If you want a career in nursing, you may be considering degree options beyond a bachelor’s degree. Pursuing a graduate degree program may prepare you for more specialized and upper-level nursing opportunities. Both a Master of Science in Nursing (MSN) and Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) are options, but you’ll need to decide which is right for you based on your career goals.
MSN and DNP degree programs are for nurses who want to further their education and explore more career options than what’s available with only a bachelor’s degree.
The MSN is a graduate degree that may provide you with specialized knowledge, skills and expertise to pursue career opportunities like nurse administrator, nurse educator and clinical nurse specialist.
The DNP is a doctoral program that may help prepare you for advanced nursing roles and leadership opportunities. According to the National Organization of Nurse Practitioner Faculties (NONPF), the DNP degree may be the entry-level degree requirement for APRNs by 2025.
When deciding a nursing career track, some people may wonder, “Should I get my MSN or DNP?” The MSN and DNP have some key similarities and differences. Understanding how the degree programs compare may help you to decide the degree program path that’s right for you.
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Both the MSN and DNP are specialized programs that may help prepare you for your nursing career. They are designed to equip you with the skills you’ll use daily, including triaging patients, solving problems, and serving as a leader. Both programs give you the chance to explore more specialized fields of study than the more general education offered by a bachelor’s degree.
These programs share similar education requirements. Most programs require that you complete a bachelor’s degree in nursing and have a current RN license to be admitted.
After completing either of these degree programs, you may be more qualified and prepared for more opportunities than you would with a bachelor’s degree alone. These programs may prepare you to become an advanced practice registered nurse, pursuing a specialized career as a clinical nurse specialist, family nurse practitioner, certified nurse-midwife, or nurse practitioner.
The major difference between the MSN and the DNP is that the DNP is a terminal degree in the nursing field, and it helps to prepare nurses at the highest level of their practice–especially those planning to go into leadership positions. The MSN, being a master’s degree, does cover some of the same material as the DNP, but it may be designed to help nurses pursue initial licensure and certification as an APRN.
The DNP is a slightly more versatile degree. It may still prepare you to pursue a specialty area, but it opens up other opportunities like the ability to become a clinical researcher or health care lobbyist.
These programs also take different amounts of time to complete. Earning an MSN takes about two years on a full-time basis. The DNP may take slightly longer, averaging two to three years.
An MSN degree is a graduate degree that may help registered nurses advance their careers. This degree program provides you with a specialized education that may prepare you to become an advanced practice registered nurse.
If you decide that earning a graduate degree in nursing is right for you, you’ll have many nurse practitioner programs to choose from. An online MSN program may allow you to further your career while still meeting your full-time work and family requirements. Online FNP programs may also help prepare you for this specialized career field.
Sponsored online nursing programs
Earn an MSN online from Simmons University. Choose from two program options — FNP or PMHNP — and prepare to raise the standard of patient care.
Nursing@Georgetown delivers Georgetown University’s MS in Nursing program online, preparing RNs with a BSN to pursue certification in an APRN specialty. Students can earn their degree in as few as 23 months.
SPONSORED
Education requirements for an MSN may vary from program to program. Many MSN programs require that you have a bachelor’s degree in nursing (BSN) from an accredited program, as well as a current RN license. Programs may have different work experience requirements, with a minimum of one or more years of experience.
Other potential requirements include a minimum undergraduate GPA and minimum GRE test scores. If you’re considering a particular MSN program, it’s best to thoroughly read the program’s admissions requirements to determine what additional steps you might need to take before applying.
With an MSN degree, you may be qualified for more specialized positions with higher salaries. The following are the mean annual wages for these nursing positions as of May 2020, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS):
Keep in mind that many factors, including your location and years of experience, may affect nursing salaries, but earning an MSN may be a good start to boosting your earnings.
During an MSN program, you may learn skills that you’ll use daily, like how to conduct a thorough physical examination, criteria when prescribing medications, and how to make decisions on the job. Depending on the career path you choose, your scope of practice may differ slightly.
For example, a nurse practitioner program may help nurses gain skills to provide direct patient care that involves performing checkups, diagnosing and treating illnesses or injuries, and even prescribing medication. In contrast, a certified nurse midwife program may help students learn more about prescribing medication and treatments, ordering diagnostic tests, caring for women and newborns, and more.
One of the potential benefits of an MSN degree is that you may be able to pursue many career paths. Your MSN may prepare you to become an advanced practice registered nurse. Below are just a few of the careers that you may pursue with an MSN:
The Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) degree program delivers specialized, advanced training to nurses who want to hold upper-level positions. While traditional Ph.D. programs may focus more on academics and research, a DNP program may help nurses gain skills and education for further advanced practice and leadership roles.
During a DNP program, you may learn how to manage teams, use new research in your practice, and improve health care. With a DNP degree, you may also be able to pursue many career options, including becoming a nurse educator, a certified nurse-midwife, and more.
Georgetown University School of Nursing (GUSON) online Post-Master’s DNP program prepares APRNs to improve outcomes in clinical settings and implement systems-level change. The 30-credit curriculum can be completed part time in 20 mos.
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APRNs, earn your Doctor of Nursing Practice online from Simmons School of Nursing. Become a leader in your field and improve health care through evidence-based research. Master of Science in Nursing and RN license required.
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DNP program education requirements may vary, depending on the program. Some programs may require a bachelor’s degree in nursing; others may require at least a master’s degree in nursing.
Programs may also require you to hold an RN license and minimum GPA and/or GMAT or GRE test scores. You may also need to have a certain number of years of work experience as a nurse. It’s best to carefully review the requirements of the programs you are considering.
With a DNP, you may be able to pursue more specialized career paths that often carry higher salaries. The Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) reports the 2020 median income for Nurse Anesthetists, Nurse Midwives, and Nurse Practitioners was $117,670. Completing a DNP program may help prepare you to become an APRN in various specialties such as these. Other careers may include becoming a nurse educator or patient advocate. A nursing instructor’s mean annual wage in 2020 was $84,060 per year. Salaries will vary depending on your geographic location, your years of experience, and where you work.
Earning your DNP degree may be applicable for many career options, whether that’s leading change in a practice, caring for a vulnerable population or being a mentor to other nurses. However, by 2025, the DNP degree may be the entry-level degree requirement for APRNs, as reported by the NONPF.
A DNP degree may help prepare you for many nursing career pursuits, and your scope of practice will largely depend on the career you choose. According to the American Association of Colleges of Nursing, your DNP education will focus on areas like evidence-based practice, systems leadership and quality improvement.
With a DNP degree, you may potentially hold leadership positions. You might choose to specialize in one of many different fields, but just a few of your potential career options include:
In addition to these upper-level, specialized roles, a DNP degree may also prepare you for many of the same roles you could have with an MSN, including certified registered nurse anesthetist and certified nurse-midwife careers.
Last updated in January 2022.
