Can you switch to nursing as a second career?

If you are in your 30s, 40s or later, nursing can feel like a door that closed years ago. Some programs are built for adults who already have a degree. This guide covers the paths, old credits, entrance exams, work, cost and pay, so you can pick a first step.

Can you become a nurse as a second career?

Yes. Nursing has several routes in, and some are designed for adults who already hold a degree. The BLS lists three education paths for registered nurses (RNs). These are a bachelor’s degree (BSN), an associate degree (ADN or ASN), or a diploma from an approved program. To get a state license, you graduate from an approved program and pass an exam.

Licensed practical nurses (LPNs) take a shorter route. Our LPN vs RN guide compares the two jobs.

The BLS description of how to become an RN doesn’t mention an age limit, and neither does the NCLEX FAQ. That is not a legal guarantee. Each state nursing board sets its own NCLEX eligibility rules and schools decide admission, so ask them about anything that applies to you.

Which nursing path fits a career changer?

With a degree in another field, look at accelerated BSN programs. Without one, the main choices are an LPN program, an ADN or a BSN. The table uses BLS and AACN figures, plus named schools as examples.

Path	Typical length	Who it fits	Source
LPN/LVN program	About 1 year	You want a shorter program	BLS
ADN (associate)	BLS: typically 4 years. Citrus College: two years once admitted.	You have no degree and want an RN route	BLS; Citrus College
BSN (bachelor’s)	BLS: typically 4 years. Cal State Long Beach: about 5 semesters; most applicants finish general education first.	You want a bachelor’s degree	BLS; CSULB
Accelerated BSN	12 to 18 months on AACN’s fact sheet, 11 to 18 on its programs page, both including prerequisites	You hold a bachelor’s or graduate degree in a non-nursing field	AACN

The ADN row looks odd. The BLS says ADN degrees typically take 4 years and doesn’t explain why, while schools describe a shorter program.

Prerequisites may be part of the gap, but that is our guess. Citrus College and Santa Rosa Junior College both say most students spend about two years on prerequisites first. Santa Rosa then lists four full-time semesters of nursing courses.

So ask each school how long the whole path takes from today, not just the nursing classes. Our nursing school timelines guide goes deeper.

Do your old credits and science classes still count?

It depends on the school, and science courses are where many of the limits we checked apply. Here are examples from school pages. Each program may change its rule.

School	Rule on older coursework
UNC (BSN, ABSN)	Anatomy and physiology and microbiology within 5 years of the deadline; psychology and statistics within 10
Cal State Long Beach (BSN)	Natural sciences within 5 years of the deadline; social sciences within 10
Citrus College (ADN)	5-year limit on three sciences; none on other courses
Chaffey College (ADN)	Physiology and microbiology within 10 years; no limit on science prerequisites for LVN-to-RN applicants
University of Rochester (ABSN)	Anatomy, physiology and microbiology “preferably” within 5 years of starting

If your biology class is from 2008, you may need to retake it for some schools and not others.

Compare your transcripts with the list in our nursing school prerequisites guide, then ask admissions how they count older courses. Cal State Long Beach says checking course equivalency is your job.

Do you need an entrance exam after years out of school?

Some programs ask for one, and some set a minimum score.

Citrus College does not require the ATI TEAS to apply. Provisionally admitted and alternate students need version 7 with a score of 62% or higher, and scores are valid for twelve months.

Santa Rosa Junior College asks for a TEAS score of 62% as part of qualifying for its lottery. If your first score is lower, it asks for six months between tests.

ATI lists the TEAS 7 at 170 questions and 209 minutes, in four sections: reading, math, science, and English and language usage. It marks 20 questions as unscored, so 150 count.

If math feels rusty, you don’t have to relearn everything at once. Start with one skill, such as our lesson on converting fractions, decimals and percents. To see where you stand, take the free TEAS diagnostic test.

Can you work while you are in nursing school?

The programs below describe it as hard, and some advise against it.

• AACN: Students in accelerated programs are “encouraged NOT to work” because of the rigor. Courses are full-time, with no breaks between sessions.
• Citrus College: It says the answer depends on your academic ability and study time. It recommends giving the program 100% of your attention, and says it can’t work around student work schedules.
• Santa Rosa Junior College: Expect about 32 hours a week in class plus 20 to 30 hours of study. It says most students find it hard to work, and that it makes no accommodations for work schedules or child care.
• Cal State Long Beach: Clinical classes run day or evening shifts, Monday through Sunday.

Ask each program for its schedule before you apply.

How much does it cost, and what help exists?

Costs vary by school and path, so get the full price from each program, then check federal aid. We did not compare tuition here because it changes by school and by year.

Federal Student Aid says any undergraduate, regardless of age, may be eligible for a Pell Grant. They must have financial need and meet a few basic requirements. They must not have earned a bachelor’s, graduate or professional degree. The maximum award for 2026-27 is $7,395, and Pell Grants generally aren’t repaid. You submit the FAFSA form to be considered, and an award isn’t certain.

If you already have a bachelor’s degree, that Pell description leaves you out. AACN says financial aid for accelerated students is limited, and that some practice settings offer tuition repayment to graduates as a way to recruit nurses.

What are the job outlook and pay for nurses?

The BLS projects RN jobs to grow 6% from 2025 to 2035, faster than average, with median pay of $97,550 in May 2025. It also projects about 180,800 RN openings a year, on average, over the decade. Most come from replacing workers who change occupations or leave the workforce.

For LPNs, the BLS shows median pay of $64,400 (May 2025), 3% growth from 2025 to 2035 and about 51,800 openings a year. Median means half earn more and half earn less, so these numbers don’t predict your own job or pay.

What should you do first?

Start with a few small steps this month, before you apply anywhere.

1. Pick a path to look at first. With a degree in another field, start with accelerated BSN programs. Without one, look at LPN, ADN and BSN programs near you.
2. List your old courses and their dates. Note when you took each science class and the grade you earned.
3. Ask two or three schools the same questions. Ask about time limits on science courses, the entrance exam, clinical schedules and start dates.
4. Check your state board of nursing. It sets the rules for taking the NCLEX and getting your license.
5. Take the free TEAS diagnostic.
6. Ask the financial aid office about the FAFSA.

Quick answers

Is there an age limit for nursing school? The BLS description of how to become an RN doesn’t mention one, but that is not a legal guarantee. Your state board and each school set their own rules, so ask them directly.

How long does it take to change careers into nursing? About 1 year for an LPN program and typically 4 years for an ADN or BSN, per the BLS. With a degree in another field, AACN puts an accelerated BSN at 11 or 12 to 18 months, depending on the page.

Do my old science classes expire? At some schools, yes. UNC, Cal State Long Beach and Citrus College use a 5-year limit, Chaffey College uses 10 years, and Rochester states a preference.

Can I work and go to nursing school? Programs describe it as hard. AACN encourages accelerated students not to work, and Citrus and Santa Rosa say they can’t work around your job.

Can a school promise I will get in? No school can promise that in advance. Santa Rosa, for example, uses a lottery.