Three Things to Consider When Choosing Between Advanced Nursing Degrees

If you’ve already completed your associate's or bachelor’s degrees in nursing, you may be wondering about additional educational opportunities in the field. Many nursing professionals find themselves stumped when it comes to choosing whether to pursue a master’s of science in nursing (MSN), a doctorate of nursing practice (DNP) or a doctor of philosophy in nursing (PhD). But when you break down a few key differences between these two degrees and factor in your own career goals, the best path for your individual needs may become much clearer.

Here’s a closer look at three things to keep in mind when deciding between an MSN, a DNP and a PhD in nursing.

1. What do you want to achieve?

The first step in deciding between these three popular nursing degrees is understanding what they offer. The American Academy of Colleges of Nursing (AACN), defines the MSN as the “the educational core that allows advanced practice nurses to work as nurse practitioners, certified nurse midwives, certified clinical nurse specialists, and certified nurse anesthetists.” Also per the AACN, the degree “builds on the baccalaureate degree to enable the student to develop expertise in one area.”

These four specialties find graduates generally working in practice in different areas, attending to everything from conducting physical exams to providing a range of care in specialty areas to administering anesthesia during surgery. Additionally, many nursing schools also offer master’s degrees in nursing administration.

The takeaway? If your objective is to develop clinical expertise in one of these specialties, then the MSN may be a perfect fit.

According to the AACN, “The DNP is designed for nurses seeking a terminal degree in nursing practice and offers an alternative to research-focused doctoral programs. DNP-prepared nurses are well-equipped to fully implement the science developed by nurse researchers prepared in PhD, DNSc, and other research-focused nursing doctorates.” And much like the MSN builds on the bachelor’s in nursing, so does the DNP build on the MSN by integrating additional training in key areas including evidence-based practice, quality improvement, and systems leadership.

In other words, if you’re looking to take on a leadership role in a clinical setting, the DNP may be a suitable course.

But not all nurses work in clinical settings. Enter doctoral studies in the field. According to an article on the vital need for leaders within the nursing profession penned by Ohio State University Vice Provost for Academic Administration Carol A. Anderson, “The nursing profession needs more nurses educated at the doctoral level to replenish the supply of faculty and researchers. The national shortage of faculty will soon reach critical proportions, having a significant impact on educational programs and their capacity to educate future generations of nursing students.”

Doctoral programs in nursing prepare students to take on top roles in both academia and clinical settings by training them as researchers and scholars. This isn’t to say that nursing PhDs don’t work in clinical settings. Some do. But this advanced degree readies graduates for a breadth and depth of other career paths, including health administration, education, and clinical research.

The allure of the PhD in nursing is strong for those interested in researching solutions toward some of the toughest challenges facing the healthcare sector today.

2. What can you afford?

In a perfect world, your choice of a graduate school would be determined entirely by your career goals. In the real world, however, logistical factors also come into play. At the top of the list? Money. Because DNPs and PhDs take longer to complete than MSNs, they may involve a bigger financial commitment on the front end. While scholarships, grants, and other types of aid are available, they may not be enough for students on tight budgets.

That said, the earning potential is significant for nurses with advanced degrees -- particularly given skyrocketing demand. Need more proof? Consider a report from the Institute of Nursing indicating that twice as many nurses with doctorate degrees will be needed in this country by the year 2020. Viewed through this lens, the doctorate path can be regarded more as investment than expense.

3. How much time do you have?

The expression goes, “Time is money.” For students who can’t or aren’t ready to commit to the lengthy time commitment involved in pursuing a DNP or PhD, the MSN offers unique flexibility, serving as a potential stepping stone toward eventually continuing on to doctoral studies.

Again, there are both pros and cons to making that commitment -- particularly when career goals are factored into the picture. If your objective is to work in a non-clinical capacity, doing an MSN first may not save you any meaningful time. Meanwhile, the DNP’s status as a “fast track” to career advancement may actually save time in the long run if it means scaling the ladder more quickly.

One last thing to keep in mind? We’ve already established that all nursing degrees aren’t created equal. Nor are all nursing programs. Once you’ve decided on the proper academic tract, you’ve still got a big decision ahead of you: choosing the right program.