160+ Most Popular Nursing Job & Career Titles
December 16, 2021 , Modified on April 20, 2022 · 4 Min Read
Whether you are just beginning your nursing career or already working in the field, a nursing specialty can expand your employment opportunities and increase your earning potential. Check out the following nurse titles to learn more about each of these popular nursing careers.
Salary information is sourced from Payscale.com, Salary.com, ZipRecruiter, and the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics as of December 8, 2021. Individual links lead to NurseJournal career pages where you can learn about each specialty's educational requirements, employment outlook, responsibilities, and more.
Career |
Salary Range |
|---|---|
| Acute Care Nurse Practitioner | $89,000 – $129,000* |
| Adult Nurse Practitioner | $84,000 – $124,000* |
| Advanced Clinician Nurse | $71,000 – $121,000* |
| Advanced Practice Registered Nurse | $80,000 – $120,000* |
| Ambulatory Care Nurse | $67,000 – $84,000** |
| Ambulatory PACU Nurse | $80,000 – $101,000** |
| Ambulatory Surgery Manager | $23,000 – $166,000*** |
| Ambulatory Surgery RN | $32,000 – $126,000*** |
| Anesthesiology CRNA | $117,000 – $205,000* |
| Assistant Director of Nursing | $57,000 – $94,000* |
| Assistant Nurse Manager | $63,000 – $116,000* |
| BSN Nurse | $53,000 – $116,000**** |
| Burn Unit RN | $52,000 – $73,000* |
| Cardiac Catheterization Lab Nurse | $63,000 – $112,000* |
| Cardiac Electrophysiology Lab Nurse | $24,000 – $145,000*** |
| Cardiology Nurse Practitioner | $87,000 – $126,000* |
| Cardiothoracic Nurse Practitioner | $110,000 – $125,000** |
| Cardiovascular Nurse | $69,000 – $145,000*** |
| Cardiovascular Operating Room Nurse | $73,000 – $109,000*** |
| Caregiver | $38,000 – $47,000** |
| Certified Nurse Anesthetist | $176,000 – $210,000** |
| Certified Nurse Midwife | $67,000 – $179,000**** |
| Certified Nursing Assistant | $19,000 – $45,000* |
| Charge Nurse | $55,000 – $102,000* |
| Chief Nursing Officer | $95,000 – $202,000* |
| Classified Procedure Nurse | $64,000 – $122,000*** |
| Clincial Research Nurse | $79,000 – $98,000** |
| Clinical Nurse Leader | $65,000 – $109,000* |
| Clinical Nurse Specialist | $65,000 – $109,000* |
| Community Health Nurse | $35,000 – $85,000* |
| Critical Care Nurse Practitioner | $55,000 – $112,000* |
| Dermatology Nurse Practitioner | $95,000 – $108,000** |
| Dialysis Nurse | $55,000 – $99,000* |
| Director of Emergency Nursing | $64,000 – $145,000* |
| Emergency Room Nurse Practitioner | $109,000 – $130,000** |
| Emergency Room Registered Nurse | $50,000 – $101,000* |
| Endocrinology Nurse Practitioner | $95,000 – $111,000** |
| Endoscopy Nurse | $47,000 – $103,000* |
| ER Nurse | $50,000 – $101,000* |
| Family Nurse Practitioner | $81,000 – $120,000* |
| Flight Nurse | $60,000 – $106,000* |
| Forensics Nurse | $50,000 – $75,000*** |
| General Nurse | $46,000 – $94,000* |
| Geriatric Staff Nurse | $66,000 – $84,000** |
| Geriatric Nurse Practitioner | $100000 – $124,000** |
| Head ER Nurse | $91,000 – $124,000** |
| Head OR Nurse | $97,000 – $130,000** |
| Head Psychiatric Nurse | $89,000 – $120,000 |
| Holistic Nurse Practitioner | $81,000 – $117,000*** |
| Home Care Nurse | $71,000 – $90,000** |
| Home Health Nurse | $50,000 – $82,000* |
| Hospice Administrator | $80,000 – $110,000** |
| Hospice Aide | $28,000 – $42,000** |
| Hospice Care Nurse | $71,000 – $89,000** |
| Hospice Nurse | $55,000 – $83,000* |
| Hospice Nurse Case Manager | $57,000 – $81,000* |
| Hospice Nursing Admissions | $55,000 – $78,000* |
| Hospital Assistant | $25,000 – $50,000* |
| Hospitalist Nurse Practitioner | $91,000 – $129,000* |
| Hyperbaric Registered Nurse | $37,000 – $75,000*** |
| Infection Control Nurse | $58,000 – $99,000* |
| Infectious Disease Nurse Practitioner | $52,000 – $124,000*** |
| Infusion Therapy Nurse | $85,000 – $101,000** |
| Internal Medicine Nurse Practitioner | $89,000 – $119,000* |
| IVF Fertility Nurse | $72,000 – $150,000*** |
| Labor and Delivery Nurse | $51,000 – $97,000* |
| Lead Charge Nurse | $59,000 – $94,000* |
| Learning Disabilities Nurse | $27,000 – $81,000*** |
| Legal Nurse Consultant | $60,000 – $100,000* |
| LPN | $31,000 – $62,000* |
| LPN Charge Nurse | $41,000 – $67,000* |
| LPN Family Practice | $31,000 – $59,000* |
| LPN Instructor | $39,000 – $58,000* |
| LPN Internal Medicine | $40,000 – $61,000* |
| LPN Long-term Care | $35,000 – $65,000* |
| LPN Oncology | $40,000 – $54,000* |
| LPN Physician Practice | $31,000 – $59,000* |
| LPN Primary Care | $37,000 – $67,000*** |
| LPN/RN Telemetry | $50,000 – $99,000* |
| LPN Urgent Care | $44,000 – $69,000*** |
| Male Nurse | $54,000 – $83,000*** |
| Maternal and Child Health | $65,000 – $114,000*** |
| Maternity Nurse Practitioner | $67,000 – $179,000**** |
| Mental Health Clinician | $38,000 – $66,000* |
| Mental Health Nurse Practitioner | $98,000 – $121,000** |
| Neonatal Nurse | $64,000 – $87,000* |
| Neonatal Nurse Practitioner | $86,000 – $135,000* |
| Nephrology Nurse Practitioner | $100,000 – $121,000*** |
| Neurology Nurse Practitioner | $81,000 – $145,000* |
| Neurosurgery Nurse Practitioner | $95,000 – $130,000*** |
| NICU Clinical Nurse Specialist | $48,000 – $104,000* |
| NICU Nurse | $64,000 – $87,000* |
| Nocturnist Nurse Practitioner | $102,000 – $118,000*** |
| Nurse Aide | $14,000 – $44,000* |
| Nurse Anesthetist | $117,000 – $205,000* |
| Nurse Assistant | $29,000 – $35,000** |
| Nurse Educator | $59,000 – $106,000* |
| Nurse First Assistant | $90,000 – $112,000** |
| Nurse Manager | $67,000 – $119,000** |
| Nurse Midwife | $67,000 – $179,000**** |
| Nurse Practitioner | $81,000 – $126,000* |
| Nurse Practitioner Behavioral Health | $98,000 – $121,000** |
| Nurse Practitioner Family Practice | $81,000 – $120,000* |
| Nurse Practitioner Interventional Radiology | $99,000 – $120,000* |
| Nurse Researcher | $78,000 – $96,000** |
| Nurse Unit Manager | $66,000 – $85,000*** |
| Nursery Nurse Practitioner | $118,000 – $139,000** |
| Nursing Director | $68,000 – $136,000* |
| Nursing Informatics | $71,000 – $117,000*** |
| Nursing Instructor | $48,000 – $85,000* |
| Nursing Manager | $67,000 – $119,000* |
| Nursing Supervisor | $55,000 – $104,000* |
| Obstetrics Nurse | $72,000 – $90,000** |
| Occupational Nurse Practitioner | $76,000 – $113,000* |
| Oncology Nurse | $59,000 – $102,000* |
| Oncology Nurse Practitioner | $109,000 – $120,000** |
| Operating Room Nurse | $72,000 – $89,000** |
| Opthamologist Nurse | $38,000 – $50,000*** |
| Orthopedic Nurse Practitioner | $108,000 – $123,000** |
| Orthopedic Surgeon | $146,000 – $592,000* |
| Otolaryngology Nurse Practitioner | $93,000 – $132,000*** |
| Pain Management Nurse Practitioner | $86,000 – $130,000* |
| Palliative Care Nurse Practitioner | $96,000 – $119,000*** |
| Pediatric Emergency Room Nurse | $51,000 – $96,000* |
| Pediatric Nurse | $60,000 – $80,000* |
| Pediatric Nurse Practitioner | $103,000 – $115,000** |
| Pediatric Oncology Nurse | $79,000 – $145,000*** |
| Physiatry Nurse Practitioner | $87,000 – $207,000*** |
| Plastic Surgery Nurse Practitioner | $57,000 – $120,000*** |
| Postpartum Nurse | $88,000 – $119,000*** |
| Practical Nurse | $31,000 – $62,000* |
| Private Outpatient Surgery | $66,000 – $84,000** |
| Progressive Care Nurse | $75,000 – $95,000** |
| Psychiatric Nurse Practitioner | $90,000 – $143,000* |
| Psychiatric Nursing Assistant | $22,000 – $46,000* |
| Public Health Nurse | $47,000 – $92,000* |
| Pulmonary Nurse Practitioner | $76,000 – $133,000* |
| Radiology Nurse Practitioner | $87,000 – $112,000*** |
| Registered Nurse | $46,000 – $94,000* |
| Registered Nurse First Assistant | $90,000 – $112,000** |
| Renal Dialysis Nurse | $55,000 – $99,000* |
| Rheumatology Nurse Practitioner | $90,000 – $125,000*** |
| RN Case Management | $60,000 – $93,000* |
| RN First Assistant | $90,000 – $112,000* |
| RN Hematology Oncology | $56,000 – $111,000*** |
| RN Intensive Care Unit | $70,000 – $84,000** |
| RN Labor and Delivery | $68,000 – $85,000** |
| RN Outpatient Oncology | $70,000 – $87,000** |
| RN Outpatient Surgery | $66,000 – $84,000** |
| RN Specialist | $100,000 – $121,000** |
| School Nurse | $32,000 – $65,000* |
| Scrub Nurse | $92,000 – $113,000** |
| Staff Nurse | $47,000 – $100,000* |
| Surgical Nurse | $46,000 – $81,000* |
| Telemetry Nurse | $50,000 – $99,000* |
| Thoracic Nurse Practitioner | $83,000 – $123,000* |
| Transplant Nurse | $58,000 – $91,000*** |
| Trauma Nurse Practitioner | $93,000 – $114,000** |
| Travel Nurse | $45,000 – $104,000* |
| Urgent Care Nurse Practitioner | $82,000 – $128,000* |
| Urology Nurse Practitioner | $76,000 – $103,000* |
| Utilization Review Nurse | $59,000 – $85,000* |
| Weekend Nurse | $60,000 – $78,000*** |
| Wellness Nurse | $43,000 – $64,000* |
| Wound & Ostomy Care Nurse | $64,000 – $107,000* |
*Payscale
**Salary.com
***ZipRecruiter
****BLS
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Popular Nursing Careers FAQs
What are the most popular nursing jobs?
Specialized nursing careers continue to expand, especially for registered nurses (RNs) and advanced practice registered nurses (APRNs). The most popular nursing jobs provide these specialized nurses with high salaries, good benefits, and opportunities for career advancement. NurseJournal.org lists the most popular nursing specialties below:
- Family nurse practitioner
- Neonatal nurse
- Nurse midwife
- Geriatric nurse
- Acute care nurse
What type of nurse is in highest demand?
The healthcare industry has struggled with nursing shortages for several years, especially in specialized nursing roles. The COVID-19 pandemic has intensified the demand for specialist nurses. These five nursing careers rank among the most in-demand specialties:
- Critical care nurse
- Certified nurse midwife
- Certified dialysis nurse
- Operating room nurse
- Nurse case manager
What is the highest paid nursing career?
APRNs rank among the highest paid nurses, primarily because they hold graduate degrees and due to the expanded responsibilities and autonomy they have in their nursing roles. The highest paid nurses are APRNs who earn between $115,000 and $189,000 annually:
- Certified registered nurse anesthetist
- Neonatal nurse practitioner
- Psychiatric nurse practitioner
- Geriatric nurse practitioner
- Certified nurse midwife
What are the different levels in nursing?
Non-degree nurses, such as certified nursing assistants (CNAs) and licensed practical nurses (LPNs), typically find employment after completing nursing training that does not lead to a degree.
Degree nurses earn an associate of nursing degree (ASN) or a bachelor of science in nursing (BSN). RNs can enter the field with either an ASN or BSN degree and a passing score on the NCLEX-RN exam. Advanced degree nurses must hold a master of science in nursing or a doctor of nursing practice degree to qualify for positions as APRNs.
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