The 20 Best Nursing Career Specialties Based On Salary
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Credit: FatCamera / E+ / Getty ImagesNursing is a dynamic profession with seemingly endless opportunities, and it may even be more lucrative than you thought. While many nursing careers are in high demand, some offer a particularly higher earning potential than others, like nurse anesthetists.
Learn more about the top 20 best nursing specialties based on the highest average salaries. Find out how to launch your nursing career in one of these in-demand fields
Top 20 Nursing Career Specialties Based On Salary
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Top Nursing Salaries By Specialty
1. Nurse Anesthetist
Nurse anesthetists and other careers on this list belong to a highly trained group called advanced practice registered nurses (APRNs). Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetists (CRNAs) administer anesthesia and pain medication, observe vital signs, adjust anesthesia as needed, and monitor patients during surgical procedures and recovery. Nurse anesthetists work with patients of all ages in scheduled surgical or emergency procedures. Before surgery, they record patient histories and provide information about the types of anesthesia used in the procedure.
- How to Become: This field requires a bachelor of science in nursing (BSN), an RN license, and a doctor of nursing practice (DNP) specializing in nurse anesthesiology. Nurse anesthetists must hold specialized certification and a state CRNA license to practice. The certified registered nurse anesthetist credential requirements include completing over 3,000 hours of clinical experience and a passing score on the national examination administered through the National Board of Certification and Recertification of Nurse Anesthetists (NBCRNA).
- Salary: $231,700 (BLS, May 2024)
2. Nurse-Midwife
Advanced practice registered nurses specializing in pregnancy, prenatal care, childbirth, and postpartum recovery can earn certification as nurse-midwives. Nurse-midwives care for patients from labor through delivery and provide postpartum assistance. While primarily focusing on pregnancy care, these nurses may offer general women’s health services, including gynecological, reproductive, and preventive healthcare.
- How to Become: Nurse-midwives can pursue several pathways to licensing. Prospective nurse-midwives with a BSN and an RN license can enroll in a master’s or doctoral-level nursing program. Some MSN programs admit RNs without a bachelor’s degree. Direct-entry MSN programs admit students with non-nursing bachelor’s degrees. After completing their graduate training, nurses must earn the Certified Nurse-Midwife (CNM) credential administered by the American Midwifery Certification Board (AMCB).
- Salary: $131,570 (BLS, May 2024)
3. Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner
These APRNs assess, diagnose, and treat patients with mental disorders. Psychiatric mental health nurses offer services to people who have mood disorders, phobias, depression, or dementia, as well as those struggling with substance use disorders. In addition to administering medication and therapy, their duties include crisis intervention, mental health assessment and evaluation, and patient assistance.
- How to Become: These nurses must have at least an MSN and a valid RN license to qualify for APRN licensure. Aspiring nurse practitioners (NPs) can follow several pathways to a graduate degree, including RN-to-MSN programs for RNs with associate degrees and direct entry MSN programs for holders of non-nursing bachelor’s degrees. Graduates of an NP program with a psychiatric mental health population focus seeking state licensure must obtain the psychiatric-mental health nurse practitioner certification available through the American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC).
- Salary: $122,990 (Payscale, January 2025)
4. Family Nurse Practitioner
Family Nurse Practitioners (FNPs) work with patients from childhood to adulthood in clinical and family practice settings. According to the AANP, about 65% of nurse practitioners hold FNP certification, making it the most popular of all APRN categories. FNPs examine, diagnose, and treat patients throughout the lifespan, with a particular focus on preventive care.
- How to Become: An MSN is the minimum educational requirement for FNPs. While most nurse practitioner programs require a BSN, some schools admit students without a bachelor’s degree. Prospective FNPs may enter bridge programs with associate degrees in nursing or direct-entry programs designed for holders of non-nursing bachelor’s degrees. After finishing their graduate training, FNPs can pursue family practice certifications from a recognized nurse practitioner certification board.
- Salary: $129,210 (BLS)
5. Clinical Nurse Specialist
This type of APRN needs a master’s or doctoral nursing degree in a specialized area of nursing practice. Clinical nurses can choose focus areas such as pediatrics, geriatrics, critical or emergency care, specific disease care (such as diabetes or cardiovascular illness), rehabilitation, mental health, or pain management and wound care.
- How to Become: Most clinical nurses enter an MSN program after obtaining their RN license and some work experience. Like other APRNs, clinical nurses may select from several educational paths depending on their previous degree and training. While the field does not require an extra specialized certification to practice, many clinical nurses pursue specialized credentials to advance in their careers and earn higher salaries. State laws dictating licensure, practice regulations, and prescriptive authority vary, so check with your state licensing board. The ANCC offers several certifications in gerontology, cardiovascular disease, oncology and other practice areas.
- Salary: $102,435 (Payscale, January 2025)
6. Nurse Educator
Nurse educators are registered nurses who have completed advanced graduate training, preparing them to teach nursing students in academic institutions or hospital nurse training settings. In addition to teaching nurses enrolled in diploma or degree programs, they also offer continuing education and refresher courses for nursing professionals. Other duties include advising students, creating and evaluating nursing curriculum, conducting research, and writing grants.
- How to Become: Like all nursing career paths, becoming a nurse educator involves completing several educational requirements, beginning with a passing score on the NCLEX-RN. Then, candidates must complete an MSN and gain additional clinical experience in an APRN practice area. Nursing schools increasingly prefer to hire nurse educators who have earned either a DNP or a Ph.D. in nursing. While certification is not always mandatory, nurses who wish to obtain specialty certification in clinical or academic nurse education can do so through the National League of Nursing (NLN).
- Salary: $85,500 (Payscale, January 2025)
7. Informatics Nurse
Many organizations, including hospitals, nursing homes, insurance agencies, and public health agencies, use the services of informatics nurses to manage healthcare data and communications. These nursing specialists, trained in computer science, information technology, and nursing, manage data integration among all healthcare providers to help these organizations increase efficiency and improve patient care.
- How to Become: These specialists typically enter the field after earning a BSN degree and receiving their RN license. After completing a BSN, RNs interested in nursing informatics sometimes earn a general MSN degree or an MSN in health informatics. Some RNs acquire graduate degrees in information science or computer science. While not required by all employers, obtaining specialized certification in nurse informatics through the American Nurses Credentialing Center can enhance career prospects.
- Salary: $85,326 (Payscale, January 2025)
8. Travel Nurse
These RNs travel from one healthcare facility to another — across the state, country, and sometimes internationally — to fill staffing needs for varying periods. Travel nurses may specialize in a particular practice area or perform general RN duties such as recording patient histories, assessing symptoms, making diagnoses, and administering treatment and medicine. Whether self-employed or placed through an agency, travel nurses take contracts anywhere from one month to two years.
- How to Become: The minimum educational requirement for travel nurses is an associate or BSN degree and a current RN license. Most employers and agencies that hire travel nurses require at least one year of nursing experience. While national certification does not exist for travel nurses, certain RN specialties can improve employment prospects. The most commonly sought-after certifications include certified pediatric, critical care, and emergency nurse credentials.
- Salary: $84,071 (Payscale, January 2025)
9. Oncology Nurse
Oncology nurses care for patients receiving treatment for various stages of cancer. They typically specialize in subfields such as pediatric cancer, geriatric cancer, breast cancer, or hematology. These nurses administer chemotherapy, identify symptoms, and monitor progress. Oncology nurses also play a crucial role in creating a comfortable and supportive environment for cancer patients.
- How to Become: Educational requirements include an active RN license and an associate degree in nursing (ADN) or a BSN degree. A graduate degree from an NP program that offers an oncology specialization will prepare nurses for advanced clinical roles and better-paying career opportunities. Although not all states require these nurses to obtain oncology certification, this credential and graduate training can provide a competitive edge. The Oncology Nursing Certification Corporation offers the oncological certified nurse credential and several specialized certifications.
- Salary: $83,946 (Payscale, January 2025)
10. Operating Room Nurse
Operating room (OR) nurses, also called perioperative nurses, work alongside surgeons and anesthesiologists to care for patients during surgery. These nurses usually work in hospitals and surgery centers, but can further specialize. OR nurses can be a first assist RN, circulating nurse, or scrub nurse. Common duties include preparing patients for surgery, setting up the sterile field, documenting during the surgical procedure, passing instruments to the surgeon, and assisting with suturing.
- How to Become: OR nurses need an active RN license, a nursing degree, and nursing experience. They must also complete additional training specific to the operating room, such as a surgical residency program. Some nurses choose to obtain an OR nursing certification, which, while not required, can boost career prospects. The Competency and Credentialing Institute offers the Certified Perioperative Nurse credential to RNs with 2 years or more of surgical nursing experience and an active RN license.
- Salary: $83,296 (Payscale, January 2025)
11. Dialysis Nurse
Dialysis refers to the medical process of filtering the blood of patients who suffer from kidney-related diseases, which inhibit their kidneys’ ability to filter out unwanted waste and fluids from their blood normally. Dialysis nurses operate the equipment that filters a patient’s blood, assess patients’ vital signs before and after the dialysis procedure, and provide education about medications and aftercare.
- How to Become: Dialysis nurses must hold a nursing diploma, associate, or BSN, and an RN license. Dialysis nurses who earn an MSN degree may move into better-paid APRN positions. Obtaining certifications in nephrology, which is the field of kidney function, disease, and treatment, may also advance career opportunities. RNs may acquire either the certified nephrology nurse or the certified dialysis nurse credential offered by the Nephrology Nursing Certification Committee (NNCC).
- Salary: $82,231 (Payscale, January 2025)
12. Infection Control/Prevention Nurse
Infection control and prevention nurses identify, surveil, and manage infections, diseases, and viruses. Typically registered nurses, these professionals have filled a critical role during the COVID-19 pandemic, as healthcare systems need specialized workers to focus on patient case reporting and widespread infection prevention. They work at hospitals, clinics, and community health centers.
- How to Become: You’ll need an active RN license and an ADN or BSN degree. Some employers require these nurses to have a certification in infection prevention and control (CIC) from the Certification Board of Infection Control and Epidemiology. The CIC credential requires an associate or bachelor’s degree in nursing, at least two years of RN experience, and sufficient experience, about two years working with infectious diseases.
- Salary: $81,977 (Payscale, January 2025)
13. Nurse Researcher
These highly specialized nursing professionals conduct scientific studies, analyze data, and report their findings about illnesses and improving healthcare. They work in various settings, including hospitals, universities, and research laboratories. While nurse researchers do not provide direct nursing care to patients, they perform important healthcare functions, focusing on topics that impact the nursing field and save lives.
- How to Become: Most nurse researchers have completed a bachelor’s and master’s degree in nursing and hold a valid RN license. Many nurse researcher positions, especially those in academic settings, require doctoral-level training. While nurse researchers do not need specialized certifications, they can boost their career potential by earning the certified clinical research professional certification through the Society for Clinical Research Associates or pursuing other research credentials administered through the Association of Clinical Research Professionals.
- Salary: $91,797 (ZipRecruiter, April 2025)
14. Trauma Nurse
While working in emergency rooms, critical care units, or as part of emergency medical response teams, trauma nurses help care for patients in critical, unstable, and life-threatening conditions. These RNs have completed specialized training to assess, stabilize, and treat traumatized patients. They administer wound care, emergency medications, and IV fluids or blood transfusions; operate life-saving equipment such as defibrillators; and monitor vital signs.
- How to Become: Trauma nurses usually begin their careers by acquiring an associate or BSN degree and passing the NCLEX-RN exam. Nursing students should take advantage of field experiences, clinical rotations, or internship opportunities in trauma-related areas. After two years of work experience as an RN, these nurses must earn certified emergency nurse credentials or related trauma certifications through the Board of Certification for Emergency Nursing.
- Salary: $80,563 (Payscale, January 2025)
15. Neonatal Nurse
Neonatal nurses work in intensive care units that care for infants at risk for complications and in need of specialized care. These include premature newborns and those born with cardiac or other congenital disabilities, genetic conditions, or drug dependency. Neonatal nurses typically care for these infants until they leave the hospital, but in some cases will provide care beyond the newborn phase.
- How to Become: The basic requirements for a neonatal nursing career include a valid RN license and at least an associate degree, although the more competitive positions require a BSN degree. Facilities normally require neonatal nurses to obtain the neonatal resuscitation program certification. Most pursue additional credentials such as the low-risk neonatal nursing or neonatal intensive care nursing certifications.
- Salary: $78,062 (Payscale, January 2025)
16. Geriatric Nurse
As the baby boomer population ages, the demand for geriatric nurses has expanded. These RNs must complete broadly focused training to understand and treat the needs of the elderly population. They work closely with primary care physicians, social workers, families, and other caretakers to manage the healthcare issues of their patients and also help to educate them about their conditions and treatment options.
- How to Become: An RN without an advanced graduate degree can become a geriatric nurse, although APRNs with advanced training in a geriatric specialty at the master’s or doctoral level will experience better employment prospects. RNs who hold APRN licenses can obtain the APRN gerontological specialist–certified (GS-C) credential through the Gerontology Nursing Certification Commission.
- Salary: $76,931 (Payscale, January 2025)
17. Acute Care Nurse
Acute care nurses provide treatment to patients in need of immediate assistance for severe or life-threatening issues, such as heart attacks or sudden complications from chronic illnesses like diabetes. This highly versatile nursing specialization offers 15 certifications in fields spanning neonatal and pediatric acute care to adult cardiac and gerontology acute care.
- How to Become: A valid RN license and an MSN or doctoral degree that leads to licensure as an acute care nurse practitioner open up higher-paying career opportunities. Although certification requirements vary by state, acute care NPs must obtain specialty certifications based on their practice area. The American Association of Critical-Care Nurses offers certifications with varying clinical practice, licensure, and degree requirements for RNs and APRNs.
- Salary: $76,894 (Payscale, January 2025)
18. Public Health Nurse
Public health nurses work with particular populations or communities, educating people on health and safety issues and assisting them with access to healthcare. Rather than providing individual patient care, they focus on communities and preventative care. They identify health concerns and prioritize safety issues within communities, prepare and implement safety plans, and serve as healthcare advocates.
- How to Become: Public health nurses must pass the NCLEX-RN exam to acquire their RN license and gain work experience in community or public health nursing. The only certification available to public health nurses, the certified public health credential, requires a bachelor’s degree, at least five years of public health experience, and successful completion of an exam administered by the National Board of Public Health Examiners.
- Salary: $74,009 (Payscale, January 2025)
19. Nurse Advocate
Nurse advocates provide assessment, education, and representation for patients, coordinating between patients and their doctors. They review patient concerns and consult with doctors to ensure quality and cost-effective healthcare. Their roles include educating patients about their conditions, treatments, and available healthcare procedures and representing patients by communicating their preferences and mediating conflicts with their doctors.
- How to Become: Nurse advocates begin their training by earning a BSN degree and passing the NCLEX-RN exam to receive RN licensure. While working as RNs, prospective nurse advocates should take advantage of continuing education courses and work experiences that expose them to advocacy methods. Although nursing advocacy certifications do not currently exist, organizations such as the Patient Advocate Certification Board offer credentials for healthcare professionals working in this area.
- Salary: $72,155 (Payscale, January 2025)
20. Pediatric Nurse
This popular nursing specialty focuses on the healthcare needs of children from birth through adolescence. Depending on their level of training, pediatric nurses provide both primary and preventive healthcare, conduct physical exams, manage chronic and acute illnesses, perform diagnostic tests, and create care plans for children in a variety of settings. They also provide healthcare education to patients and families.
- How to Become: Pediatric nurses can begin their careers with an active RN license and a nursing degree. While most nurses enter the field with an associate or BSN degree, APRNs with a pediatric focus who have their MSN or DNP are in higher demand. The American Nurses Credential Center administers the pediatric nursing certification program. RNs may qualify for this national exam after completing two years of work experience with a minimum of 2,000 hours in pediatric nursing.
- Salary: $70,896 (Payscale, January 2025)
Top Nursing Salaries by Specialty: Frequently Asked Questions
A nursing specialty is a specific patient population, acuity level, or condition you focus on while in nursing school. Examples include pediatrics (caring for children), emergency room nursing (treating acute and trauma patients), and oncology (caring for cancer patients).
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