The difference is mostly in the liberal arts classes–with a BS you spend your first two years taking general ed courses and then 2 years of nursing. With the AD, you jump right into the nursing curriculum from day one, with 2 years of nursing courses. In a BS, you do get a few more nursing courses, such as Community Health and Physical Assessment, which will allow you to do things like be a School Nurse or work for your county Health Department, and a Nursing Management course, which is supposed to prepare you to become a Nurse Manager. The reality is that starting out in a hospital, there is about a 25 cent/hr. pay difference, but that difference could disappear after your first evaluation and merit pay raise. The jobs are the same and the same thing is going to be expected of you. You may not get into management with just an ADN, but even that will depend on where you work–a large hospital, no you can’t, but a small hospital, rehab center, or nursing home, yes you can. Most people get their ADN, start work, and then work on finishing their Bachelor’s part time, taking advantage of being able to have an income while at the same time letting the hospital pay for part of the tuition. Those extra two years of experience that you get working rather than being in a BS program are invaluable–you’ll be a Charge Nurse and Preceptor by the time you would otherwise just be graduating with a 4 yr. degree. Almost all hospitals have a tuition assistance plan to help you finish your BS degree. The trend is for nurses to have more education, even with the so called nursing shortage, and in a few years, you’re going to have to have a MS in order to get into the management positions that are now held by those with a BS. I work on a unit that has 70 RNs, no LPNs, and more than half are taking courses to further their degrees, either ADN to BSN or BSN to MSN. Either way you decide, good luck to you.

well of course there is. You have a better degree and have studied for two more years which gives you better opportunities to earn more money than a two year degree. You will never rank higher than you are with only an associate degree but with a 4 year degree you can move up the ladder.

Right now not too much, I don’t care what people tell you! There is a major shortage of nurses and they need anyone they can get there hands on. My mother and sister are nurses and my mom got her associates and my sister got a 4 year degree in biology. My mother makes bank now and with her experience she is invaluable (30 years). My sister actually didn’t make as much as my mother when she started. WIth a 4 year degree you have more administrative opportunity but I think you hit that ceiling pretty fast.

The difference is that some management positions require a bachelors degree. Both take the same nursing boards, the BSN has a considerable # of non-nursing coursework.

Associates is 2 yrs, whereas BSN is 4. and there is a $0.25 pay difference in Texas for a ADN compared to an BSN.

The Pay

If there wasn’t then i have wasted my time. Main difference is pay.