Best-Paying MSN Jobs in Nursing
Registered nurses (RNs) can consider earning a master’s in nursing (MSN) to advance their careers. Earning an MSN allows graduates to pursue advanced clinical, research, or teaching roles, offering increased pay, responsibilities, and career opportunities.
Direct-entry MSN programs require a bachelor’s degree in nursing from an accredited program. Explore advanced nursing positions, job responsibilities, and earning potential on this page.
Top-Paying Nursing Jobs with an MSN
Gaining experience allows RNs to discover nurse specialty areas they enjoy most. Each specialty offers different perks, including notable increases in pay.
MSN graduates can pursue roles as advanced practice registered nurses (APRNs) after passing an exam and earning their APRN licenses. APRNs provide direct patient care and include nurse anesthetists, nurse practitioners, and midwives. Non-patient-facing roles include nurse consultants, researchers, and educators.
Our list ranks the eight top-paying advanced nurse practitioner roles. When considering an MSN career path, compare and contrast the responsibilities, pay, and patient population of the following positions.
Nurse Anesthetists
The highest paid nursing speciality is certified registered nurse anesthetist (CRNA). CRNAs assist patients undergoing surgeries or procedures with pre-surgery consults concerning the medications they take, their allergies, and any illnesses. During procedures, anesthetists administer and adjust anesthesia levels. After surgery, they monitor vital signs and manage patients’ pain. Data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) shows a projected job growth rate of 9% from 2024-2034, faster than the average growth rate for all occupations.
Median Annual Salary:$223,210
Note: In 2009, the Association of Nurse Anesthetists (AANA) announced that nurse anesthesia programs must offer doctoral degrees for entry into practice by 2025. Nurse anesthetists will be required to have a doctorate of nursing practice rather than an MSN.
Nurse Practitioners
Nurse Practitioners (NPs) focus on particular patient populations, including acute care, family practice, geriatrics, and oncology. NPs perform many of the same duties as doctors, independently or under a collaboration agreement with a physician, including prescribing medications. Due to a primary healthcare provider shortage, the BLS projects NP jobs to grow by 40% from 2024-2034, significantly faster than average.
Median Annual Salary:$129,210
Nurse Midwives
Certified nurse midwives care for patients throughout all stages of family planning, pregnancy, birth, and postpartum. They deliver babies, perform gynecological exams, advise new mothers about wellness care, and assist surgeons with cesarean births. BLS data indicates that nurse midwives can anticipate a projected 11% growth in jobs from 2024-2034, faster than average.
Median Annual Salary:$128,790
Nurse Consultant
Nurse consultants work for hospitals, insurance companies, law offices, and pharmaceutical companies. They analyze and advise legal issues and claims concerning healthcare policies and regulations, medical terminology, and patient records. These MSN jobs typically require RN licenses. RN jobs have a projected job growth of 5% from 2024-2034.
Average Annual Salary:$95,965 (September 2025)
Research Nurse
Research nurses work in clinics, hospitals, and laboratories. They specialize in data collection, analysis, and informatics to advance patient care outcomes. Some research nurses leverage their MSN to earn a doctoral degree.
Average Annual Salary:$74,424 (September 2025)
Nurse Educator
Nurse educators work with hospital administrators and nursing faculty to train nurses. They develop continuing education programs, performance evaluations, and educational policies, systems, and resources. These educators also analyze standards of care for deficiencies and formulate improvement initiatives. BLS data projects that nurse educators jobs will grow 7% from 2024-2034, much faster than average.
Average Annual Salary:$87,172 (September 2025)
Nurse Administrator
These professionals manage nurses and healthcare services at residential care facilities, hospitals, and clinics. They hire staff and ensure nurses comply with laws, regulations, and policies. Nurse administrators also interact with patients to monitor the care they receive. BLS data projects a 23% job growth rate for medical and health services managers from 2024-2034, significantly faster than average.
Median Annual Salary:$117,960
Frequently Asked Questions: Master’s of Nursing Salary
Yes, MSN-prepared nurses earn significantly more than BSN-prepared nurses. RNs earn $93,600 in median annual salary while APRNS, including nurse practitioners, nurse midwives, and nurse anesthetists, earn around $132,050, according to the BLS in May 2024. However, many factors can affect earning potential, including work environment, geographic location, work shifts, and experience.
MSN holders can take on leadership roles and more responsibilities than RNs with a BSN. For instance, MSN holders can pursue their APRN licenses. Depending on their state of residence, APRNs can prescribe medication and serve as primary care providers without working under a physician.
RNs perform multiple tasks, which can vary by work environment. Responsibilities include conducting assessments, recording medical symptoms, administering treatment or medications, or educating patients. While RNs play a significant role in managing or maintaining patient health, RNs with a bachelor of science in nursing cannot perform certain duties and must work under nurse practitioners and physicians.
