Healthcare Diagnosing or Treating Practitioners

How to become a Registered Nurse

Official title: Registered Nurses

Also called: Certified Operating Room Nurse (CNOR), Charge Nurse, Emergency Department RN (Emergency Department Registered Nurse), Oncology RN (Oncology Registered Nurse), Operating Room Registered Nurse (OR RN), Psychiatric RN (Psychiatric Registered Nurse), Relief Charge Nurse, School Nurse, Staff Nurse, Staff RN (Staff Registered Nurse)

Assess patient health problems and needs, develop and implement nursing care plans, and maintain medical records. Administer nursing care to ill, injured, convalescent, or disabled patients. May advise patients on health maintenance and disease prevention or provide case management. Licensing or registration required.

Main tasks

Record patients' medical information and vital signs.
Administer medications to patients and monitor patients for reactions or side effects.
Maintain accurate, detailed reports and records.
Monitor, record, and report symptoms or changes in patients' conditions.
Provide health care, first aid, immunizations, or assistance in convalescence or rehabilitation in locations such as schools, hospitals, or industry.
Consult and coordinate with healthcare team members to assess, plan, implement, or evaluate patient care plans.
Direct or supervise less-skilled nursing or healthcare personnel or supervise a particular unit.
Monitor all aspects of patient care, including diet and physical activity.

How to become one

Registered nurses usually take one of three education paths: a bachelor's degree in nursing, an associate's degree in nursing, or a diploma from an approved nursing program. Registered nurses must be licensed.

Typical education to start: Bachelor's degree

Read the full guide from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics

Ways in

Apprenticeship: Registered Nurse.
Apprenticeship: Registered Nurse Resident.
College: Nursing & Midwifery degrees, Offered by 15 universities in the US
Licence: A licence is required in 48 states.

Pay · Outlook · AI and this job

Median pay: $97,550 a year The middle half earn $80,330 to $112,350.
About 3,465,400 people work in this job now, and about 3,660,100 are projected by 2035. (+5.6%)
People use generative AI for relatively little of this work so far. Microsoft Research rates its AI applicability as low.

Questions people ask

How do I become a Registered Nurse?

How much does a Registered Nurse earn in the US?

Median full-time pay is $97,550 a year (U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics). The middle half earn $80,330 to $112,350.

Is a Registered Nurse a growing career in the US?

Yes. Employment is projected to grow 6% by 2035, from about 3,465,400 to about 3,660,100 people (U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics).

Do you need a degree to become a Registered Nurse?

Usually. 70% of people in this job hold a bachelor's degree or higher.

Will AI change the work of a Registered Nurse?

People use generative AI for relatively little of this work so far. Microsoft Research rates its AI applicability as low.

Sources

Microsoft Research: Working with AI: AI applicability by occupation (2025-12-22 (built on O*NET 29.0)), CC BY 4.0, retrieved 2026-10-03
U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics: Employment Projections (2025-35 (released 2026-08-27)), Public domain (BLS), retrieved 2026-10-03
U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics: Occupational Outlook Handbook (2025-35 edition (published 2026-08-27)), Public domain (BLS); photographs excluded, retrieved 2026-10-03
U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics: Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (May 2025), Public domain (BLS), retrieved 2026-10-03

Updated 2026-10-03

This page includes information from the O*NET 31.0 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA). Used under the CC BY 4.0 license. O*NET is a trademark of USDOL/ETA.