The BSN Advantage: Why a BSN in Nursing Is Important

Registered nursing is a truly noble pursuit. As an RN, you can have a profound impact on patients’ lives and the healthcare sector at large. Your clinical expertise, attention to detail, and empathy allow you to advocate for your patients, alleviating suffering while promoting healthy lifestyles and an all-around positive experience navigating the healthcare system.

Now, imagine if you could dial up these already impressive outcomes. Through on-going skill development and exposure to research-backed frameworks, you may deliver measurable improvements in patient health, comfort, and satisfaction, all while elevating your own career prospects.

You can build on your nursing career with a Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) — a respected degree that conveys passion and credibility. This degree is not strictly necessary to become an RN, but it is often recommended, to the point that industry leaders view the degree as indispensable. After all, numerous studies and surveys show that both RNs and patients benefit from baccalaureate training.numerous studies and surveys show that both RNs and patients benefit from baccalaureate training.

Not sure how to approach education as a registered nurse? Once you’ve observed the dramatic benefits of earning your BSN, you will be eager to enroll. Below, we explain why a BSN (Bachelor of Science in Nursing) is important and how nursing degrees at Bryant & Stratton College can support you on your path to nursing excellence.

What Is a BSN Degree?

The Bachelor of Science in Nursing, or BSN, is a four-year, undergraduate nursing degree, largely focused on evidence-based research but also delving into nursing specializations, along with aligned areas such as public health and informatics. These concepts grant nurses a richer understanding of the evolving healthcare landscape and the unique role they can play in advocating for patients.

Like the associate degree in nursing (ADN), the BSN can provide a pathway for becoming an RN. While the ADN focuses on foundational health knowledge and clinical skill development, the BSN encourages deeper reflection through research-focused coursework. This degree helps RNs apply theoretical knowledge in nursing practice, providing critical frameworks for integrating complex research into patient care.

Why a BSN in Nursing Is Important: Why Get Your BSN?

There exist numerous paths to success in registered nursing. One common approach: earning an ADN, promptly followed by taking the NCLEX-RN exam and entering the workforce as a registered nurse. At this point, ADN graduates are qualified to provide direct patient care within the established RN scope of practice.

The ADN may provide a strong starting point, but it can ultimately prove limiting if not accompanied by additional degrees or credentials. BSN degrees take nurses to a whole new level, driving specialized skill development, professional credibility, and personal confidence. Top advantages of BSN programs include:

1. Higher Salary Potential

Earnings vary considerably across the broad spectrum of registered nursing, with education representing just one factor in a wide range of elements that determine pay and benefits. Earnings also depend on experience, geographic location, and specialization.

A bachelor’s degree can definitely help, however. Data compiled by Payscale indicates that those with their BSN earn higher average annual salaries compared to nurses with their ADN. This can be a launching point for nurse management roles, too, with American Nurse Journal providing more detailed insights into earnings.

2. More Competitive Resume

There are many ways to make a nursing resume stand out, but strong academic credentials provide one of the most significant boosts. While employers also examine experience, objective statements, and certifications, a bachelor’s degree provides an easy way to assess nurses’ commitment to professional development.

This indicator can accelerate the job search and hiring process, as evidenced by findings from the American Association of Colleges of Nursing (AACN). Results from a 2023 survey indicate an impressive six-month post-graduation job placement rate of 96% for entry-level BSN graduates, suggesting that the vast majority of those who entered the workforce with their BSN quickly scored appealing job offers.

3. Nurses Still in Demand

Many nurses cite strong (and enduring) demand as a chief reason for entering the field; they like knowing not only that they are likely to find work after graduation but also that their role will continue to spark demand far into the future.

Simply put, there will always be a steady flow of patients, and these patients will always need attentive, high-quality care. This fundamental need for care extends beyond the economic factors that tend to drive demand in other sectors.

Studies suggest that this demand existed decades ago — and, looking to the future, projections indicate that the need for highly trained RNs will remain strong in the years to come. While the demand for capable RNs remains consistently strong, expectations surrounding RN training have been shifting for some time, with broad trends suggesting an overall movement toward evidence-based practice, which, in turn, calls for higher education.

Demand for RNs and BSN RNs

A Health Workforce Analysis published by the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) indicates an anticipated shortage of 78,610 full-time RNs in 2025, with additional projections suggesting that, by 2036, demand for RNs will exceed supply by 9%.

While demand for RNs is strong across the board, this is especially noteworthy for BSN-trained RNs. AACN insights suggest that this is an outright requirement among a significant share of employers, and, even when this degree is not listed as a strict requirement, more than 70% of healthcare employers reveal a strong preference for hiring BSN graduates.

Even More Demand for APRNs

Earning a BSN represents a key step toward eventually obtaining a Master of Science in Nursing (MSN) and qualifying to become an advanced practice registered nurse (APRN) or a nurse practitioner (NP).

While demand is high among BSN-trained RNs, there is an even stronger need for APRNs and NPs — roles increasingly cited as key to alleviating the costs and high demands placed on today’s physicians.

Data compiled by the American Association of Nurse Practitioners (AANP) shows considerable momentum in hiring for NPs, with AANP President Stephen A. Ferrara explaining that this demand is largely driven by “the growth of an aging population and the continued shortage of primary health care providers.”

BSN degrees provide valuable preparation for aspiring NPs and APRNs, including a crucial introduction to evidence-based practice along with valuable insights into clinical decision-making and patient-centered care.

4. BSN Degrees Are More Common in Nursing

Insights from HRSA’s National Sample Survey of Registered Nurses (NSSRN) show that over 45% of RNs hold a BSN by the time they enter the workforce and seek initial licensure, while 29.1% of RNs seek bachelor’s degrees after entering the workforce at the associate level.

In the past, when fewer nurses earned their BSN, this degree felt like the ultimate competitive edge, helping them stand out in a sea of ADN-trained applicants. Now that this degree is more common, it is beginning to feel more like a necessity. Thus, these days, many nurses are intentional about their desire to earn a BSN from the get-go.

5. Better Patient Care and Outcome

While occupational concerns (such as demand and earning potential) warrant attention, many nurses draw on other sources of inspiration when pursuing their BSN — including a deeply held desire to expand their skills and knowledge and, in doing so, improve both patient outcomes and patient satisfaction.

A growing body of research indicates that BSN-trained nurses can even save more lives. Insights published in Nursing Outlook indicate that, in facilities with higher proportions of BSN-prepared nurses, rates of inpatient surgical mortality are significantly lower.

Healthcare Accessibility

Today’s nurses are passionate about improving access to care. Their contributions may include alleviating challenges stemming from physician shortages, intuitively understood as problematic and also quantified in findings from the Association of American Medical Colleges (AAMC).

These shortages are especially significant in primary care, although, as the AAMC points out, it remains unclear the extent to which “more care might be provided in the future by specialists that historically was provided by generalists.” Across specializations, these shortages could prompt delays in care, along with limited doctor-patient interactions and overall decreases in preventative care.

BSN-trained nurses can help alleviate the worrisome effects of such shortages by contributing to the big picture of patient education and chronic disease management — areas that, due to current constraints, physicians may not be able to fully address. The BSN can also provide a valuable step toward graduate-level training, ultimately allowing APRNs and NPs to take on some of the functions fulfilled by physicians; it is often within the NP’s scope of practice to diagnose patients, for example.

6. Personal Job Satisfaction

Nurses at all levels take great pride in their work, with many reporting strong satisfaction tied to the deep sense of purpose they gain through caring for others. Simply put, RNs know that their work matters — and despite the day-to-day challenges of nursing, intrinsic benefits make it all feel worthwhile.

Studies suggest that RNs with their bachelor’s degree show even stronger satisfaction than their ADN-trained counterparts. This may stem from reduced stress on the job, along with higher job security and increased opportunities for growth or autonomy.

7. In-Depth Education and Skills

While the long-term results of earning a BSN are worth examining, the academic journey itself can be incredibly rewarding. BSN students find their coursework fascinating — especially higher-level classes that delve into cutting-edge research or explore the ethical facets of the nursing field.

Students enrolled in RN-BSN bridge programs enjoy seeing classroom concepts take shape in real-world healthcare facilities, where they can immediately leverage the various advanced skills they gain through their in-depth studies.

8. Additional Career Path Options

A BSN can open the door to desirable roles, including both compelling nursing specializations as well as opportunities that extend beyond the scope of clinical care. For example, the BSN typically represents the minimum education required to move into leadership positions such as nurse manager. This degree can also help data-driven nurses break into promising areas such as nursing informatics.

9. Prepare for Future Career Growth

While many nurses are happy to complete their education at the baccalaureate level, the BSN also represents a key step toward graduate-level training. These days, a growing share of BSN graduates go on to earn additional degrees, including not only the aforementioned MSN but also the Doctorate of Nursing Practice (DNP). This can open the door to leadership roles while granting nurses greater influence over the industry at large.

10. Increased Nursing Autonomy

RNs work under the supervision of physicians or nurse practitioners. Depending on their scope of practice, though, they may enjoy considerable autonomy: the ability to independently administer treatments, develop care plans, and educate patients while exercising advanced clinical judgment.

As RNs, ADN and BSN-prepared nurses technically maintain the same scope of practice, but those with higher levels of education are more likely to be granted greater responsibility. This includes the chance to make meaningful decisions regarding clinical care, plus opportunities to contribute to the big picture of healthcare via advocacy and public health initiatives.

11. BSN Requirements: Future-Proof Your Nursing Career

As you plan your dream nursing career path, be mindful of the numerous requirements that are now more likely to include baccalaureate training. These exist among both top employers and, in select cases, at the governmental level.

Hospital Requirements

About 70% of employers express a strong preference for BSN holders, while one-quarter of hospitals require it for new hires.

With bachelor’s degrees required for especially demanding RN jobs, this preference is most evident in specialty care and in high-stakes environments such as intensive care units or emergency departments. In these highly charged settings, advanced clinical judgment is vital.

This push for higher education among hospital nurses is most evident based on the American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC) Magnet Recognition Program, which encourages hospitals to increase the proportion of BSN-trained nurses through strategic hiring decisions or via ongoing training opportunities.

New York’s ‘BSN in 10’

For many nurses, pursuing a BSN is optional, albeit strongly recommended. However, in some locations, this is not a matter of if, but when. The prime example? New York, where registered nursing is strongly impacted by a law known as the BSN in 10.

Reflecting a broader push for higher-level training in registered nursing, New York’s BSN in 10 mandates that RNs earn baccalaureate degrees within ten years of their initial licensure. There, BSN advantages extend beyond demand, salary, or specializations to include the simple ability to continue serving as a registered nurse.

12. Various Options for Achieving Your BSN Degree Goals

By now, you should be able to clarify: Why get your BSN? Finding your why is essential, but next, you need to find a viable pathway to earning this valuable degree. A key consideration is pursuing your BSN pre- or post-licensure. There is no singular correct path, but BS&C offers a wide range of nursing degree programs to accommodate the diverse needs and preferences of today’s RNs.

Pursue BSN While Working as an RN: RN to BSN

Many RNs enter the workforce equipped with their ADN, completing BSN coursework after they are exposed to the realities of registered nursing. This approach can be appealing in that it allows incremental advancements, often via online classes, that may feel less intimidating to today’s busy working student.

This RN to BSN pathway can still provide academic continuity, as many students complete their diplomas and associate degrees through the same colleges that later help them earn their bachelor’s degrees.

This knowledge has certainly influenced B&SC nursing alum Dominique Edwards, who is a proud two-time graduate having earned both her nursing diploma and her ADN at the Bryant & Stratton College Richmond campus. Dominique acknowledges that she took “baby steps” toward becoming an RN but remains committed to professional development. She views the process of earning her BSN as a “personal goal that will open other doors for networking and officially becoming a Certified Pediatric Nurse.”

Bachelor of Science in Nursing Degree Programs

If you have big goals for your nursing future and want to streamline your path into specialized or higher-level roles, it may be worth your while to complete your BSN pre-licensure. This accelerated pathway introduces you to foundational concepts and evidence-based practice, helping you develop a distinct blend of clinical and soft skills. Following graduation, you may enjoy access to a wide range of nursing opportunities.

Due to differences in state laws and requirements, Bryant & Stratton College offers two bachelor’s level nursing degrees for those who are not already working as an RN. For students in (or looking to work in) the State of New York, we offer a NY-specific BS Degree in Nursing. For future nurses in Ohio or Wisconsin, we offer a BS Nursing Generalist degree at select campuses in those states.

Start Your BSN Journey Today!

No matter if you’re just beginning your journey to becoming a nurse or looking to elevate your skills and expand your impact, you can benefit greatly from earning your Bachelor of Science in Nursing. Bryant & Stratton College encourages you to achieve your full potential as an RN while discovering the personal and professional benefits of a BSN degree.

At Bryant & Stratton College, we offer multiple programs that cater to your professional goals and interests. Improve your nursing versatility with our BS Nursing Generalist program in Ohio & Wisconsin or BS Degree in Nursing in New York, which helps you thrive in numerous healthcare settings. Are you already a proud RN? Continue to advance in your career through our online RN to BSN bridge program.