RN vs LPN Salary
If you're an LPN seeking to advance your career, you may be thinking of getting an RN degree. With your years in the healthcare field, becoming an RN can be an exciting and fulfilling prospect for you, but how much is an RN degree really worth?
Once you achieve your RN, you can expect a higher salary, more benefits, and greater job stability. In fact, the average salary for RNs was $92,702 in 2022, compared to the $59,916 annually that LPNs made.
What Factors Affect RN Salaries?
How much you get paid as an RN depends on different factors:
- Education
- Specialty
- Workplace
- Location
These four factors can make a huge difference in your earning power. For example, an RN that works at a hospital and an RN that works at a school may have different salaries. The state you plan to practice in can also affect your pay.
Not all nursing careers are paid equally! If you're looking to advance your career in nursing, you're probably wondering which types of nurses earn the highest salary.
- Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetist - $189,190
- Nursing Administrator - $118,800
- Nurse Midwife - $115,540
- Nurse Practitioner - $114,510
- Clinical Nurse Specialist - $106,028
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What do RNs do?
What you will do as an RN will be dependent on your nursing specialty and job setting. However, all nurses must have strong critical thinking skills and work closely with doctors and other healthcare staff. Some typical duties of nurses include, but is not limited to:
- Assist with examinations and procedures
- Administer medication and observe for reactions or side effects
- Perform assessments and diagnostic tests
- Monitor and document changes in client status
- Communicate with providers, obtain, and record orders
- Supervise LPNs, CNAs, and other staff
- Obtain and record client medical histories
- Educate and counsel patients and their families
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What is the job outlook for RNs?
Are you an LPN looking to get your RN? The great news is there's no better time than the present. Job growth for RNs is growing much quicker than in other occupations. By 2028, nursing jobs will grow 12%, with 371,500 more jobs added.
Part of the reason for this growth is America's aging population. Older adults tend to have more medical conditions like diabetes and dementia. Nurses are needed to educate and provide care for these types of clients in a variety of settings. Nursing job growth in long-term care facilities, in particular, is expected to grow. Residential care, outpatient services, and home health care will be in demand.
Pay Difference Between ADN or BSN
Perhaps the factors that influence how much you can make as an RN the most are the degree you hold and your years of experience as an RN. Nurses can work as RNs with either a two-year Associate Degree in Nursing (ADN) or a four-year Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) degree.
The most significant influence on the amount of money you can make as an RN is your degree and the years of experience you have in nursing. You can either get an Associate Degree in Nursing, an ADN or get a Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN). ADN programs usually take two years, and BSN programs usually take four, but you can earn your degree up to 1.5 years faster with accelerated programs, like the one offered by Achieve Test Prep.
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It is often the case that jobs that require more responsibility and offer better pay require a BSN. But in other cases, your experience will determine your salary.
Besides an increased salary, a BSN allows you to work in management and leadership roles. With a BSN, you can have titles such as nurse manager or charge nurse. Your degree can even allow you to take on more administrative roles like being a director of nursing.
If you're already an LPN, you may want to consider an LPN-to-RN program. LPN-to-RN bridge programs build on your existing education and experience and put you on to a higher salary.
Of course, money isn't the only motive for advancing your nursing career. Nurses also enjoy a better reputation and more goodwill than any other profession. According to a recent Gallup poll, 84% of Americans believe nurses are more honest and have higher ethical standards than any other profession. For many LPNs, getting an RN is an opportunity to better serve the communities they love.
If you're a CNA, LPN, or other healthcare professional looking to advance your career, Achieve Test Prep can help.
Achieve Test Prep is a college bridge program that helps you earn college credits using Credit-by-Exam. Instead of taking a 16-week course with Credit-by-Exam, you can test out of your nursing prerequisite courses in as few as 4-6 weeks. We provide online exam prep courses and 1-on-1 tutoring by seasoned instructors to increase your likelihood of passing your exam and earning college credits.
Are you interested in learning more? Contact one of our educational advisors today.
