Is Nursing School Worth It?

Any major life decision can be a tough call to make, like the decision to head back to school because you want to make a change from your first career. If you’re thinking about becoming a nurse, you will also have a lot of questions to consider. Is nursing school worth it? Are accelerated nursing programs worth it? Is it necessary to go back to school for four more years to become a nurse?

Ultimately, only you can decide whether becoming a nurse is right for you, but there are quite a few compelling reasons why you might decide to go back to school. Furthermore, you should know that it’s not always necessary to spend four years on earning a nursing degree. You could be helping people in your community much sooner than you’d think!

At CSP Global, we focus on making our 16-month Accelerated Bachelor of Science in Nursing (ABSN) program worth it for our students. After earning a BSN and passing the NCLEX-RN, our students can go on to pursue fulfilling careers and achieve their professional goals while enjoying strong earning potential.

Is Nursing School Worth It for You? 6 Factors to Consider

Nursing school offers a new beginning for your career—a chance to start over and focus your career on making a meaningful difference in the lives of others. People who are hospitalized or otherwise in need of care can benefit from a sympathetic ear and a compassionate touch. You could give them what they need during a challenging time in their life.

Beyond the ability to make a positive difference in the world, is nursing a good career in other aspects, like job prospects and salary potential? Consider the following factors.

1. High Demand for RNs

The healthcare field has long enjoyed robust job growth, and this is expected to continue. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), the job growth rate for registered nurses (RNs) is expected to be 6% from 2021 to 2031, as fast as average. This indicates that healthcare employers expect to hire about 195,400 new nurses through this time period. Furthermore, as of 2021, the BLS reports that the median annual salary for RNs was $77,600.

2. Healthcare Employers Prefer BSN-Prepared Nurses

There are a few paths a person might take to become an RN. For example, you could earn an Associate Degree in Nursing (ADN), which is a two-year degree, or a Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN), which is traditionally a four-year degree. Alternatively, you could enroll in CSP Global’s ABSN program to earn your BSN in as few as 16 months. So, are accelerated nursing programs worth it?

Healthcare employers generally prefer to hire BSN-prepared nurses over ADN-prepared nurses because having a BSN offers certain advantages, both for patients and for the nurses. A few of these advantages include:

• More job opportunities with healthcare employers
• Job stability and long-term career growth
• Higher salary
• Improved patient outcomes
• Advancement and leadership roles
• Options for competitive nursing specialties
• Ability to work in Magnet hospitals and U.S. military branches
• Eligibility to pursue advanced nursing degrees

These are just a few of the reasons why your answer to the question, “Is nursing school worth it?” might be “Yes!”

3. A Wide Range of Career Paths

Nursing offers more versatile employment opportunities than non-nurses might realize. Yes, many nurses do indeed work in hospitals and outpatient physician’s offices, but there is a diverse range of workplace settings to choose from. If you have an adventurous spirit, for example, you might look for employment aboard a cruise ship. If you love working with children, consider becoming a school nurse. Other alternative work options include:

• Travel nurse
• Emergency air transport nurse
• Forensics nurse
• Telemedicine nurse
• Home health nurse
• Hospice nurse

In short, there are plenty of choices that await you after graduating from nursing school.

4. Opportunities for Career Advancement

Another reason why nursing is a great career is the wealth of opportunities for specialization and career advancement. With just a BSN and your nursing license, you can choose from a range of specialty areas, such as oncology, pediatrics or dialysis. If you decide to go back to school to earn your Master of Science in Nursing (MSN) degree, you might pursue a supervisory role as a nurse manager, nurse educator or a healthcare administrator.

If you’d like to climb the ladder, but continue to provide direct patient care, you might decide to earn your PhD and conduct original research studies to generate new knowledge that benefits patients and nurses. You could also decide to complete Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) degree and obtain board certification in a specialty area to become an advanced practice registered nurse (APRN). APRNs are highly knowledgeable, well-trained clinicians capable of providing advanced care. The four main types of APRNs are:

• Certified nurse midwife (CNM)
• Certified registered nurse anesthetist (CRNA)
• Clinical nurse specialist (CNS)
• Nurse practitioner (NP)

Within those four main categories, there are opportunities for further specialization.

5. Nursing School Provides Experiential Learning Opportunities

Nursing school doesn’t only provide access to nursing theory coursework. You’ll also complete experiential learning components, which enable you to practice real nursing skills until you master them.

Nursing Skills Labs

Skills labs take place at our ABSN sites in either St. Paul, Minnesota or Portland, Oregon. During the skills lab experience, you’ll get the chance to practice your learned skills and techniques on your own with the supervision and input of your nursing instructor.

Clinical Learning Experiences

Clinical experiences allow you to prepare to practice in simulation and clinical settings. At CSP Global, ABSN students begin experiential learning during their first semester.

Through clinical learning experiences, you’ll gain confidence as a student nurse and become more prepared to practice as a professional nurse.

6. Nursing School Helps You Achieve Your Goals

Investing in a high-quality ABSN program like ours at CSP Global will set you up to achieve your professional goals, like earning licensure by passing the NCLEX. Every aspiring nurse needs to pass this exam in order to obtain a nursing license. The ABSN curriculum and experiential learning components will prepare you to sit for the NCLEX.

Furthermore, nursing school can open up a world of possibilities. You’ll have the opportunity to explore a range of practice areas so that you can choose the specialty that best fits your interests. You’ll also be able to forge professional connections, both with members of your nursing cohort and during clinical rotations at nearby hospitals. A rewarding, successful career as a nurse with the opportunity to take on leadership roles makes the 16 months of nursing school worth it.

Begin Your Nursing Journey With CSP Global

For our ABSN students, the accelerated nursing program is worth it because it gives them an impactful career through which they can support their families and contribute to the care of their community. With the ABSN, you can access quality nursing education and graduate with your degree in less time.

Through online learning, nursing labs and clinical learning experiences, students can develop their skills and become practice-ready nurses in as few as 16 months.

If you’re ready to start your future as a registered nurse, reach out to our team of admissions advisors today.