Become a Nurse in Oregon – APRN, RN, LPN Licensure

Nursing requirements change rapidly. Make sure to confirm licensing requirements with the Oregon State Board of Nursing before applying for licensure. Last updated: 3/17/2020

Education Requirements for Nursing Licenses in Oregon
Nursing Licenses in Oregon Master’s Required?
Nurse Practitioner (NP) Yes
Clinical Nurse Specialist (CNS) Yes
Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetist (CRNA) Yes
Registered Nurse (RN) No
Licensed Practical Nurse (LPN) No
Certified Nursing Assistant I No
Certified Nursing Assistant II No

Oregon Nursing Salaries

Oregon Nursing Salaries
OR Nurse Career State-Wide Annual Mean Wage Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA Annual Mean Wage Salem Annual Mean Wage Eugene Annual Mean Wage
Licensed Practical Nurse $53,240 $52,970 $53,460 $52,990
Registered Nurse $91,080 $93,570 $88,460 $90,850
Nurse Practitioner $110,010 $110,700 $111,700 $115,360
Nurse Anesthetist $205,730 $204,100 Not Available Not Available
Nurse Midwife $108,950 $110,300 Not Available Not Available

Careers as a nurse salaries above were retrieved from the Bureau of Labor Statistics – State Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates Oregon in March 2020.

There are many paths to become a nurse in Oregon. The path you take will mostly depend upon the type of nurse you’d like to become and your current or prospective level of education. The higher your level of education, the more opportunities you’ll have to choose where and how you pursue your career in nursing.

In addition to nursing salaries in Oregon, you’ll find information on acquiring and maintaining several types of Oregon nursing licensure. We’re constantly making updates, but with the speed of change in the healthcare sphere it’s difficult to stay current. If you have any comments or suggestions for our information on nursing in Oregon, please email us at info@nursinglicensemap.com!

Sponsored Online Nursing Programs

Sponsored

Earn a Master of Science in Nursing online from Simmons University.

  • Choose from two program options — FNP or PMHNP
  • Complete in as few as 24 months
  • Full-time and part-time tracks available

Earn an MS in Nursing online from Georgetown University.

  • Earn your MS in Nursing in as few as 23 months
  • Choose from one of four APRN specialty areas: AG-ACNP, FNP, NM/WHNP, or WHNP
  • Gain hands-on clinical experience in evidence-based practice

Earn an M.S. in Nursing online at the Wegmans School of Nursing

  • The Wegmans School of Nursing is ranked among the top 100 nursing schools nationally, and is No. 6 in New York state1
  • Part-time and accelerated tracks available
  • Four program options: PCFNP, PMHNP, AGACNP, AGPCNP

Earn your MSN online from USC’s School of Social Work.

  • Prepares RNs to pursue board certification as family nurse practitioners
  • Earn a CCNE-accredited MSN in as few as 21 months
  • Choose from part-time and full-time study options

1 U.S. News & World Report, 2022 Best Nursing Schools: Master’s. Ranked in 2021.

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Compact State Status

Oregon is not a Nursing Licensure Compact State.

Prescriptive Authority in Oregon

Advanced practice registered nurses (APRNs) in Oregon may apply for prescriptive authority for Schedule II-V controlled substances. New APRNs must provide proof of 150-clock hours of supervised academic clinical practicum experience that includes differential diagnosis and applied pharmacological management of patients.

Nurse Practitioner in Oregon

Education: Master’s Degree in Nursing from an accredited graduate level program.

Examination: Varies for Different Certifications

Certification: National certification from an accredited national certifying body.

Fees: $150 Application

Experience: If you have not completed your nurse practitioner program within the last two years, you must also provide proof of 192 hours of experience. You may also provide proof of 960 hours of practice if you have completed a program more than two years ago.

Additional Information: An active Oregon registered nurse license is required for application.

Renewal: Nurse practitioners must renew their state certification with their RN license. Continuing education can be in the form of an active national certification or 45 contact hours of continuing education in the past two years. At least 15 of those hours must be in pharmacotherapeutic content.

Learn more on how to become a nurse practitioner.

Clinical Nurse Specialist (CNS) in Oregon

Education: Completion of a graduate degree in nursing from an accredited graduate program that includes CNS theory and clinical concentration.

Examination: Varies for Different Certifications

Fees: $150 Application

Experience: For CNSs who have completed a CNS program within the past two years, a minimum of 192 hours of CNS practice is required. For CNS applications who completed a program more than two years ago, proof of 960 hours of practice within the last five years is required.

Additional Information: An active Oregon registered nurse license is required for application.

Renewal: CNS renewal is on the same schedule as their RN license. At least 960 hours of practice is required for renewal, achieved within the last five years. Forty hours of continued education with at elast 50% of them in formal academic structure continuing education is required from an approved accredited body. CNSs may also use their national certification to meet 50% of the continuing education requirement.

Learn more on how to become a clinical nurse specialist.

Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetist (CRNA) in Oregon

Education: Master’s degree from an accredited CRNA education program.

Examination: Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetist (CRNA) Exam from the National Board on Certification and Recertification of Nurse Anesthetists (NBCRNA)

Certification: CRNA certification from the NBCRNA

Fees: $150 Application

Additional Information: An active Oregon registered nurse license is required for application.

Renewal: CRNA renewal required proof of CRNA certification from an approved certifying body.

Learn more on how to become a certified registered nurse anesthetist.

Registered Nurse (RN) in Oregon

Education: Completion of an Approved Registered Nurse Program

Examination: NCLEX-RN

Fees:

  • $195 Licensure by Endorsement
  • $160 Licensure by Examination
  • $9 Oregon Nursing Advancement Fund Surcharge
  • $200 Examination Fee

Endorsement: RNs first licensed in another state can apply for licensure by endorsement. If a RN education program was completed more than five years ago, RN applicants must provide proof of 960 hours of practice.

Renewal: Renewal for RNs is every two years and requires an application and applicable fee as well as questions on the renewal form regarding employment and education.

Learn more on how to become a registered nurse.

Licensed Practical Nurse (LPN) in Oregon

Education: Completion of an Approved Licensed Practical Nurse Program

Examination: NCLEX-PN

Fees:

  • $195 Licensure by Endorsement
  • $160 Licensure by Examination
  • $9 Oregon Nursing Advancement Fund Surcharge
  • $200 Examination Fee

Endorsement: LPNs first licensed in another state can apply for licensure by endorsement. If a RN education program was completed more than five years ago, LPN applicants must provide proof of 960 hours of practice.

Renewal: Renewal for LPNs is every two years and requires an application and applicable fee as well as questions on the renewal form regarding employment and education.

Learn more about how to become a licensed practical nurse.

Information for the above nursing careers was retrieved from the Oregon Nurse Practice Act as of March 2020.

Sponsored Online Nursing Programs

Sponsored

Earn a Master of Science in Nursing online from Simmons University.

  • Choose from two program options — FNP or PMHNP
  • Complete in as few as 24 months
  • Full-time and part-time tracks available

Earn an MS in Nursing online from Georgetown University.

  • Earn your MS in Nursing in as few as 23 months
  • Choose from one of four APRN specialty areas: AG-ACNP, FNP, NM/WHNP, or WHNP
  • Gain hands-on clinical experience in evidence-based practice

Earn an M.S. in Nursing online at the Wegmans School of Nursing

  • The Wegmans School of Nursing is ranked among the top 100 nursing schools nationally, and is No. 6 in New York state1
  • Part-time and accelerated tracks available
  • Four program options: PCFNP, PMHNP, AGACNP, AGPCNP

Earn your MSN online from USC’s School of Social Work.

  • Prepares RNs to pursue board certification as family nurse practitioners
  • Earn a CCNE-accredited MSN in as few as 21 months
  • Choose from part-time and full-time study options

1 U.S. News & World Report, 2022 Best Nursing Schools: Master’s. Ranked in 2021.

Sponsored