This question is about nurse salaries.
2-year vs. 4-year nursing degree salary
A 2-year nursing degree salary averages around $40,250 per year in the United States, while a 4-year nursing degree salary averages around $71,730 per year in the United States.
The holder of a 2-year nursing degree, or an Associate Degree in Nursing (ADN), can become a registered nurse (RN), however, they are almost always more likely to receive a lower salary than those nurses that get 4-year nursing degrees. This is because ADN holders are not able to perform as many nursing tasks as these 4-year nursing degree-holding counterparts.
A 4-year nursing degree, or a Bachelor's in Nursing (BSN), holder can also become a registered nurse (RN) and is qualified to do more complex medical procedures than ADN holders. This often results in a significantly higher annual salary. BSN holders also have more opportunities for career advancement to continue to increase their yearly salaries.
Key Takeaways:
| 2-year nursing degree salary | 4-year nursing degree salary |
|---|---|
| A 2-year nursing degree, or ADN, salary averages around $40,250 per year in the United States. | A 4-year nursing degree, or BSN, averages around a $71,730 per year salary in the United States. |
| ADN holders are almost always more likely to receive a lower salary than those nurses that get a 4-year nursing degree. | BSN holders are almost always more likely to have higher salaries than ASN holders, and sometimes this can be a considerable difference. |
| ADN holders do have opportunities for career advancement and better-paying nursing roles, but these are far more limited than BSN holders, and they often won't see a truly impactful difference in their salary without more schooling. | BSN holders have more opportunities for career advancement with higher paying salaries, and often significant increases in pay. |
| ADN holders can perform basic nursing tasks. | BSN holders can perform a wide array of nursing tasks, including some complex medical procedures, this is one of the primary reasons they earn higher salaries in general. |
