The average salary for nurses depends on their education, experience, location, and if they have a specialization or area of expertise. Nurses are essential members of the medical industry and are in high demand in most areas of the country. Those working in nursing professions earn lucrative salaries. The salary range varies greatly on location, education, certifications, amount of experience, and nursing specialty.
To enter the nursing profession, individuals must typically have at least a diploma, but many individuals complete undergraduate programs. Those wanting to pursue advanced nursing careers complete graduate degrees. Here are the average salaries for many different nursing jobs.
Licensed Practical Nurse
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Licensed practical nurses, also called LPNs, are commonly regarded as the lowest-paid nursing positions. This is due to the lower educational prerequisites, as licensed practical nursing programs only take about a year to complete. The median projected pay for LPNs is around $48,820. The top 10 percent earn more than $65,520 annually and the lowest 10 percent make less than $35,570 per year.
Registered Nurse
Registered nurses, or RNs, make up the majority of the nursing workforce. They practice in a wide range of subfields and workspaces. Registered nurses need a minimum of an associate degree in nursing, but the majority of prospective RNs earn a bachelor’s degree.
Furthermore, a lot of registered nurses go on to complete advanced nursing programs to increase their pay and progress to upper-level nursing positions. The median expected pay for RNs is approximately $75330. The top 10 percent make over $116,230 a year and the lowest 10 percent make below $53,410.
Nurse Educator
Nurse educators play a crucial part in the field as they teach those wanting to become future nurses. The salary range for this career varies greatly because the jobs differ. Some nurse educators teach full-time while others only work on a part-time basis. Additionally, some teach at large universities and others only teach courses online.
The majority of nurse educators have master’s degrees. The median projected yearly wage for nurse educators is around $51,000. The top 10 percent earn more than $97,000 yearly and the lowest 10 percent earn less than $29,000.
Nurse Practitioner
Nurse practitioners are advanced practice nurses and they often act as primary care providers for many patients. A lot of states enable nurse practitioners to operate independent practices and also prescribe medications. Nurse practitioners need a minimum of a master’s degree in nursing and many specialize in a certain area, such as pediatrics, oncology, mental health, and acute care.
Furthermore, the median expected annual salary for nurse practitioners is around $111,680. The top 10 percent make more than $190,900 annually and the lowest 10 percent make less than $84,120 a year.
Nurse Anesthetist
Nurse anesthetists administer anesthesia during surgical procedures in medical centers. They are registered nurses who earn a master’s degree in a nurse anesthetist education program.
These professionals are among the highest-paid nursing careers in the industry. The median projected pay for nurse anesthetists is around $183,580. The top 10 percent make over $190,000 and the lowest 10 percent make below $140,000.
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