answer:If you’re an RN, you’re an RN, regardless of the degree. At 4-year universities there is often no option to get anything but a BSN. At the technical school in my town, new RNs with their Associates get hired before BSN students do because the program is more intense, difficult to pass, and with better clinical rotations. Graduates of that program tend to be better prepared for the real world than those graduating from a large university where there’s very little 1-on-1 instruction. I can’t speak for other schools, but this us true where I’m from. Another plus side to getting an Associates is that it’s generally the same pay in less time. You pay less for school, get out sooner, and make the same salary. Many never get their BSN, because they’re happy where they are and there’s no need for it. RN to BSN programs are usually around 18 months. They’re great for nurses who want to get an advanced degree and become an NP or a CRNA.