Registered Nurse or Physician Assistant

There are so many ways to answer this question, but if one of his main goals is to move around, he should definitely consider travel nursing. I'd argue that nurses have the greatest geographic mobility of just about any profession. If he started in the RN role and eventually wanted to move into advanced practice, he could go back for an NP or PA degree.

I say PA, if he already has a the pre req stuff out of the way. If he does he can be a mid level provider (PA) in 2 years instead of 5 plus to become an NP.

It also depends on how much responsibility he wants to own. He would have a lot more responsibility as a PA or NP, then he would as a nurse. Does he like to be a leader? He needs to look more into the roles and responsibilities rather then jusg if the job will allow him to move place to place.

Annie

It makes more sense to become a nurse first and then a nurse practitioner. If you have some healthcare experience and really good science grades then PA might be the way to go. But if he already has a Bachelor's he could do a direct entry BSN and work while going to NP school. He'd then have independent practice which a PA can't.

I would say that all three professions have equal ability for relocation and generating income.

They are very different roles (prescribing,/diagnosing vs delivering care/treatments). He needs to figure out what he would be happy with first.