The American Nurses Association has called for the bachelor of science in nursing (BSN) to become the minimum level of preparation for aspiring professional nurses. The Institute of Medicine, in its recent report “The Future of Nursing,” recommended that 80 percent of registered nurses (RNs) hold this baccalaureate degree by 2020.
Thankfully, nurses who follow this guidance are frequently rewarded with substantially higher pay. For example, Oregon’s registered nurses earn a median annual salary of $80,360. However, those with a BSN degree often earn top-quartile pay of $92,130 per year or more. Advanced practice registered nurses (APRNs), who must also hold a master of science in nursing (MSN) degree, can earn anywhere from $105,000 to $150,000 per year depending on specialization.
Oregon nurses who wish to pursue a BSN or MSN degree have several excellent options. Oregon Health & Science University offer both a traditional prelicensure BSN program and an accelerated BSN program for non-nursing majors. The accelerated program allows students to obtain a nursing degree within one to two years. In addition, OHSU offers an MSN program with specializations in nursing anesthesia, family practice nursing, nursing midwifery, mental health nursing, and nursing education. Several other Oregon universities offer the traditional prelicensure BSN program, including four public schools within the OHSU network and five private colleges.
If you are ready to advance your nursing career, enroll in a BSN or MSN program at one of Oregon’s top colleges or universities. We’ve profiled below each of the state’s four-year nursing schools.