How To Become A School Nurse | Salary & Requirements

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CAREERS How to Become a School Nurse Written By: Terri Heimann Oppenheimer Expert review by: Kathleen Gaines MSN, RN, BA, CBC 5 Min Read Published May 8, 2025 Jump to section...

• What is a School Nurse?
• Responsibilities
• Workplaces
• Salary
• How to Become a School Nurse
• Certifications
• Resources

What is a School Nurse?

School nurses are registered nurses (RNs) who work in a school setting, assessing and treating students' minor ailments. Their presence in the academic setting is vital for maintaining a healthy and safe learning environment.

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Enrollment: Nationwide, but certain programs have state restrictions. Check with Purdue for details.

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GCU's College of Nursing and Health Care Professions has a nearly 35-year tradition of preparing students to fill evolving healthcare roles as highly qualified professionals.

Accreditation CCNE Location Online Prerequisite RN Required

Enrollment: Nationwide

• MSN - Psychiatric Mental Health NP
• MSN - Family NP
• MSN - Adult-Gerontology Acute Care NP
• MSN - Health Informatics
• MSN - Nursing Education
• MSN - Public Health Nursing
• MSN - Health Care Quality & Patient Safety
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Enrollment: Nationwide

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Accreditation CCNE Location Online Prerequisite RN Required

Enrollment: Nationwide, excluding CT, ND, NY and RI. Certain programs have additional state restrictions. Check with Walden for details.

• MSN
• MSN - Psychiatric-Mental Health NP
• MSN - Family NP
• MSN - Adult-Gerontology Acute Care NP
• MSN - Adult-Gerontology Primary Care NP
• MSN - Pediatric NP - Primary Care
• MSN - Nursing Informatics
• MSN - Nursing Education
• MSN - Public Health Nursing
• MSN - Nurse Executive
• MSN & MBA - Dual Degree

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History of School Nursing

The practice of school nursing began in the U.S. in 1902, when Lina Rogers, the first school nurse, was hired to reduce absenteeism by intervening with needs related to communicable diseases. After one month of successful nursing interventions in the New York City schools, she became a pioneer for school nursing throughout the city. 

Since then, there have been an estimated 132,300 practicing public and private school nurses in the U.S. Beyond caring for a student's health, school nurses address the social determinants of health, such as income, housing, transportation, employment, access to health insurance, and environmental health.

What Does a School Nurse Do?

Students experiencing illness or injury during the school day or at after-school activities will report to the school nurse for further care. School nurses are responsible for assessing these students and determining if they need a higher level of care.

School nurses are "real" nurses, which means they must maintain state-governed licensure at the same level as a hospital nurse. Although they have the same scope of practice as other RNs, school nurse duties differ due to their unique role and environment.

Common school nurse responsibilities include the following:

1. Assess and treat students for injuries and illnesses like scrapes and cuts, or illnesses like COVID-19 or the flu. If the student's illness or injury is severe, a school nurse may send them home or contact emergency services.
2. Oversee infection control standards at the school, including educating staff and students on proper hygiene and prevention measures. The school nurse also handles communications for communicable illnesses like lice and chickenpox.
3. Provide annual assessments for sports, scoliosis, and general health, as well as maintain student health and vaccination records.
4. Daily healthcare services like administering physician-prescribed medication or glucose monitoring.
5. Provide staff education in emergency response procedures like first aid, CPR, or the hiemlich maneuver.
6. Assist families who need help finding external healthcare, health insurance, or help enrolling in school programs.
7. Submit student vaccination records to the state, and maintain proper documentation in accordance with state laws.

School nurses have one of the easiest nursing jobs because they get ample rest time. Unlike hospital nurses, they don't work nights, weekends, holidays, or summers, providing a low-stress environment that avoids burnout.

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Where Can a School Nurse Work?

Since school nurses are registered nurses, they can work anywhere an RN can. However, being a school nurse requires working in an academic setting. While this typically refers to public and private pre-, elementary, middle, and high schools, they may also find jobs at colleges, universities, and vocational schools.

The following is a list of places you can work at as a school nurse:

• Preschools
• Public school systems
• Private and parochial schools
• Summer camps
• Alternative/continuation schools

• Colleges and universities
• Vocational schools
• Department of health
• Hospitals
• Overseas military bases

School Nurse Salary

Salary.com reports that the median school nurse salary in 2025 is $61,443 annually. ZipRecruiter estimates that as of May 2025, school nurses in the U.S. earn an average salary of $67,035 per year or $32 per hour. 

Salary Factors

The primary element influencing your school nurse's income is geographic location and cost of living. However, you'll also notice changes based on your certification. Certified school nurses often have slightly higher annual salaries. Non-certified RNs usually earn an hourly income, often even lower than hospital nurses.

Unlike other nursing jobs, there is little to no chance for overtime in school nursing. Most positions are a yearly salary and do not have overtime built into the contract. There is some increase in earning potential with experience and additional education.

School Nurse Benefits

Regardless of the workplace setting, school nurses enjoy similar benefits. While actual benefits may vary depending on the institution, it must include the following:

• Health, vision, and dental insurance
• Retirement options
• Family leave of absence
• Maternity Leave
• Discounts
• Tuition, certification, and CEU reimbursement
• Attendance at nursing conferences

How to Become a School Nurse

1. Earn a Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN)

The first step to becoming a school nurse is attending nursing school. While you can become an RN with either an associate's or bachelor's degree, school nursing requires BSN-trained nurses. Earning a BSN typically takes 4 years.

2. Earn Your Registered Nursing License

Once you graduate, you'll be able to take the National Council Licensure Examination (NCLEX). Passing this nationwide exam and meeting all other state-specific requirements will qualify you for registered nursing licensure.

3. Gain Experience

Earning on-the-job experience allows you to foster your newly learned nursing skills and become more independent. While not always a requirement, many schools prefer nurses with at least two years of clinical experience.

4. Meet Additional Requirements

School nurse requirements can vary by state. For example, school nurses in Arizona must earn a school nurse certificate from the Arizona Department of Education to become eligible for employment.

Additionally, some states require further education for school nurses, which many students pursue in graduate school. California, Pennsylvania, and West Virginia require RNs to complete a credential program to become school nurses.

Finally, nursing school qualifications in certain regions include a graduate education. While you can be a BSN school nurse in New Mexico, you must have at least an MSN to be a school nurse supervisor.

Bottom Line: Research school nursing requirements in your state to understand the additional steps you need to become qualified for this role.

Popular Online Master of Science in Nursing (MSN) Programs

Sponsored

Chamberlain University is the #1 largest school of nursing with a community of more than 177,000 students, faculty, and alumni. The school offers MSN-NP programs online and has a long history of successfully delivering top quality education. Chamberlain's Commitment to Completion Grant helps RNs earn advanced degrees with savings up to $9,100.

Accreditation CCNE Location Online Prerequisite RN Required

Enrollment: Nationwide except CT, NY, RI

• MSN - Psychiatric Mental Health NP
• MSN - Family NP
• MSN - Adult-Gerontology Acute Care NP
• MSN - Adult-Gerontology Primary Care NP

Learn More Learn More

Whether you’re taking the first steps toward a nursing degree, seeking to advance as a nurse or want to hone your craft with specialized study, there’s a path for you at Purdue Global’s School of Nursing. Our programs were designed so that you can easily balance your lives at home and work with school - without sacrificing the rigor and cutting-edge curriculum of a quality nursing education.

Accreditation CCNE Location Online Prerequisite RN Required

Enrollment: Nationwide, but certain programs have state restrictions. Check with Purdue for details.

• MSN
• Accelerated BSN-to-MSN
• MSN - Family NP
• MSN - Psychiatric Mental Health NP
• MSN - Adult-Gerontology Primary Care NP
• MSN - Adult-Gerontology Acute Care NP
• MSN - Nurse Educator
• MSN - Executive Leader
• MSN & MBA - Dual Degree
• MSN & MHCA - Dual Degree
• MSN - DNP Path

Learn More Learn More

GCU's College of Nursing and Health Care Professions has a nearly 35-year tradition of preparing students to fill evolving healthcare roles as highly qualified professionals.

Accreditation CCNE Location Online Prerequisite RN Required

Enrollment: Nationwide

• MSN - Psychiatric Mental Health NP
• MSN - Family NP
• MSN - Adult-Gerontology Acute Care NP
• MSN - Health Informatics
• MSN - Nursing Education
• MSN - Public Health Nursing
• MSN - Health Care Quality & Patient Safety
• MSN - Nursing Leadership in Health Care Systems
• MBA & MSN - Nursing Leadership in Health Care Systems

Learn More Learn More

The Berkley School of Nursing at Georgetown University is one of the world’s leading academic and research institutions, and the university has been delivering graduate nursing programs in a distance-learning environment since 2011. The university's online programs allow students to learn from wherever they are while they pursue an accredited, mission-driven nursing education that will allow them to deliver high-quality care.

Accreditation CCNE Location Online Prerequisite RN Required

Enrollment: Nationwide, excluding NY and WA.

• MSN - Family NP
• MSN - Adult-Gerontology Acute Care NP
• MSN - Nurse-Midwifery/Women's Health NP
• MSN - Women's Health NP

Learn More Learn More

Earn your nursing degree from one of the largest nursing education providers in the U.S. Walden University’s BSN, MSN, post-master’s APRN certificate, and DNP programs are accredited by the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE). Get enhanced practicum support with our Practicum Pledge.

Accreditation CCNE Location Online Prerequisite RN Required

Enrollment: Nationwide, excluding CT, ND, NY and RI. Certain programs have additional state restrictions. Check with Walden for details.

• MSN
• MSN - Psychiatric-Mental Health NP
• MSN - Family NP
• MSN - Adult-Gerontology Acute Care NP
• MSN - Adult-Gerontology Primary Care NP
• MSN - Pediatric NP - Primary Care
• MSN - Nursing Informatics
• MSN - Nursing Education
• MSN - Public Health Nursing
• MSN - Nurse Executive
• MSN & MBA - Dual Degree

Learn More Learn More

Certifications for School Nurses

Nurses can pursue a certification in School Nursing. Some jobs will require this prior to applying for a position, while others will want the nurse to earn this certification once hired. It is important to look at all of the job requirements prior to applying. 

The National Certified School Nurse (NCSN) is credentialed through the National Board for Certification of School Nurses (NBCSN). The certification is valid for five years. Recertification is more specific for this certification and strictly based on clinical practice hours. Individuals are required to maintain a current RN license and at least 2,000 hours of clinical practice in school nursing in the past five years, of which 750 hours must be in the past three years. 

School Nurse Resources

To learn more about school nursing and certifications – check out these websites.

• National Association of School Nurses 
• National Board for Certification of School Nurses 
• National Association of State School Nurse Consultants 
• American School Health Association 
• The Journal of School Nursing 

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Terri Heimann Oppenheimer is a freelance writer and editor who is driven by details. She loves to dive into research, ensuring that the information she provides educates, engages and illuminates. Before starting her own business she spent years working in advertising and raising three kids. Today she lives in Cherry Hill, New Jersey, where her she and her husband enjoy travel, the Jersey Shore, and spoiling their grandchildren.

Education:Bachelor of the Arts (BA) in English, William & Mary

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