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Major · Health Professions

A pre-professional gateway to nursing school admission

Pre-Nursing Studies (CIP 51.1105) is a one-to-two-year preparatory pathway that completes prerequisites and competitive coursework for admission to a registered-nursing program. About 2,197 students complete it across 111 institutions, with associate’s grads earning $54,032 — a wage that reflects students who entered the workforce instead of progressing into RN school.

Schools offering
111
Annual completions
2,197
Typical degree level
Associate's + Bachelor's
Median earnings (5yr)
$61k

About this major

Pre-Nursing Studies (CIP 51.1105) is a one-to-two-year preparatory pathway designed to complete the prerequisites and competitive coursework required for admission to a professional nursing program. The CIP definition states the goal directly: preparation for admission to a Nursing program. In practice, programs award an associate of arts or applied science that bundles general education with nursing prerequisites — Anatomy and Physiology I/II, microbiology, general and organic chemistry, statistics, developmental psychology, and nutrition. The credential does not lead to nursing licensure on its own and the careers array in the data packet is empty for that reason — there is no BLS occupation tied to a pre-nursing student.

The major fits students who want to enter the RN workforce but face barriers to direct-entry BSN admission: high school GPA, finances, geographic constraints, or uncertainty about whether nursing fits. It rewards strong science-prerequisite GPA work — A&P I/II grades especially are a primary competitive factor in nursing-school admissions — and TEAS or HESI entrance-exam preparation. Many students stack a CNA training credential alongside pre-nursing coursework to add patient-care experience to their nursing applications.

One grounded observation about scale and earnings: 2,197 students complete this CIP across 111 institutions, with associate’s grads earning $54,032 five years out — a figure that reflects students who entered the workforce in healthcare-adjacent or non-nursing roles instead of advancing into RN school. The wage isn’t a destination; it’s a holding pattern. South College in Tennessee dominates with 710 completions, reflecting a large internal pre-nursing-to-ADN/BSN pipeline. Public community colleges anchor the lower-cost mainstream pathway: Tulsa CC (184), Holmes CC (116), Hudson County CC (106), Three Rivers (89), University of Alaska Anchorage (82), and several Mississippi community colleges. The realistic next step for most graduates is admission to an ADN or BSN program — not a job.

Section 3 · Careers

Where this major leads

Occupations most often associated with this major, from the federal BLS+O*NET crosswalk. Job-growth projections and median wages are national.

No federal crosswalk data available for this major yet.

Section 4 · Earnings

Earnings at a glance

Median graduate earnings from the federal College Scorecard, 5 and 10 years out.

Median 5-year earnings

$61k

Associate's vs Bachelor's — early-career earnings

Associate's

$54k

Bachelor's

$64k

Who this major is for

Good signs this major fits: you want to enter nursing but face direct-entry BSN admission barriers (high school GPA, finances, or simply needing to test fit before committing four years), you’ll prioritize science prerequisite GPA — A&P I/II grades especially — and TEAS or HESI exam preparation, and you’re willing to stack a CNA credential alongside pre-nursing coursework to add patient-care experience to nursing-school applications. Public community colleges in Mississippi, Oklahoma, New Jersey, and Alaska anchor lower-cost pathways; South College runs a large internal pipeline if you’re comfortable with private tuition.

Reasons to pause: this is not a terminal credential. The careers array is empty because there is no BLS occupation tied to a pre-nursing student, and the $54,032 associate’s wage in the data reflects students who are working in non-nursing roles while applying or after deciding nursing isn’t for them. If you can secure direct-entry BSN admission, that path is faster — four years to NCLEX-RN versus five or six. Always confirm credit articulation with target ADN and BSN programs before enrolling — a pre-nursing program whose credits don’t transfer cleanly is a wasted year. And verify the target program’s admission criteria honestly: nursing-school admission is competitive and points-based, not guaranteed by completing the pre-track.

Section 6 · Where to study

Top colleges for Pre-Nursing Studies

Ranked by annual completions at the associate's or bachelor's level — a proxy for program scale.

College Location Assoc. Bach. Total
South College Knoxville, TN 710 0 710
Georgia Military College Milledgeville, GA 228 0 228
Tulsa Community College Tulsa, OK 184 0 184
Holmes Community College Goodman, MS 116 0 116
Hudson County Community College Jersey City, NJ 106 0 106
Three Rivers College Poplar Bluff, MO 89 0 89
University of Alaska Anchorage Anchorage, AK 82 0 82
Copiah-Lincoln Community College Wesson, MS 75 0 75
East Mississippi Community College Scooba, MS 72 0 72
Grayson College Denison, TX 63 0 63
Section 7 · Explore sideways

Related majors to explore

Health/Medical Preparatory Programs, Other

2,909 completions/yr

Pre-Medicine/Pre-Medical Studies

1,018 completions/yr

Pre-Veterinary Studies

553 completions/yr

Pre-Law Studies

520 completions/yr

Pre-Physical Therapy Studies

255 completions/yr

Pre-Pharmacy Studies

176 completions/yr

Pre-Theology/Pre-Ministerial Studies

122 completions/yr

Pre-Physician Assistant

121 completions/yr
Section 9 · Frequently asked

Common questions

Is Pre-Nursing Studies an actual degree or just a pathway?
It’s a transitional credential. Most programs award an associate of arts or applied science that bundles required nursing prerequisites — anatomy and physiology, microbiology, chemistry, statistics, psychology, nutrition — alongside general education. The CIP definition explicitly states the program prepares individuals for admission to a professional nursing program. It is not a nursing license, not a CNA, and on its own does not lead to bedside RN work.
Does completing Pre-Nursing guarantee admission to RN school?
No. RN program admission is competitive and prerequisite-based, not guaranteed by completing a pre-nursing track. Most ADN and BSN programs use a points system: prerequisite GPA (especially A&P I/II and microbiology), TEAS or HESI entrance exam score, healthcare experience (CNA work especially), and sometimes interview performance. Verify the target nursing program’s specific admission criteria before committing to a pre-nursing curriculum.
What’s the realistic next step after completing Pre-Nursing?
Three common moves: apply to an ADN (associate degree in nursing) program at a community college, apply to a BSN program at a four-year school (sometimes with junior-year entry), or enter a CNA training while reapplying. The packet shows associate’s grads earning $54,032, which suggests many completers are working in healthcare-adjacent or non-nursing roles while applying — not earning a nursing wage. The wage isn’t a destination; it’s a holding pattern.
Why does South College have 710 completions in this CIP alone?
South College in Tennessee is a private institution running a large pre-nursing pipeline that funnels into its own ADN and BSN programs. The 710 figure dwarfs every other school in the dataset and reflects an internal admissions structure where the pre-nursing associate’s is essentially a holding tier. Public community colleges (Tulsa CC, Holmes CC, Hudson County CC, Three Rivers, U Alaska Anchorage) anchor the lower-cost mainstream pre-nursing track.
Should I just apply directly to a BSN program instead?
If you can. A direct-entry BSN gets you to NCLEX-RN licensure in four years rather than five-or-six. Pre-Nursing Studies makes sense if your high school GPA or finances make a four-year BSN admission unrealistic, or if you want to test whether nursing fits before committing to a four-year program. Treat pre-nursing as a transfer platform — and confirm credit articulation with target nursing programs before enrolling.
How does this compare to Pre-Medicine or Pre-PA?
All three are preparatory CIPs without standalone licensure outcomes. Pre-Medicine/Pre-Medical Studies (1,018 completions) prepares for medical school admission; Pre-Physician Assistant (121) prepares for PA school. The pattern is identical — pre-X is a course-bundle credential, the actual professional credential comes from the next program. Pre-Nursing is by far the largest of the pre-health CIPs in the dataset, reflecting how many community-college students enter healthcare through the nursing pathway.