How to become a nurse: the route into each kind of nurse.
“Nurse” is a family of jobs, and each has its own route in. Here is the education, experience and training BLS lists for every one, what employers report about licenses, and the order to tackle them.
Postsecondary nondegree award to Master's degree
Across the 5 BLS occupations on this page. Typical, not a legal requirement.
It depends on which kind of nurse: BLS lists typical entry-level education from a postsecondary nondegree award (licensed practical and licensed vocational nurses) to a master's degree (nurse practitioners, nurse anesthetists and nurse midwives) across the 5 BLS nurse occupations on this page (Employment Projections, 2025–35). Registered nurses, the largest of them (3,379,720 employed in May 2025), typically need a bachelor's degree. Many of these jobs also need a state license or certification; rules vary by state.
Becoming a nurse at a glance
BLS lists a postsecondary nondegree award as the typical entry-level education for 1 of the 5 nurse occupations on this page: licensed practical and licensed vocational nurses.
Source: BLS Employment Projections, 2025–35
BLS lists a bachelor's degree as the typical entry-level education for 1 of the 5 nurse occupations on this page: registered nurses.
Source: BLS Employment Projections, 2025–35
BLS lists a master's degree as the typical entry-level education for 3 of the 5 nurse occupations on this page: nurse practitioners, nurse anesthetists and nurse midwives.
Source: BLS Employment Projections, 2025–35
For registered nurses, BLS's Occupational Requirements Survey found that employers required a license or certification for more than 99.5% of workers (2025, preliminary).
Source: BLS Occupational Requirements Survey, 2025, preliminary
Education BLS lists for each kind of nurse
Data One row per BLS occupation, ordered by typical entry-level education. Links open that occupation's own page.
| Occupation (BLS title) | Typical entry-level education | Related work experience | Typical on-the-job training | O*NET Job Zone | License or certification required (employers, ORS) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Licensed Practical and Licensed Vocational Nurses | Postsecondary nondegree award | None | None | 3 | more than 99.5% |
| Registered Nurses | Bachelor's degree | None | None | 4 | more than 99.5% |
| Nurse Practitioners | Master's degree | None | None | 5 | more than 99.5% |
| Nurse Anesthetists | Master's degree | None | None | 5 | not published |
| Nurse Midwives | Master's degree | None | None | 5 | not published |
What each education level means
Data BLS Employment Projections education categories, 2025–35.
- Postsecondary nondegree awardLicensed Practical and Licensed Vocational Nurses
A certificate or other award from a postsecondary program that is not a degree; BLS notes these programs can last from a few weeks to 1 to 2 years.
- Bachelor's degreeRegistered Nurses
A bachelor's degree, which usually takes 4 years of full-time study.
- Master's degreeNurse Practitioners; Nurse Anesthetists; Nurse Midwives
A master's degree, which usually takes 1 to 2 years of full-time study after a bachelor's degree.
Five steps to becoming a nurse
Advice Steps 1, 2 and 4 apply the BLS data above; steps 3 and 5 are advice.
- Step 1Choose the occupation
“Nurse” covers 5 BLS occupations with different entry routes. Use the table above to pick the one you mean, then read its own page.
- Step 2Match the education
Plan for the education BLS lists for that occupation (a postsecondary nondegree award at the shortest end on this page, a master's degree at the longest).
- Step 3Check licensing where you will work
Many of these jobs need a state license or certification, and rules vary by state; confirm the current requirements with your state's licensing board before you enrol.
- Step 4Plan the training after hiring
BLS lists the typical on-the-job training in the table; an internship or residency, where listed, comes after the degree.
- Step 5Apply with proof
When you apply, show the credential, clinical or field hours and results that the posting asks for; a resume check helps you see what an applicant tracking system reads.
Data Once qualified, median annual pay in May 2025 ranged from $64,400 (licensed practical and licensed vocational nurses) to $236,590 (nurse anesthetists) across these occupations (BLS OEWS). Full pay table: Nurses salary and education.
Becoming a nurse: common questions
What is the shortest route to becoming a nurse?
What degree do you need to be a nurse?
Do you need a license to be a nurse?
How this page is built
Education, related work experience and on-the-job training are the BLS Employment Projections 2025–35 typical-entry categories for each BLS detailed occupation listed, which describe what is typical, not legal requirements. Job Zones are O*NET 31.0. The license or certification share is BLS Occupational Requirements Survey 2025 (preliminary), as reported by employers; state licensing rules are separate. Which occupations count is the same editorial list as the Nurses page.
- Licensing or certification rules in your state.
- Admission requirements of a specific school or program.
- Which of these careers suits you personally.
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Employment Projections, 2025–35 (public domain): typical entry-level education and projected employment change.
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Requirements Survey, 2025 estimates (preliminary; public domain): share of workers whose employer requires a license or certification.
- O*NET 31.0 Database, U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA), used under the CC BY 4.0 license (Job Zones and related occupations). TryHired selected, ranked and combined the data; O*NET is not responsible for these pages.
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025 estimates (public domain).