The Fastest Ways to Become a Nurse

Nurses are in demand, and the field offers many opportunities for career advancement, competitive pay, and job security.

You can launch your nursing career quickly – in as little as one year. Our guide introduces the quickest routes to a nursing career depending on your timeline, education, and career goals.

Program Length: One year

A licensed practical nurse (LPN) or licensed vocational nurse (LVN) program is the fastest way to become a nurse. (California and Texas use “LVN,” while the rest of the U.S. uses “LPN.”) LPNs and LVNs monitor patient vital signs, change bandages, insert catheters, provide basic care, and assist with tests, often in collaboration or under the supervision of a registered nurse (RN).

An LPN program is the fastest way to become a nurse, even though the scope of practice is more limited than that of an RN. In these one-year programs, you’ll strengthen clinical and patient care skills. After graduating, graduates must pass a licensing exam to earn their LPN or LVN license.

Once you’re working, you may advance your education and become an RN — a license that gives nurses a wider scope of practice.

If you’re eager to enter the nursing workforce, these programs are among the nation’s fastest if you want to earn your nursing credential sooner rather than later.

Program Length: 2-3 years

Nurse diploma programs prepare you for an RN license, making them one of the fastest ways to become an RN.

Compared to LPNs, these nursing professionals have more clinical responsibilities and autonomy. RNs often specialize in urgent care, pediatrics, cardiology, or emergency care. With a nurse diploma, you can take the NCLEX-RN exam.

While community colleges offer associate degree in nursing (ADN) programs, hospitals offer nurse diploma programs. Students receive a nursing diploma rather than a nursing degree. However, fewer nurses choose this option. In 2024, just 2,500 NCLEX-RN exam takers graduated from a nurse diploma program compared to 84,000 ADN graduates and more than 99,000 bachelor of science in nursing (BSN) graduates, according to the NCSBN.

Program Length: 2-3 years

ADN programs take 2-3 years, making them a good option if you want to enter the workforce quickly. Offered online and in-person, ADNs are among the most popular options for initial nurse licensure.

The typical curriculum in an ADN program includes courses in nursing principles, immunology, behavioral health, pharmacology, pediatrics, and geriatrics. Students also complete an average of 700 clinical hours. Graduates are eligible to take the NCLEX and become an RN.

ADN graduates work in hospitals, physicians’ offices, or other healthcare facilities. Career options include travel nurses, home health nurses, or community health nurses.

When ADN-prepared nurses want more responsibility and earning potential, they can enroll in a shortened RN-to-BSN program for additional training to increase their clinical skills and learn about nursing informatics, leadership, and research.

Program Length: 18-48 months

Accelerated BSN (ABSN) programs are pre-licensure programs that allow students to earn their BSN in less time than a traditional program.

ABSN programs are for individuals with a bachelor’s degree in a non-nursing field who want to earn a second degree and transition into nursing. This option is the fastest way to become an RN for career-change nurses.

Students can expect to complete rigorous courses, labs, and clinical placements or clinicals that train them to become RNs. Due to the program’s intensity, it is often not possible for students to work full time while enrolled.

However, online accelerated BSN programs can provide students with some flexibility. These programs allow you to complete your lectures and coursework online, with in-person clinicals and lab classes.

Nursing bridge programs help current nurses advance their education. If you’re already an LPN or RN, these bridge programs are the fastest way to level up your career.

Bridge programs build on your past education and experience, often at an accelerated pace. These nurse programs are typically designed for working professionals.

Program Length: 2-3 years

LPN-to-BSN programs prepare LPNs for greater responsibilities and more autonomy. Graduates can earn their RN license and qualify for BSN roles. These programs are offered online, in-person, and in a hybrid format, allowing students to continue to work as LPNs as they earn their BSN.

Becoming an RN by earning a BSN qualifies nurses to work in clinical settings administer medications, provide treatment, and educate patients. Some RNs can also fulfill nonclinical roles for research labs, pharmaceutical companies, and government agencies.

Unlike a traditional BSN program, a bridge program allows nurses to earn their degrees faster because of their previous nursing experience. For example, LPNs receive credit for their prior nursing classes before taking courses in biology, chemistry, anatomy and physiology, ethics, and statistics.

Program Length: 1-2 years

RNs-to-BSN bridge programs are designed for current RNs, helping nurses advance their education and specialize their careers. While traditional BSN programs take four years, RNs who enroll in a bridge program can earn a BSN in half the time.

Graduates of an RN-to-BSN program can qualify for positions in management, community health, research and informatics. They also have a shorter path to obtaining a master of science in nursing (MSN) or doctor of nursing practice (DNP) degree and working as advanced practice registered nurses (APRNs).

These registered nurse programs incorporate courses on pharmacology, ethics, leadership, and management. Upper-division classes develop the skills and knowledge to handle more complex responsibilities.

These programs offer online, in-person, or hybrid enrollment, and many offer part-time options. Many employers offer RNs tuition reimbursement or remission to help pay for their nursing degrees if they work for that employer for a certain amount of time.

After earning a nursing degree or diploma, you’ll qualify for entry-level jobs within a few months. Most nursing programs incorporate NCLEX preparation, and some graduates take the NCLEX a few weeks after graduation, while others may wait longer due to transcript release, background checks, or personal preference. Test-takers typically take their exam within 45 days after graduation.

The process for earning your license depends on your state’s licensing requirements. Before registering for the NCLEX, you’ll submit an application to your state board of nursing. After you take the NCLEX, you’ll receive official results within six weeks of your test date. However, many candidates and future employers access unofficial results through the NCLEX quick results service for a fee. Most states issue your license soon after you pass the NCLEX, as fingerprinting, background checks, and official transcript requirements are met before allowing you to take the test. However, processing times vary by state.

Your final step is finding a job as a new nurse. The time it takes to start work depends on your specialty, work setting, and geographic location. After gaining work experience as a nurse, you can earn a higher degree to advance your career.