Does The Name Of Your School Matter?

[domarera]

I was just wondering, when you are hired as a RN do they consider the school you went to, or do they only care that you passed the NCLEX. I am also wondering does your pay increase if you went through a well know nursing program.

[sunray12]

Your RN license and your related work experience (nursing) are what will be most important. As a new grad it will be all about your license. You won't get more money for going to one school vs another but you might get a bit more for having a higher level degree - i.e. BSN or MSN vs ADN.

[llg, PhD, RN]

It might matter if your school has either a very bad reputation or a very good one. Your school's reputation can help you get a job, or hurt your chances of being hired. However, in most cases, it only makes a difference if your school's reputation is either extremely bad or extremely good.

[TheCommuter, BSN, RN]

A school's reputation does not carry great importance in my area. The hiring managers at the local hospitals do not really care where you attended school. Their only concern is that you're a warm body with a nursing license who is prepared to fill their immediate staffing needs.

[domarera]

Thanks for all your imput. It was really a concern for me because I have one class left for my pre-req's and I am starting to apply to different programs in the spring.

[smellyacres, BSN, RN]

I don't know where exactly in california your located, but from what i hear, if you are in the bay area, its really hard to get a job for a new nurse regardless of what school you went to.

other locations such as central california and southern california have such a nursing shortage however, that they do not care where you got your degree from, as long as you passed the NCLEX that is all that matters.

Pay does vary depending on experience, and whether you work the day, evening or night shifts.

[smellyacres, BSN, RN]

One more thing, try to work at a hospital as a CNA during nursing school, because then you will be more likely to be hired by that hospital once you've completed nursing school because they know you and you have experience.