RN Career Path

Updated May 17, 2026 • Reading Time: ~16 Minutes The ADN takes 2 years and costs $8,000–$30,000. The BSN takes 4 years and costs $35,000–$120,000+. Both let you sit the same NCLEX-RN, hold the same RN licence, and work at the same bedside. The salary gap is real – BSN-prepared nurses average roughly $96,000 versus…