List of states that prefer bsn?

Nursing Students ADN/BSN

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Is there somewhere that has a list of states that prefer or mandate bsn...

And those that are adn friendly...I know even if this cheat list somehow exists it still "depends" but it would be a good starting point at least for this of us with adn....the trend I see is people saying it depends on the state/market....well...anyone know where I can find some sort of cheat sheet/list????

It would be awesome if such a list existed, but I think that's near impossible as preferences and mandates change almost constantly.

Large cities will require a BSN. Small/rural you can get away with an ADN more easily. There are some employers that will hire an ADN but require you to enroll in a BSN program within so many years. Example being the Mayo Clinic.

There are exceptions as you state. Places I know that are ADN friendly off the top of my head are:

Utah, New Mexico, Texas (except big cities), Idaho, MT, and a handful of states in the southeast.

Ironically, all the places I just named, tend to be on the lower end of the pay scale for RN's. It's also worth noting that BSN seems to be required only of the acute care setting. I've yet to see Home Health, outpatient clinics, or SNF's require a BSN.

You'll find the information you seek easiest by contacting HR directly where you are interested.

Specializes in Case mgmt., rehab, (CRRN), LTC & psych.

At this time, no state in the union has a BSN degree requirement. North Dakota enacted a minimum BSN degree requirement for RNs and a minimum AAS degree requirement for LPNs in 1987, but the law was repealed in 2003 due to difficulties with enforcing it.

All states still hire associate degree RNs. However, larger metropolitan areas within many states have hospital systems where the BSN degree is the preferred credential. These BSN-preferred cities generally have multiple non-hospital employment options for associate degree nurses.

Here is my unofficial list of BSN-preferred metro areas. As always, there are exceptions, and associate degree RNs have been hired in these cities.

1. Los Angeles

2. New York City

3. Philadelphia

4. San Francisco

5. Boston

7. San Diego

8. Phoenix

9. Chicago

10. Washington DC metro area

11. Dallas

12. Houston, especially in the Houston Medical Center

Specializes in Pedi.

There are no states that mandate or prefer BSN, the state itself doesn't care. Private employers within certain regions of the country may prefer/require BSN as a part of the hiring process.

I love Commuters list. I can say for those CA areas think of the area as a 2-3 hour radius around it.

Amazing list, thank you. I am sitting with my husband here looking at it and...the reason I have to move is he may be transferred somewhere, NYC, Boston, San Fran or Dallas...so it looks like Im screwed j/k.....but it seems these are the major cities of the US really....isnt it natural that they would be more saturated, is it really impossible to find an ADN job that isnt SNF???? :(

Specializes in Case mgmt., rehab, (CRRN), LTC & psych.
is it really impossible to find an ADN job that isnt SNF???? :(
Yes. There's private duty, home health, correctional nursing (a.k.a. taking care of sick inmates in jail or prison), school nursing, psychiatric facilities, physical rehabilitation (a.k.a. cardiac and stroke rehab), addictions, methadone clinics, group homes for the developmentally disabled, blood banks, infusion centers, and other workplaces outside the hospital setting.
Specializes in OB-Gyn/Primary Care/Ambulatory Leadership.

I would add Denver to that list!

Specializes in Informatics / Trauma / Hospice / Immunology.

Around any major city are suburbs and smaller towns that have ADN jobs. You will be fine.

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