Nurses Salary US

Nursing is the largest sector in the healthcare industry in the United States.  The roles of nurses nowadays are also expanding because of the shortage of healthcare workers.  As such, the pay for nurses is becoming more competitive and diverse.  This also makes nursing as one of the most respected and regarded profession in the US.  The same reason why many foreign educated nurses are in the hopes of landing equal opportunity.

The variation in salary rates or ranges is dependent upon many factors such as education, years of experience, specialization, certification, institutional policies, and complexity of patient care, among others.  In terms of education, a higher educational attainment such as obtaining a Masters or Doctoral degree commensurate to a higher salary.  Nurses with advanced roles and are certified also profit from bigger earnings.  In Money Magazine’s Top Paying Jobs in the US, Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetist ranked 4th with a Median Salary of $157,000 which is almost twice the salary of a Staff Nurse, and a Top Pay of $214,000 annually or double the annual income of other advanced practice nurses.

The following are nursing specialties with their corresponding annual gross income.  Note that the ranking is merely based on the Top Pay that nurses earn annually.

1. Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetist
2. Registered Nurse –Coronary Care Unit: $43,695 – $118,098
3. Cardiovascular Advanced Registered Nurse Practitioner: $62,241 – $$113,711
4. Psychiatric Nurse Practitioner: $61,478 – $113,698
5. Legal Nurse Consultant : $46,309 – $113,633
6. Dermatology Advanced Registered Nurse Practitioner: $50,807 – $112,552
7. Advanced Registered Nurse Practitioner (ARNP): $58,198 – $105,942
8. Certified Registered Nurse Practitioner: $67,882 – $105,813
9. Private Duty Nurse: $20,516 – $104,487
10. Internal Medicine Advanced Registered Nurse Practitioner: $59,320 – $104,050
11. Family Nurse Practitioner: $60,798 -$103,898
12. Gynecology Nurse Practitioner: $57,508 – $102,773
13. Certified Nurse Midwife: $51,555 – $102, 437
14. Senior Charge Nurse: $50, 351 – $101,808
15. Pediatric Nurse Practitioner: $59,340 – $101,474
16. Head Nurse: $51,209 – $101,117
17. Gastroenterology Nurse Practitioner: $68,638 – $$100,855
18. Clinical Nurse Specialist: $57,435 – $100,609
19. Clinical Nurse Manager: $51,678 – $100,227
20. Nursing Director: $56,123 – $99,309
21. Pediatric Advanced Registered Nurse Practitioner: $48,963 – $99,262
22. Informatics Nurse: $49,090 – $95,194
23. Nurse Educator: $46,218- $91,651
24. Registered Nurse –Intensive Care Unit: $44,246 – $91,096
25. Registered Nurse, Supervisor: $46,778 – $89,610
26. Flight Nurse: $37,135 – $88,302
27. Registered Nurse – Operating Room: $44,451-$87,363
28. Charge Nurse: $46,721-$87,234
29. Registered Nurse – Emergency Room: $42,581 – $87,164
30. Oncology Nurse: $47,386 – $85,631
31. Staff Nurse: $40,386 – $84,091
32. Nurse Case Manager: $46,794 – $83,992
33. Registered Psychiatric Nurse: $43, 191 – $82,372
34. Occupational Health Nurse: $39,949 – $79,351
35. Infection Control Nurse: $45,770 – $81,068
36. Home Care Nurse: $27,391 – $82,889
37. Public Health Nurse: $38,708 – $81,557
38. Labor and Delivery Nurse: $31,943 – $74,241
39. Office Nurse: $29,513 – $59,892
40. Certified Nursing Assistant: $17,475 – $31,368

While the above figures are very much enticing, the figures are far different in many other countries like the Philippines which is  the largest supplier of nurses in almost all parts of the globe.  Registered Nurses in the Philippines do not experience the same benefits because of disparity in wages and benefits.  The implication of the figures mentioned is that nurses in the clinical setting tend to earn more than those nurses in fields outside the hospital setting.  Contrary to the Philippines, nurses in the academe or nursing education earn higher salary.  Another aspect that must be taken into consideration is that, not all countries recognize the expanded roles of nurses in the field of healthcare,thus, limiting nursing functions and opportunities.

Source of Figures: http://www.payscale.com/mypayscale.aspx

Byron Webb Romero, RN, MSN

Finished BSN at Lyceum of the Philippines University, and Master of Science in Nursing Major in Adult Health Nursing at the University of the East Ramon Magsaysay Memorial Medical Center. Currently working at Manila Doctors College of Nursing as a Team Leader for Level I and II, Lecturer for Professional Nursing Subjects, and also a Clinical Instructor.

What Do You Think?