The Best Master’s Degrees for Nurses in 2026

1. Nursing Education

Why This is a Top Pick

With the ongoing nursing shortage, there is an increase in the demand for educators. Nursing school enrollment is continuing to rise, but programs have to turn away qualified applicants because there are not enough educators.

Jobs

• Hospital nurse educator
• Clinical instructor
• Nurse consultant
• Professor (classroom)

Salary

Nurse educators earn an average annual salary of $102,263, according to ZipRecruiter.

Requirements

1. Earn a Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN)
2. Pass the National Council Licensure Examination (NCLEX)
3. Complete an MSN in Nursing Education program
4. Pass the Certified Nurse Educator (CNE) or Certified Academic Clinical Nurse Educator (CNEcl) exam administered by the National League for Nursing. 

2. Nursing Administration

Why This is a Top Pick
The Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) projects a 23% (much faster than average) increase in medical and health services managers over the next decade. 

Jobs

• Nurse manager
• Chief nursing officer
• Director of Nursing
• Clinical supervisor
• Healthcare consultant
• Risk management
• Nurse educator
• Clinical research manager

Salary

Nurse administrators earn an average annual salary of $84,334, according to ZipRecruiter.

Requirements

1. Earn a BSN
2. Pass the NCLEX
3. Complete an MSN in Nursing Administration program
4. Earn one of the following nursing administration certifications:
   1. Certified Nurse Manager and Leader (CNML), administered by the American Organization for Nursing Leadership (AONL)
   2. Nurse Executive Board Certification (NE-BC), administered by the American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC)
   3. Certified in Executive Nursing Practice (CENP), administered by the AONL

3. Clinical Nurse Specialist (CNS)

Why This is a Top Pick

The BLS reports that APRN jobs will grow by 35% (much faster than average) over the coming decade.

Jobs

• Clinical nurse specialist in:
  • Pediatrics
  • Psychiatric mental health
  • Women’s health
  • Adult gerontology
  • Primary care
  • Public health

Salary

Clinical nurse specialists earn an average annual salary of $94,545, according to ZipRecruiter.

Requirements

1. Earn a BSN
2. Pass the NCLEX
3. Attend a Clinical Nurse Specialist program
4. Earn a CNS certification in your chosen specialty

4. Nurse Practitioner (NP)

Why This is a Top Pick

In May 2024, the BLS predicted a 35% (much faster than average) growth for nurse practitioners over the next deca

Jobs 

• Nurse practitioner in: 
  • Acute care
  • Primary care
  • Pediatrics
  • Psychiatric mental health
  • Women’s health
  • Adult gerontology
  • Primary care

Salary 

The median annual salary for nurse practitioners in the United States is $129,210 per year, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) in May 2024.

Requirements

1. Earn a BSN
2. Pass the NCLEX
3. Earn an MSN in your chosen nurse practitioner specialty
4. Pass the national certification exam
5. Obtain state licensure and national provider identifier (NPI) number

5. Certified Nurse Midwife (CNM)

Why This is a Top Pick

According to the BLS, there is an expected 35% (much faster than average) growth for midwives over the next decade. 

Jobs

• Midwife
• Doula
• Nurse educator
• Director of midwifery services
• Homebirth specialist 

Salary 

The median annual CNM salary is $128,790 per year according to the BLS in May 2024.

Requirements

1. Earn a BSN
2. Pass the NCLEX
3. Earn an MSN in Nurse Midwifery
4. Pass the national midwifery certification exam
5. Pass the CNM national certification exam offered by the American Midwifery Certification Board
6. Obtain state licensure

6. Nursing Informatics

Why This is a Top Pick

The BLS also projects that medical and health services managers will grow by 23% (much faster than average) over the next decade, indicating a steady growth and positive career outlook for informatics nurses.

Jobs

• Clinical analyst
• Nursing informatics specialists
• Director of clinical informatics
• Chief informatics officer
• Health informatics officer
• Clinical nurse researcher
• Nurse educator
• Chief nursing officer
• Clinical informatics nurse

Salary

The average annual nursing informatics salary is $67,310 per year, $32.36 per hour, according to the BLS’s latest May 2024 report.

Requirements

1. Earn a BSN
2. Pass the NCLEX
3. Complete an MSN in Nursing Informatics Program
4. Earn a nursing informatics certification

7. Clinical Nurse Leader (CNL)

Why This is a Top Pick

A relatively new position in the hospital, there are only roughly 1,000 CNLs in the U.S., but healthcare systems are continually seeking them out.

Jobs

• Nurse manager
• Chief nursing officer
• Director of Nursing
• Clinical supervisor
• Nurse educator
• Clinical research manager

Salary

Clinical nurse leaders earn an average annual salary of $89,949, according to ZipRecruiter.

Requirements

1. Earn a BSN
2. Pass the NCLEX
3. Complete an MSN in Clinical Nurse Leadership
4. Pass the national CNL certification exam

8. MSN/MBA Dual Degree

Why This is a Top Pick

Earning a dual degree makes you more marketable within a healthcare setting. C-suite positions can be rare, but there are plenty of administrative opportunities available. The BLS projects a 23% (much faster than average) increase in employment of medical and health services managers over the next decade. 

Jobs

• Nurse Manager
• Chief Nursing Officer
• Director of Nursing
• Clinical Supervisor
• Healthcare Consultant
• Risk Management
• Nurse Educator
• Clinical Research Manager
• Hospital Administrator

Salary

Nurse administrators earn an average annual salary of $84,334, according to ZipRecruiter.

Requirements

1. Earn a BSN
2. Pass the NCLEX
3. Earn an MSN/MBS dual degree
4. Obtain a national certification depending on the MSN specialty