A 2010 report by the Oregon Center for Nursing projects that the supply of nurses will fail to meet demand by 2020. Online nursing schools in Oregon and campus-based programs provide tomorrow's registered nurses and licensed practical nurses with the skills they need to enter the growing field of health care.

Nursing careers in Oregon

With over 3.8 million residents, Oregon grew faster than the national average between 2000 and 2010, according to the U.S. Census Bureau. Compared to the U.S. average, more Oregonians held bachelor's degrees or higher, counting the number of persons aged 25 or over in 2009, which implies that education is a must in this job market. More state residents were 65 years old or above, compared to the U.S. in general, and this could suggest an ongoing need for health care services.

The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reports that Oregon RNs earned a mean annual wage of $75,350 in 2010, higher than the national figure of $67,720. Licensed practical and licensed vocational nurses in the state earned a 2010 mean yearly salary of $45,370, which was above the U.S. rate of $41,360. For comparison, Oregon workers in all occupations earned a mean annual wage of $43,550 as of May 2010, per BLS data.

Oregon nursing schools, online and on-campus

For students working full time or living in remote areas, the flexible scheduling of virtual classes can make RN, LVN or LPN training a reality. While distance learning allows students to complete coursework from home, the hands-on nature of the profession often demands some degree of clinical or lab training on campus or through a participating local teaching hospital or medical center.

The state is home to a wide variety of nursing programs, and the Oregon State Board of Nursing counts 16 associate degree programs just for RNs. As one example of Oregon nursing schools online, Linfield-Good Samaritan School of Nursing in Portland offers an online RN-to-BSN program.