Hawaii attracted national attention from the healthcare workforce community when the United States Bureau of Labor Statistics named it the second highest paying state in the country for registered nurses in 2013. At that time, registered nurses in Hawaii earned an average annual salary of $85,380. Today, nurses can receive even higher salaries by obtaining a BSN degree.
According to the Hawaii Action Coalition, 59% of nurses employed statewide held baccalaureate nursing degrees or higher as of 2013. By 2020, Hawaii hopes to increase this to 80%. The state plans to achieve this goal by developing universal curriculum that will allow for an easier transition from an ADN to a BSN through RN-BSN completion programs.
Comparing Salaries Among BSN and ADN Educated RNs in Hawaii
The Hawaii Department of Labor and Industrial Relations found that registered nurses with ADN degrees earned an average annual salary of $62,600 and an average hourly wage of $30.10 in 2013.
Yet, in that same year, registered nurses with BSN degrees reported earning a significantly greater average annual salary of $96,760 and an average hourly wage of $46.52.
The Hawaii Board of Nursing currently endorses six schools offering baccalaureate-level nursing degree programs in Hawaii. Although over half of these programs are located in Honolulu, schools in Hilo and Kaneohe also offer great BSN degree options to ambitious students. RN to BSN bridge programs offer virtually all of their curriculum online, making access even easier for working students.
In 2013, the American Association of Colleges of Nursing reported that there were 1,293 students enrolled in BSN programs in Hawaii. That year, nursing schools in Hawaii graduated 476 students from baccalaureate and graduate-level nursing programs.
Regional Pay Averages for BSN Nurses in Hawaii
Nurses that hold a BSN in Hawaii can expect to earn within the 75th and 90th salary percentile groups for their occupation (top 10 to 25%). Nurses can also expect to receive a salary that differs based upon their geographic locale of employment.
In 2013, the United States Bureau of Labor Statistics compiled the following data to show the regional pay differences between registered nurses working in Honolulu and those working in the nonmetropolitan areas of Hawaii, Maui, and Kauai: