The South Carolina Board of Nursing reports that there is currently a high demand for RNs with BSN degrees. According to the South Carolina Nursing Action Coalition, nurses must be better prepared in order to provide the high quality care needed in today’s increasingly complex medical environment, and should receive increased compensation accordingly. The Coalition’s goal is to increase the number of RNs with baccalaureate degrees or higher to at least 50 percent.
South Carolina has multiple schools with RN or LVN to BSN programs, both on campus and online. According to the South Carolina Department of Employment and Workforce, 2,809 students were enrolled in BSN programs in 2013. Many of these graduates will work in some of the 78 medically underserved areas that exist in South Carolina where there is a critical shortage of health professionals.
Salaries for BSN-educated RNs in South Carolina
The 2013 occupational salary report released by the US Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) lists the following upper-end salaries to illustrate the earnings associated with BSN-educated RNs in South Carolina:
- 75th Percentile Annual Salary – $69,450
- 90th Percentile Annual Salary – $77,670
- 75th Percentile Hourly Wage – $33.39
- 90th Percentile Hourly Wage – $37.34
The Advance Healthcare Network lists the average regional RN as $57,103/year and $25.51/hour. However, when they differentiate between RNs with various educational levels, the average annual salaries in the South Eastern part of the US were as follows.
- Associate Degree – $58,562
- Bachelor’s Degree – $61,956
- Master’s Degree – $77,370
Salaries for BSN-educated RNs in Different Areas of South Carolina
Salaries differ with location. The following 2013 BLS table describes salaries for BSNs in different South Carolina cities and regions. BSNs not only earn the highest averages but they have far greater career mobility.