ADN vs BSN...is there much of a pay increase?

roser13, ASN, RN · Sep 21, 2012

I've only worked for one facility that paid more for BSN. The difference was $ .50.

Sun0408, ASN, RN · Sep 21, 2012

Depends on the area. In my area, no there is no difference in pay. Many hospitals offer tuition reimbursement. Mine will pay for my BSN after one year of employment, so that's the route I'm taking :)

kakamegamama · Sep 21, 2012

Unless things have changed, ADN and BSN prepared nurses aren't paid differently per hour. The difference would be that BSN nurses are often the ones for management responsibilities. So, if you are thinking that you may want to become part of management at one point, it might be worth it. Check with your area hospitals and ask them. Good luck!

VANurse2010 · Sep 21, 2012

Usually there is no difference, but if you eventually want to get off the floor, you'll need the BSN.

llg, PhD, RN · Sep 21, 2012

As others have said (and will say) there is usually little or no difference in the salary comparing people in the same job.

However ... given that an increasing number of employers are requiring at least a BSN for many jobs, having that BSN may mean the difference between eligible for promotion and not being eligible for promotion. It may also make the difference between being employed and being un-employed. There is a huge salary difference in being employed and being un-employed.

nurseprnRN, BSN, RN · Sep 21, 2012

Depends on what you do as your life progresses. Don't assume you'll spend your whole working life inside a hospital, LTAC, or SNF. No argument at all that a better education translates into better-paying opportunities even in nursing... but if you don't have the degree, you won't get the advancement you will with it.

"Education is a companion which no misfortune can depress, no crime can destroy, no enemy can alienate, no despotism can enslave. At home, a friend; abroad, an introduction; in solitude, a solace; and in society, an ornament. It chastens vice, it guides virtue, it gives at once grace and government to genius. Without it, what is man? A splendid slave, a reasoning savage."

-- Joseph Addison

KelRN215, BSN, RN · Sep 21, 2012

I haven't worked or heard of anywhere that paid higher for a BSN prepared nurse than an ADN prepared nurse. Although, in my area, hospitals demand BSN so that's the reason to go for it.

TheCommuter, BSN, RN · Sep 21, 2012

New grads who are educated at the BSN degree level definitely have the upper hand in many cities and states across the U.S. due to the lagging economic situation.

To be blunt, there are too many newly graduated nurses in many local employment markets competing for a very limited number of job openings, so within the past couple of years an increasing number of hospitals have started using the BSN as a weed-out tool to eliminate the number of applications that they must sort through.

Guest343211 · Sep 22, 2012

I think any pay difference is neglible. It's about getting the job. Yes they can use the BSN as a weed out tool.

But in order to get into some of the new BSN only internships, they are looking at folks at the higher end of the GPA scale. I'd say > 3.5 or higher, depending on the competiton.

If anything, I think they are holding down all RN salaries and have been for a while. I think we won't see a change on that end of things at least for a couple of years.

Luckyyou, BSN, RN · Sep 23, 2012

With my BSN, I make an extra $0.60. And for what it's worth, nobody has once asked my GPA.

ashleyr34 · Sep 25, 2012

You make a great point that there isn't much of a pay difference between ADN and BSN, but it could be if that is the deal breaker for getting hired or not. Thanks!