12 Types of Nursing Jobs You Can Get With a BSN

If you want a nursing job , it's important to consider which type of degree can most benefit your future career. Many professional nurses opt for a Bachelor of Science degree in nursing (BSN) to gain critical health care skills and the right prerequisites for licensure. Learning more about a BSN can help you find the job opportunities that align with your schedule and needs.

In this article, we review what a BSN is, explain why it's important and list 12 jobs you can get with a nursing BSN.

What is a nursing BSN?

A BSN degree allows students to gain a better understanding of nursing practices and principles so they can advance in their health care careers. Getting a BSN takes about four years to complete, similar to other bachelor's degree programs within a university system. Nurses who get a BSN can learn more about patient care technology, physiology, mental health nursing, research studies, health safety and client assessment.

Graduates may earn a Master's in Science in nursing afterward to extend their skills beyond the BSN level, focusing on a different specialization. For example, they might become anesthetists, consultants or advanced nurse practitioners. After a student completes their degree, they pass the NCLEX-RN exam to complete their licensure. Some students earn a BSN without getting their nursing licenses first, while others become registered nurses (RN) through a specialized program, then return to school for their bachelor's degree afterward.

Why is a nursing BSN important for your job search?

A nursing BSN is important for your job search because it can help expand your career opportunities beyond a regular practitioner's degree and qualifications. While gaining an RN is the quickest way to practice nursing, only requiring two years of study followed by exams and licensure requirements from your state, getting a BSN allows you to have more expansive job prospects.

Many states require RNs to gain a BSN to prove their medical expertise. If you get a BSN, you may be ahead of your competition in job applications. While both an RN and BSN focus primarily on providing patient care, those with a BSN receive more training on how to prepare patients for procedures and assist doctors with administering medications and treatments.

12 types of nursing jobs you can get with a BSN

If you want to get your BSN, there are many types of nursing jobs you can get with one. Here are 12 you can pursue. For the most up-to-date salary information from Indeed, visit indeed.com/salaries.

1. Health coach

National average salary: $41,855 per year

Primary duties: A health coach is a professional health instructor who helps clients maintain a healthy lifestyle. They provide guidance for nutrition, exercise and lifestyle changes. Health coaches lead education programs on various topics, such as ergonomics, weight management, stress management and yoga. During these programs, they help clients perform activities effectively and safely. As medical professionals, health coaches can also promote healthy activities and suggest meal plans.

2. Insurance specialist

National average salary: $50,445 per year

Primary duties: A medical insurance specialist is a health care professional who helps patients to record and process their claims. These professionals consult with their clients to find the right insurance plans for their circumstances. They also answer questions, determine client needs and keep close monitoring of client accounts to avoid insurance fraud. Insurance specialists may work independently as freelance agents or as employees in businesses. They may also work for an insurance or medical firm to help clients process their plans.

3. Health educator

National average salary: $58,246 per year

Primary duties: A health educator helps promote a healthy lifestyle for others by developing wellness programs, writing relevant literature and providing techniques on how to improve a client's physical or emotional health. Depending on the individual, the educator may focus on different issues the client experiences, such as stress, anxiety, depression, exhaustion or fatigue. They evaluate a client's behavior, habits and diet to help determine the cause of a client's condition. Health educators may teach at schools, medical centers or public spaces to raise medical awareness about lesser-known diseases.

4. Pharmaceutical sales representative

National average salary: $65,667 per year

Primary duties: Pharmaceutical sales representatives assess client needs and work with doctors to prescribe medical prescriptions. They have expertise in medical products and present them to sales meetings, training sessions, conference calls and executive meetings. Pharmaceutical sales representatives help determine if a particular prescription is viable for customers within the pharmaceutical system and may change which medicines are available at a location. These professionals often manage a team of pharmaceutical leaders, helping them reach conclusions concerning medication effectiveness.

5. Medical writer

National average salary: $67,062 per year

Primary duties: Medical writers produce educational, technical and promotional materials for schools and academic centers. They may develop plans for clinical trials, create monographs and publish promotional materials for their books. Medical writers may also write magazine or newspaper articles, create grant proposals and present during conferences. These professionals often work alongside those in medical positions to document procedures and research results. They may also be nurses, technical employees or physician staff.

6. Medical researcher

National average salary: $72,335 per year

Primary duties: Medical researchers organize and verify medical data. Medical researchers analyze data, compare resources, perform fieldwork and document critical information concerning medical combinations and their effects on study subjects. They may work in independent laboratories, preparing their own research, or work in medical facilities to create new medicines and test their effects.

7. Nurse

National average salary: $88,014 per year

Primary duties: Nurses handle the care and supervision of patients in a medical facility or home setting. They use a patient's medical history to inform current treatments, working with other medical staff to plan action steps toward their recovery process. Nurses help prepare patients for procedures, plan for checkups, explain treatments and address any concerns they may have. While in the hospital's care, nurses help ensure that patients follow treatment plans and medical advice from doctors. They also may help patients complete administrative tasks, such as validating medical details, endorsing payments and filling in forms.

Read more: Learn About Being a Nurse

8. Nurse manager

National average salary: $88,455 per year

Primary duties: Nurse managers oversee medical staff in nursing departments, making sure they provide high-quality care to patients. They also train other nurses on how to administer treatments, give reports and resupply hospital or clinic rooms. As a result, nurse managers may only handle patient needs during emergencies or understaffing situations. They also maintain patients' medical and financial records, oversee any budget reports for their department and enforce safety guidelines for both patients and nursing staff.

Read more: Learn About Being a Nurse Manager

9. Nurse consultant

National average salary: $91,512 per year

Primary duties: A consultant nurse is an adviser for long-term patients in a hospital or home care facility. They evaluate a patient's medical condition during their stay and determine the next best course of action for the patient's well-being. These professionals also manage the facilities, ensuring all materials and resupplies are within budget and maintained. In a hospital setting, a nurse consultant may manage emergency rooms, surgery procedures and nursing staff to ensure each patient has prioritized treatment.

10. Director of nursing

National average salary: $91,717 per year

Primary duties: This professional handles all nursing staff in a hospital, including nursing managers and their individual departments. Their responsibilities can include coordinating physician visits, maintaining nurse staff, creating reports, conducting assessments, upholding budgets and resolving general patient issues. Nursing directors also maintain records and verify patient data. They act as quality control specialists for a hospital, ensuring all records have documentation under hospital policies.

Read more: Learn About Being a Director of Nursing

11. Travel nurse

National average salary: $121,705 per year

Primary duties: A travel nurse works in short-term positions for different hospitals both in the country and abroad. As a result, they understand how to acclimate themselves to their surroundings quickly, learning how to handle duties in different settings. These professionals are responsible for treating patients, administrating medicine, preparing meals and supervising colleagues. Travel nurses may handle all the responsibilities of a regular nurse, aside from understanding a patient's long-term history,

12. Chief nursing officer

National average salary: $130,472 per year

Primary duties: A chief nursing officer supervises all medical staff in a facility and provides instructions to any visiting family members of patients. Chief nursing officers maintain order within a hospital, processing patient intake and preparing business reports, budgets and treatments. They're often a leading authority concerning protocol for each patient in the facility, ensuring that family members and nursing staff alike follow all sanitary conditions for a patient's treatment and safety. To help prioritize tasks, nursing officers may allocate them to other staff members when necessary.