Missouri presents a host of challenges for healthcare providers, and the situation is particularly critical in rural Missouri. Twenty-nine of the state’s rural counties met the federal definition of a Health Professional Shortage Area according to a 2014 report by the Missouri Foundation for Health. This problem is expected to become even more severe as the state’s population ages and its residents require more medical care.
Nurses are a vital component of the Social Innovation for Missouri program that seeks to expand physical activity and reduce the use of tobacco. While there were 64,870 registered nurses in Missouri in 2013 according to the state’s Economic Research and Information Center, many of these nurses have solely ADN degrees. Obtaining a BSN lets these professionals take on more clinical responsibilities, putting them in a better position to improve the health of Missouri’s residents while also improving their salaries.
Comparing the Salaries of ADN and BSN Prepared RNs in Missouri
The Advanced Healthcare Network for Nurses revealed that nurses in the Midwest who obtained BSN degrees made an average of $59,232 a year in 2012. This was 6% greater than the salaries for nurses with associate’s degrees. Such a difference translates to a difference of $33,690 over a career period of ten years.
The job site Indeed.com provides the salaries for RN positions that are currently being advertised. This information reveals that there was generally a substantial benefit to nurses with BSN degrees working at hospitals and doctor’s offices, as they were offered much higher salaries:
St. Louis
- BSN required:
- Registered Nurse- OR Heart Team – FT with Call – $72,000
- BSN preferred:
- Endoscopy Charge Nurse – $87,000
- Staff Nurse Medical Oncology – $64,000
- RN required:
- Registered Nurse Bone Marrow Transplant – $59,000
- Registered Nurse Oncology Hematology – $65,000
Kansas City
- BSN preferred:
- Staff Nurse Medical Oncology – $64,000
- RN required:
- RN Bone Marrow Transplant – $55,000
- Pediatric Oncology RN – $54,000
Salaries for BSN-Educated RNs throughout Missouri
The US Bureau of Labor Statistics provides the results of a 2013 salary survey of BSN-educated RNs in Missouri in the table below: