What Is the Difference for an RN With an Associate's Degree or With a BSN in Michigan?

Nursing is a field that is in high demand. The job outlook for nurses shows that the it is projected to be the second fastest growing, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Becoming an RN requires a college education and either an associate's or bachelor's degree. In Michigan, the differences in the two degrees have the most effect on pay and career advancement.

Becoming a Register Nurse

• To become a registered nurses, also referred to as an RN, one must complete a college education, receiving either a bachelor's degree (BSN) or associate's degree (ASN or ADN) in nursing.

  Regardless of the degree a nursing student obtains, all graduates must take the National Council Licensing Examination, also known as the NCLEX-RN, which is administered by the state in which you wish to work. The application for licensing in Michigan can be found at Michigan.gov.

  Once a person has passed the licensing exam in the state of Michigan, she is eligible to work as an RN in that state. If a graduate fails the exam, she must retake it until she passes.

Associate's Degree in Nursing

• An associate's degree in nursing usually takes approximately 2 years to complete. If a student wants to quickly get a job in the field of nursing, then an ASN or ADN program will work best.

  After working as an RN for awhile, some choose to go back to school and get a BSN. Programs such as RN to BSN bridge are not only available at Michigan Universities but also online, allowing many opportunities for the RN to further her education.

  Bridging from an RN to BSN will, in turn, make her eligible for higher pay and more advancements. According to Ferris State University, located in Grand Rapids, Michigan, the bridge programs build on prior knowledge to reduce repetition and to minimize the student's time and money.

  The RN-to-BSN bridge is offered at over 20 Michigan schools, including Michigan State University, The University of Michigan and Ferris State University according to RNtoBSNDegree.com.

Bachelor's of Science in Nursing

• A bachelor's of science in Nursing degree is also known as a BSN. The BSN program takes approximately 4 years to complete. According to RNtoBSNDegree.com, 45 percent of RNs in Michigan hold a bachelor's degree or higher.

  Graduating with a bachelor's degree in nursing will provide students with more opportunities to advance in their career, as well as provide higher pay. According to Ferris State University, students who hold a BSN will be better prepared to lead nursing and health care teams. Furthermore, RNs with a BSN will also have better coordinating and planning skills, offer higher quality nursing for a variety of clients, possess increased ability to collaborate with others, and be a more independent nursing professional, making decisions on her own.

  If the nurse chooses to continue her education into a specialized field, such as a cardiac nurse or nurse anesthetist, a bachelor's degree will be required for acceptance into such programs.

Salary and Job Outlook

• According to RNtoBSNDegree.com, RNs in Michigan earn salaries that range from $48,900 to $87,300. Ferris State University notes that an RN with a bachelor of science nursing degree earn salaries from $55,000 to $90,000 annually, while holding only an associate's degree will put an RN on the lower side of the pay scale, according to Achieve your Career.