Is it hard to get hired with just a diploma in nursing and an associates in science?

Are you talking about the old hospital-based diploma RN programs?

You want a hospital job in NJ without a BSN? Get ready to move, not happening.

it's not clear what an "associates in science and diploma in nursing" means. is this a hospital diploma program that articulates with a community college to grant an associates degree? as i read your post, it looks like you are asking if it it will be easier to find a nursing job as an rn with an associate of science degree. i'm actually not aware of any community college that grants something other than an associate of applied science for terminal degrees such as nursing. my local cc gives grads an associate of applied science - nursing (aas-n) which i don't believe is meaningfully different than an associates degree in nursing (adn).

regardless of whether you have an aas(n) or adn, in many parts of the country, most new nursing grads are finding a very tough job market. the job market for new grad bsn's is marginally better i'm not sure what the nursing job market in north jersey is like but for south jersey (actually the entire phila metro area), nearly all hospital job postings now state "bsn required". that trend has spilled over into ltc and many nursing homes are also requiring a bsn. diploma nurses may actually have it easier in some respects, since many of them get hired by the hospital they trained in.

bottom line is that finding a nursing job as a new grad with a bsn is more likely than for new grads with "only" an associates. i'm not sure what the job market for new grad diploma nurses is like. if you can manage to get hired as an associates degree or diploma rn and put a year or so on the job, then the market for you changes dramatically. most hospitals (magnets excluded) seem not to care if you are have a bsn, adn or diploma once you have experience.

What kind of diploma school are you talking about? Is your school in or conducted by a hospital? I ask because my diploma school is part of the major health system in the region and for the past years they had 100%- 98% job placement 6 months after graduation, that is more than the CC and maybe the BSN new grads in the area.

I went to a diploma school in PA for nursing and then moved to SC after graduation. Let's just say that was 8 months ago and I still have yet to even get 1 phone call for an interview. My husband is a nurse also and has tried every connection possible but everyone says they don't want new grads unless they have a BSN.

I graduated from a hospital based program (RN diploma) which was affiliated with a college (associate's in science). The school has a 100% pass rate, but it is very difficult in the Boston area to find a job without a BSN. In fact, the hospital school of nursing is now beginning the process of becoming a BSN program.
My advice would be to work as a CNA while in the program. Those are the only graduates of my diploma program that have been able to find jobs quickly.