by our College Data Analytics TeamGeriatric Nurse/Nursing was the 584th most popular major in the 2020-2021 school year. Colleges in the United States reported awarding 563 degrees in this year alone. This represents a 18.1% reduction in geriatric nursing degrees awarded over the prior year's total of 665.
Our 2023 Best Geriatric Nurse/Nursing Schools ranking analyzes 25 of these schools to determine the best overall colleges for geriatric nurse/nursing students. Continue reading to check out one of our many unbiased rankings of geriatric nursing programs later in this article.
A major in geriatric nursing prepares you for careers in which giving full attention to what other people are saying, taking time to understand the points being made, asking questions as appropriate, and not interrupting at inappropriate times is crucial. Talking to others to convey information effectively and understanding written sentences and paragraphs in work related documents are all required skills for careers related to this major.
geriatric nurse/nursing degree applicants generally need have finished high school or their GED. Many schools may also have GPA and SAT/ACT score minimums that must be met. Specific geriatric nursing careers may require a certain level of degree attainment or additional certifications beyond that.
There are various different levels of geriatric nursing degrees. You can spend many years getting as high as a in geriatric nurse/nursing to something that takes less time like a . How long it takes to complete some common geriatric nursing degree levels is shown below.
| Degree | Credit Requirements | Typical Program Length |
|---|---|---|
| Associate Degree | 60-70 credits | 2 years |
| Bachelor’s Degree | 120 credits | 4 years |
| Master’s Degree | 50-70 credits | 1-3 years |
| Doctorate | Program required coursework including thesis or dissertation | At least 4 years |
A master's degree is the most common level of education achieved by those in careers related to geriatric nursing, with approximately 44.5% of workers getting one. See the the most common levels of education for geriatric nursing workers below.
| Level of Education | Percentage of Workers |
|---|---|
| Master’s Degree | 41.9% |
| Associate’s Degree (or other 2-year degree) | 25.3% |
| Doctoral Degree | 14.0% |
| Bachelor’s Degree | 10.6% |
| Some College Courses | 4.1% |
63.9% of geriatric nursing workers have at least a master's. The chart below shows what degree level those who work in geriatric nurse/nursing have obtained.
This of course varies depending on which geriatric nursing career you choose.
Want a job when you graduate with your geriatric nursing degree? Geriatric Nurse/Nursing careers are expected to grow 16.1% between 2016 and 2026.
The following options are some of the most in-demand careers related to geriatric nurse/nursing.
| Occupation Name | Projected Jobs | Expected Growth |
|---|---|---|
| Registered Nurses | 3,393,200 | 14.8% |
| Nurse Practitioners | 211,600 | 36.1% |
| Nursing Instructors and Professors | 84,200 | 24.0% |
As you might expect, salaries for geriatric nursing graduates vary depending on the level of education that was acquired.
Salaries for geriatric nurse/nursing graduates can vary widely by the occupation you choose as well. The following table shows the top highest paying careers geriatric nursing grads often go into.
| Occupation Name | Median Average Salary |
|---|---|
| Nurse Practitioners | $110,030 |
| Nursing Instructors and Professors | $81,350 |
| Registered Nurses | $75,510 |
With over 90 different geriatric nursing degree programs to choose from, finding the best fit for you can be a challenge. Fortunately you have come to the right place. We have analyzed all of these schools to come up with hundreds of unbiased geriatric nursing school rankings to help you with this.
One of 22 majors within the Nursing area of study, Geriatric Nurse/Nursing has other similar majors worth exploring.
| Related Major | Annual Graduates |
|---|---|
| Registered Nursing | 266,651 |
| Family Practice Nurse/Nursing | 16,104 |
| Nursing Administration | 9,838 |
| Nursing Practice | 7,992 |
| Other Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing | 5,092 |
Image Credit: By Aleksahgabrielle under License More about our data sources and methodologies.
