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What can you do with a Nursing degree from Western Kentucky University?

First, some facts. Of the Nursing graduates from Western Kentucky University we've analyzed , here's how many have used (or NOT used) their degree in their career:


These are estimates based on AI analysis of 10 LinkedIn profiles (see below).

The verdict? Great! Overall, with an average relevance score of 90%, Nursing graduates from Western Kentucky University have a substantially higher likelihood (+23%) of finding work in this field compared to the average graduate across all fields:

Average score: 90%
Average relevance score across all fields: 67%

And for comparison, here's the chart for all profiles we've looked at across all degrees.

× Chart

Also, after graduating, 40% of these graduates have pursued further education other than another Bachelor's degree (such as a Masters degree or other), compared to the average across all profiles of 35%. This suggests you may need more than just a Bachelors degree to be competitive as a Nursing graduate.

See the details:

View a random Nursing graduate from Western Kentucky University and our analysis:

Relevance score: 100%

We think this person has gone into a career highly relevant to their degree.

DEGREE INFO

Graduated in 2015 from Western Kentucky University with a Bachelor of Science - BS in Nursing. Also pursued further education since (see below).

JOB HISTORY SINCE GRADUATION
Registered Nurse
Med Center Health
Jan 2016 - Jul 2022
As a Registered Nurse, this position directly leverages the nursing knowledge and skills learned during the Bachelor's program, requiring specific healthcare expertise on a daily basis.

Advanced Practice Nurse
Graves-Gilbert Clinic
Apr 2022 - Present
The role of an Advanced Practice Nurse involves advanced clinical skills and nursing knowledge extensively applied in practice, making it highly relevant to the Bachelor's degree in Nursing.

FURTHER DEGREES DONE SINCE GRADUATING
Master of Science - MS
South University
2017 - 2020
ABOUT

Experienced Registered Nurse with a demonstrated history of working in the hospital & health care industry. Skilled in Post Anesthesia Care Nursing, Medication Administration, Pediatric Advanced Life Support (PALS), Advanced Cardiac Life Support (ACLS), and Healthcare. Strong healthcare services professional with a Master of Science - MS focused in Family Nurse Practitioner from South University.

What jobs can you get with a Nursing degree from Western Kentucky University?

The top 10 most common jobs done by the graduates we've analyzed (ranked most common to least) are:

Looking at the career paths of graduates from Western Kentucky University who studied nursing, it's clear that many of them go into roles that are directly tied to nursing. The most common positions are Registered Nurse and Nurse Practitioner, which directly leverage the skills and knowledge gained from their nursing degrees. These roles not only utilize their clinical expertise but also require them to engage with patients and provide care on a daily basis, making them highly relevant to the nursing field. For instance, many graduates hold positions as Registered Nurses at prominent hospitals and healthcare facilities, where they apply their training in various clinical settings.

However, it's interesting to note that not all graduates stick strictly to traditional nursing roles. Some move into managerial or informatics positions, like Directors of Clinical Informatics or Physician and Provider Relations. While these jobs can benefit from nursing insights, they don't always require the same level of nursing-specific skills. For example, while a role in clinical informatics uses some healthcare knowledge, it typically focuses more on technology than on patient care. So, overall, while many graduates stay true to their nursing roots, a fair number also branch out into related but different roles that don't require direct nursing practice on a daily basis.

Here is a visual representation of the most common words in job titles for Nursing graduates (this is across all Nursing graduates we've analyzed, not just those who went to Western Kentucky University):

What kind of career trajectories do Nursing graduates from Western Kentucky University have? What do they do 1, 5 or 10 years out?

It looks like graduates from Western Kentucky University's Nursing program generally have solid career trajectories, especially in the healthcare field. Many of them kick off their careers as registered nurses, which is pretty common after earning a nursing degree. For instance, those who graduated around 2011 to 2015 spent their first few years honing their skills in various nursing roles before often moving into advanced practice positions, such as Nurse Practitioners or specialized roles like Clinical Informatics Directors. It shows that starting off in a foundational role like a registered nurse can open up pathways to more advanced positions as they gain experience and pursue further education.

Fast forward five to ten years after graduation, and you'll notice quite a few of these alumni have made significant strides in their careers. Many are climbing the ladder into management or specialized nursing roles, and some have even dived into educational or consulting roles within healthcare organizations. For instance, graduates have taken on director-level roles at major healthcare systems or transitioned into nursing specialties like diabetes education or psychiatric care. Overall, it's a pretty promising picture for nursing graduates from WKU, indicating that there's a good chance they’ll find themselves in fulfilling, well-aligned careers in the healthcare sector, all stemming from that initial degree.

How hard is a Nursing degree from Western Kentucky University?

Getting a Bachelor’s degree in Nursing at Western Kentucky University, like most nursing programs, can be pretty challenging. It’s not just about hitting the books; you'll have to dive into complex subjects like anatomy, pharmacology, and patient care, plus there are those hands-on clinical rotations that can be intense. That said, if you're passionate about helping people and are willing to put in the effort, it's totally doable. Some might find it tougher than a typical bachelor’s program because of the combination of rigorous coursework and practical experience, but with good study habits and support from classmates and professors, you can definitely make it through! Just be ready to stay focused and dedicated!

How long does it take?

Most commonly, in the LinkedIn profiles we've looked at, it takes people 2 years to finish a Bachelor degree in Nursing.

Do Nursing graduates from Western Kentucky University tend to make good money?

Looking at these Nursing graduates from Western Kentucky University, it seems like they're generally doing pretty well in terms of earning potential. A bunch of them have moved into more specialized roles, like Nurse Practitioners or Directors, which typically come with higher pay. For example, the graduates who held director positions or advanced practice roles like psychiatric nurse practitioners are likely making good money, especially given the demand for those positions in healthcare. Even the registered nurses, particularly those at well-known institutions like the Mayo Clinic and Vanderbilt, would have decent salaries, especially as they gain experience. It’s safe to say these folks are probably on a solid financial footing, and their career paths show a trajectory toward even better opportunities down the line.

What buzzwords do Nursing graduates use to describe themselves?

Here is a visual representation of the most common words seen in the "about" section of LinkedIn profiles who have a Bachelor degree in Nursing (this is across all Nursing graduates we've analyzed, not just those who went to Western Kentucky University). This may or may not be useful:

What are the best colleges for Nursing?

Here are all colleges offering a Bachelor degree in Nursing (ordered by the average relevance score of their Nursing graduates, best to worst) where we have analyzed at least 10 of their graduates:

College Score Count
University of Pittsburgh 100 11
University of Louisville 100 18
Bloomsburg University of Pennsylvania 100 11
Excelsior College 100 12
Austin Peay State University 100 11
Widener University 100 22
University of Missouri-Columbia 99 12
Towson University 99 29
San Diego State University 99 19
Florida Atlantic University 99 21
University of Virginia 99 19
California State University-Long Beach 99 11
University of Massachusetts, Amherst 99 10
Quinnipiac University 99 26
Fairfield University 99 23
Columbus State University 99 10
University of South Carolina Upstate 99 15
University of Scranton 99 10
Angelo State University 99 10
Aurora University 99 12
Auburn University at Montgomery 99 10
Viterbo University 99 10
The University of Texas Medical Branch at Galveston 99 15
Drexel University College of Nursing & Health Professions Division of Undergraduate Nursing 99 11
Galen College of Nursing 99 13
The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston (UTHealth) 99 11
Duquesne University School of Nursing 99 11
Michigan State University 98 16
Liberty University 98 24
Grand Valley State University 98 20
University of Delaware 98 20
Northern Arizona University 98 26
Northeastern University 98 20
University of Connecticut 98 15
Drexel University 98 18
Boston College 98 13
University of Massachusetts Lowell 98 11
Minnesota State University, Mankato 98 12
North Dakota State University 98 14
California State University San Marcos 98 16
New Mexico State University 98 10
Tarleton State University 98 10
University of Portland 98 20
University of Wisconsin Oshkosh 98 10
Purdue University Northwest 98 11
Curry College 98 20
Mount Saint Mary College 98 15
University of St. Francis 98 10
Regis College 98 16
Clarkson College 98 10
University of Wisconsin-Madison 97 18
Brigham Young University 97 27
San Francisco State University 97 23
James Madison University 97 28
California State University-Sacramento 97 12
Illinois State University 97 13
Brigham Young University - Idaho 97 26
University of Cincinnati 97 22
Ball State University 97 12
Old Dominion University 97 13
West Chester University of Pennsylvania 97 15
University of Illinois at Chicago 97 15
University of Louisiana at Lafayette 97 20
Stephen F. Austin State University 97 17
Seton Hall University 97 10
New Jersey City University 97 10
Miami Dade College 97 19
West Coast University 97 126
The College of St. Scholastica 97 27
Molloy College 97 25
Indiana University Kokomo 97 10
Resurrection University 97 16
Penn State University 96 27
University of Central Florida 96 37
Texas A&M University 96 13
University of Florida 96 21
University of Arizona 96 15
University of Kentucky 96 14
The University of Alabama 96 16
University of South Carolina 96 14
University of New Hampshire 96 14
Boise State University 96 15
San Diego State University-California State University 96 12
Marquette University 96 13
University of San Francisco 96 33
University of Massachusetts Boston 96 19
Saginaw Valley State University 96 15
University of Missouri-Saint Louis 96 10
Ramapo College of New Jersey 96 16
Seattle University 96 22
National University 96 19
Bethel University 96 17
Creighton University 96 10
La Salle University 96 20
Midwestern State University 96 10
Saint Anselm College 96 10
King University 96 12
Mount Saint Mary's University 96 12
Mississippi University for Women 96 11
College of Mount Saint Vincent 96 14
Holy Family University 96 12
University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center 96 13
Samuel Merritt University 96 16
Arizona State University 95 42
Florida State University 95 13
Purdue University 95 24
University of Michigan 95 15
West Virginia University 95 18
University of Arkansas 95 29
Kennesaw State University 95 12
Sam Houston State University 95 16
The University of Akron 95 17
University of Miami 95 14
The University of Texas at El Paso 95 15
Loyola University Chicago 95 22
Azusa Pacific University 95 28
Capella University 95 51
Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi 95 19
California Baptist University 95 34
Winona State University 95 19
University of North Carolina Wilmington 95 12
Wilmington University 95 11
Salem State University 95 14
The University of Toledo 95 11
Southern Illinois University Edwardsville 95 12
Stevenson University 95 10
University of Indianapolis 95 11
Valparaiso University 95 12
SUNY Brockport 95 12
Salve Regina University 95 10
MidAmerica Nazarene University 95 10
The Ohio State University 94 26
The University of Texas at Austin 94 22
University of South Florida 94 34
Western Governors University 94 227
San Jose State University 94 21
Kent State University 94 35
University of Pennsylvania 94 12
Texas Woman's University 94 39
Saint Louis University 94 18
Chamberlain University 94 250
Lamar University 94 16
University of Texas at Tyler 94 19
University of Massachusetts Dartmouth 94 10
University of Michigan-Flint 94 14
Georgia College & State University 94 11
Bemidji State University 94 11
Pacific Lutheran University 94 11
Saint Xavier University 94 13
Jacksonville University 94 18
Wagner College 94 12
Massachusetts College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences 94 22
University of Detroit Mercy 94 16
Aspen University 94 10
Grand Canyon University 93 195
Auburn University 93 17
East Carolina University 93 36
Baylor University 93 13
Oakland University 93 23
Eastern Michigan University 93 14
California State University-San Bernardino 93 10
Texas Christian University 93 25
Northern Kentucky University 93 10
The University of Tennessee at Chattanooga 93 10
Villanova University 93 30
Indiana Wesleyan University 93 46
University of Central Missouri 93 10
Hunter College 93 18
Adelphi University 93 38
Sacred Heart University 93 15
Simmons College 93 10
University of Maryland School of Nursing 93 10
Ohio University 92 123
The University of Texas at Arlington 92 125
University of Rhode Island 92 27
Indiana UniversityPurdue University Indianapolis 92 11
Jacksonville State University 92 15
Olivet Nazarene University 92 17
Walden University 92 22
Union University 92 13
Mount Carmel College of Nursing 92 24
Loma Linda University 92 10
UT Health San Antonio 92 14
Southern New Hampshire University 91 25
New York University 91 17
Clemson University 91 21
Northern Illinois University 91 26
Weber State University 91 18
Indiana State University 91 14
South Dakota State University 91 16
Nova Southeastern University 91 33
Madonna University 91 14
Dominican University of California 91 13
Lourdes University 91 11
University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee 90 11
Western Kentucky University 90 10
University of Alabama at Birmingham 90 16
East Tennessee State University 90 20
University of Missouri-Kansas City 90 11
Case Western Reserve University 90 10
Davenport University 90 12
York College of Pennsylvania 90 13
South University 90 42
Cedarville University 90 15
Regis University 90 15
Chamberlain College of Nursing 90 116
Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center 90 44
Nevada State College 90 11
University of Phoenix 89 59
University of Washington 89 13
University of Utah 89 11
University of Tennessee, Knoxville 89 16
University of North Carolina at Greensboro 89 14
Winston-Salem State University 89 17
St. Petersburg College 89 13
Barry University 89 17
Herzing University 89 15
Louisiana State University Health Sciences Center 89 17
Florida International University 88 22
Georgia Southern University 88 19
Montana State University-Bozeman 88 11
Southwestern Oklahoma State University 88 10
University of Nebraska Medical Center 88 13
George Mason University 87 18
University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire 87 13
Kaplan University 87 17
Immaculata University 87 15
Alverno College 87 13
Duquesne University 86 13
McNeese State University 86 17
University of Mississippi Medical Center 86 16
University of North Florida 84 14
Western Carolina University 84 10
University of West Georgia 83 13
Chamberlain College of Nursing-Addison Campus 83 14
Maryville University of Saint Louis 82 11
American Sentinel University 81 11
Thomas Jefferson University 80 12
Malone University 76 10
Georgia State University 74 14