A Master of Science in Nursing (MSN) is an advanced-level quaternary education degree for Registered Nurses. It is required to become an advanced practice nurse, such as a Nurse Practitioner, Clinical Nurse Specialist, Nurse Anesthetist, Nurse Midwife, or a Clinical nurse leader, and is considered an entry-level degree for nurse educators and managers. It may also be a prerequisite for doctorate-level nursing education.

This graduate-level degree may focus in one or more of many different advanced nursing specialties such as acute care, adult, family, geriatrics, neonatal, palliative care, pediatric, psychiatric, women's health, etc.

A Master of Nursing (MN) is a graduate-level program for individuals who have a non-nursing bachelor's degree and would like to become a nurse. The program prepares the student at a higher level than a traditional BSN program to enter the profession of nursing. The MN degree program is not a program that prepares the nurse for advanced practice positions, such as a clinical nurse specialist, or a nurse practitioner; it is not a Master of Science in Nursing (MSN) degree. The program offers the shortest path for college graduates who want to be nurses. The courses emphasize research, evidence-based practice, clinical reasoning, and theoretical perspectives in nursing and are taught at a higher level than traditional BSN courses. It opens up additional financial aid options. Rather than another bachelor's degree, the MN reflects the advanced course work in the field of nursing.