Ask the Recruiter

There are many specialties, but broadly speaking, there are three kinds of nurses in the United States:

• A nurse's aide typically only requires a high school diploma and some practical training, often available on the job. Depending on the situation, some licensing may be available, but this is not always the case. While this is the lowest-paying of the nursing occupations, it offers the quickest path into the workplace.
• Licensed practical or licensed vocational nurses require a state license and specialized training, which usually takes about a year.
• Registered nurses represent the largest single occupational segment of the healthcare workforce, and they also have the greatest earning potential within the nursing field. State licenses are required, and education typically involves a two-to-four year program. This may be an associate's or bachelor's in nursing, or a diploma program offered via a hospital. Bachelor's degrees offer the greatest potential for employment and advancement into administrative posts.

If you need to enter the workplace as quickly as possible, it might be worth starting out as a nurse's aide, but also enrolling in an online or part-time nursing school program. This way, you can start earning an income ASAP, but also prepare to move up into better nursing jobs.