Highest Paying MSN Jobs for Nurses
Expert review by:Life isn’t a comparison game, but if you’re into comparing numbers when it comes to salary, here are some facts: MSN jobs usually pay higher than jobs for nurses without master's degrees.
You can expect to see a pretty significant increase in salary after earning your Master of Science in Nursing (MSN) degree, especially if you go on to pass an advanced practice registered nurse certifying exam. Intrigued? Read on to learn about the highest-paying MSN jobs for nurses!
What is the Highest-Paying Nursing Master's Degree?
No matter what specialty track you pursue, with an MSN, you will receive the same foundation of advanced nursing education that will include community and public health, ethics, research, clinical skills, and leadership.
However, despite the fact that all MSN programs will include the same basic foundation of knowledge, the specialty track you choose for your degree will dictate the specifics that you will learn in your program.
Choosing an administrative degree will lead to a curriculum centered more on leading a team, while a specialty track will focus more on the clinical skills you will need in your role.
Highest Paying MSN Jobs for Nurses
| MSN Job | Avg. Annual Salary |
| Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetist (CRNA) | $212,650 |
| Nurse Practitioner (NP) | $126,260 |
| Certified Nurse Midwife (CNM) | $129,650 |
| Clinical Nurse Specialist (CNS) | $94,545 |
| Clinical Nurse Leader (CNL) | $89,949 |
| Nurse Administrator | $110,680 |
| Informatics Nurse | $98,409 |
| Nurse Educator | $80,780 |
1. Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetist (CRNA) - Salary: $212,650
Nurse anesthetists earn the HIGHEST salaries of any nurses, earning a whopping $212,650 median CRNA salary in 2023, according to the BLS. These high-earning nurses administer anesthesia and manage pain management for patients during procedures.
Starting in 2025, CRNAs will be required to have a minimum of a doctorate degree, meaning this will no longer be an option for nurses whose highest level of education is a master's degree.
2. Nurse Practitioner (NP) - Salary: $126,260
Nurse practitioners are advanced practice registered nurses who specialize in a specific patient population, like acute care, emergency care, pediatrics, and much more.
The exact specialty you choose will determine how much money you make, but in general, the highest-paid specialties are in psychiatric health, pediatrics, gerontology, neonatal, and orthopedics. The median annual NP salary is $126,260, per BLS reports.
3. Certified Nurse Midwife (CNM) - Salary: $129,650
A certified nurse-midwife (CNM) is a nurse who provides overall health and wellness care to women, including helping to deliver babies, family planning, gynecological and prenatal care.
The median annual nurse midwife salary is listed as $129,650 by the BLS.
>> Show Me Online Nurse Midwifery Programs
4. Clinical Nurse Specialist (CNS) - Salary: $94,545
As the title of this job indicates, clinical nurse specialists have high levels of expert knowledge in their field, thus commanding a higher earning power. Like nurse practitioners, clinical nurse specialists also specialize in specific patient populations; however, unlike NPs, they focus more on educating nurses and improving patient outcomes.
The median salary for Clinical Nurse Specialists is $94,545 as of April 2024, according to ZipRecruiter.
5. Clinical Nurse Leader - Salary: $89,949
Clinical nurse leaders are masters-prepared nurses who don't hold APRN licenses. CNLs take a wider scope, collaborating with all of a patient's caregivers and looking at broader trends in the patient's care.
A nurse in this position will most likely advance quickly and be able to earn more. For instance, ZipRecruiter found that clinical nurse leaders earn an average annual salary of $89,949.
6. Nurse Administrator - Salary: $110,680
Nurse administrators, also called nurse managers, oversee the nursing staff at a medical facility. These nursing leaders are licensed registered nurses who have years of bedside experience under their belt. They typically need a master's degree, but some bachelor's prepared nurses are nurse administrators.
While the BLS does not keep data on nurse administrators specifically, it does list the median average salary for medical and health service managers—which would definitely include nurse administrators—at $110,680.
>> Show Me Online Nurse Admin Programs
7. Informatics Nurse - Salary: $98,409
This degree focuses on the intersection of computers and clinical care, so it’s a good fit for nurses who enjoy working with technology.
According to ZipRecruiter, the average informatics nurse salary is $98,409 per year.
>> Show Me Nursing Informatics Programs
8. Nurse Educator - Salary: $80,780
A nurse educator may work in an academic setting, instructing nursing students pursuing their own degrees, or in a clinical setting, such as a hospital, leading staff on educational updates. To become one, you'll need to complete an MSN nurse educator program.
The BLS notes that the median annual salary for nurse educators in post-secondary universities is $80,780.
>> Show Me Online Nurse Educator Programs
Factors That Affect MSN Nurse Salary
As we previously mentioned, there are plenty of factors that can impact the actual salary you will earn with an MSN degree. Websites, such as the BLS, report the average salary. Like with any average, you have to keep in mind that there are always high and low salaries within that range as well.
Some of the factors that can affect what you will actually earn with an MSN degree include:
- Specialty - the specialty you choose will greatly impact your pay
- Hours - if you work full or part-time
- Setting - what setting you choose to work in, i.e., a doctor’s office, hospital, your own practice, surgical center, or an academic institution
- Shift - Choosing to work days, nights, or swing shifts
- Geographic location—MSN nurses in rural areas may make less than a highly-populated city, for example. Forbes lists the highest-paying states for NPs as California, Alaska, Massachusetts, New Jersey, New York, Hawaii, Minnesota, Connecticut, Washington, and Wyoming.
Is an MSN Degree Worth It?
There are a lot of different factors that can influence the exact number you will bring home on your paycheck with an MSN degree, but one thing is for sure: no matter what specialty you choose or area you work in, MSN nurses typically make at least $40k more than registered nurses with a BSN. So, if you do choose to pursue more education with an MSN degree, you will be making a smart investment in your financial security—as well as a difference in your patients’ lives.
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