to BSN) completion program from Saint Mary’s gives registered nurses the learning to advance into leadership roles, change their specialty, or transition into a different healthcare setting.

You will graduate ready to forge your own path in the fast-growing, rapidly evolving profession of nursing.

Embrace a World of Opportunity

The career outlook for the nursing field is undeniably bright. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, jobs for registered nurses are projected to increase 19 percent from 2012 to 2022, faster than the average for all occupations.¹

A growing emphasis on preventive care, the spread of chronic conditions, and the demand for healthcare services from an aging population are all contributing to the growth in nursing opportunities. With a median pay of $65,470 in 2012, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics,² this critically important field offers substantial earning potential in addition to meaningful work.

Prepare for the Future of Nursing

The future of healthcare demands nurses with the education to thrive in a health system characterized by growing complexity and an increasing demand for care.

A recent report from the Institute of Medicine³ recommended that 80 percent of nurses attain a bachelor’s degree by 2020. The same report recommends that nurses with associate degrees and diplomas should pursue a Bachelor's in Nursing within five years of graduation.

A BSN is increasingly becoming a requirement for work in many environments. As the RN to BSN website notes,⁴ a baccalaureate nursing education has become a minimum standard for work in a number of government organizations, including:

• The U.S. Army
• Navy
• Air Force
• Veterans Administration
• U.S. Public Health Service

Like many RN to BSN programs, Saint Mary’s allows the opportunity for practicum study in these public health environments. Unlike many competing programs, Saint Mary’s also gives you the option to perform your practicum in the healthcare setting of your choice.

It is in these environments where the demand for BSN-trained nurses is most acute. A growing number of hospital systems and jurisdictions are requiring a BSN for nursing work in hospitals. This includes the state of Minnesota, where at least 70 percent of the nurses in each hospital are required to have a BSN degree.

The American Association of Colleges of Nursing (AACN) additionally notes the growing increase of RN to BSN programs in response to demand for a more educated nursing workforce. From 2013 to 2014, enrollments in these programs increased by 10.4 percent, the 12th consecutive year of growth in student enrollment.⁵

Prepare for Graduate Study

The Bachelor of Science in Nursing (RN to BSN) program at Saint Mary’s can also prepare students for further study to become an advanced practice registered nurse (APRN). According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, APRN roles such as nurse anesthetists, nurse midwives, and nurse practitioners earned median pay of $96,460 per year in 2012. Job opportunities in these areas are expected to explode by 31 percent from 2012 to 2022.⁶

A recent Institute of Medicine report⁷ also recommended that at least 10 percent of baccalaureate graduates enter a master’s or doctoral program within five years. As the bar for nursing education rises, a BSN is becoming not only a requirement for many nurses, but also a bridge to the graduate study required for roles in nursing leadership.