A registered nurse (RN) is one of many different types of nurses. A Registered nurse is a nurse who has completed at least an associate’s degree in nursing (ADN) or a bachelor of science degree in nursing (BSN), and has successfully passed the NCLEX-RN certification exam. After becoming an Registered Nurse, some go on to become an advanced practice RN (APRN) such as a CRNA, or other more highly specialized role. According to Payscale.com, the average starting pay for an RN is $21.83 per hour, which equates to an annual salary of about $42,000.