A registered nurse provides direct patient care, manages medical treatments, and documents health information in hospitals, clinics, and other care settings. It is in demand, requires a bachelor's degree, and offers a clear path into healthcare.
Pathly builds you a free, personalized roadmap and helps your counselor champion you along the way.
Registered nurses assist and care for patients by monitoring their condition, administering medications, and performing clinical procedures. You document patient information and medical records, communicate with doctors and care team members, and identify changes in a patient's status that need attention. You stay current with medical knowledge and best practices, listen actively to patients and families, and think critically about treatment decisions. The work happens in hospitals, clinics, long-term care facilities, and other healthcare settings where you support patients through recovery and ongoing health management.
Core work activities
Career video courtesy of CareerOneStop.
Registered Nurses earn a median of $97,550 a year, based on 2025 data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Pay rises with experience, specialty, and location.
The outlook is strong. Employment is projected to grow 5 percent from 2024 to 2034, faster than average for all occupations, with about 189,100 openings a year.
Top skills
Knowledge areas
You need a bachelor's degree in nursing, which typically takes four years to complete. The program combines classroom learning in psychology, medicine, anatomy, and pharmacology with supervised clinical practice. You will develop skills in critical thinking, active listening, and written and verbal communication. After graduation, you must pass a licensing exam to become a registered nurse. Some people start with an associate degree in nursing and bridge to a bachelor's degree later, though a bachelor's is the standard entry point.
Most registered nurses earn their bachelor's degree before entering practice, though some explore associate degree pathways first. The choice depends on your timeline and goals, so if you are weighing those options, Pathly can map the registered nurse path that fits you and turn it into a step-by-step plan with your counselor.
Many registered nurses must be licensed, and professional certifications can strengthen your resume.
Common certifications
Licensing is handled at the state level and the requirements vary, so check the licensing board in your state. Pathly shows your state's specific steps inside your roadmap.
You are drawn to work that centers on helping others. You listen well, communicate clearly, and think through complex problems to support people through health challenges.
Reading about a career is the easy part. Turning it into a plan is where most students get stuck. Pathly takes you from curious to a clear next step, and gives your counselor the insight to champion you along the way.
Start with a quick quiz and assessments that surface your personality, your EQ, and what really motivates you, so your next steps are built around who you actually are.
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Last updated July 1, 2026.
Data sources. Career details from the O*NET 30.3 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA), used under CC BY 4.0. O*NET® is a trademark of USDOL/ETA. Salary and outlook figures from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (May 2025 wages; 2024–2034 projections), delivered via the CareerOneStop API. Certification, licensing, wage, and outlook data from CareerOneStop, sponsored by USDOL/ETA and the Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development (DEED).