Pursuing a career as a nurse can be incredibly exciting, especially because you can choose from several subspecialties based on your personal interests and career goals. If salary is a top priority to you when choosing a nursing role, you may be pleased to know there are several positions with average annual salaries that range from $100,000 to $250,000.
Here are 11 of the highest-paid nursing jobs to consider when planning your career path.
1. Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetist – $205,770
As a certified registered nurse anesthetist, you’re responsible for administering anesthesia to patients, monitoring their vital signs, and overseeing their recovery from anesthesia to ensure there are no complications. Nurse anesthetists who work in outpatient care centers earn an annual mean salary of $246,980, which is higher than the salaries of their peers who work in other settings, including surgical hospitals and physicians’ offices.
2. Neonatal Nurse Practitioner – $131,000
Neonatal nurse practitioners generally work in neonatal intensive care units (NICUs) and care for babies from the time they are born up to the age of 28 days. In this role, you’re responsible for administering oxygen and medications to ill and premature babies and for performing various other NICU procedures. The employment of neonatal nurse practitioners is expected to grow by 52% from 2020 to 2030, which indicates this position is in relatively high demand.
3. Nursing Administrator – $120,000
As a nursing administrator, you’re responsible for overseeing and managing nursing staff. Your duties may include hiring nurses, maintaining your department’s budget, and ensuring regulations are properly followed. You may also be required to attend occasional committee and board meetings in which you represent all nurses in your organization or department.
4. Critical Care Nurse – $118,000
Also known as ICU nurses, critical care nurses provide care to patients whose lives are at immediate risk due to acute illnesses and injuries. In this role, you need to make smart decisions quickly when it comes to care and treatment, as patients may be on the verge of death or permanent disability. Providing advanced life support, operating equipment like ventilators, and educating the loved ones of your patients are other duties and responsibilities you may have as a critical care nurse.
5. Cardiac Nurse Practitioner – $120,000
As a cardiac nurse practitioner, you’re responsible for caring for patients with acute and/or chronic heart conditions, such as heart attack and myocarditis. You also conduct in-depth heart assessments on patients with these conditions. Cardiac nurse practitioners generally work in residential and home care settings.
6. Orthopedic Nurse Practitioner – $119,000
Orthopedic nurse practitioners work alongside physicians to treat patients with musculoskeletal conditions such as rheumatoid arthritis, osteoporosis, and sarcopenia. This medical subspecialty typically involves helping patients recover from surgical treatments to regain full mobility. You may also guide patients through physical therapy to promote a healthy, full recovery.
7. Oncology Nurse Practitioner – $119,000
If you become an oncology nurse practitioner, you’ll work closely with patients who have cancer. You may help physicians administer cancer treatments and provide education to both patients and their loved ones. Oncology nurse practitioners typically work in settings such as cancer treatment centers, hospitals, and hospices.
8. Certified Nurse Midwife – $122,450
Certified nurse midwives guide women through pregnancy and childbirth, usually outside of a traditional hospital setting. Many nurse-midwives also provide well-woman health services and postpartum care, including breastfeeding instruction. The highest-paid nurse midwives are those who work in outpatient care settings, where the annual mean salary is $153,310.
9. Clinical Nurse Specialist – $113,000
Clinical nurse specialists receive highly specialized training within specific fields and may cultivate reputations of being experts in those fields. Common fields include population, disease concern, place, and type of care. As a clinical nurse specialist, you’re responsible for prescribing medications, ordering and interpreting diagnostic tests, and providing other healthcare professionals with valuable input on methods of improving patient care.
10. Psychiatric Nurse Practitioner – $112,000
As a psychiatric nurse practitioner, you work closely with patients who need treatment for mental and behavioral health disorders such as depression, schizophrenia, and substance use disorders. You may be responsible for administering medications and making patients feel more comfortable by offering mental, emotional, and spiritual support. Typical work settings for psychiatric nurse practitioners include correctional facilities, mental health units, and inpatient psychiatric hospitals.
11. Pain Management Nurse – $110,000
Pain management nurses work with patients who need treatment and relief from chronic pain. You may work with cancer patients in oncology departments or with patients who became dependent on painkillers and need other treatments. As a pain management nurse, you may administer treatments such as opioids and physical therapy and work in settings such as rehabilitation centers, fitness centers, and drug counseling centers.
The 11 nursing jobs outlined above are just some of the many high-paying positions you can pursue with a nursing degree. Many employment websites maintain updated lists of the highest-paid nursing jobs from year to year so you can stay on top of which positions to pursue if you want to earn a satisfying salary.
Resource Links
- “The 16 Highest Paid Nursing Jobs in 2023” via Provo College
- “The 10 Highest Paid Nursing Jobs in 2023” via Eagle Gate College
- “15 Highest Paying Nursing Jobs in 2023” via Nurse.org
- “29-1151 Nurse Anesthetists” via U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics
- “29-1161 Nurse Midwives” via U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics