Is Nursing a Good Career?
It can be difficult to decide whether to return to school — especially if you have already earned a bachelor’s degree and have been a working professional for a while. However, if your career isn’t turning out to be everything you hoped for, you’re certainly not alone.
In some cases, the barrier to switching to a different occupation is relatively low, such as when people decide to stay in the same field. However, if you’re thinking about switching to a new field entirely (e.g., transitioning to nursing after working in logistics), then you’ll likely need to head back to school. The good news is that you might not need to spend four years working toward another degree if you decide to earn an accelerated Bachelor of Science in Nursing (ABSN) degree.
Is nursing a good career? You may find transitioning to a nursing career to be rewarding and personally fulfilling. You’ll be able to help others and serve your community. Ultimately, however, only you can answer the question, Is being a nurse worth it?
In This Article:
- Is an ABSN the Same as a Bachelor of Science in Nursing?
- Salary Expectations as a Nurse
- Top 5 Reasons To Be a Nurse
- Explore Several Nursing Career Options
- Is Being a Nurse Worth It?
- Is a Nursing Degree Worth It at GCU?
Is an ABSN the Same as a Bachelor of Science in Nursing?
Before considering the many possible answers to the question, Is a nursing degree worth it? it’s helpful to have a basic understanding of your academic options. If you were a high school graduate who was planning on heading off to college for the first time to study nursing, you would apply to a Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) program. This is a pre-licensure degree that can lead to a nursing career, provided you pass the NCLEX-RN® licensing exam.
An ABSN is also a pre-licensure Bachelor of Science in Nursing degree with one main difference. While a BSN is typically a four-year program, an ABSN is an accelerated Bachelor of Science in Nursing program that can be completed in as few as 16 months, even if you have no prior nursing background.1 Applicants must transfer a minimum of 60 of the required 123 credits.
As an alternative, you must complete nine ABSN prerequisites with a cumulative prerequisite GPA of 3.25 or higher before being admitted into the program.1 The ABSN is designed for nontraditional students who have a bachelor’s degree in a non-nursing field. Although it’s an accelerated program, you’ll still tackle intensive, comprehensive curriculum including classroom instruction, skills labs, immersive simulated experiences and clinical rotations.
Salary Expectations as a Nurse
One way to consider the question, Is nursing a good career? is to evaluate the salary expectations for registered nurses (RNs). As of May 2023, registered nurses had a median annual salary of $86,070, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS).2
The salary expectations for advanced practice registered nurses (APRNs) are even higher. As of May 2023, nurse anesthetists, nurse midwives and nurse practitioners had a median annual salary of $129,480, according to the BLS.3
Top 5 Reasons To Be a Nurse
Is being a nurse hard? Nursing does have its challenges; however, there are many compelling reasons to consider enrolling in a nursing program.
For example, pursuing a full-time nursing career will place you in a fast-paced field that allows you to make a positive difference in the lives of others. Plus, the nursing field offers many opportunities to specialize and pursue potential advancement.4
1. Nursing Professionals Are Crucial
Nurses have long played a crucial role in healthcare organizations. In fact, there is a shortage of qualified nurses that is likely to continue for the foreseeable future.5 The BLS estimates job growth for registered nurses to increase by about 6% from 2022 to 2032, faster than average, accounting for an estimated increase of 177,400 jobs in the field.6
For advanced practice registered nurses, the job growth rate is even higher. The BLS estimates job growth for nurse anesthetists, nurse midwives and nurse practitioners to increase by about 38% from 2022 to 2032, much faster than average, accounting for an estimated increase of 123,600 jobs in the field.7
2. Is Nursing a Good Career? Consider the Positive Impact
If you’re like many people who are wondering, Is being a nurse worth it? you probably like the idea of making a positive difference in the lives of other people. You may want to dedicate your life to the service of your community.
Without a doubt, nursing is a meaningful field, and many people find it personally fulfilling. The day-to-day life of a nurse can be difficult at times. However, every shift can be rewarding because nurses know that they are helping others by providing essential care.
3. A Nursing Career Is Geographically Flexible
Some careers are closely tied to a particular geographic region or type of area. In contrast, the nursing profession can be highly geographically flexible.8
If you decide to return to school to earn your BSN and become a licensed nurse, you won’t be limited to a particular area. You could work in an urban or rural area. Furthermore, you may find it easier to move, if desired, as nurses are needed virtually everywhere.8
If you love to travel, see new sights and meet new people, you might even decide to become a travel nurse. A travel nurse is someone associated with a travel nurse agency. This agency connects the nurse to temporary nursing jobs (i.e., six- to 13-week contracts) throughout the country. In the span of just one year, you may be able to live in places as diverse as rural Alaska, bustling San Francisco and sunny Tampa.
4. Registered Nurses Have the Opportunity To Specialize and Advance
After earning your BSN and passing the NCLEX to acquire nursing licensure, you’ll likely work as an RN for a while to gain experience and practice your clinical skills. However, you may decide to return to school yet again to earn your Master of Science in Nursing (MSN) or Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) degree.
A graduate degree can pave the way for pursuing advancement to the role of an advanced practice registered nurse in a specialty such as a nurse anesthetist, pediatrics or women’s health.4
However, even if you don’t pursue a role as an APRN, you could choose to focus on a particular clinical area, condition or patient population. For example, some RNs choose to work in critical care, while others prefer pediatrics. A wide range of possibilities are available for qualified nurses.
5. Accelerated Programs Can Save Time and Money
The nursing field and nursing school both have unique challenges. For example, there is no question that going back to school requires time and money.
Depending on your prior college credits or degree, you might be able to graduate from an ABSN program in less time than a traditional BSN program.
There are, of course, salary differences from one healthcare employer to the next. If the average nurses’ salary is higher than your current salary, going to nursing school to earn a BSN may seem like an even more attractive idea.
Explore Several Nursing Career Options
When considering the question, Is a nursing degree worth it? you may wish to consider some possible career paths that may be available to you with a nursing degree.
Nurses can choose from a vast range of nursing specialties, including the following:
- Pediatrics
- Oncology
- Dialysis
- Geriatrics
- Critical care
- Home health nursing
- Hospice
- Orthopedics
These are just a few examples. Furthermore, later in their careers, some nurses decide to transition to roles that do not involve delivering direct patient care. For example, a nurse might pursue a career as a nurse manager, nurse administrator or nurse educator.
Is Being a Nurse Worth It?
Only you can determine for certain whether the answer to the question, Is being a nurse worth it? is yes.
If you’re still having trouble deciding, consider taking the following steps:
- Call local hospitals and clinics to inquire whether they offer volunteer opportunities. You’ll be able to get an inside look at what nurses typically do during each shift and what the work environment is like.
- Make use of your school’s alumni network, if available. See whether you can contact alums from the school where you earned your first bachelor’s degree and ask them for their insights on the nursing profession.
- Talk to your friends or family who also pursued a career in nursing. It may be helpful to hear others’ experiences, especially from people you know.
Is a Nursing Degree Worth It at GCU?
At Grand Canyon University, a nursing degree can certainly be worth it. We prioritize quality education, with a comprehensive curriculum and nursing instructors who are committed to supporting students.
Have you decided that becoming a nurse is your true calling in life? GCU welcomes you to apply to our accelerated Bachelor of Science in Nursing: (ABSN) program. Our ABSN program combines online classes with in-person, hands-on nursing skills labs, immersive simulation learning activities and supervised clinical rotations at local healthcare settings.
Fill out the form on this page to learn how you can earn your BSN degree in as few as 16 months.1
1 Secondary applicants must transfer a minimum of 60 of the required 123 credits or have completed a baccalaureate degree which includes nine prerequisite courses/labs and 10 general education courses prior to starting the core nursing courses, which can be completed in as few as 16 months. Direct entry applicants that do not transfer 60 credits but meet the minimum requirements can complete these credits through GCU prior to starting the core nursing courses. Depending on the state where student has enrolled or intends to complete the program, student may require additional courses. This may include, but is not limited to, additional general education courses, courses in the major, clinical courses or a different course sequence. See University Policy Handbook.
2 The earnings referenced were reported by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (“BLS”), Registered Nurses. as of May 2023, retrieved May 13, 2024. Due to COVID-19, data from 2020 to 2023 may be atypical compared to prior years. BLS calculates the median using salaries of workers nationwide with varying levels of education and experience. It does not reflect the earnings of GCU graduates as registered nurses, nor does it reflect earnings of workers in one city or region of the country or a typical entry-level salary. Median income is the statistical midpoint for the range of salaries in a specific occupation. It represents what you would earn if you were paid more money than half the workers in an occupation, and less than half the workers in an occupation. It may give you a basis to estimate what you might earn at some point if you enter this career. Grand Canyon University can make no guarantees on individual graduates’ salaries. Your employability will be determined by numerous factors over which GCU has no control, such as the employer the graduate chooses to apply to, the graduate’s experience level, individual characteristics, skills, etc., against a pool of candidates.
3 The earnings referenced were reported by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (“BLS”), Nurse Anesthetists, Nurse Midwives and Nurse Practitioners, as of May 2023, retrieved May 13, 2024. Due to COVID-19, data from 2020 to 2023 may be atypical compared to prior years. BLS calculates the median using salaries of workers nationwide with varying levels of education and experience. It does not reflect the earnings of GCU graduates as nurse anesthetists, nurse midwives and nurse practitioners, nor does it reflect earnings of workers in one city or region of the country or a typical entry-level salary. Median income is the statistical midpoint for the range of salaries in a specific occupation. It represents what you would earn if you were paid more money than half the workers in an occupation, and less than half the workers in an occupation. It may give you a basis to estimate what you might earn at some point if you enter this career. Grand Canyon University can make no guarantees on individual graduates’ salaries. Your employability will be determined by numerous factors over which GCU has no control, such as the employer the graduate chooses to apply to, the graduate’s experience level, individual characteristics, skills, etc., against a pool of candidates.
4 U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. (2024, April 17). How to become a nurse anesthetist, nurse midwife or nurse practitioner. Occupational Outlook Handbook. Retrieved May 13, 2024.
5 American Association of Colleges of Nursing (AACN). (May 2024). Nursing Shortage Fact Sheet. Retrieved June 17, 2024.
6 COVID-19 has adversely affected the global economy and data from 2020 to 2022 may be atypical compared to prior years. Accordingly, data shown is effective September 2023, which can be found here: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Outlook Handbook, Registered Nurses, retrieved May 13, 2024.
7 COVID-19 has adversely affected the global economy and data from 2020 to 2022 may be atypical compared to prior years. Accordingly, data shown is effective September 2023, which can be found here: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Outlook Handbook, Nurse Anesthetists, Nurse Midwives and Nurse Practitioners, retrieved May 13, 2024.
8 American Association of Colleges of Nursing (AACN). (2024). Nursing Shortage Fact Sheet. Retrieved July 3, 2024.
Approved by the associate dean of the College of Nursing and Healthcare Professions on July 8, 2024.
The views and opinions expressed in this article are those of the author’s and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of Grand Canyon University. Any sources cited were accurate as of the publish date.
