How to Become a Registered Nurse

Step 1: Complete Your Prerequisites

Before entering a nursing program, you'll need to complete prerequisite courses. Most programs require:

• Anatomy & Physiology I and II — the foundation of nursing knowledge
• Microbiology — understanding infections and pathogens
• Chemistry — basic or general chemistry
• Statistics — for evidence-based practice
• English Composition — clinical documentation skills
• Psychology and/or Sociology — understanding patient behavior

Prerequisites can be completed at a community college, typically in 1–2 semesters. Maintaining a GPA of 3.0 or higher strengthens your application to competitive nursing programs.

Step 2: Choose a Nursing Degree Path

There are two main pathways to becoming an RN:

Associate Degree in Nursing (ADN)

• Duration: 2 years
• Offered at community colleges
• Lower cost — often under $10,000 total at public institutions
• Qualifies you to take the NCLEX-RN and work as an RN
• Many employers now prefer or require BSN — but ADN gets you working sooner

Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN)

• Duration: 4 years (or 12–18 months for accelerated second-degree BSN)
• Offered at universities
• Increasingly required by hospitals, especially Magnet-designated facilities
• Opens doors to leadership, education, and advanced practice roles
• Higher lifetime earnings compared to ADN

Not sure which to choose? Read our detailed BSN vs ADN comparison.

You can browse and compare programs in our nursing school directory — filter by state, tuition, and graduation rate.

Step 3: Complete Your Nursing Program

Nursing programs combine classroom instruction with hands-on clinical rotations. Expect to study:

• Fundamentals of Nursing — basic patient care skills
• Pharmacology — medication administration and drug interactions
• Medical-Surgical Nursing — the core of acute care
• Pediatric Nursing — caring for infants and children
• Obstetric/Maternity Nursing — labor, delivery, postpartum care
• Psychiatric/Mental Health Nursing — behavioral health
• Community Health Nursing — public health and prevention

Clinical rotations typically begin in your second year and take place at hospitals, clinics, long-term care facilities, and community health centers partnered with your school.

Step 4: Pass the NCLEX-RN Exam

After graduating from an accredited nursing program, you must pass the NCLEX-RN (National Council Licensure Examination for Registered Nurses) to earn your license.

• Format: Computer Adaptive Test (CAT) — 75 to 145 questions
• Duration: Up to 5 hours
• Cost: $200 registration fee + state application fees
• Pass rate: ~88% for first-time, U.S.-educated candidates
• Content areas: Safe care, health promotion, psychosocial integrity, physiological integrity

Most graduates use review courses (like UWorld, Kaplan, or Hurst) to prepare. Study plans of 4–8 weeks after graduation are typical.

Step 5: Get Your State License

Nursing is regulated at the state level. After passing the NCLEX-RN, apply for licensure through your state's Board of Nursing. Requirements include:

• NCLEX-RN passing score
• Background check and fingerprinting
• Proof of nursing education from an accredited program
• Application fee (varies by state, typically $50–$200)

If you plan to work in multiple states, look into the Nurse Licensure Compact (NLC) — currently 41 states participate, allowing you to practice across state lines with a single multistate license.

Step 6: Land Your First Nursing Job

New graduate RN positions are available in many settings:

• Hospitals — the most common first job; many offer new-grad residency programs (12–24 weeks of mentored training)
• Long-term care / Skilled nursing — often easier to get hired, excellent for building time management skills
• Home health — growing rapidly, more autonomy
• Clinics and outpatient centers — regular hours, less acute patients

The national median salary for registered nurses is $93,600, with 193,100 openings projected annually through 2033. See how pay varies in our RN salary by state guide.

Step 7: Advance Your Career

After 1–2 years of experience, many RNs pursue specialization or advanced practice:

• RN-to-BSN programs — for ADN nurses wanting a bachelor's (12–18 months online)
• Certifications — CCRN (critical care), CEN (emergency), OCN (oncology), and dozens more
• MSN / Nurse Practitioner — advanced practice with prescriptive authority; median salary over $120,000
• DNP — Doctor of Nursing Practice, the terminal clinical degree
• Nurse Educator / Nurse Administrator — leadership and academic roles

Timeline Summary

How Much Does It Cost to Become a Nurse?

Costs vary widely depending on your degree path and school type:

• ADN at a community college: $5,000–$20,000 total
• BSN at a public university (in-state): $40,000–$80,000 total
• BSN at a private university: $80,000–$200,000+ total
• Accelerated BSN (second degree): $30,000–$100,000 for 12–18 months

Compare tuition at specific schools in our most affordable nursing programs ranking.