| High school diploma or some college credit, | Earning a bachelor's degree in nursing and becoming a registered nurse (RN), | BSN program |
| Bachelor's or master's degree outside of nursing and you are not an RN, | Earning a bachelor's degree in nursing and becoming a registered nurse (RN), | BSN program |
| Diploma or associate's degree in nursing (and are an RN) and you do not have a bachelor's degree, | Earning a bachelor's degree in nursing, | RN-BSN program |
| Bachelor's degree in nursing (and are an RN), | Earning an advanced graduate degree and becoming an advanced practice registered nurse in role of nurse practitioner or administrator (APRN), | MSNc program |
| Bachelor's degree in nursing (and are an RN), | Starting the foundation to become an advanced practice nurse (APRN), | Post BSN to DNP program |
| Master's degree in nursing (and already an APRN), | Becoming prepared for leadership roles or obtaining a certification in a new advanced practice area, | Post Master's to DNP program |
| PhD degree in nursing, | Interested in melding clinical expertise with a research-focused nursing career, | PhD to DNP program |
| Doctorate of nursing practice, | Earning a research focused doctorate, | DNP to PhD program |
| Master's degree in nursing (and are an RN), | Earning a research focused doctorate, | PhD program |