How Long Is Nursing School? Breakdown by Degree and Type of Nurse

While nursing diplomas offer one of the shortest pathways to RN licensure, they are much less common than other RN programs. While you can complete these programs in as little as one year, most nursing diploma programs only run through hospitals and hospital-based nursing schools. According to NSSRN data, only 4% of RNs hold a nursing diploma as their highest level of education.

Still, if you earn your nursing diploma, you can take the NCLEX-RN exam, the national licensing examination for RNs.

An ADN program usually takes two years to complete. Once you graduate, you qualify to take the NCLEX-RN. About 44% of RNs start their careers with an ADN, according to 2018-2022 data from the National Center for Health Workforce Analysis (NCHWA).

This program does not do as good a job preparing you for leadership positions as a BSN or MSN, but if you wish to pursue higher-level positions, you can often use transfer credits from your ADN program to pursue an MSN degree.

More than 2.2 million RNs hold a BSN, a degree that typically takes four years to complete. However, ADN graduates and current RNs can use their previous education and experience to accelerate their BSN program.

The BSN curriculum includes more topics and depth than the ADN curriculum and prepares you for an MSN program.

Unlike BSN programs, MSN programs typically feature specializations that prepare you for specialized careers including a certified nurse-midwife (CNM) or nurse practitioner (NP). Still, according to the NCHWA, 16% of RNs hold a master’s degree but not an APRN license.

MSN programs typically take two years to complete for full-time students with a BSN, but RN-to-MSN programs take around three years.

Once you graduate, you will be eligible to take the appropriate board certification exam for your chosen specialty.

The highest possible degree for nursing practice (terminal degree), the DNP usually takes 3-5 years to complete. If you have an MSN or significant experience, you may qualify for transfer credits or a bridge program to accelerate this timeline.

Only 14% of APRNs hold a doctorate, reports the NCHWA, but many nursing organizations now advise changing the minimum education requirements from an MSN to a DNP. In fact, the certified registered nurse anesthetist (CRNA) requirements have already changed, and new CRNAS must have a doctorate by 2025.

While rare, some RNs (2%) have a doctorate as their highest level of nursing education.

The minimum requirement for a registered nurse is an associate degree, which takes about two years for full-time students to complete. LPNs must complete a state-approved program, which may take only one year to complete for full-time students.

Nursing school can challenge students, particularly the complex terminology and the rigor of the programs. However, the material does get easier once you build the foundational knowledge. You still need to dedicate yourself to the program to handle the intensity of your studies, labs, and clinical experiences.

Studying for nursing school can help get you through the difficult foundation-building period of the program, but there’s no prescribed length of time you should dedicate to this. Consider taking biology, chemistry, and other sciences in high school to set yourself up for the program. Additional training in the fundamentals like anatomy and physiology can also help.