Get your Associate of Science Degree in Nursing (ASN/ADN): it takes two to three years and qualifies you to take the National Council Licensure Examination (NCLEX-RN) Get your Bachelor of Science Nursing (BSN): it takes four years at a college or university and prepares you for bedside and leadership roles.

LPNs vs RNs. RN and LPN: two different sets of initials on different name badges - and often two very different roles. Registered nurses (RN) have, at the minimum, a two-year degree or three-year diploma. Licensed practical nurses (LPN) have about a year of nursing education, often culminating in a certificate.

The cost can be lesser or greater depending on which educational path is chosen. The tuition fee for a bachelor's of science degree in nursing (BSN), which takes four years to finish, costs anywhere from $40,000 to well over $100,000 each year in private institutions and large universities.