The goal of the Washington Coalition of the Future of Nursing Campaign for Action is to increase the number of RNs with BSN degrees to 80 percent by 2020. Currently, 53 percent of Washington’s nurses hold a BSN degree as compared to 50 percent nationally. BSN-educated RNs will not only find it easier to secure employment, but they can also expect higher wages and greater chances of advancement.
The American Association of Colleges of Nursing reports that there are 10 member schools in Washington from which 1,815 students nursing students graduated with a BSN degree or higher in 2013. That same year a total of 2,539 students were enrolled in BSN programs, both new students and working RNs who went back to school to complete RN-BSN bridge programs.
A Look at the Salaries of Washington RNs with BSN Degrees
It is well documented that RNs with experience and BSN degrees fall into the upper end of salary scales. The US Department of Labor’s annual survey of RN salaries shows that Washington’s BSN-educated nurses earn salaries that are higher than the national average.
In comparison, an RN with a Associate’s degree will earn an average annual salary of $75,500 and an hourly wage of $36.30.
BSN-Educated RN Salary Variations in Different Cities and Regions
There are slight differences in the salary ranges of RNs working in various cities and regions of Washington. The following hourly wages in different Metropolitan Statistical Areas were published in 2013 by the Washington Employment Security Department. The “75th percentile” represents typical wages of BSN-educated RNs, while “average” figures are for those with an associate’s degree alone.
The following table lists the estimates from the 2013 Bureau of Labor Statistics annual survey of RN salaries in various cities/regions of Washington.