Comprehensive List of Nursing Certifications and Credentials

Nursing certifications are one of the best ways to advance your career, but the number of choices available can make it challenging to compare options.

To help make this process easier, we have compiled a comprehensive list of RN certifications, categorized by nursing level and certification type. This list can help you research available certifications and the qualifications for each. There are options for every nursing level, from LPN/LVN to RN to APRN.

Browse Nursing Certifications

You can search this table by the name of the certification, the credential, the level, the certifying organization, or the category of credential. RN-BC credentials are available for any nurse with an RN, others are limited to APRNs, and some certifications are available for any level of nurse.

You can also sort by column to see all the complete nursing certifications list from a particular organization or nursing level. To learn more about a particular nursing credential, click on the link to the certifying organization.

Why Become Certified?

Nursing certification demonstrates that you have specialized knowledge and skills in a particular area of nursing. In most cases, you earn RN certification through a combination of experience and testing, though you can earn some nursing certifications just through testing. In addition to showing your qualifications, certification also demonstrates your commitment to your career and to professional development.

Certification is not legally required for nursing, but many employers require or strongly prefer certification for certain roles, especially specialized or leadership roles. This makes certification an excellent career investment.

Reviewed by:

Shrilekha Deshaies, MSN, CCRN, RN

Shri Deshaies, MSN, CCRN, RN, is a nurse educator with over 20 years of teaching experience. She is a certified critical care nurse and has worked in various surgical intensive care units, including cardiovascular, trauma, and neurosurgery. She is a founding member of Nurses Serving our Neighbors which advocates for the homeless population.

Shri Deshaies is a paid member of the Red Ventures Education freelance review network. Learn more about our review partners here.