Nursing is one of the world’s oldest professions and something we wouldn’t be able to live without! Nurses are often kind and caring, with an amazing bedside manner. Does that sound like you?
If you’re looking to start your nursing career through a college program or you’re already a nurse looking to change your area of expertise, there are a variety of career paths to choose from. As with any job, salary is an important factor that influences our decision on whether or not we want to fill that position.
With the many different branches of nursing, there are ranges between salaries. In this article, we are going to look at the ten highest paid nursing jobs available at the time of writing this article. Please note that the salaries are based on averages and are liable to change.
How to Become A Nurse
There are three key steps that one must take in order to become a qualified nurse. All registered nurses hold at least a bachelor’s degree in nursing.
- Get an accredited degree from an institution such as a university. The degree you pick will determine how long you are required to study.
- Pass the NCLEX Exam (National Council Licensure Examination for Registered Nurses).
- Obtain a state license for the relevant state you wish to work in.
Depending on your career goals, you may have to complete additional training. For those that want to go down a specific route, such as pediatrics or neonatal nursing, this requires students to obtain a master’s degree in nursing or a Doctorate of Nursing Practice.
Although extra studying may not have been on your radar, this will increase your salary grade and boost your opportunities.
Highest Paying Nursing Jobs
1. Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetist – $195,610
Nurse anesthetists are responsible for administering anesthesia to patients that are about to undergo surgery. These highly skilled individuals work with a number of different branches of medicine including surgeons, dentists, and anesthesiologists.
Other responsibilities of these nurses include monitoring their patient’s vital signs and aiding in the patient’s recovery from the anesthesia.
The average wage of one of these nurses is $202,470 according to a 2021 report from the Bureau Of Labor Statistics (BSL). Therefore, this branch of nursing can be seen as the highest paid which is unsurprising due to the extremely sensitive nature of their jobs.
2. Neonatal Nurse Practitioner – $131,000
The next highest paid in the nursing profession is the neonatal practitioner. Although the average salary of these nurses is $131,000, those in the highest percentile can be paid as much as $151,000. Neonates are considered to be babies up to 28 days old.
Neonatal nurses provide life-saving care for newborn babies that are premature and those that have been born with an illness or disease. This care can include anything from administering medication, managing fluids, and recording observations.
It is a highly rewarding career path that helps countless families every year as although vital care is administered to the babies themselves, their families are also supported through this difficult time.
3. General Nurse Practitioner – $120,680
A general nurse practitioner earns an average salary in the range of $118,00 – $120,680. This type of nurse helps to treat acute and chronic conditions as well as help their patients with preventative and holistic care.
Typical responsibilities of a nurse practitioner include performing physical exams, administering primary and emergency care, diagnostic tests, and more. Nurse practitioners often work in surgery-style practices such as a local doctor’s surgery.
These nurses have graduate degrees in advanced practice nursing and can prescribe medications in some states. In other states, nurses have to receive approval from a doctor before they can administer a prescription.
4. ICU Nurse – $120,243
The intensive care unit or ICU offers care to those in the most fragile conditions. An ICU nurse is a registered nurse that delivers care to the patients in this unit of a hospital or healthcare facility.
Duties of these nurses include evaluating their patient’s conditions, giving them treatment, and providing them with constant support during their recovery. Other duties include wound care, medication administration, and taking observations.
While the average salary for an ICU nurse is $120,243 these figures can range between $76,500 to $145,500. These numbers are influenced by the specific hospital, location, and shift times of the nurses.
5. Cardiac Nurse Practitioner – $120,000
As the name suggests, cardiac nurses are responsible for helping patients that have an acute or chronic illness related to their heart. These roles are expected to increase in demand by 52% between now and 2030. These nurses conduct in-depth cardiovascular examinations and assessments of their patients.
They also work to optimize heart failure treatment and work with the multidisciplinary team in primary and secondary care to support the patient. Cardiac nurses are at the more well-paid end of the scale with some earning up to $135,000.
6. Orthopaedic Nurse Practitioner – $119,000
An orthopedic nurse practitioner focuses on the prevention and treatment of musculoskeletal illnesses. These nurses help patients to recover from injuries or surgeries by providing them with essential care and treatment. Working alongside physicians, these nurses aim to get their patients back to full mobility.
The general salary of an orthopedic nurse practitioner is $119,00 but can be as high as $133,000. New reports have shown that the rise in demand for these roles is expected to increase by 52% by 2030.
7. Oncology Nurse Practitioner – $119,000
Oncology nurses are highly specialized individuals that provide care to cancer patients. They work alongside physicians and surgeons to ensure that patients receive the right treatment to help them beat cancer. Alongside administering general treatment to patients, they also provide care, education, and much needed support to the patients and their families.
With a similar salary to an orthopedic nurse, an oncology nurse can expect to make anywhere between $119,000 to $127,000.
8. Family Nurse Practitioner – $116,000
A family nurse practitioner earns a mid-range salary, with an average of $116,000 a year. At the higher end of the scale, these nurses can make up to $135,000. The overall demand for these nurses is continuing to grow. This type of nurse provides primary and specialty care for patients of all ages.
A family nurse focuses on preventative medicine and monitoring the long-term health of patients. With a focus on health promotion and health education, these nurses provide treatment and advice to anyone in need. Nurses in these roles must have a clear passion for the job and be able to show compassion for all their patients.
9. Certified Nurse Midwife – $114,000
Midwives are one of the first branches of nursing we associate with the field. We all know that midwives are the ones who assist women in giving birth, but they also have many more responsibilities. Delivering a baby safely into the world is a challenging task and midwives have to coach mothers through all of the challenges of pregnancy, labor, and birth.
Those wanting to become a midwife will need the skills and personality to be able to form close bonds with the women they are helping during this crucial time in their lives. The average midwife makes around $114,000 a year, at the higher end of the scale their salaries could be as much as $166,000.
There isn’t the same demand for midwives as there is in other areas of nursing, which is something to consider when choosing a career path.
10. Clinical Nurse Specialist – $113,000
A clinical nurse specialist is someone that has advanced knowledge and training in a number of specialized areas of nursing. These nurses are able to offer their expertise in a number of different healthcare settings, such as:
- Emergency care
- Pain management
- Critical care
- Psychiatric care
- Pediatrics
- Wound care
- Rehabilitation services
- Oncology
- Geriatric care
Within these areas of nursing, individuals will take on a number of different tasks that you’d expect of a nurse such as making diagnoses, administering treatments, running tests, and prescribing medicine.
These nurses earn on average $113,000 a year, with those in the highest percentile earning as much as $133,000. Reports show that the demand for clinical nurse specialists is set to increase by 2030 making it a variable area of medicine to train in.
The Bottom Line
Nursing is a highly respected and vital profession, as humans continue to live longer and the population size continues to grow there is a need for them more than ever. With the number of different areas to work in, there will be something to suit every aspiring nurse.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which Nursing Specialty Is In Highest Demand?
The nursing specialties that are in high demand include neonatal nurses, clinical nurses, dialysis nurses, nurse practitioners, and nurse advocates. As they are in high demand, finding jobs in these areas will be easier which means salaries are expected to grow.