Nursing is a fulfilling career that allows you to help patients and save lives. It is also a stable career with excellent job prospects. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), the nursing field is projected to grow 9% from 2020 to 2030, adding over 200,000 new jobs. With such high demand, nurses often have their pick of jobs.
For those looking to enter nursing or further their career, focusing on the highest paying nursing specialties can lead to excellent salaries. Many nursing careers have the potential to earn over $100,000 per year.
Some of the top high paying nursing careers include:
Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetist (CRNA): With an average salary of over $195,000 per year, nurse anesthetists are the highest paid nurses. They administer anesthesia to patients and work closely with surgeons and other medical professionals. Becoming a CRNA requires completion of an accredited nurse anesthesia master's or doctoral program.
Nurse Practitioner (NP): NPs can earn around $120,000 annually providing primary and specialty care to patients. NPs diagnose, treat, and prescribe medications. Earning an NP designation requires a Master of Science in Nursing.
Clinical Nurse Specialist (CNS): CNSs earn approximately $112,000 per year working as experts in their nursing specialty area, which can range from geriatrics to oncology. The CNS role requires a Master's degree.
Nurse Midwife: Midwives earn around $112,000 annually providing prenatal, birth, and postpartum care. Becoming a midwife requires either a Master's degree or a Doctor of Nursing Practice.
ICU/Critical Care Nurse: ICU nurses treat critically ill patients and earn an average of $120,000 per year, depending on their experience and location. No specialized education is required, but certification demonstrates advanced expertise.
Psychiatric Nurse: Psychiatric nurses provide mental health services and substance abuse treatment, earning around $113,000 per year. They must complete psychiatric nurse practitioner training at the Master's or Doctoral level.
Along with specialty, factors like location and experience level impact nurse salaries. The highest paying states for nurses include California, Hawaii, Oregon, Washington D.C., and Alaska. Major cities along the coasts also offer the top salaries.
With excellent job growth predicted and abundant high paying specialties to choose from, nursing offers outstanding career opportunities. Nurses looking to advance their practice and maximize earning potential can pursue graduate nursing education in their desired specialty.
Here are some recommendations for nursing programs specializing in high paying careers:
Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetist (CRNA) Programs:
NorthShore University HealthSystem School of Nurse Anesthesia (Evanston, IL)
Kaiser Permanente School of Anesthesia (Pasadena, CA)
Yale School of Nursing (West Haven, CT)
Nurse Practitioner (NP) Programs:
Johns Hopkins School of Nursing (Baltimore, MD) - Family and Adult-Gerontology NP programs
University of Michigan School of Nursing (Ann Arbor, MI) - Pediatric and Psychiatric Mental Health NP programs
Rush University (Chicago, IL) - Neonatal and Women's Health NP programs
Clinical Nurse Specialist (CNS) Programs:
Duke University School of Nursing (Durham, NC) - Cardiovascular and Oncology CNS programs
University of Pittsburgh School of Nursing (Pittsburgh, PA) - Adult-Gerontology CNS program
University of California - San Francisco School of Nursing (San Francisco, CA) - Pediatric CNS program
Nurse Midwifery Programs:
Frontier Nursing University (Hyden, KY) - Master's and DNP Nurse Midwifery programs
Yale School of Nursing (Orange, CT) - Nurse Midwifery program
Georgetown University (Washington, D.C.) - Nurse Midwifery/Women's Health Nurse Practitioner program
Many top nursing schools around the country offer high-quality programs specializing in these lucrative nursing careers. These are just a few examples to consider. Be sure to review program accreditation, curriculum, and clinical training when researching programs.