A program designed to provide the basic technical training required for a nursing job, the two-year degree focuses on skills needed to perform common nursing duties, such as giving injections, drawing blood and completing charts.
Many employers require a four-year degree, which combines the technical training of a two-year degree with additional management, public health and administrative coursework.
The two-year degree allows you to complete the necessary job training in a shorter period of time. A four-year program, however, provides a broader education and enables you to qualify for a larger number of employment opportunities.
With a two-year degree, you may not qualify for some advanced or management positions. Completing a four-year program, however, will naturally cost more and take longer. The field is also very competitive in some areas of the country, where nursing programs have waiting lists of prospective students.
A two-year degree can be used as a step toward a four-year degree. By following this route, a student can work as a nurse while completing the additional coursework for a bachelor's degree.