If you’re considering a career as a nurse, you might be wondering how much money you can expect to make. The answer depends on a few factors—such as where your nursing degree was from and what kind of job experience you have. If you’re considering getting your BSN and going back to school, it’s good to know that there are plenty of high-paying opportunities available for nurses who hold bachelor’s degrees. Here are some examples:

Nursing With Bachelor’s Degree Salary

1. The average salary for a registered nurse with a bachelor’s degree is about $73,000 per year.

The average salary for a registered nurse with a bachelor’s degree is about $73,000 per year. This number represents the median salary for all nurses with bachelor’s degrees in 2015, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS). The average annual salary for registered nurses without such a degree was about $67,000 that same year.

Nurses with master’s degrees earn an even higher salary than those who hold just bachelor’s degrees: on average, they can expect to make around $80,000 each year.

2. The average starting salary for new nurses with a bachelor’s degree was just over $48,000.

The average starting salary for new nurses with a bachelor’s degree was just over $48,000. New nurses with an associate’s degree, meanwhile, earned about $43,000 in their first year on the job. And those who graduated from diploma programs earned around $37,000.

The overall average salary for all active registered nurses was $71,500 as of May 2016—a figure that has risen steadily over the past decade.

3. RNs with BSNs in the state of California had an average annual salary of $96,000.

In the state of California, RNs with BSNs had an average annual salary of $96,000. The average starting salary for new nurses with a bachelor’s degree was just over $48,000. Nurses with a master’s degree earned an average of $87,000 per year and those with PhDs earned about $100,000 annually.

While it is true that the cost of earning a nursing degree can be high, in most cases it is worth the investment when you consider what you will earn as a nurse. For example:

• A registered nurse (RN) who earns her Bachelor’s Degree could increase her annual income by more than $26K immediately after graduation!
• A registered nurse (RN) who earns her Master’s Degree could increase her annual income by more than $30K immediately after graduation!

4. New Jersey’s nurses with BSNs received an average annual salary of about $90,000.

Your average salary as a nurse in New Jersey is $90,000.

The National Average: $67,903

The National Average for BSNs: $79,147 (Source)

International Salary Range:

United Kingdom—$57,927-$85,000 (Source)

Canada—$62,873-$92,000 (Source)

5. In Hawaii, nurses with BSNs are paid an average of nearly $85,000 per year.

In Hawaii, nurses with BSNs are paid an average of nearly $85,000 per year. The average starting salary for nurses with BSNs in Hawaii is $49,865 and the average salary for nurses with BSNs in Hawaii is $84,865.

6. Washington state paid their nurses with BSNs an average salary of just under $84,000 annually.

Washington state paid their nurses with BSNs an average salary of just under $84,000 annually. This is slightly higher than the national average, which was $76,485 as of May 2018. The average salary for nurses in Washington state without a bachelor’s degree was just over $60,000 per year.

Nurses in other states are also earning more than they did before they gained their associate’s degrees in nursing or registered nurse (RN) degrees. According to one study cited by the American Association of Colleges of Nursing (AACN), “the median income for RNs employed full time increased by about 12 percent between 2000 and 2010—from $50,455 to $57,389.”

7. Nevada’s nurses with bachelor’s degrees were paid an average annual wage of almost $83,000 per year.

The average annual salary for Nevada nurses with bachelor’s degrees was $82,000.

For every year of experience a nurse has, they earn an average of $3,000 more per year. For example, if someone had worked as a nurse for 17 years and then retired at the age of 65, their total income would be around $1 million.

A nurse needs to have a minimum of 2 years experience before they can apply for this license. The cost is $150 and must be renewed every two years. You may also need to attend additional classes in order to keep your license up-to-date and current with all required training requirements that are set by the State Nurse Practice Act (NPA).

8. Bachelor-degreed nurses in Alaska were paid an average wage of $78,000 per year.

The average salary for nurses with a bachelor’s degree in Alaska was $78,000 per year. This is higher than the national average, but it’s not as high as the other states listed. In contrast to Alaska’s high cost of living and wages, Louisiana has the lowest cost of living and lowest wages among these states.

To see how your state stacks up against others in terms of both cost of living index (COLI) score and nursing salaries, use this interactive map that uses Bureau of Labor Statistics data:

9. Nurses who want to earn high salaries should consider earning their bachelor’s degree.

If you’re interested in earning a high salary and working in a career with plenty of opportunities for advancement, consider nursing with a bachelor’s degree. Nurses who earn their bachelor’s degrees are not only able to earn higher salaries on average than those who only possess an associate’s degree, but they also have more flexibility in their schedule, better benefits packages and job security.

If you’re looking for a fulfilling career that offers stability and growth potential without sacrificing personal time or your paycheck, consider pursuing nursing with your bachelor’s degree as opposed to just getting an associate’s.

Closing

If you’re interested in becoming a nurse, it’s important to know that you can make a good living with this career. The average wage for nurses with bachelor’s degrees is $73,000 per year. This means that if you want to earn more money, getting your bachelor’s degree is definitely worth it!