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Online RN to BSN: Career Outlook

Highly educated nurses are in demand.

Take the next step in your nursing career with the CCNE-accredited online RN to BSN program from Sacred Heart University.

  • 6% employment growth from 2021 to 2031 for RNs (2x faster than the national average)1
  • $77,600 median annual salary for registered nurses1
  • 88.4% of employers prefer candidates with BSN degrees2

Because of an increased emphasis on preventative care, growing rates of chronic conditions like diabetes and obesity, and an overall greater need for health care services for the aging baby boom population, the demand for nurses at all levels is expected to skyrocket.1

Since many of the settings that provide health care services — including Magnet hospitals and academic health centers — now require or prefer a baccalaureate degree for specific nursing roles,3 nurses with the highest levels of education are poised to earn the highest salaries.

In 2017, SHU grads were employed by Bridgeport Hospital, Good Samaritan Hospital, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center and more.

Oncology RN:

$80,900/YEAR

As an oncology RN, you would provide cancer treatment (chemotherapy) and help patients manage their symptoms during treatment. You’d work in clinical settings, including hospitals and long-term care facilities, and may also work in palliative care.4

Operating Room RN:

$76,744/YEAR

As an operating room RN, you would help prepare patients for surgery and work with surgeons and other specialists as part of an operating room medical team.4

Additional roles for graduates of the online RN to BSN program include:

  • Staff registered nurse
  • Charge nurse
  • Cardiac care unit nurse
  • Patient care manager
  • Hospice nurse

Request More Information

Fill out the form below and a skilled and knowledgeable Admissions Representative will get in touch to answer your questions and help with the application process.

Guidance Beyond Graduation

More than 98 percent of Sacred Heart alumni are employed full-time or enrolled in graduate school within a year of graduation.

Our Center for Career & Professional Development provides support to help you find your next opportunity and continue to grow outside of class.

Handshake Access

Tap into our online recruiting system exclusively for Sacred Heart students, featuring job opportunities from 10,000+ employers.

Career Coaching

Work one-on-one with a Sacred Heart career counselor to define your professional goals, practice for upcoming job interviews and more.

Extensive Network

Meet potential employers and connect with a network of 35,000+ Sacred Heart alumni in person and on LinkedIn.

Résumé Workshops

Get your résumé, cover letter and LinkedIn profile critiqued by peers and career-development experts to stand out from your competition.

Sources:

  1. U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (2019 September). Registered Nurses. Occupational Outlook Handbook. Retrieved October 7, 2019, from https://www.bls.gov/ooh/healthcare/registered-nurses.htm#tab-1
  2. American Association of Colleges of Nursing (2019 February). Employment of New Nurse Graduates and Employer Preferences for Baccalaureate-Prepared Nurses. (Rep.) AACN Research Brief. Retrieved October 15, 2019, from https://www.aacnnursing.org/Portals/42/News/Position-Statements/Research-Brief-2-19.pdf
  3. American Association of Colleges of Nursing (2019 April). Degree Completion Programs for Registered Nurses: RN to Master’s Degree and RN to Baccalaureate Programs. Fact Sheet. Retrieved October 8, 2019, from https://www.aacnnursing.org/News-Information/Fact-Sheets/Degree-Completion-Programs
  4. Burning Glass Technologies: Labor Insight™. Retrieved October 8, 2019.