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What degrees and certifications qualify someone as a professional nurse?
Executive summary
Federal and industry sources show that to practice as a registered nurse (RN) most U.S. employers require completion of an accredited nursing program—commonly an Associate Degree in Nursing (ADN) or a Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN)—and passage of the NCLEX licensing exam (see NursingCAS) [1]. Advanced practice roles (nurse practitioner, CRNA, clinical nurse specialist) require graduate education (MSN, DNP or specialty doctorate) plus board or state certification; dozens of specialty certifications from bodies such as ANCC and AACN further credential nurses [1] [2] [3]. Recent federal reclassification removing nursing from a Department of Education “professional degree” list affects loan access but does not itself change licensure or clinical credential requirements [4] [5] [6].
1. What legally qualifies someone to be a practicing RN: degrees, exam, and licensure
To be a licensed registered nurse you must complete an approved nursing program (options include ADN and BSN) and pass the national licensing exam (NCLEX) before state boards issue RN licensure; NursingCAS explicitly notes a BSN prepares students to sit for the NCLEX and that nursing programs award certificates, associate, baccalaureate, master’s and doctoral degrees [1]. Employer and state rules can add requirements — for example, hospitals increasingly prefer or require BSN-prepared nurses, a trend documented in 2025 workforce reporting [7].
2. Advanced practice roles: graduate degrees plus certification and state authorization
Roles that provide independent or expanded clinical care—nurse practitioners, CRNAs, nurse midwives, and clinical nurse specialists—require graduate education (master’s or, increasingly, doctoral-level training) and national certification/board credentials; sources list MSN, DNP, PhD and specialty doctorates as the educational pathways toward advanced practice and anesthesia roles now requiring doctoral-level training [1] [8] [9]. Certification organizations such as AACN and ANCC administer specialty and advanced-practice credentialing that employers and state regulators rely on [3] [2].
3. Certifications vs. licensure: different purposes, both valuable
Licensure (RN) is the legal permission to practice and always requires an accredited program plus NCLEX passage [1]. Certifications—offered by ANCC, AACN, specialty boards and others—validate specialty knowledge or advanced-practice competence; they are typically optional but preferred by employers, tied to pay and career advancement, and sometimes required for specific roles [2] [3]. Nurse.org and specialty guides catalog hundreds of available certificates, while professional bodies highlight how certification signals competence to employers and patients [10] [11].
4. Which specific credentials are most relevant for career steps
Common entry and progression points cited across sources are: CNA or LPN certificates for entry-level care; ADN or BSN for RN licensure and bedside practice; MSN/DNP/PhD for advanced practice, leadership, education, and research; and specialty certifications (CCRN, RNC-OB, NP board certifications, CRNA certification) for focused clinical practice [1] [12] [13] [8]. CRNAs now require a doctoral degree as of 2025 and have national certification processes; similarly, many acute-care specialties use AACN and ANCC exams [8] [9] [3].
5. The policy change that’s generating confusion: “professional degree” reclassification
Multiple outlets report the U.S. Department of Education removed nursing from a list of “professional degree” programs used for federal student‑loan limits, a change that affects borrowing caps and graduate loan programs rather than clinical licensure or certification requirements [4] [5] [6]. Nursing organizations including the American Nurses Association warned this will restrict graduate nursing funding and could worsen workforce shortages; the sources show this is a funding/regulatory classification, not a credentialing change to what counts as an RN or APRN [14] [5].
6. Conflicting views and practical consequences to watch
Advocates—ANA and many nursing academics—say excluding nursing from the Education Department’s “professional degree” category will make graduate pathways harder to afford and hamper the supply of NPs, CRNAs and nurse leaders [14] [5]. Other reporting frames the move as a technical application of regulatory definitions tied to loan formulas rather than a statement on professional status; available sources do not claim the DOE action alters state licensure criteria or certification boards’ standards [6] [4]. Watch for follow-up guidance from state boards, ANCC/AACN, and institutions about financial-aid impacts and any administrative changes to program classifications [14] [3].
7. Practical advice for prospective nurses and employers
If your goal is entry-level RN practice, enroll in an accredited ADN or BSN program and plan to pass the NCLEX [1]. If you aim for advanced practice, target accredited MSN, DNP or specialty doctoral programs and confirm required board certification processes [1] [3]. Track Department of Education rulemaking and ANA/AACN statements for changes to loan eligibility and financial planning because funding shifts do not change certification or licensure rules but will affect who can afford graduate training [4] [14].
Limitations: this summary relies on the supplied reporting and organizational pages; available sources do not detail every state board’s nuance or every single certification’s eligibility rules, so verify specific program, board and state licensure requirements before enrolling [1] [2].