In today's uncertain economic climate, one thing is for sure: jobs in the healthcare field will continue to be in demand. And few healthcare professionals have more career options than skilled, licensed nurses.
While nurses with RN certification or even a bachelor's degree have many options to choose from, those with a Master of Science in Nursing degree have even more flexibility and room for advancement. Speaking of flexibility, the affordable online options today are incredible!
Not only does a graduate degree in nursing open the door to further specialization and promotion, it can extend a nursing career to last throughout your lifetime.
As one nursing website noted, going on for your master's degree can open the door to teaching and management positions that are more highly paid as well as less physically demanding than front-line and entry-level jobs.
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How much money can you make with an Online MSN degree?
The nursing profession is hugely rewarding. You get to make people feel better all day long! But lucky for you, the salary for nurses with an advanced degree is a significant attraction too. According to Payscale.com, nurses with a master's degree in some specializations can earn $140,000 a year and up.
Especially given the ever-changing realities of health insurance and reimbursement patterns, nurse practitioners and similar professionals will increasingly find their skills are needed to provide quality care to everyone. In fact, statistics are showing that the demand for these jobs will increase by 31 percent by 2026!
What can you do with an Online MSN degree?
There's a whole range of avenues you can take your MSN degree. You can gain the skills and advanced training you need to deliver care in several of these specialized roles, including nurse anesthetist and nurse practitioner. With an MSN and certification as an advanced practice nurse, you are able to deliver many of the same services as physicians, and can take on a leadership role in the healthcare team both in medical offices and in hospitals.
Nurses who are pursuing an MSN typically concentrate on one of four advanced practice areas:
Nurse Practitioner
Certified Nurse Anesthetist
Clinical Nurse Specialist
Certified Nurse Midwife
In addition, graduate study in nursing is recommended for those interested in entering the business and management side of healthcare, and learning more about leadership, management, policies and finance.
What are the requirements for an Online MSN degree?
Typically, an MSN program can take up to two years to complete. While some MSN programs also require work experience for admission, most programs generally require the following:
A Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN)
A Registered Nurse (RN) license
Minimum GPA and GRE scores (varies by program)
Clinical experience (varies by program)
What are the Most Affordable Online MSN degrees?
Here at College Choice, we've circled in on the Most Affordable Online MSN degrees. We took a number of steps to find our list. First and foremost, we filtered our results for online degree programs. Then we looked at affordability and the return on investment – a big factor in how you decide on a school. Our methodology draws from our data team at College Choice, the quality resources at U.S. News & World Report, and the number smarts at Payscale.com.
If you're ready to take the next step and begin your MSN while maintaining your current job and studying online, read on!Most Affordable Online Master's in Nursing
See our rankings methodology page.
