How to Become a Registered Nurse (RN): A Step-by-Step Guide

Key takeaways

Registered nurses (RNs) provide care to patients and assist other health care professionals, such as physicians.

• Becoming an RN requires specialized training and licensure, which can lead to opportunities to earn an above-average salary and work in a profession that is likely to continue growing at a faster-than-average pace of 5 percent through 2034 [1].

• It typically takes four years to earn a Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN), though some schools offer a two- to three-year Associate of Science in Nursing (ASN). 

• You can become a registered nurse after earning a relevant degree or by completing a diploma program, which typically takes two to three years. Then, after passing the NCLEX-RN, you’ll need to either get licensed in your state or pursue multi-state licensure. 

If you want to enter an impactful health care career with a bright job outlook, then you might consider a career as a registered nurse. Learn what you need to do to become an RN, find out more about the profession, and explore its pay. Start preparing for a career in nursing with the Integrative Nursing Specialization from the University of Minnesota. You can gain skills in clinical assessment, patient care strategies, and symptom management. 

What do RNs do?

Registered nurses provide care for patients and support doctors or other medical professionals in their day-to-day duties. Some common tasks RNs perform include administering prescribed medications, inserting catheters, monitoring vital signs, creating patient care plans, and documenting patient information.

Where do nurses work?

RNs can work in a variety of settings, such as hospitals, doctors’ offices, travel clinics, nursing homes, schools, and even on airplanes. In effect, you’ll find many different types of RN, including psychiatric nurses who specialize in mental health work, flight nurses who work in helicopters and airplanes, and oncology nurses who specifically work with cancer patients.

Salary and job outlook

RNs make a higher-than-average salary in the United States and have a positive job outlook over the coming years.

According to the US BLS, the median annual pay for registered nurses was $93,600 as of May 2024 [1]. Among health care workers, registered nurses make up the largest group of employees in the health care system [2]. As a result, RNs make an annual salary that is comfortably higher than the median for all jobs in the United States, which the US BLS pinned at $49,500 during the same year [3].

Much like other health care professions, registered nurses can expect an increase in job openings over the next decade. The US BLS reports the number of job openings for RNs will likely grow by 5 percent between 2024 and 2034, resulting in approximately 166,100 new job openings each year [1].

Benefits

A higher-than-average salary and an in-demand skill set are just some of the perks of being a registered nurse. Consider some of the other benefits you can expect by joining this big-hearted, in-demand career:

• Fewer work shifts: Nurses don’t work a typical nine-to-five workday. Often, RNs work 12-hour shifts, three days per week, meaning that your time off can be spent doing other things you love, like being with family or enjoying a hobby.

• Job security: Hospitals and clinics are usually hiring nurses. This trend is likely to increase in the coming years.

• Flexibility: Nurses, like doctors, are essential nearly everywhere. While you may not hold a license or certification in other countries, you do have the option to do so, and working as a travel nurse can be a lucrative career.

• Active lifestyle: As a nurse, you’ll be on your feet often, rather than sitting at a desk all day. This can be a positive for those who prefer not to sit for eight hours a day.

• Making a difference: Nursing is all about helping people. If you’re a people person, then you might value this field of work where you’ll be able to have meaningful interactions with patients every day.

How to become a registered nurse

RNs are highly trained health care professionals tasked with helping patients and ensuring they receive the care they need. As a result, the path to becoming a registered nurse involves training, certification, and specialization.

Review what you can expect to do as you work toward joining this impactful health care career.

1. Complete an accredited nursing program.

To qualify for your nursing certification, you’ll need to first enroll in and complete a nursing program. If you’re wondering how long nursing school is, it takes anywhere from two to four years. Nursing programs help students prepare for a career in the field by covering such important topics as chemistry, psychology, anatomy, physiology, and applied learning courses, such as how to care for wounds.

In the United States, you’ll find three types of programs that you can take to qualify for the nursing exam. These programs are:

• Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN): An accredited bachelor’s degree is the most common degree for becoming a nurse today. Typically offered by colleges and universities, these programs usually take up to four years to complete. However, you can complete your program in less time if you already possess a nursing credential, such as an Associate Degree in Nursing. A BSN is often the most competitive degree for entry-level nursing positions and a requirement for becoming a more advanced nurse.

• Associate Degree in Nursing (ADN): Many technical and community colleges offer an associate degree in nursing, which typically takes two to three years to complete.

• Diploma program: ​​Diploma programs are the traditional way that many in the past joined the nursing profession. Though they are less common than BSNs and ADNs today, some hospitals do still offer nursing diploma programs, which typically take two to three years to complete.

Read more: How Hard Is Nursing School? Tips for Success

2. Take (and pass) the nurse licensing exam.

Once you’ve completed your coursework, you can register for the National Council Licensure Examination (NCLEX). Developed by the National Council of State Boards of Nursing (NCSBN), the NCLEX is the exam state regulatory boards use to determine whether candidates are ready to obtain a nursing license [4]. 

Many nurses-to-be take the NCLEX-RN one month after graduation. In order to take the exam, applicants must meet all the eligibility requirements and apply through their local nurse regulatory body. Afterward, candidates register on the Pearson VUE website or by phone, which generates an authorization email that provides test dates and information.

The NCLEX-RN costs $200 for the licensure registration fee in the US, but the organization charges fees for changing the type of exam, nursing regulatory body, or exam language [5]. Administered on the computer, the exam requires test takers to complete a minimum of 85 (out of 150) questions and can take up to five hours to finish. Topics covered on the test include safe and effective care environment, health promotion and maintenance, psychosocial integrity, and physiological integrity. 

To prepare for this important exam, applicants may want to take a practice exam, available on the NCSBN website. If you don’t pass the NCLEX-RN exam the first time, you must wait 45 days before you can take it again.

3. Get licensed where you want to practice.

After passing the NCLEX-RN exam, you will need to obtain a nursing license from the state in which you would like to practice. The exact requirements for obtaining licensure will vary from one state to another, so make sure to check with your state’s regulatory board to ensure that you meet all of them. If you hope to work in multiple states (or countries), you’ll need to be licensed in each state. 

Explore multi-state licensure

In 2018, the Nurse Licensure Compact (NLC) went into effect. This legislation allows RNs to have one multi-state license so that nurses can practice in person or through telehealth in up to 41 (and counting) states in the US [6].

Multi-state licensure is particularly helpful for travel nurses. Travel nurses can make a median total pay of $99,000 per year [7].

4. Grow in your practice with a specialization or an advanced degree.

After you become a registered nurse, you may want to specialize in a specific area or pursue an advanced degree. You can choose from several ways to gain the required training and qualifications you’ll need to advance your career:

Board certification: To qualify for board certification, RNs usually need two or more years of clinical experience in a specialty focus and to pass an exam. Popular specializations include oncology, pediatrics, neonatal, gerontology, cardiac nursing, and more. Earning certifications can give you a salary boost and help you become a more marketable nurse.

Advanced degree: To become an advanced practice registered nurse (APRN), such as a nurse practitioner or a clinical nurse leader, you’ll likely need to earn a master’s degree in nursing (MSN) or a Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP). Advancing and investing further in your education can lead to a substantial increase in your paycheck, while you might also achieve more fulfillment by progressing in your nursing career.

Explore our free resources for health care professionals

If you’re interested in expert guidance and no-fluff tips to help you build your skills, subscribe to our YouTube channel. You can also explore free career resources to learn new topics, explore emerging industries, and discover new opportunities:

• Watch on YouTube: Training AI in Healthcare: Careers That Shape the Future of Medicine 

• Build new skills: Food Science: What It Is and Types to Try 

• Take the quiz: Career Test: What Career is Right for Me Quiz? 

Whether you want to develop a new skill, get comfortable with an in-demand technology, or advance your abilities, keep growing with a Coursera Plus subscription. You’ll get access to over 10,000 flexible courses. 

Build job-ready skills with Coursera Plus

Start 7-day free trial

• 
• 
• 
• 

Start 7-day free trial