I want to become a Practicing Nurse, so should I get an AAS degree or a Diploma?

As Kualua Makani has said there is a high percentage of the community based college programs in the country which offer a LPN certificate program and then an Associate degree completion program (sometimes awarding an Associate of Applied Science in Nursing) which leads to being an RN. There are even a some LPN to BSN programs around the US. Though we commonly use the initials ADN to designate RNs who have attended associate degree educational programs, the highest percentage of these actually award an Associate of Applied Science in Nursing degree.

There are also Diploma nursing programs, but these lead to a Registered nursing career, not a Practical nursing career.
These programs are becoming very rare in the US.

As far as Licensed Practical Nursing Programs, most in the community setting are certificate (occasionally called diploma) programs. There are some on-line institutions (Rasmussen College is an example) which offer practical nursing programs in association with colleges throughout the US and offer a choice of a 70 hour diploma or a 90 hour associate degree program.

In so far as the bulk of nurses and administrators in health care will be unaware of these programs (as most LPNs are from local community programs) I can see no significant benefit to the additional hours for the associate degree.
There will be no institutional differentials for the associate degree education (as there is for BSN RNs at most institutions) there will be no significant hiring preference, as again the degree programs will, most likely, be unrecognized by the employers.

It would seem to be the wiser use of your time, efforts and money to invest in a bridge or ladder program for LPN advancement to an AAS in Nursing as an RN or a BSN. This would give you double the earning potential, and significantly more hiring options.

It depends on where you live. In New Mexico you can become a registered nurse by going to a junior college and getting an associates degree. In other parts of the country you need to earn a bachelors degree.

Nursing is a great field. Look into it. Find colleges that you want to attend and ask them.

Good luck.

i would actually go ahead and get your BSN and become an RN. you will find out later that you wished you had. at the very least get a ADN so you will still be a RN. the RNs at my hospital just got a huge raise this year and not one penny more to the LPNs. the pay is better the work is better and the respect is better

Do you mean a Licensed Practical Nurse (LPN) or are you talking RN?

LPN programs usually don't earn you any kind of degree. The minimum degree required for RN is an Associates Degree (NOT Associates of Applied Science - these are two different degrees and AAS cannot become RNs).

**edited to add: Sorry, in MY state there are no approved AAS degrees. I did not realize it differed in other states. I believed it to be a national standard. I stand corrected.

Contrary to Jill's statement, though they are usually correct, many schools do offer an Associate of Applied Science in Nursing degree which enables the graduates to take the NCLEX-RN examination.

If your goal is to be a Practical Nurse, then most programs are a certificate program.

Some schools do work on a "ladder concept" in which all the licensed practical nursing courses directly apply to the associate degree nursing program. So students can get the certificate and take the LPN examination, then continue their education (without having to duplicate or repeat subjects) towards the Associates degree in an RN program