How can I get a nursing degree through the military?
Each branch has a Nurse Corps that commissions nurses as officers, and offers routes through ROTC scholarships, commissioning programs for enlisted personnel and education benefits. Amounts and rules change, so use the branch recruiter’s current terms.
The routes
ROTC: a scholarship for a BSN while you train as an officer, with a service commitment afterward. Enlisted to officer: some branches let enlisted members finish a nursing degree and be commissioned. Civilian first: earn the BSN and RN license, then apply to the Nurse Corps. You must pass the NCLEX-RN: 86.7% of US-educated first-time takers passed in 2025.
Benefits
Education benefits from service, such as the GI Bill, can also pay for nursing school after you leave. Details vary by branch and by the date you served, so confirm with the Department of Veterans Affairs.
Check before committing
Ask about the length of the service obligation, which nursing programs are accepted, and what happens if you do not finish. Compare it with other ways to pay for nursing school.
Pay and projections: Bureau of Labor Statistics. NCLEX figures: NCSBN. Enrollment: AACN. Sources and years are ondata sources.