As more nurses in Idaho discover that BSN degrees lead to higher salaries, more students are enrolling in nursing programs offered throughout the state. In 2013, the American Association of Colleges of Nurses reported that there were 1,367 students enrolled in baccalaureate-level nursing programs in Idaho. In that same year, the state graduated 595 students from baccalaureate and graduate nursing programs.
BSN Nurses Earn Higher Salaries Than ADN Nurses in Idaho
Nurses that hold a BSN degree in Idaho earn higher salaries while also helping meet the goal of increasing the proportion of the state’s nursing workforce educated with a bachelor’s degree or higher to 80%.
According to the Idaho Department of Labor, recent surveys conclude that among registered nurses ages 25 to 44, nearly half have attained a bachelor’s degree:
- Bachelor’s Degree: 46%
- Associate’s Degree: 38%
- Master’s Degree: 8%
- Some College/No Degree: 5%
- Doctoral/Professional Degree: 2%
BSN v. ADN Annual Salaries – The latest reports released by the Idaho state government show that BSN-educated nurses consistently earn higher salaries on average than their ADN-educated colleagues. For instance, BSN-educated nurses earn an average annual salary of $69,530, while ADN-educated nurses earn an average annual salary of just $50,760.
BSN v. ADN Monthly Wages – Right now, BSN-educated nurses earn an average monthly wage of $5,793, while ADN-educated nurses earn an average monthly wage of $4,229.
BSN v. ADN Hourly Wages – In 2012, the United States Bureau of Labor Statistics found that one in five registered nurses work part-time jobs. These part-time workers are compensated with hourly wages. Today, BSN nurses earn an average hourly wage of $33.43, while ADN nurses earn an average hourly wage of $24.40.
Regional Pay Averages for BSN Nurses in Idaho
One of the chief reasons that nursing students and licensed nurses alike seek a BSN degree is because these highly educated nurses earn within the 75th and 90th salary percentiles in their field (top 10 – 25%).
In 2013, the United States Bureau of Labor Statistics generated the following data to express the pay differentiation among registered nurses working in both metropolitan and nonmetropolitan areas of Idaho: