Nursing major

Nursing: courses, careers, and where to study

Nursing prepares graduates for the NCLEX-RN licensure exam and careers as Registered Nurses, combining biomedical sciences with clinical rotations across hospital units.

A Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) is the most common entry point into Registered Nursing. Programs include 1.5–2 years of pre-nursing prerequisites (anatomy, physiology, microbiology, chemistry, statistics, psychology) followed by 2 years of nursing major coursework with clinical rotations. Graduates are eligible to sit for the NCLEX-RN.

The BSN is increasingly the preferred credential, many hospitals (especially Magnet-designated ones) now require it. Students starting at a community college can complete an Associate Degree in Nursing (ADN, 2 years) and then bridge to a BSN through an RN-to-BSN program. The BLS projects 6 % growth in RN roles over the next decade, with persistent national shortages.

Academic classification (CIP)

In the federal Classification of Instructional Programs, Nursing maps to CIP 51.3801, Registered Nursing/Registered Nurse, within the HEALTH PROFESSIONS AND RELATED PROGRAMS family. The official definition:

A program that generally prepares individuals in the knowledge, techniques and procedures for promoting health, providing care for sick, disabled, infirmed, or other individuals or groups. Includes instruction in the administration of medication and treatments, assisting a physician during treatments and examinations, Referring patients to physicians and other health care specialists, and planning education for health maintenance.

Source: U.S. Department of Education (NCES), Classification of Instructional Programs (CIP) 2020. View on nces.ed.gov

What you'll study

  • Anatomy and physiology
  • Microbiology and pharmacology
  • Adult health, pediatric, maternity, mental-health, and community nursing
  • Pathophysiology
  • Nursing research and evidence-based practice
  • Clinical leadership and management
  • Health assessment and physical examination
  • 700–1,000+ hours of supervised clinical rotations

Typical careers

Typical salary range: $66,000–$95,000 early-career (BLS, 2024 registered nurses median $93,600)Ranges are early-career estimates. Any BLS figure shown is the occupation-wide median across all experience levels, not a starting wage, and is informational only.

Related occupations

Occupations the federal CIP–SOC crosswalk associates with Nursing. Linked titles open a CampusPin career page with BLS pay and outlook data; others are listed for reference.

Source: U.S. Department of Education (NCES), Crosswalk: CIP 2020 to SOC 2018. A program of study does not guarantee any specific occupation.

Before you commit to a Nursing major

CampusPin does not rank programs. Use these prompts to pressure-test whether a specific Nursing program fits your goals, they are decision questions, not claims about any school.

Ask the Nursing department

  • Which concentrations or specializations are offered, and which faculty lead them?
  • What does the typical course sequence look like, and how much is required vs. elective?
  • What labs, studios, clinical placements, or research opportunities are available to undergraduates?
  • Is there a capstone, thesis, internship, or co-op requirement?

Ask current students & check the curriculum

  • How heavy is the workload, and how accessible is the faculty?
  • What internships or co-ops did you do, and where do recent graduates end up?
  • Does the required curriculum actually match the careers listed above?
  • How easy is it to add a minor, double major, or switch tracks later?
Accreditation & licensure: Many health programs require specialized programmatic accreditation, and graduates often need state licensure or national certification to practice. Confirm a Nursing program's accreditation and your state's licensure requirements before you enroll.
Degree level & graduate study: Many Nursingcareers are open with a bachelor's degree, but some, such as research, advanced-practice, or licensure-track roles, require a master's or doctorate. Check the typical entry-level education on each linked career page above before assuming a bachelor's is enough.

Find a Nursing program

CampusPin lists U.S. universities and community colleges that offer Nursing programs. Filter by state, tuition, school size, acceptance rate, and campus setting, no account required.

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Nursing by state

Related majors

How this guide is sourced

This is an editorial guide from the CampusPin Editorial Team. Career and wage figures are from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, occupation-wide medians across all experience levels, not starting wages, and link to each career page. Program availability comes from CampusPin's free institution search; CampusPin does not assert that any specific school offers this exact major until that program data is verified. Last reviewed 2026-06-15. How CampusPin sources data · Report a correction.