No doubt about it – nurses make good money. But, nurses with master’s degrees (MSN) make even more. A salary with a MSN will depend on the exact job and specialty. Certain nurse specialties provide greater salaries than others, but the average salary with an MSN is good. However, the average salary may not be indicative of exactly what a successful nurse possessing an MSN might earn. Other factors affect what Salaries can be commanded such as working in high need areas, teaching, conducting clinical research and more.

Specialty Nursing Roles
Specialty nursing roles play a significant difference deciding how much salary can be made after earning an MSN degree. Although some specialties only provide a respectable amount more than what floor nurses earn, other specialties provide employment making an incredibly higher salary than other nurses command. Therefore, when seeking to gain specialty education through any RN to MSN program, be careful making a choice. Yes, choose some are of nursing that ignites a passion within, a pursuit offering personal and financial satisfaction. Salary is important, too. When seeking the most financially rewarding career path in nursing, obtaining an MSN is important but so is choosing an area in which to specialize.

Is A Master’s Degree Really Necessary?
No one needs a master’s degree to be a nurse. Plus, no one needs a master’s degree to be a successful nurse. Career RNs command salaries anywhere from $50,000 to $70,000 per year depending upon location, time on the job and whatever experience and education accumulated through the years. Earning a master’s degree helps bring a professional’s career to an entirely different level. Since almost every position within the field of nursing occupied by individuals with a master’s degree signifies a job with a greater need for expertise, these positions are accompanied by greater salaries. A big deciding factor is, indeed, the specialty earned through gaining an MSN. The salaries can vary:

• Family Nurse Practitioner (NP) $60,959 – $95,461
• Nurse Practitioner (NP) $64,206 – $100,643
• Advanced Registered Nurse Practitioner (ARNP) $63,444 – $103,050
• Cardiovascular Advanced Registered Nurse Practitioner (ARNP) $69,990 – $110,927
• Clinical Nurse Specialist (CNS) $63,388 – $106,031
• Nurse Educator $45,414 – $98,336

Most Popular RN-MSN Degree Programs
Registered nurses looking for career advancement and higher salaries would do well to look into earning a Master of Science in Nursing (MSN) degree. An RN to MSN specifically is a degree designed for registered nurses who may or may not have already completed a bachelor’s degree in nursing (BSN). Upon completion of an RN-MSN degree program, one can become a clinical nurse specialist or nurse practitioner.