Nurse
Registered nurses care for patients, give medicines and treatments, watch for changes in their condition and support them and their families.
What can you do with a nursing degree?
Also called: Nursing science · General nursing · Adult nursing · Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN)
Updated How we use data
Quick answer
A nursing degree prepares you to care for patients and families in hospitals, clinics, homes and communities, combining health science with supervised practice on clinical placements. Most graduates become registered nurses, often specialising in areas such as adult, children's or mental health nursing. Nursing also leads to careers in midwifery, public health, teaching, research and health management.
Careers with a nursing degree
Most nursing graduates work as registered nurses in hospitals, community services, care homes, schools and clinics. With experience, they can specialise, for example in intensive care, emergency, cancer or mental health nursing, or move into advanced practice roles. Some nurses retrain as midwives or paramedics, and a few move into related health professions such as occupational therapy. Nursing experience is also valued in health management, teaching, research, public health and international health work.
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Midwife
Midwives care for women and babies during pregnancy, labour and birth, and in the weeks after birth.
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Paramedic
Paramedics respond to emergency calls, assess patients at the scene, give urgent treatment and take them safely to hospital when needed.
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Occupational therapist
Occupational therapists help people of all ages manage the everyday activities that matter to them, such as washing, dressing, working, studying or playing, after illness, injury or disability or with a mental health condition.
Other roles graduates go into: Nurse practitioner · Nurse educator · Clinical research nurse · Infection prevention specialist · Health service manager · Public health practitioner
What you study and the skills you gain
Typical topics
- Anatomy, physiology and pharmacology
- Fundamentals of nursing care and patient safety
- Assessing patients and planning care
- Care of children, adults and older people
- Mental health and well-being
- Public health and health promotion
- Ethics, law and professional practice
- Clinical placements in hospitals and community settings
Skills you gain
- Assessing patients and recognising when someone is getting worse
- Giving medicines and treatments safely
- Communicating with patients, families and other professionals
- Staying calm and organised under pressure
- Recording information accurately
- Treating people from all backgrounds with care and respect
How the degree differs around the world
In many countries, including the UK, Australia, Canada and much of Europe, the usual route to becoming a registered nurse is a bachelor's degree of three to four years. In the UK, students choose a field, such as adult, children's or mental health nursing, from the start. In the United States, you can qualify through a two-year associate degree or a four-year Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN), and then pass a national licensing exam. In some countries, nurses still train through diploma programmes. All programmes combine study with long clinical placements, and graduates must register with the nursing regulator before they can work. Many countries offer shorter routes for people who already have a degree.
How do nursing graduates do?
Earnings and employment by country
The OECD compares graduates by field of study. This subject falls under “Nursing and associate health fields”. The first column compares the median earnings of tertiary-educated adults in this field with all tertiary-educated adults (100 = average).
| Country | Earnings index (all graduates = 100) | Employment rate, this field | Employment rate, all graduates |
|---|---|---|---|
| Austria | 122 (2023) | 89.2% (2024) | 86.4% |
| Germany | 117 (2020) | 86.8% (2024) | 88.7% |
| Costa Rica | 113 (2023) | 76.3% (2024) | 79.2% |
| Slovenia | 112 (2020) | 93.3% (2024) | 90.8% |
| Romania | 107 (2023) | 94.1% (2024) | 91.5% |
| Latvia | 102 (2023) | 80.8% (2024) | 87.7% |
| Australia | 94 (2020) | 87.7% (2024) | 88.4% |
| Chile | 93 (2023) | 89.3% (2022) | 85.7% |
| Luxembourg | 93 (2023) | 82.3% (2024) | 85.7% |
| Estonia | 91 (2023) | 93.3% (2024) | 89.2% |
| Portugal | 90 (2020) | 93.3% (2024) | 90.7% |
| Mexico | 90 (2023) | 79.1% (2024) | 81.5% |
| South Korea | 89 (2023) | — | — |
| Canada | 88 (2020) | 81.5% (2021) | 80.4% |
| United Kingdom | 86 (2020) | 81.9% (2021) | 84.6% |
| Sweden | 85 (2023) | 92.6% (2024) | 89.6% |
| United States | 85 (2023) | 85.4% (2017) | 84.3% |
| Denmark | 84 (2023) | 88.9% (2021) | 87.8% |
| Norway | 82 (2023) | 91.0% (2024) | 89.3% |
| Switzerland | 80 (2023) | 90.2% (2024) | 89.5% |
| Finland | 78 (2022) | 92.0% (2024) | 88.8% |
| Croatia | — | 96.0% (2024) | 89.7% |
| Iceland | — | 95.4% (2016) | 93.6% |
| Poland | — | 94.0% (2024) | 91.6% |
| Slovakia | — | 93.3% (2024) | 90.5% |
| Lithuania | — | 92.9% (2024) | 90.4% |
| Netherlands | — | 90.7% (2024) | 90.6% |
| Belgium | — | 89.9% (2024) | 88.5% |
| Italy | — | 89.0% (2024) | 84.7% |
| Ireland | — | 88.8% (2021) | 86.9% |
| France | — | 88.1% (2024) | 87.3% |
| Spain | — | 85.5% (2024) | 83.9% |
| Czechia | — | 84.9% (2024) | 88.4% |
| Hungary | — | 83.6% (2024) | 76.2% |
| Greece | — | 79.4% (2024) | 82.3% |
| Türkiye | — | 78.3% (2016) | 72.9% |
| Peru | — | 76.9% (2024) | 81.7% |
Source: OECD, Education at a Glance. Adults aged 25–64 with tertiary education; latest year available, full-time earners where published. Values are for the whole field of study, not this subject alone. Where a country publishes only broad fields, we use “Health and welfare”.
Graduate earnings in the UK
The UK government links tax records to university records to measure what graduates earn. These figures are for “Adult nursing” first-degree graduates who were employed in the 2023–24 tax year.
| Time since graduating | Median | Lower quartile | Upper quartile | In work or study |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| After 1 year | £32,900 | £29,300 | £38,100 | 95.8% |
| After 3 years | £34,800 | £28,200 | £41,000 | 95.0% |
| After 5 years | £35,900 | £27,800 | £42,800 | 94.2% |
| After 10 years | £36,600 | £26,400 | £45,800 | 91.2% |
Source: UK Department for Education, Graduate labour market outcomes (LEO), tax year 2023–24. Earnings are annual and include only graduates in sustained employment. More UK detail on CourseToJob.co.uk
Is a nursing degree right for you?
It may suit you if
- You want to care for people directly and make a practical difference every day.
- You stay calm in stressful situations and can think clearly when things go wrong.
- You are comfortable with physical work, shifts and close contact with people who are ill.
Think twice if
- You want regular office hours, as most nurses work shifts, including nights and weekends.
- You find blood, bodily fluids or seeing people in pain very hard to cope with.
- You are looking for a job with little emotional pressure, because nursing can be stressful and tiring.
Further study
After registration, many nurses take further courses to specialise, for example in intensive care, emergency care or mental health. A master's degree can lead to advanced practice roles, such as nurse practitioner, which in some countries allow nurses to diagnose and prescribe. In some countries, registered nurses can qualify as midwives through a shortened course. Others move into teaching, management and research through postgraduate study and a PhD.
Questions about studying nursing
What jobs can you get with a nursing degree?
Most graduates become registered nurses in hospitals, community services, clinics, schools or care homes. With experience, you can specialise or become a nurse practitioner, nurse educator, manager or researcher. Some nurses retrain as midwives or paramedics, and others work in public health, occupational health, the armed forces or international aid organisations.
How long does it take to become a nurse?
In most countries, it takes three to four years to complete a nursing degree and qualify for registration. In the United States, you can also qualify through a two-year associate degree, although many employers prefer a bachelor's degree. If you already have a degree, some countries offer accelerated programmes that usually take one to two years.
Can nurses work in other countries?
Yes, but you usually need to register with the nursing regulator in the new country first. This often means having your qualifications checked, proving your language skills and sometimes passing an exam or completing a period of supervised practice. Nurses are needed in many countries, and some actively recruit from abroad, so check the rules in the country where you want to work.
Is nursing a hard degree?
Nursing is demanding because you combine academic study with long clinical placements, which often include shifts, nights and weekends. You need to learn a lot of science and pharmacology, and placements can be emotionally challenging. Most students find it manageable with good organisation and support, and placements help you see how your learning is used in real care.
Related subjects
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Medicine
A medicine degree trains you to diagnose, treat and prevent illness, combining medical science with supervised clinical work in hospitals and communities.
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Biomedical science
A biomedical science degree teaches the biology of human health and disease, and how laboratory tests help doctors diagnose and treat patients.
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Psychology
A psychology degree is the scientific study of the mind and behaviour: how people think, feel, learn, develop and relate to each other.
Sources
- OECD — Education at a Glance, labour-market outcomes — Earnings and employment by field of study, adults 25–64
- UK Department for Education — Graduate labour market outcomes (LEO) — CAH CAH02-04-02 — Adult nursing
- UNESCO — ISCED-F 2013 — ISCED-F 0913
How to cite this page: CourseToJob (2026). What can you do with a nursing degree? Jobs and salaries. https://coursetojob.com/subjects/nursing/ (accessed September 26, 2026)