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How to Think About Nursing Programs: for Working Adults
Enrolling in a nursing degree program as a working adult can be daunting prospect. Here's how you can achieve a sustainable work-school-life balance.
Full-time working adults have many factors to consider before enrolling in nursing school.
We want to share our perspective on what potential students need to know based on many years of experience helping working adults start or advance their nursing careers.
Our suggestions vary significantly based on whether you are new to nursing or a current working RN considering career advancement:
I am new to nursing
Our suggested approach to incorporate nursing school into your busy life—and find a balance
Anyone considering becoming a nurse has already indicated admirable ambition to pursue a meaningful, demanding profession. These kinds of driven individuals may entertain the possibility of enrolling in nursing school while continuing to work full-time.
However, we strongly recommend our nursing students work minimal hours over the course of our programs, across all prelicensure degree levels and modalities (on-campus, hybrid, or online).
You have the flexibility to work as much as you feel is necessary. However, in our experience, students who adjust their work schedules (even temporarily) often report lower stress and stronger academic performance. Balancing full-time work and full-time nursing education is possible but requires careful planning and realistic expectations.
Our goal is to help students get the absolute most out of nursing school, ready to succeed as an RN right away after graduation and passing the NCLEX-RN. You’ll discover a compelling, fulfilling, and potentially lucrative career path that’s worth the hard work to build.
But how am I going to survive if I can’t work full-time?
Getting by can be difficult enough while working full-time. We know the thought of reducing work hours can be hard to imagine, but there are several things you can do to help make ends meet throughout nursing school:
- Switch to school-friendly hours whenever possible. Classwork can often be completed on evenings/weekends, but there are some elements like clinicals, labs, intensives, and exams—which offer less flexibility.
- Seek employer assistance if available. Beyond allowing a more flexible work schedule, some employers provide options for tuition assistance or reimbursement—especially if you already work in healthcare.
- Use financial aid for living expenses. Financial aid can cover more than just tuition. There are several grants, scholarships, and other sources of aid for which you may qualify, which are too many to list here. Our Financial Aid team can help you identify what options are right for you.
- Reassess your budget. Trim back on the everyday expenses you can live without, whether it’s eating out, impulse buys, or streaming services you never use. This may seem minor, but it’s surprising how much the simplest changes can add up over time. Every little bit counts!
- Rely on your support system. Everyone who cares for you wants to help and see you succeed! Sometimes, emotional support can mean everything.
Remember—there’s a bright, potentially lucrative future awaiting on the other side as a registered nurse. This won’t last forever, and the short-term sacrifice is worth the long-term reward.
How we design our nursing programs to be as flexible as possible for working adults
We strive to make our programs as flexible as we can, helping you keep a manageable work schedule while prioritizing your nursing education.
Flexible formats
Coursework may be taken on-site, online, or a hybrid of both. Many non-clinical courses can be completed online, allowing you to learn on a schedule that works for you.
Asynchronous study
If you can’t make a course/session live due to personal or family commitments, you can engage with recorded faculty-led virtual sessions later on your own schedule.
Planning ahead
Labs, intensives, and other on-site requirements are more rigid. We work hard to schedule in advance to give you time to coordinate work schedules, childcare, and other obligations.
Local clinicals
Your clinical schedule can include shifts with variable hours, times of day, weekends, and/or holidays. We prioritize connecting you with a clinical facility near your home to make it easier to manage.
Structured expectations
We provide clear guidance on workload expectations, access to tutoring, faculty support, and academic resources to help you stay on track. You are never alone!
Keep in mind options will vary based on the specific program, campus, and modality. To promote strong learning and engagement, it’s important to understand some programs have more synchronous, scheduled requirements than others. Admissions can help guide you through the process of choosing the program that’s right for your circumstances.
A fulfilling, rewarding career in nursing awaits on the other side of your hard work and dedication.
Keep in mind what comes at the end of all of this: a career as a registered nurse, featuring a strong average salary, a consistent need for your knowledge and skills from many types of employers, and a tremendously impactful everyday role helping people heal.
According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, registered nurses earn an average salary of $98,430 per year ($47.32 per hour). Employment of RNs is expected to grow 5% from 2024-2034, representing an additional 166,100 jobs.*
Nursing school and all the life changes needed to complete it can be intimidating. However, with Herzing University you’ll have a lifelong learning partner eager to help you navigate any obstacles on your path and emerge as a capable, competent nursing professional ready to make an impact.
I am an RN
Our post-licensure nursing programs for RNs are designed to fit into your preferred working schedule
The online RN to BSN and wide variety of master’s and doctoral degree programs are built to meet you where you are. Your next nursing degree program should work with your schedule, not against it. Our goal is to help working nurses fit an advanced degree program into their schedule in a way that feels manageable and sustainable.
You are free to work as much as you choose. Many of our post-licensure and graduate students successfully maintain full-time roles. Some choose to adjust their working hours to create more time for academic coursework. We can help you determine the work-school-life balance that’s right for you.
Our goal is to help you get the absolute most of the program you choose, ready to succeed at the next level right away after graduation. You’ll discover new opportunities to expand your scope of practice and reach new career heights worthy of your hard work and dedication.
How we support working nursing professionals
- Tailored pathways. Our nursing programs are designed to provide the fastest, most direct pathways from where you are to where you want to be.
- A clear plan. As soon as you are accepted, we’ll work with you to complete a schedule for your entire program of study.
- Flexible scheduling. Online didactic coursework may be completed on your schedule, at your pace (days, evenings, or nights).
- Personal guidance. You’ll work with an advisor throughout the course of the program to help ensure you stay organized, understand requirements, and feel supported as you balance multiple responsibilities.
- Start soon. Our online post-licensure programs start 6 times per year with no application deadlines and no wait list. Apply today and prepare to get started soon!
Your investment in yourself can result in significant career benefits
Remember—there’s a bright, potentially lucrative future awaiting after advancing your nursing education to the next level. This won’t last forever, and the short-term sacrifice is worth the long-term reward.
The Bureau of Labor Statistics provides average salary estimates for several categories of nursing and nursing-related occupations most commonly requiring a graduate degree:*
| Job / Career | Per year | Per hour |
| Medical and health services managers | $137,730 | $66.22 |
| Nurse practitioners | $132,000 | $63.46 |
| Nursing instructors and teachers, postsecondary | $87,090 | $41.87 |
Nursing school and all the life changes needed to complete it can be intimidating. However, with Herzing University, you’ll have a lifelong learning partner eager to help you navigate any obstacles on your path and advance your career to new levels.
Program Options
Choose a program closely aligned with your ideal pace of study and overall career goals
We’ve built our School of Nursing to provide as many unique pathways as possible to all different types of students with unique educational preferences—from diploma all the way to doctorate.
No matter your prior education or experience, we can match you with the degree pathway and pace of study that’s right for you:
Best suited for those who learn best in a live classroom environment, our undergraduate programs are available at select ground campus locations:
We offer several online programs at the undergraduate and graduate levels featuring 100% online didactic coursework, with required in-person clinicals and intensives:
Those new to nursing who have already earned a bachelor’s degree in another field can choose an accelerated pathway to a BSN or MSN:
The Student Experience at Herzing
I aspired to pursue my dream of becoming a nurse, knowing it would be challenging to balance work, family, and school.
Kristina Thomas
Nursing Student | Brookfield/Milwaukee CampusHerzing University offered me the flexibility I needed to be able to work and go to school successfully.
Amanda Little
Nursing Student | Online CampusGrowing up, I always had a passion for helping people, especially the elderly and young. Years later, I started pursuing my bachelor’s degree in nursing at Herzing University, and now here I am a nursing graduate!
Aminata Kuyateh
Nursing Student | Atlanta CampusFind a new pathway with Herzing University
At Herzing University, we're passionate about shaping the next generation of highly skilled and compassionate nurses. Our goal is to prepare working adults for a successful career through a curriculum that is both rigorous and relevant, complemented by immersive learning experiences.
With nursing programs tailored to your personal needs and professional goals, we provide the dedicated support you deserve every step of the way. Get in touch with admissions and an advisor can help you picture how this will all work, and give you an idea of your financial aid and support options on your path to a brighter future as a nurse.
Learn more about the Herzing University School of Nursing
* BLS pay estimates calculate the median annual wage for various occupations. Per the BLS the median wage for an occupation is: "The wage at which half of the workers in the occupation earned more than that amount, and half earned less. Median wage data are from the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics survey." Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), U.S. Department of Labor, Occupational Outlook Handbook 2024. BLS median wage estimates do not represent entry-level wages and/or salaries. Multiple factors, including prior experience, age, geographic market in which you want to work, and degree level and field, will affect career outcomes, including starting salary and earnings as an experienced employee. Herzing neither represents that its graduates will earn the median salaries calculated by BLS for a particular job nor guarantees that graduation from its program will result in a job, promotion, particular wage or salary, or other career growth.