If being there for those in need is something you’re passionate about, perhaps try considering a career as a registered nurse.
An RN is a licensed professional in the medical industry.
This would not only make you someone important for a patient to lean on, but it comes with a wide variety of career opportunities.
From working privately to traveling where needed, RNs aren’t bound to hospitals.
Keep reading to learn more about the backbone of healthcare and how to get started!
5 Registered Nurse Schools in Georgia
Mercer University
Located in Macon, Mercer’s School of Nursing offers a Bachelor of Science in Nursing Degree for those new to the field.
This is a two-year program that is geared towards getting students the functional knowledge they would need to become licensed and be successful RN.
It is an accelerated program that has students graduating in two years.
Tuition and fees would end up around $51,000.
Chattahoochee Technical College
Just outside of Atlanta is Chattahoochee Tech with a Nursing Associate of Science Degree.
This four-semester program is centered around a patient-facing curriculum.
Students can pick a focus from either the traditional or LPN-ASN bridge option.
Upon graduation, students will be eligible to take tests in an effort to be board certified.
Tuition for 67 credit hours, the duration of the program, is $6,700.
Kennesaw State University
The WellStar School of Nursing at KSU is the largest in north Georgia.
Students complete the course of study to earn their Bachelor of Science in Nursing Degree after successfully completing 57 credit hours.
This can be done in the normal BSN program over six semesters or an accelerated program in four semesters. Overall, the tuition would be $10,600.
College of Coastal Georgia
To graduate successfully with a Bachelor of Science in Nursing from this Brunswick college takes four years.
Not only will the education be by the book, but it will also incorporate the clinical experience.
Hands-on learning is another big incentive in the Miriam and Hugh Nunnally Health Science Building.
For four years of school, tuition is just under $20,000.
Albany Technical College
Southern Georgia’s Albany Tech offers an Associate of Science in Nursing.
The professors here have experience in the nursing field and use that to help prepare students for their careers.
The curriculum includes obstetrics, pediatric, surgical, and psychiatric nursing.
Tuition for this two-year program is $6,900.
Registered Nurse Schools in Georgia – Summary Table
Top 5 Schools in Georgia
| School Name | Address |
|---|---|
| Mercer University | 1501 Mercer University Dr, Macon, GA 31207 |
| Chattahoochee Technical College | 980 S Cobb Dr SE, Marietta, GA 30060 |
| Kennesaw State University | 1000 Chastain Rd NW, Kennesaw, GA 30144 |
| College of Coastal Georgia | 1 College Dr, Brunswick, GA 31520 |
| Albany Technical College | 1704 S Slappey Blvd, Albany, GA 31701 |
Salary
If you’re looking to start a career as a registered nurse in Georgia, you can expect to make an average of $82,000 a year.
Depending on where in the state you live, the realistic range could be from $58,000 up to $105,000.
Annual Salary Range:Average Salary of Registered Nurse (RN)s in Georgia
| City Name | Salary |
|---|---|
| Atlanta | $65,690 |
| Augusta-Richmond County | $62,150 |
| Columbus | $60,400 |
| Savannah | $62,400 |
| Athens-Clarke County | $65,230 |
| Macon | $61,960 |
| Roswell | $65,440 |
| Albany | $61,040 |
| Marietta | $65,500 |
| Warner Robins | $61,780 |
Regional Salary in Georgia
| Region | Employed | Avg. Annual Salary | Avg. Hourly Pay | Top 10% Annual Salary | Bottom 10% Annual Salary |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Albany, GA | 1,330 | $84,640 | $40.69 | $107,560 | $63,340 |
| Athens-Clarke County, GA | 2,180 | $83,880 | $40.33 | $105,740 | $66,290 |
| Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA | 51,820 | $95,000 | $45.67 | $127,400 | $66,470 |
| Augusta-Richmond County, GA-SC | 7,100 | $82,540 | $39.68 | $100,380 | $61,890 |
| Brunswick, GA | 940 | $76,870 | $36.96 | $82,840 | $64,980 |
| Columbus, GA-AL | 2,690 | $74,400 | $35.77 | $90,920 | $56,470 |
| Dalton, GA | 1,260 | $92,730 | $44.58 | $124,400 | $60,470 |
| Hinesville, GA | 260 | $80,040 | $38.48 | $89,810 | $65,400 |
| Macon, GA | 3,100 | $83,960 | $40.36 | $101,970 | $62,430 |
| Rome, GA | 1,540 | $83,330 | $40.06 | $93,260 | $64,370 |
| Savannah, GA | 4,680 | $85,140 | $40.93 | $102,490 | $61,300 |
| Valdosta, GA | 1,070 | $74,910 | $36.01 | $99,200 | $61,510 |
| Warner Robins, GA | 1,000 | $81,040 | $38.96 | $104,530 | $63,510 |
* Employment conditions in your area may vary.
Frequently Asked Questions
What are the next steps after you graduate with a degree in nursing?
At that point, you can apply to the Georgia Board of Nursing to get licensed.
After passing the licensure exam, the NCLEX-RN, you will be a registered nurse.
Before you get to take that test though, you must apply.
It takes 20 business days to get processed.
Included in the application will be a background check, college transcripts, proof of citizenship, and possibly additional documents.
To move forward as an RN, this step must be taken within three years of graduating from a nursing program.
You will have to renew the license every two years to stay up to date.
Can you go on from being a nurse to becoming a doctor?
Yes!
Registered nurses can continue their education in the medical field and earn the certifications to become medical doctors.
Nursing school programs typically have a lot of overlap with medical schools, in terms of what it takes to get in.
Having a nursing degree already would put a student ahead of their peers.
Are there multiple types of registered nurses?
Yes! There are nurses for all kinds of career goals.
Most people automatically think of hospitals when nurses are mentioned.
However, there are many places you can call home as a registered nurse.
For example, elderly care facilities and ambulances are areas where nurses are needed.
Here are some other examples:
- Surgical Assistant Registered Nurse
- Home Care Registered Nurse
- Emergency Room Registered Nurse
- Labor and Delivery Registered Nurse
- Critical Care Registered Nurse
- Oncology Registered Nurse
- Advanced Practice Registered Nurse
Of course, once you’re a registered nurse, there are plenty more career opportunities in the nursing field.
How many nurses are there in Georgia?
There are about 100,000 RNs in the state.
That number has seen a steady increase of 3% each year over the past decade.
That number is expected to continue to rise in perhaps even higher percentages.
What are the prerequisites to begin a nursing program?
While each school has individual requirements to gain acceptance into their registered nursing program, there are some basics students will need to have.
For starters, you must be 18 and able to be admitted into a school, generally speaking.
Typically, you will be a student for at least a semester before being able to take a class associated with the nursing program.
To advance, students will need to keep up their GPA.
If a student is unable to keep above a 2.5 or even a 3.0, it’s unlikely the nursing school will allow them to stay.
