MSN without a BSN.

203bravo, MSN, APRN · Dec 21, 2023

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I'm looking at bridge programs. There are RN-BSN, RN-MSN, and RN-BSN-MSN pathways.

I'm potentially interested in obtaining an MSN as a long-term goal. However, my confusion is in whether or not obtaining an actual BSN is necessary/beneficial prior to an MSN. If I were to select the route of RN-MSN, would I be viewed/paid/educated differently, or disadvantaged in any way than someone who has an official BSN and MSN, rather than an AS and MSN??

If you currently hold an Associate Degree in Nursing and enter directly into a MSN program then courses that you normally would have taken to move to a BSN will be worked into the program. So in the end the education will be the same. Some programs will even award the BSN at a certain point into the program.

trishrn0225, MSN, RN · Dec 29, 2023

It depends on what your career goals are. I have a BS in another field and so went from a AS to a MSN. From a career perspective overall that didn't hurt and I was not seen any differently. Where I was at a disadvantage, however, was that I was missing courses the BSN provided to enable me to obtain a PHN certificate. So, if you have any interest in public health and an explicit requirement is that, I would suggest you ensure your curriculum covers that. Good luck!

windsurfer8, BSN, RN · Feb 24

No benefit. Get the MSN if you need it for the career you want. No one will care whether you had the BSN.

ApplePineApple · Mar 13

Cost is usually a major factor. A decade ago, it was far cheaper to get a BSN at a partner state school then a MSN. I had probably 10k saved and the cost saving was anywhere from 5k to 25k depending on how many credits were added to a MSN bridge and the cost per graduate credit hour.