This study examined and compared learning style differences between students who were registered nurses working for a bachelor's degree and generic student nurses who were working for a nursing degree as well as a bachelor's degree. The population surveyed included all registered nursing students and a selected number of generic student nurses (126 total subjects). The study controlled for level of program (upper division), sex (female), and educational and work experience (registered nursing students must have received their basic preparation in diploma schools of nursing and generic student nurses must have had a minimum of one year's health and/or nursing work experience). The instrument used was the Learning Style Inventory developed by David Kolb to measure individual learning styles derived from experiential learning theory. Data were analyzed by analysis of variance, repeated measures design. Findings indicated that the groups were similar in learning styles. Registered nursing students and generic student nurses more closely resembled each other as they progressed from junior to senior level. As seniors, both groups tended to become more able to learn by a variety of methods rather than by assuming a permanent learning style. Results of data analyses support similarity rather than diversity of course design as an acceptable base upon which curriculum designed for the education of both types of students can be developed. (Author/KC)