According to a survey done in 2006, registered nurses with a BSN earned $4,200 more each year than registered nurses without the degree. If you multiply that by 25 years, you’re looking at $105,000 more over the course of a career.

Getting your RN to BSN degree has never been easier thanks to the large number of online programs that are available. Online nursing degree programs are flexible and allow you to earn your degree while working full time.

However, when going the online route, you need to make sure to select high quality RN to BSN program. Below are the 7 best online nursing degree programs according to The Best Degrees.

• Florida Hospital College of Health Sciences
• Chamberlain College of Nursing
• Sacred Heart University
• Drexel University
• Western Governors University
• Graceland University
• Indiana State University

Many people want to go to the best school that they can get accepted into. If that sounds like you, then you’re no doubt a huge fan of college rankings. Choosing the best program can often lead to an easier time getting a job after your education (although as we all know, when it comes to nursing, the demand is so high that it’s hard NOT to get a job!)

Today Zen College Life made us aware of their 2010 rankings of the 10 best nursing schools. If you are thinking about attending nursing school and want to go to the best school possible, consider applying to several off this list.

Overall, we like the rankings that Zen College Life put together and congratulate them on having built a solid resource for prospective nursing students. Let us know your thoughts. It’s hard NOT to leave a good school out when you are only listing ten.

Coming as no surprise to us at Health Careers Journal, it pays very well to work in the health industry. According to the US Department of Labor, in 2008, seven of the top 10 best paying jobs were in the health care industry.

1. Surgeon* – $181,850 salary per year

2. Anesthesiologist* – $174,610 salary per year

3. Obstetrician/Gynocologist* – $174,600 salary per year

4. Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeon* – $169,600 salary per year

5. Internist* $156,790 salary per year

6. Prosthodontist* – $153,710 salary per year

7. Orthodontist* – $153,240 salary per year

8. Psychiatrist* – $151,380 salary per year

9. Chief Executive Officer (CEO) – $140,880 salary per year

10. Engineering Manager – $140,210 salary per year

*Indicates a health career or job

Even in our slowing economy, the greatest demand for jobs is found in the health care industry.   Health careers are readily available to those who put the time in to get a proper education.  Unfortunately, the supply of health professionals has not bee enough to keep up with demand.  So nurses and other health professionals tend get stretched to their full capacity.

The good news is that all over the country there are programs in place to encourage high school students to consider a career in health.   Once such program to encourage students is at the North Louisiana Area Health Education Center where students are able to get hands on experience with a health occupation in exchange for high school credit.

[Read more →]

Nurses continue to be in high demand.  A career in nursing is about the best protection you can have against any economic downturn, especially since health is one of the fundamental things that people need.

Over the last decade, salaries for nurses have gone up much faster than most other jobs at about 48% – this growth is not only better than inflation but also better than the majority of other jobs which have either remained steady with inflation or lost ground.

Below, we include the starting salaries and averages salaries for some of the more common nursing positions: [Read more →]