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Registered Nurses

Typical education: Bachelor's degreeHigh pressure Bright Outlook

What they do

Assess patient health problems and needs, develop and implement nursing care plans, and maintain medical records. Administer nursing care to ill, injured, convalescent, or disabled patients. May advise patients on health maintenance and disease prevention or provide case management. Licensing or registration required.

Kinds of work

  • Social: Helping, teaching, caring for and supporting other people.
  • Investigative: Science, research, figuring out how things work and solving complex problems.
  • Conventional: Organizing information, following clear procedures and working with data and details.

High pressure: How much pressure workers in this job report: deadlines, conflict, dealing with upset people, the cost of mistakes, responsibility for others' safety, competition and long hours. It varies a lot from one employer to the next. Source: U.S. Department of Labor worker surveys.

Pay, tasks and more

Salary

United States $97,550 Median per year · $46.90/hr Most earn $68,940–$137,470

BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, 2025.

What you might do

  • Prepare patients for and assist with examinations or treatments.
  • Conduct specified laboratory tests.
  • Order, interpret, and evaluate diagnostic tests to identify and assess patient's condition.
  • Perform administrative or managerial functions, such as taking responsibility for a unit's staff, budget, planning, or long-range goals.
  • Perform physical examinations, make tentative diagnoses, and treat patients en route to hospitals or at disaster site triage centers.
  • Maintain accurate, detailed reports and records.

Job outlook

Bright Outlook Rapid Growth; Numerous Job Openings

United States
6% more jobs by 2035, faster than average · about 180,800 openings a year

Openings include new jobs and jobs left by workers who retire or change careers. Projections: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. "Bright Outlook": U.S. Department of Labor.

Where they work

  • General medical and surgical hospitals55.2%
  • Offices of physicians6.9%
  • Home healthcare services5.8%
  • Nursing care facilities (skilled nursing facilities)4.2%
  • Federal government, excluding postal service3.1%

Share of all workers in this career. Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, National Employment Matrix.

On-siteExperience before this job: 1 to 2 years

Career path

How people usually get into this career, from school to their first job and beyond.

Typical education: Bachelor's degreeExperience before this job: 1 to 2 years

Registered nursing usually requires a bachelor's degree and a state license, so you can't start straight out of high school. Most people finish about 4 years of college, pass the national licensing exam, and then spend their first year or two building hands-on experience.

  1. Nursing Assistant (optional first job)

    1-2 years

    Many people earn a nursing assistant certificate in a few months and work with patients while in school. This gives you real bedside experience and helps you decide if nursing is right for you.

  2. Bachelor's degree in nursing (BSN)

    4 years

    You take science classes like anatomy, microbiology, and chemistry, plus clinical rotations in hospitals and clinics. Finishing the degree makes you eligible to sit for the national licensing exam.

  3. Registered Nurse

    Starts after licensing; ongoing

    After passing the licensing exam and getting your state license, you start as an entry-level nurse. You assess patients, give care, keep records, and teach patients about their health.

Where it can lead

  1. Critical Care Nurse

    6 months to 1 year as a Registered Nurse of experience first

    You specialize in caring for very sick patients in intensive care units, which requires extra training and skills in fast decision-making.

  2. Nurse Practitioner

    1-2 years as a Registered Nurse of experience first

    You earn a master's degree and a national certification to diagnose conditions, treat patients, and prescribe medicine in many settings.

  3. Clinical Nurse Specialist

    2-4 years as a Registered Nurse of experience first

    You earn a master's degree to become an expert in a clinical area, guiding other nurses, improving patient care, and leading teaching or quality projects.

What you can do now

Ideas for high school and college students.

In high school

  • Take biology, chemistry, and anatomy if offeredThese science classes build the foundation you will need for nursing courses in college.
  • Volunteer at a hospital, clinic, or nursing homeHands-on time around patients shows you what the work is really like and looks great on applications.
  • Get first aid and CPR certificationMany schools and community groups offer these short courses, and they show you can stay calm in emergencies.
  • Join health-related clubs, like HOSA (Future Health Professionals) if your school has itClubs like this offer leadership roles, health skill events, and connections with working professionals.
  • Build strong study and communication habitsNursing school is demanding, and clear writing and speaking skills help you explain care to patients and teammates.

In college

  • Major in nursing or take prerequisite science coursesMost bachelor's nursing programs require anatomy, physiology, microbiology, and chemistry before you can enter the clinical part of the program.
  • Get a job as a nursing assistant, patient care tech, or medical scribePaid patient-facing work builds experience you can talk about in nursing school applications and job interviews.
  • Volunteer with a campus or community health groupHealth outreach, blood drives, or community clinics show you can work with different kinds of people and in real health settings.
  • Join a pre-nursing or health sciences student clubThese groups often offer mentoring from nursing students, guest speakers, and tips on applying to programs.
  • Prepare for the entrance exams and applications earlyMany nursing programs have competitive admission, so checking requirements, keeping your GPA strong, and asking for recommendations early helps a lot.

Tips for getting started

  • Ask a school nurse, hospital volunteer coordinator, or local nurse if you can shadow them for a day or two. Seeing the job up close is the best way to know if it fits you.
  • Work hard in biology, chemistry, and math now. These are the classes nursing programs check first, and strong grades help you get into a good program.
  • Look into nursing assistant or patient care jobs early. Paid bedside experience makes nursing school applications stronger and helps you learn if you enjoy caring for patients.

Related jobs that often lead here

Related jobs a step up

Education, experience and related careers: U.S. Department of Labor. The step-by-step path, where it can lead and what you can do now were written by AI as typical examples; many people take other ways.

College majors that lead here

Majors: U.S. Department of Education and BLS (CIP–SOC crosswalk). Earnings and debt: College Scorecard, typical across U.S. colleges.

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