Bachelor of Science in Nursing Salary

Those who have the Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) title comprise the largest health care occupation, and are one of the occupations projected by the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) to experience the greatest job growth during the 2008-2018 period. With job growth predicted to be at a whopping 22 percent more than half a million new jobs could be created during this time period.

Bachelor of Science in Nursing Salary and Advancement Opportunities

With a Bachelor of Science in Nursing degree, salary increases and potential for advancement are generally improved over RNs with an associate's degree or diploma. According to a 2010 survey of almost 7,000 nurses conducted by The Association of periOperative Registered Nurses (AORN), those with only associate's degrees earned base annual salaries that were, on average, $1,000 less than those with four-year degrees. Meanwhile, salaries tended to increase with educational level. The base annual salaries went up by $2,100 for those with master's degrees in nursing. According to this study, the BSN salary is generally higher than that for only a diploma or an associate's degree.

Additionally, the percentage of registered nurses with bachelor's degrees who held advanced positions, such as nurse manager, director, or administrator, was higher than that of those with diplomas or associate's degrees. These titles generally translate to higher salaries. For example, the average salary for a staff nurse at a small facility (with 10 or fewer operating rooms) was $65,400, while the salary for a nurse manager was $78,200.

Mean annual wages for registered nurses in 2009 were $66,530, or $30.65 per hour, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. General medical and surgical hospitals were the employers paying the highest wages at $67,740.