This article will discuss the top 10 most-paid nurse jobs in the world. If you’re thinking about becoming a nurse or looking to change careers, you probably want to know how much money you can make and how to get the maximum nursing salary. As of 2021, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) said that registered nurses made an average of $77,600 per year. Although some of the highest paying nursing occupations pay over $195K annually, that is only the average across all specializations.
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The location of your job, the degree you hold (nurses with a master’s in nursing sometimes earn substantially more than nurses with a BSN-prepared background), and the industry you work in will all affect how much money you make as a nurse. Learn more about the various nursing specialties and their pay by reading on.
Top 10 Most Paid Nurse Jobs in world
- Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetist, $195,610
- ICU Nurse: $120,243
- Intensive Care Nurse for Newborns: $118,586
- Nurse Practitioner in Psychiatry: $113,114
- $112,830 for a certified nurse midwife
- Specialist in Clinical Nursing – $112,267
- Nurse in Pain Management: $110,420
- First Aid for Registered Nurses: $101,890
- $101,340 Nursing Administrator
- $98,041 Family Nurse Practitioner
- $90,391 Gerontological Nurse Practitioner
- Nurses educator: $82,040
- Informatics Nurse: $79,531
- Nurse in Health Policy: $79,429
REGISTERED NURSE ANESTHETISTS
What nurse has the highest salary? Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetists! CRNAs are the highest paid nursing specialty, with an average yearly salary of $195,610. According to the American Association of Nurse Anesthetists, this is a very specialized job that involves working with surgeons, anesthesiologists, dentists, podiatrists, and other skilled medical professionals to prepare and give anesthesia to patients.
CERTIFIED REGISTERED NURSE ANESTHETISTS SALARY
According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetists have an annual median compensation of $195,610, making them the highest paid nursing specialties. CRNAs normally work 40 hours per week, which works out to an hourly income of about $94.04 on average.
Requirements to Become a Nurse Anesthetist
After finishing a recognized nurse anesthesia program, you must pass the National Certification Examination. This means that you will have to work hard in the classroom to get your degree.
A doctoral degree will soon be necessary to become a CRNA, even though it is not now necessary. The Council on Accreditation has said that a doctoral degree will be necessary by 2025.
2. Nurse Practitioner
You have the option to start your own general nursing practice or work in a number of primary care settings as a general nurse practitioner. Along the process, you can also improve your abilities and your earning potential. If they choose, general NPs can subsequently specialize in a particular area.
Nurse practitioner salary
According to the May 2021 BLS, the median annual wage for general nurse practitioners is $120,680. Generally, general nurse practitioners work a 40-hour workweek, earning $58.02 per hour.
Requirements to Become a Nurse Practitioner
The minimal degree needed to become a nurse practitioner is a Master of Science in Nursing (MSN), which is followed by obtaining the state-specific nurse practitioner license.
3. Intensive Care Unit Nurse
ICU Nurse: $120,243 a year, or $57.81 per hour*. ICU nurses need a unique set of skills because they frequently deal with life-and-death situations. Although they can work in various nursing specialties, they frequently work in hospital ICUs. A critical care nurse has a very high level of critical thinking and nursing abilities, making it one of the most sought-after nursing roles.
Intensive Care Nurse Salary
According to ZipRecruiter, the average yearly pay for ICU nurses was $120,243 as of June 2022. Depending on their shift, hospital, and location, critical care nurses can earn well over $200,000, however, the usual range is between $76,500 and $145,500. The salary scale for new nurses typically begins at the bottom and quickly rises. Critical care nurses typically put in a 36-hour work week, earning an hourly rate of about $57.81.
Requirements to Become an Intensive Care Unit Nurse
Although no particular qualifications are required to start working in critical care, you might think about taking the CCRN certification exam in order to improve. Most hospitals will give intensive care nurses specialized training to make sure they are confident in their knowledge and skills.
4. Neonatal Intensive Care Units
If you enjoy taking care of children, think about working as a NICU nurse. For advanced practice nurses in particular, this specialty fetches a competitive salary.
Neonatal Intensive Care Units Salary
According to ZipRecruiter, the typical NICU nurse’s income is $118,586 annually. The earning potential is higher for those with a BSN, more work experience, and advanced certifications. The normal workweek for NICU nurses is 36 hours, which equates to an hourly wage of $57.00.
Requirements to Become a Neonatal Intensive Care Units
Although you can gain experience working in a neonatal unit as a staff RN, the significant advancement comes from obtaining a neonatal nurse practitioner (NNP) or neonatal clinical nurse specialist (CNS) certification. Salary increases are also associated with higher degree advancement. Without an advanced practice degree, nurses can obtain their RNC-NIC and become certified.
5. Psychiatric Nurse Practitioner
For nurses with a passion for mental health, becoming a psychiatric nurse practitioner will provide you the chance to collaborate with psychiatric doctors and provide patients with counselling on mental health issues. Patients who have both substance misuse problems and mental health concerns are also treated by psychiatric nurse practitioners.
Psychiatric Nurse Practitioner Salary
According to Payscale, psychiatric nurse practitioners made an average salary of $113,114 per year as of May 2022. The usual workweek for psychiatric nurse practitioners is 40 hours, which equates to an hourly income of about $63.75.
Requirements to Become a Psychiatric Nurse Practitioners
The minimum educational prerequisite for becoming a nurse practitioner is a Master of Science in Nursing (MSN), which is followed by obtaining Psychiatric Nurse Practitioner license as required by your state.
6. Certified Nurse Midwife
RNs who like obstetrics, childbirth, and prenatal care would do well as Certified Nurse Midwives. The majority of CNMs work at OB/GYN clinics, hospitals, or offices, although depending on their state of practice, many also start their own practices.
Certified Nurse Midwife Salary
According to the BLS, the typical certified nurse-midwife salary is $112,830. CNMs typically put in 40 hours per week, which equates to an hourly pay of about $54.24.
Requirements to Become a Certified Nurse Midwife
Nurses can get the Certified Nurse-Midwife and Certified Midwife designations from the American Midwifery Certification Board in order to practice certified nurse midwifery.
7. Clinical Nurse Specialist (CNS)
Those who want to work in a specialist unit or clinic can think about the CNS career option. You’ll be regarded as an authority within your healthcare team in addition to identifying and treating numerous ailments. Clinical nurse specialists concentrate on raising hospital nursing standards. They are engaged in studies that aim to improve the treatment given in medical facilities.
Clinical Nurse Specialist Salary
The average pay for clinical nurse specialists in the US is $112,267, according to Salary.com. For this speciality, incomes can vary, but they normally fall between $101,514 and $122,976. Clinical nurse specialists work an average of 40 hours per week, averaging $54 per hour.
Requirements to Become a Clinical Nurse Specialists
A Master of Science in Nursing degree with a clinical nursing concentration is required to become a clinical nurse specialist.
8. Pain Management Nurse
Management of Pain Nurses assist patients who are in pain after surgery or who have problems with chronic pain. Along with educating patients on pain management and preventing addiction or dependence on prescribed medicine, they collaborate with other members of the healthcare team to identify the source of the pain and the best course of action for treatment.
Pain Management Nurse Salary
According to Indeed.com, the average annual compensation for pain management nurses is $110,420. Most nurses who specialize in pain management work 40 hours a week and make about $47.41 per hour.
Requirements to Become a Pain Management Nurse
Even though a graduate degree is not required to work as a pain management nurse, you must have enough RN experience to apply for the Nurse Practitioner certification for Pain Management Specialists.
9. Registered Nurse First Aid
A perioperative registered nurse who serves as a first assistant during surgical procedures is known as a registered nurse first assistant (RNFA). Depending on the institution, an RNFA’s function and duties will change significantly. Due to residents and fellows, large academic teaching hospitals might not hire as many RNFA.
Registered Nurse First Aid Salary
According to Salary.com, the average pay for a Registered Nurse First Assistant is $101,890 as of May 2022. However, the range is usually between $92,181 and $113,509. The wage range varies according to geography and years of experience. RNFAs normally work 36 hours per week, earning a salary of about $49.00 per hour.
Requirements to Become a Registered Nurses First Aids
As this advanced training expands on the fundamentals and is centered on surgical anatomy, procedures, and techniques, the nurse must first have significant perioperative experience in order to become an RNFA. The nurse must possess the following qualifications in order to become a certified RNFA: a bachelor’s degree, a CNOR certification, a valid and unencumbered RN license, and 2,000 hours of RNFA work experience.
10. Nursing Administrator
A nurse administrator oversees the administrative aspects of nursing, such as staff management, budgeting, and human resources.
Nurse administrator Salary
As of May 2021, the median annual salary for a nursing administrator was $101,340, according to the BLS. Typically, nurse administrators put in at least 40 hours per week, earning an hourly rate of about $48.72.
Requirements to Become a Nurse Administrator
State licensing and typically a master’s degree in healthcare administration are needed. A Masters in Business Administration is something that some nursing administrators will also have.
11. Family Nurse Practitioner
The vocation that functions the most like a primary care physician is family nurse practitioner (FNP). FNPs often carry out many of the same tasks as an MD, whether they’re working in a hospital, clinic, or nursing home. They must confer with patients, conduct evaluations, prescribe prescriptions, and administer treatments, among other duties.
Family Nurse Practitioner Salary
According to Payscale.com, family nurse practitioners made an average salary of $98,041 per year as of May 2022. FNPs often put in a 40-hour workweek, which translates to an hourly compensation of about $51.20.
Requirements to Become A Family Nurse Practitioners
The title of Family Nurse Practitioner-Board Certified (FNP-BC) is required for FNPs.
Older people have a distinct collection of medical conditions that call for specialist care. RNs that love working with senior citizens need only consider a career as an adult-gerontology nurse practitioner.
11. Adult-Gerontology Nurse Practitioner Salary
According to Payscale.com, the median yearly pay for this specialization as of April 2022 was $90,391. The usual workweek for adult-gerontology nurse practitioners is 40 hours, which equates to an hourly pay of about $47.78.
Requirements to Become an Adult-Gerontology Nurse Practitioners
After earning their Master’s in Nursing, RNs must pass the Certified Gerontological Nurse Practitioner (CGNP) exam in order to practice this speciality.
13. Nurse Educator
You might decide to change your career from patient care to nurse education at some point. A career as a nurse educator might be a good fit for you if working closely with other nurses to train them or support ongoing education sounds appealing.
Nurse Educator Salary
According to the BLS in 2021, nurse educators can expect to make an average yearly salary of $82,040. The median work week for nurse educators is 40 hours, which equates to an hourly income of about $39.44.
Requirements to Become a Career as a Nurse Educator
A master’s degree is the minimal requirement for nurse educators, while many also possess doctoral degrees. A national certification in the field of nursing education is also possible.
14. Informatics Nurse
Technology, meet nursing. Because of the growing use of electronic medical records, this is one of the areas of nursing that has the most room to grow. The management of information and communication technologies is integrated with nursing to advance public health, according to the American Medical Informatics Association.
Nursing Informatics Salary
Payscale.com estimates that the average annual salary for an informatics nurse is $79,531. The usual workweek for informatics nurses is 40 hours, which equates to an hourly income of about $34.94.
Requirements to Become an Informatics Nurse
A Master of Science in Nursing, or a Master in Information or Computer Science, is typically required to enter the field of nursing informatics.
15. Health Policy Nurse
If you have a passion for public policy and health, becoming a health policy nurse will allow you to work on advocacy, research, analysis, policy creation, implementation, and assessment projects.
Health Policy Nurse Salary
According to ZipRecruiter.com, the average annual pay for nurses working in health policy is $79,429 as of June 2022. Because nurses in this sector frequently serve as consultants, the earning potential is limitless. People will be able to work whatever much or how little they want. The average hourly compensation for health policy nurses is $38.19, though this can vary greatly. They normally work 40 hours per week.
Requirements to Become a Health Policy Nurse
After getting your MSN, you must complete a 10-week health policy residency program at a government agency, an advocacy group, or a neighborhood association. Find out more about the benefits of concentrating on health policy for your nursing career.
5 High-Paying Nursing Careers
Here are five additional high-paying nursing careers to take into account in case the list above didn’t contain what you were looking for.
- Surgical Nurse: The front lines of the nursing industry are manned by surgical nurses. Because so much is required of them, those who excel and decide to advance are considered to have entered a specialty area. The average surgical nurse pay is $100,606, according to Salary.com.
- Legal nurse consultant: Legal nurse consultants work with various members of the legal profession and provide them with a range of services. In addition to other matters, they frequently offer assistance in medical malpractice, toxic tort, insurance fraud, personal injury, worker’s compensation, and criminal cases. Legal nurse consultants may demand rates of up to $150 per hour.
- Nurse Researchers are responsible for planning and carrying out research projects, writing proposals for public and private financing, watching patient treatments and procedures, gathering data, and communicating the collected data to the nursing community and the general public. Nurse researchers are reported to make an average salary of $99,940 by Glassdoor.
- Travel nursing is one of the most popular and in-demand jobs for nurses who want to see the country, save lives, and make a good living. According to ZipRecruiter.com, a strike nurse makes an average pay of $106,866. However, nurses on strike can make more than $150,000.
- Registered nurses who work on an as-needed basis are known as per diem nurses. These nurses work for a hospital or healthcare system and receive extra pay for covering difficult-to-staff schedules such evening, night, and weekend shifts. Additionally, if they are summoned into work, they may receive higher pay as well as on-call compensation. Per diem nurses can make over $60 per hour, with some making $120, according to Payscale.com.
