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

LPN/LVN programs are the fastest nursing degree paths and take between 12-18 months to complete. LPNs and LVNs are responsible for providing basic patient care and performing duties under the supervision of RNs or doctors. They are often the quickest path into a nursing career but do not lead to RN licensure. However, LPNs can become RNs later in their careers by completing an accelerated BSN program.

Once you complete the LPN/LVN program, you qualify to take the National Council Licensure Examination (NCLEX) for Practical Nurses, a national examination that tests your knowledge.

LPNs and LVNs only differ by name and state usage. Texas and California use the term LVN, while all other states use the term LPN.

While nursing diplomas offer one of the shortest pathways to RN licensure, they are less common than other RN programs. While you can complete these programs in as little as one year, most nursing diplomas 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.

Once 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 the 2018-2022 data from the National Center for Health Workforce Analysis (NCHWA).

This program does not prepare you for leadership positions like a BSN or direct entry into an MSN program, but you can fast-track a BSN using transfer credits from your ADN and pursue an MSN after earning your RN license.

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.

APRNs need an MSN at minimum for licensure. Unlike BSN programs, MSN programs typically feature specializations that prepare you for a career as a nurse-midwife (CNM) or nurse practitioner (NP). Still, according to the NCHWA, 16% of RNs hold a master’s degree and 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 examination for your desired 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.