The two degrees are usually offered by different types of schools. Associate's degrees are offered by junior and community colleges while a Bachelor of Science degree in nursing is offered by universities and colleges. As a general rule, the admission requirements to a university or college are more rigorous than the requirements to a junior or community college. For example, San Francisco State University requires prospective students to submit SAT or ACT test scores while City College of San Francisco does not.
Earning a Bachelor of Science degree in nursing requires more time and effort than earning an associate's degree in nursing. Students typically earn an associate's degree in two to three years while a bachelor's degree is generally earned in four to five years. As an example, a student at City College of San Francisco must earn at least 60 credits to graduate with an associate's degree and a student at San Francisco State University must earn at least 120 credits to graduate with a bachelor's degree.
Those who graduate with an associate's degree in nursing or a Bachelor of Science degree in nursing can opt to become either a Licensed Practical Nurse or a Registered Nurse. However, as the 2010-2011 Occupational Outlook Handbook from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics notes, those who have earned a bachelor's degree will have better job prospects than those who have not.
Registered Nurses earn more money and have more job responsibilities than Licensed Practical Nurses. The minimum education for a Licensed Practical Nurse is a certificate in nursing, while the minimum education for a Registered Nurse is an associate's degree in nursing. However, employers often prefer that Licensed Practical Nurses have an associate's degree in nursing and Registered Nurses have a Bachelor of Science degree in nursing or higher. A study at the University of Pennsylvania found that surgical patients have a higher survival rate when nurses hold a bachelor's degree as opposed to lower levels of nursing education.