Three RoutesGuides · 3 min read · updated 17 October 2026
RPN vs RN vs PSW: the same columns, and how to pick
Three jobs on one ladder. The numbers, the bridges between them, and the night shift nobody mentions.
Three jobs, one ladder
These are not three versions of the same job. A PSW helps people live (washing, moving, feeding); an RPN gives nursing care within a defined scope; an RN assesses, plans and leads care. Each step up takes more school and pays more, and you can climb it: PSW to RPN bridges exist, and RPN to BScN bridges are common.
| Role | Time to credential (Ontario) | Cost | Earnings at start | Earnings at year 5 | Demand |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Personal support worker / health care aide / PAB | 8 months | $4,600 | $38,000 | $47,000 | High |
| Registered practical nurse / LPN / infirmière auxiliaire | 2 years | $9,900 | $49,000 | $60,000 | High |
| Registered nurse (BScN; DEC in Quebec) | 4 years | $36,000 | $75,000 | $83,700 | High |
Ontario. In Quebec the RN credential is a three-year DEC costing about $3,300; in BC the LPN diploma is about $19,600 and the PSW equivalent (Health Care Assistant) about $4,300 with a program that pays tuition if you take a job first.
How to pick
- Need to be earning this year? PSW. Under a year, often subsidised, severe shortage. The downside is the body: it is physical, and the pay ceiling is low unless you bridge.
- Two years is fine, and you want a licence? RPN. The best cost-to-pay ratio in this group and a direct bridge to RN later, often while working.
- Four years is fine and you want to lead? RN. Highest pay and the widest doors (specialties, management, public health), with the most school and, in Ontario, the most debt.
- Marks are the constraint? PSW programs take almost everyone; RPN wants 70s in biology; BScN cutoffs run high 70s to 80s depending on school.
The downsides, honestly
Shift work, understaffing and burnout are real in all three, and worst where staffing is thinnest. Long-term care is where most PSW jobs are and where the pressure is highest. Hospital RN jobs are the most sought after and the hardest to get as a new graduate; many start in long-term care or community. Ask anyone in the field what a night shift looks like before committing.
Quick answers
What is the difference between a PSW, an RPN and an RN?
A PSW (personal support worker) provides daily living care after a certificate of under a year. An RPN (registered practical nurse, LPN outside Ontario) is a licensed nurse with a two-year diploma working within a defined scope. An RN (registered nurse) has a four-year BScN (three-year DEC in Quebec), assesses and plans care, and leads teams.
How much does an RPN make in Ontario?
About $49,000 in the first year and $60,000 around year five, before overtime and premiums. BC LPNs start around $60,000; Quebec infirmières auxiliaires about $50,500 on the public scale.
Is PSW worth it?
If you need to be earning within a year, yes: high demand, subsidised tuition in Ontario, about $38,000 to start. Treat it as a first rung; PSW-to-RPN bridges turn it into a nursing career.
Can an RPN become an RN?
Yes. RPN-to-BScN bridging programs take two to three years, often part-time while working, and many hospitals help fund them.
See your own three options
Seven questions, five minutes, no sign-up. The same numbers as this page, ranked for your answers.
Figures are medians and typical costs from Job Bank, Statistics Canada, provincial wage surveys and institution fee pages, verified in 2026; the data page lists every source. Your own numbers will differ by employer, region and overtime.