Guide to Making a Career Change to Nursing

Ways to Become a Nurse When You’re Changing Careers

If you already hold a degree in another field, such as teaching, biology or business, accelerated programs are built for you. The American Association of Colleges of Nursing (AACN) accelerated programs fact sheet (last updated May 2026) describes accelerated bachelor’s programs as aimed at adults who already have a bachelor’s or graduate degree in a non-nursing discipline, and notes that accelerated courses run full time with no breaks between sessions while giving students the same number of clinical hours as traditional entry-level programs. AACN counted 340 accelerated baccalaureate programs and 104 accelerated or entry-level master’s programs at nursing schools nationwide in 2025.

^{Sources: AACN accelerated programs fact sheet (last updated May 2026); California Board of Registered Nursing examination requirements, as one state example; National Council of State Boards of Nursing (NCSBN) 2024 National Nursing Workforce Study, a weighted survey of 744,714 RNs, which reports that 46% of RNs were first prepared with a bachelor’s degree in nursing in 2024.}

An entry-level master’s is designed to prepare you for RN licensure. Nurse practitioners and other advanced practice registered nurses (APRNs) are educated at the graduate level in a specific role and patient population, as NCSBN’s APRN Consensus Model page describes. If advanced practice is your long-term goal, ask each program whether it includes APRN role and population preparation or whether you would need further graduate study after you’re licensed, and see how the RN and nurse practitioner roles differ.

Whichever route you choose, you’ll still need to pass the NCLEX-RN and apply for a license with a state board of nursing, as the steps below explain.

Online Nursing Programs with Part-Time Options

Depending on your prior education and which nursing degree you’re aiming for, ask programs whether they offer a part-time schedule or deliver some coursework online. Even when classes are online, clinical learning in a prelicensure RN program involves hands-on work. NCSBN’s model rules for nursing education programs (revised August 2026), a model that state boards of nursing can draw on, call for direct patient care experiences and simulation planned, supervised and evaluated by nursing faculty, with simulation used for no more than half of clinical hours in each specialty area. Your state board’s own rules set the binding requirements, so ask each program how and where its clinical experiences take place.

Invest some time in your research when looking for the right nursing program. Consider these questions: What is your educational goal? Programs from associate degree in nursing programs to master’s in nursing programs can prepare you for the licensing exam for registered nurses (RN) when they meet the education requirements of the state where you plan to be licensed. In California, for example, the Board of Registered Nursing’s directory of approved prelicensure RN programs includes associate degree, baccalaureate and entry-level master’s programs. Do you want to be a full-time or a part-time student? Does the flexibility of an online program work better for your busy schedule or do you need to attend classes on campus?

Why Consider Nursing as a Second Career?

Nursing offers flexibility and many paths for growth. Salaries vary depending on the role. Registered nurses, for example, had a median annual wage of $97,550 in May 2025, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS). In the same BLS estimates, nurse practitioners, an advanced practice role that requires graduate education beyond RN preparation, had a median annual wage of $132,300.

What Age is Best for Making a Career Switch to Nursing?

It’s not too late to join the nursing workforce. In fact, the median age of registered nurses in the United States was 50 in 2024, according to the National Council of State Boards of Nursing’s 2024 National Nursing Workforce Study, a weighted survey of 744,714 RNs.

Taking advantage of part-time online classes while continuing to work allows you to test the nursing waters without abandoning your current career. If you need prerequisite science courses such as biology, check whether a local community college offers them online, and confirm that your target programs will accept those credits.

What to Consider When Going Back to School for Nursing

When considering nursing school, remember to weigh these factors in your decision-making process:

• Goals: Map out your long-term goals by addressing these questions: What level of education are you aiming to achieve in the nursing field? A master’s in nursing or a doctor in nursing practice? Do you want to be an RN or do you want to eventually become an advanced nurse practitioner? The answers to these questions will inform your next decisions. To compare degrees by length and the role each prepares you for, see our side-by-side look at nursing degree options.
• Time: Writing papers and studying will be a part of your new routine. Make sure you’re prepared to balance your new study schedule. Talk to your family, friends and boss if you have to, to ensure you have the support you need.
• Format: Consider the type of program you need to enroll in. See “Should You Pursue Full-Time or Part-Time Nursing Programs?” below.
• Cost: Budget for tuition, fees and any income you give up if you cut back on work. See “How Will You Pay for Nursing School?” below.

Do You Need to Take the GRE for Nursing School?

If you’re considering a direct-entry master’s degree program, check each program’s admission requirements, including whether it asks for GRE scores, with the programs of your choice.

Should You Pursue Full-time or Part-time Nursing Programs?

The advantage of a full-time nursing program is that it immerses you quickly into the world of health care. Though intense, these programs are often accelerated: the AACN accelerated programs fact sheet notes that accelerated courses run full time with no breaks between sessions and that accelerated bachelor’s programs offer the quickest route to RN licensure for people with a degree in another field.

On the other hand, a part-time schedule may help you better balance work and family. Ask each program how long its part-time track takes to complete so you can plan for the timeline.

What Nursing Specialties Fit Your Goals?

In the nursing field, there is a wide range of nursing specialties to choose from. Advanced practice roles, such as nurse practitioner (who can specialize in a specific area), build on an RN license. The NCSBN’s APRN Consensus Model page, a model that states have adopted to varying degrees, describes advanced practice registered nurses as registered nurses educated at the master’s or post-master’s level in a specific role and patient population. At the state level, California’s Board of Registered Nursing, for example, requires an active California RN license for nurse practitioner certification. When mapping out your path forward, consider your areas of interest to identify the specialties that align with your long-term career goals. Specialties such as community health take nursing beyond the hospital: the U.S. Department of Labor’s O*NET profile of registered nurses lists tasks such as providing health care, first aid and immunizations in locations such as schools and industry, and planning programs designed to improve the overall health of communities.

It’s important to research the unique nursing specialties available across the nation, and determine which ones fit with your goals. Our guide on how to decide what type of nurse to be can help you compare options.

Can You Work While in Nursing School?

Whether you can keep working during nursing school depends on the program’s schedule, clinical placements and workload. Accelerated programs call for particular caution: the AACN accelerated programs fact sheet notes that students enrolled in accelerated programs are encouraged not to work, given the rigor of completing degree requirements. If you need to keep your job, ask each program how its class and clinical schedules work before you enroll.

Working in a health care environment can help you build additional confidence and skills.

How Will You Pay for Nursing School?

Plan for cost early, especially if you expect to stop working. The AACN accelerated programs fact sheet notes that financial aid for students in accelerated baccalaureate and master’s programs is limited, and that many practice settings partner with schools and offer tuition repayment to graduates as a recruitment tool. Ask employers in your area whether they offer tuition assistance or repayment, and what work commitment comes with it.

If you choose an accelerated bachelor’s program, you usually won’t qualify for a Pell Grant because you already hold a bachelor’s degree (see the FAQ below).

If you choose an entry-level master’s program, federal graduate borrowing changed on July 1, 2026. According to the U.S. Department of Education’s loan limits FAQ (May 2026), new graduate and professional borrowers can no longer take out Grad PLUS loans, and Direct Unsubsidized Loans are capped at $20,500 a year ($100,000 in total) for graduate students and $50,000 a year ($200,000 in total) for professional students. Students who were already enrolled in a program and had received a federal Direct Loan for it as of June 30, 2026, may keep the earlier limits for a limited time.

Which of those limits applies to a nursing master’s is being decided in court. While a federal court’s stay is in place, the Department of Education is treating master’s programs in registered nursing (MSN) and Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) programs as professional degree programs for loan limits. The department says these interim designations may change as the litigation proceeds and suggests schools may wish to keep loans for these programs to the graduate-level limits. Ask each program’s financial aid office which limit it will apply to you.

For scholarships and other options, see our guide to how graduate nursing students pay for school.

How to Make a Career Change to Nursing

Here’s a step-by-step guide to making the switch to nursing:

1. Talk to Experienced Nurses Curiosity and resourcefulness will serve you well in your search for the perfect program as well as in your new job. Reach out to your network and see if there are any nurses willing to chat with you about the profession, so you can make sure this role is the one for you.
2. Find a Nursing Program that Fits Your Needs Compare programs carefully, and select a format that works best for you, weighing options such as full-time or part-time, on-campus or online, and accelerated or traditional. Consult graduates and other nurses and take into account current obligations. Before you enroll, confirm that the program meets the education requirements of the state where you plan to be licensed. Under federal rules described by NCSBN’s guidance on board of nursing licensure requirements, programs must tell prospective students in writing if they do not meet the educational requirements in the state where the student is located. To check its quality, look the program up in a nursing accreditor’s directory, such as the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE), an autonomous accrediting agency for baccalaureate and graduate nursing programs, and the Accreditation Commission for Education in Nursing (ACEN), which lists accredited practical, associate, baccalaureate, master’s and other nursing programs. Ask each program for its graduates’ first-time NCLEX-RN pass rates, too. Some state boards publish them: California’s Board of Registered Nursing, for example, posts annual pass rates for first-time testers from its approved prelicensure RN programs. If a program delivers coursework online, ask how it arranges clinical placements and whether you’ll be expected to find your own sites.
3. Complete Nursing School Prerequisites and Admissions Requirements To qualify for nursing school, you must fulfill each program’s prerequisite and admissions requirements, which the program sets. Check your preferred nursing school’s requirements, including any science prerequisites and application materials, to see what you need to check off your list. Accelerated programs can be especially selective: the AACN accelerated programs fact sheet notes that they typically require a minimum 3.0 GPA and a thorough pre-screening process.
4. Gain Nursing Field Experience Volunteer, intern or work at a hospital, clinic, or nursing home. These experiences can help assure you that this profession is right for you. While you gain this experience, keep in touch with valuable mentors, who can help with letters of recommendation when you apply to nursing school and after you graduate.
5. Pass the NCLEX-RN and Apply for Your License After you complete your program, you’ll apply for licensure with the board of nursing in the state where you plan to work, and each board sets its own requirements. California’s Board of Registered Nursing, for example, requires an education program that meets all California requirements and the NCLEX-RN exam. At the national level, the NCSBN Uniform Licensure Requirements, updated in 2011, a framework rather than any one state’s law, list graduation from a board-approved RN program, passing the NCLEX-RN, disclosures and fingerprint-based state and federal background checks for an initial RN license. Check your state board’s website for its exact requirements.

5 Great Nursing Jobs for Older Nurses

More experienced nurses may be older nurses who have spent years developing their skills in the field. While the following roles may be suitable for any qualified professional of any age, older nurses who are interested in working more autonomously outside a hospital setting might consider these:

1. School Nurse

School nurses care for students’ health at school. School Nurse is one of the job titles registered nurses report in O*NET, whose RN tasks include providing health care, first aid and immunizations in locations such as schools and referring students to specialized health resources. In May 2025, BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) industry estimates counted 67,120 registered nurses working in elementary and secondary schools.

2. Clinic Nurse

Clinic nurses work outside the hospital, in settings such as physicians’ offices and outpatient care centers. In May 2025, BLS OEWS industry estimates counted 232,420 registered nurses in offices of physicians and 173,380 in outpatient care centers. If you find yourself gravitating toward a specialty, this may be the place for you.

3. Nurse Informatics

Informatics nurses work with health data and the systems that hold it. O*NET’s health informatics specialist profile, which lists clinical informatics nurse among its job titles, describes applying knowledge of nursing and informatics to help design, develop and modify computerized health care systems. If you find yourself engrossed with statistics and you are looking for ways to translate the big picture of health care into better individual patient care, this field may be for you.

4. Occupational Health Nurse

Occupational health nurses care for workers’ health on the job. O*NET’s registered nurse tasks include providing health care in locations such as industry and assessing individuals’ work environments to identify potential health or safety problems. This work may suit a nurse who enjoys working independently.

5. Nurse Educator

Nurses are always teaching and always learning. O*NET’s registered nurse tasks include instructing individuals, families or other groups on topics such as health education and disease prevention, and providing or arranging training for auxiliary personnel or students; nurse educators make that teaching the center of their work.

Hear From a Nurse Who Made the Switch to a Career in Nursing

At the time of this interview, Chandra Burnside, MSN, RN, CNL, IBCLC was a second-degree nurse who had returned to school in her 30s as a mother of two. She finished an accelerated master’s degree in two years and, in the five years before the interview, had grown a career as a labor and delivery nurse and nurse educator. Here she answers the two key questions every aspiring new nurse has on their mind.

How did you decide to make the leap and switch careers to nursing?

When my first child was born it was a difficult experience. The nurses that cared for me put something in my heart, and I knew as soon as possible I would return to school to become a nurse. With my supportive husband on board, I researched programs that would take into account my existing bachelor’s degree and chose an accelerated path. It was hard, but I loved it. Despite leaving the workforce and starting again in my 30s I have had many opportunities to expand my knowledge and make a good living.

Was it overwhelming returning to school after so long?

I won’t lie, nursing school is rigorous. There is a lot of studying. But one of the benefits of having already worked in the world (and being a mom as well) is you’ve mastered time management. There’s no way around the hard work, but it is less overwhelming with your family and children as motivation and reward.

Career Change to Nursing FAQ

Can I switch to nursing if my degree is in another field?

Yes. Accelerated bachelor’s programs are aimed at people who already have a bachelor’s or graduate degree in a non-nursing discipline, and many second-degree students choose entry-level master’s programs instead, according to the AACN accelerated programs fact sheet (last updated May 2026). Your earlier coursework may not cover every science prerequisite, so compare your transcript with each program’s requirements.

How long does it take to become a nurse if I already have a degree?

It depends on the route. The AACN accelerated programs fact sheet (last updated May 2026) says accelerated bachelor’s programs take 12 to 18 months, including prerequisites, and accelerated master’s programs generally take about 2 to 3 years. After you finish, allow time to pass the NCLEX-RN and receive your license from your state board.

Can I complete a nursing program entirely online?

Not entirely. Coursework can be online, but NCSBN’s model rules for nursing education programs (revised August 2026) call for prelicensure clinical learning that combines supervised direct patient care with simulation, limiting simulation to no more than half of clinical hours in each specialty area. State boards set the binding rules, so ask each program where its clinical experiences take place.

Do I need a nursing degree to take the NCLEX-RN?

You need to complete a nursing education program that meets the requirements of the board of nursing where you apply. California’s Board of Registered Nursing, for example, requires all applicants for licensure by examination to have completed an educational program meeting all California requirements. Ask your state board when you become eligible to test.

Can I get a Pell Grant if I already have a bachelor’s degree?

Usually not. The U.S. Department of Education’s 2026–27 Federal Student Aid Handbook says a student who has earned a bachelor’s degree is not eligible for a Pell Grant, with limited exceptions for postbaccalaureate teacher certification programs and eligible workforce programs. Other ways to pay can include nursing school scholarships and employer tuition assistance.

Disclosure: The path to transition into a nursing career varies depending on individual availability, goals and experience. This guide is not an exhaustive list of requirements and steps to become a nurse.