Types of Master’s Degrees in Nursing

Nurse practitioner programs prepare learners for advanced nursing careers. Graduates can sit for the national NP board certification exam in their specialties. NPs can choose to specialize in many practice areas, such as adult-gerontology, family practice, women’s health, and mental health.

A nurse practitioner’s clinical responsibilities include health promotion and disease prevention. Depending on the practice authority in their state, NPs can perform many of the same duties as medical doctors, such as ordering lab tests and creating care plans. An NP makes an average annual salary of $128,490, according to April 2024 data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS).

A clinical nurse specialist (CNS) program prepares graduates for APRN careers in nursing training, research, mentorship, and education. They educate nursing staff on improving outcomes, educating patients, and employing evidence-based nursing care.

Like other APRN programs, many online clinical nurse specialist programs are available. They take around two years to complete. According to Payscale, as of April 2024, the average CNS salary is $100,390 annually.

Like NPs, they specialize in the patient populations they work with. A CNS receives advanced training in a specific clinical area, such as pediatrics, family care, or mental health. However, rather than emphasizing direct patient care, they focus on mentorship and education while remaining up to date on the latest clinical research studies.

The certified nurse-midwifery program focuses on individualized care and wellness during pregnancy, labor, and after delivery. Certified nurse-midwives (CNM) can perform all of the duties of an OB-GYN, except for performing C-sections. They perform prenatal and postnatal exams, deliver babies, write prescriptions, and help parents create birth plans.

A CNM may work independently or under the supervision of a physician, depending on state regulations. Most CNMs work in hospitals, ambulatory care facilities, or private birthing centers.

According to the BLS, the average annual salary for a certified nurse midwife is $131,570 as of May 2023.

After completing an accredited MSN program, a prospective CNM must pass the certification exam administered by the American Midwifery Certification Board. Approved accredited online nurse-midwife programs are limited.

Public health MSN programs prepare graduates for careers educating people about how to stay healthy and manage health problems. They focus on long-term wellness and improving access to community healthcare. They often work with low-income and underserved populations. These healthcare professionals conduct disease surveillance, watch for possible outbreaks, assist with public health crises, and work in vaccine clinics.

Public health nurses may provide health screenings at community health centers or have a wider scope of practice. They can develop health education and disease prevention campaigns for other healthcare professionals to employ in their communities.

According to April 2024 Payscale data, a public health nurse makes an average hourly rate of $32.61 per hour. Average annual pay for public health nurses ranges from $52,000-$99,000 per year. However, you only need an ADN to become a public health nurse, so master’s-level nurses may earn at the higher end of that salary range.

A public health nursing MSN program covers areas like evaluation of health outcomes, research methods and biostatistics, and advanced nursing practice in population health.

Nursing education MSN programs prepare graduates to pursue careers in nursing education as classroom professors who teach lecture and lab classes or clinical preceptors who oversee nursing students at clinical sites. This specialty also qualifies you to educate nurses and provide professional development in healthcare settings.

Nurse educators help other nurses employ nursing best practices. They combine their clinical backgrounds and evidence-based practice knowledge to teach new and experienced nurses. They use their teaching skills in various settings, including healthcare organizations and higher education.

According to BLS, as of May 2023, the average annual salary for nurse educators is $86,530. Nurse educator programs are offered in face-to-face, hybrid, and online formats.

Graduates of MSN in nursing administration programs can pursue roles in nursing leadership or work in human resources in healthcare settings.

Their duties include implementing nursing policies in healthcare settings, ensuring their nurses maintain up-to-date licenses and certifications, and maintaining patient safety and quality care standards. They also manage financial matters, such as providing their units or organizations while remaining within budget.

Some online dual degree programs combine an MSN in nursing administration with a master of health administration degree. According to the BLS, the average annual salary for nursing and other healthcare administrators is $134,440 as of May 2023.

Nursing informatics employs technology to improve the quality of nursing care. Using statistics and nursing knowledge, professionals with MSNs in nursing informatics analyze data, design reports, and assist nurse administrators in improving nursing practices.

Nurse informatics programs include coursework in clinical health information systems, database management, data quality management, and statistics. Courses may focus on machine learning, artificial intelligence, and data visualization.

Practicums help students employ real-world informatics scenarios. Nurse informaticists can collaborate with nursing units, along with information technology and healthcare administration departments. A 2022 survey by the Healthcare Information and Management Systems Society found that 51% of nursing informaticist respondents reported an annual salary between $76,000- $125,000.

Clinical nurse leader (CNL) programs include data analysis, research, and effective communication. Graduates can become CNLs to manage nursing teams and monitor patient outcomes.

These professionals support nurses through mentoring, training, and advocacy. They implement policies to ensure facilities follow evidence-based practices and make adjustments based on quality assessments.

They can work in any healthcare setting, and their practice is unique to their work environment. According to Payscale data from April 2024, CNLs make an average hourly rate of $38.35.

Community and public health nurses educate the public and stakeholders on health and disease prevention. However, community health nurses are more likely to provide nursing and healthcare to members of the public and educate them on communicable and non-communicable diseases.

These nurses often work in clinics and government agencies. They focus on the community’s most vulnerable populations. A community health nursing curriculum addresses social causes of health, health promotion, nursing care for marginalized populations, and health education for people with varying levels of health knowledge.