Types of Master’s Degrees in Nursing

Nurse practitioner programs prepare you for advanced nursing careers. Graduates can sit for the national NP board certification exam in their specialties. NPs can 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 duties similar to medical doctors, such as ordering lab tests and prescribing medications. An NP makes an average annual salary of $128,490 as of May 2023, according to data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS).

A clinical nurse specialist (CNS) program prepares graduates for APRN careers in nursing research, mentorship, and education. They educate nursing staff on improving outcomes, educating patients, and employing evidence-based nursing care. Like NPs, they can also specialize in the patient populations, receiving advanced training in a specific clinical area, such as pediatrics, family care, or mental health.

Clinical nurse specialist programs are available online and can be completed in two years. According to Payscale, as of October 2024, the average CNS salary is $101,233 annually.

The certified nurse-midwifery program focuses on individualized care and wellness during pregnancy, labor, and after delivery. Certified nurse-midwives (CNMs) can perform prenatal and postnatal exams, deliver babies, write prescriptions, and help parents create birth plans.

Depending on state regulations, a CNM may work independently or under the supervision of a physician. 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 was $131,570 as of May 2023.

Public health MSN programs prepare graduates to educate people about health management, long-term wellness, and healthcare access. Graduates often work with low-income and underserved populations, conducting disease surveillance, monitoring outbreaks, assisting with public health crises, and working in vaccine clinics.

According to October 2024 Payscale data, a public health nurse makes an average hourly rate of $34.24 per hour. The average annual pay for public health nurses ranges from $52,000-$99,000 per year. You may only need an ADN to become a public health nurse, so MSN-level nurses may earn at the higher end of that salary range.

Nursing educator MSN programs prepare graduates to pursue careers as professors who teach lecture and lab classes or clinical preceptors who oversee nursing students at clinical sites. Nurse educator programs are offered in person, hybrid, and online formats.

Nurse educators guide nurses in implementing nursing best practices by combining their clinical experience with evidence-based practice knowledge. They teach both new and experienced nurses in healthcare organizations and higher education. According to the BLS, the average annual salary for nurse educators is $86,530.

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, maintaining patient safety and quality care standards, and overseeing unit or organizational budgets.

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. Professionals with MSNs in nursing informatics analyze data, design reports, and assist nurse administrators in improving nursing practices. Coursework includes clinical health information systems, database management, data quality management, and statistics, with a 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. According to Payscale, the average annual salary for nursing informaticists was $85,32 as of September 2024.

Diabetes MSN programs prepare nurses to work in multidisciplinary teams to help diagnose, treat, and educate patients with diabetes. Diabetes nurses spend a lot of their time teaching patients the importance of diet and exercise, how to manage the disease at home, and how to manage their complex medication regimen.

According to ZipRecruiter data, as of October 2024, diabetes nurses make an average annual salary of $99,013. However, MSN-prepared nurses may earn more than average because they have more than the required minimum education.

Clinical nurse leader (CNL) programs cover data analysis, research, and effective communication, preparing graduates to manage nursing teams and monitor patient outcomes. CNLs support nurses through mentoring, training, and advocacy.

They implement policies to ensure facilities follow evidence-based practices and make adjustments based on quality assessments. CNLs can work in any healthcare setting, and their practice is unique to their work environment. According to Payscale data from September 2024, CNLs make an average hourly rate of $39.03.

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, serving 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. According to ZipRecruiter data, the average annual community health nurse salary was $78,995 as of October 2024.

Nurse researchers typically work in academic medical centers or companies that conduct medical research, such as pharmaceutical or medical equipment companies. They monitor patients participating in medical research and may conduct original research on improving nursing quality.

The curriculum for nurse research programs emphasizes the ethical treatment of human subjects, advanced data gathering and analysis, evidence-based practices, and risk management. According to Payscale data, the average annual salary for a nursing researcher was $81,500 as of September 2024.