You provide life-changing support for thousands. You deserve a life-changing income for your family.
Here, we will clearly show you how to make more money as a registered nurse (RN) while improving the lives of so many people in meaningful ways—providing healing, care, and comfort.
Did you know it’s possible to double your pay as a nurse?
Read on to learn how to find the most rewarding nursing opportunities in your area and beyond.
True story: From $41,000 to $70,000 in the first year
Jon Haws, RN shares how he climbed from a base salary of $41,000 to $70,000 in his first year of nursing while staying close to home. To support his family with two children, he consciously and strategically took advantage of 5 opportunities he spotted in the system.
- Differentials: He worked high-paid night shifts and weekends, immediately raising his earnings to $55,800.
- Incentives: He embraced his hospital’s incentives. The retention program landed him a $1/hour raise after the first 6 months and another $1/hour raise at the 1-year mark.
- Preceptorships: His commitment to professional growth and excellence soon led to preceptor opportunities, and each one boosted his income.
- Overtime: Pay for extra shifts at his facility started at $7/hour on top of all other differentials, and all hours worked within a week over the first 40 were paid at time and a half. In addition, the bonus pay went up to $10 per extra hour when critical needs arose. He could make as much as $600–$700 with 1 bonus shift (about $50 per hour).
- Balancing work and rest: You might think, “Did he have a life? Wasn't it all work and no play?” However, he wrote his story in the middle of an 18-day hiatus from work, and it wasn’t the first time he had taken extended breaks. With thoughtful planning, nurses can orchestrate a schedule that accommodates lengthy, relaxed vacations.
This example is a real-life case of a nurse who worked in a specific state, city, and hospital. Other advantages are available to RNs who can relocate, or pursue advanced degrees.
Real life: From $50,000 to $157,000 in 6 years
Let’s take a look at the case of a 29-year-old RN who, in just 6 years, saw her annual salary soar from $50,000 as a new graduate to a remarkable $157,000—not counting her per diem side jobs. Here are some key decisions she made:
- Relocation: She relocated from Canada to Arizona, securing an intensive care unit (ICU) RN position that boosted her income from $50,000 to $79,000, with an additional $5,000 relocation bonus. Despite higher-paying alternatives, she chose this job for its ICU exposure and financial support for further education.
- Pursuit of her dream job: She transitioned to her dream job in the operating room (OR), accepting a day-shift role that reduced her pay to $68,000 due to the loss of night shift differentials. This move was pivotal for her career satisfaction.
- High-paying metropolitan area: Her boyfriend's job relocation landed her in the San Francisco Bay Area, one of the highest-paying metropolitan regions in the country. She secured a Staff Nurse II position in the operating room, commanding a remarkable salary of $141,000.
- Leadership roles: She took on relief charge nurse and preceptor roles, earning an extra $3 per hour, pushing her income up to $145,000 with monthly overtime.
- Proximity to home: Eventually, she sought a job closer to home to alleviate the 3-hour round-trip commute, which was impacting her family life and well-being. She eventually secured a position just 10 minutes from home with a $6/hour pay increase. As a Staff Nurse III in the operating room, her salary reached $157,000, growing even higher with overtime and per diem work.
Her decisions and actions were based not only on how to make more money in nursing, but also on her love for her family and her own professional dream. She brought it all together and made it work.
How much do nurses make?
The latest data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) shows that RNs earn a median annual wage of $93,600. The RN pay scale varies from state to state and from one metropolitan area to another, ranging from less than $66,030 for the lowest 10% to over $135,320 for the highest 10%.
Are you thinking that you’d like to be in that top 10%?
On top of the benefits of differentials, leadership, and relocation, you can supplement your income with flexible PRN jobs, using digital healthcare staffing platforms like Nursa.
Try out the Nursa mobile app for iOS and Android.
10 Ways to make more money as a nurse
The 2 true stories above illustrate the following opportunities to make more money in nursing.
Immediate yield
- Differentials (+10%–20%): Working night shifts, weekends, or holidays typically adds 10% to 20% to your hourly rate.
- Working overtime (+50%): Beyond 40 hours in a week, the "time-and-a-half" rule applies. Strategic overtime, especially during "crisis" windows, can push hourly rates for staff nurses toward $100/hour.
- Incentives: Taking advantage of incentives, including both 1-time sign-on or relocation bonuses and periodic per-hour raises as part of a retention program, helps build up income. Look for programs that offer fixed hourly raises (e.g., +$1/hour every 6 months) or relocation bonuses of up to $15,000+.
Strategic moves
- Per diem nursing jobs (+25%): By working per diem, you can earn 25% more per hour. You can take per diem shifts in addition to your in-house staff nurse position, or make it your primary job strategy. PRN shifts pay a premium for short-notice jobs. Browse high-paying PRN RN jobs in your area with Nursa.
- Relocation (+100%): Moving is the fastest way to a 6-figure base. The highest-paying states for RNs, like California ($148,330) and Hawaii ($123,720), offer the highest raw compensation, twice that of the lowest-paying states. Wise nurses know they have to weigh this against the local cost of living.
- Opening a business: For the entrepreneurially minded, a nursing license can open up business opportunities. From running an IV infusion center to owning an aesthetics/medspa practice, business ownership allows you to set your own ceiling.
Professional leadership
- Preceptorships (+tax credits or sometimes +$1–$2 added to hourly pay): In structured transition periods, an experienced clinician (preceptor) guides newly qualified nurses joining a workplace, and sometimes receives an extra $1–$2 added to their hourly pay for this period. Tax credits up to $2,000 are available to nurse preceptors in health professional shortage areas.
- Charge nurse responsibilities (2.7–3%): A charge nurse leads a nursing unit during a shift or specific time period, making assignments, coordinating admissions, checking safety, and, in general, exercising leadership capabilities. Stepping into leadership adds an hourly premium and is a resume builder for future nurse manager roles, typically bringing a 2.7–3% premium.
Unlocking the specialties
- Certifications: Pursuing certification validates your experience and expertise. Standard certifications required to qualify for higher-paying specialties include CEN (emergency), CCRN (critical care), and informatics nursing certifications.
- Further education: Moving from an Associate Degree in Nursing (ADN) to a Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) or a Master of Science in Nursing (MSN) is the single most significant financial "level up" due to formal nursing education. The jump to an MSN-prepared APRN adds approximately $28,000 in annual earning potential, as you can see in the table found in the next section.
How much does further education boost your earning power?
Your degree level enables you to shatter the salary ceiling and secure your financial future. Going back to school demands a major investment, but large facilities or healthcare systems often pay tuition or provide scholarships for you to earn a BSN, an MSN, or a Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP).
In fact, many successful nurses recommend securing an ADN and then seeking a job at a healthcare organization that offers tuition reimbursement for higher degree programs.
How much does the average nurse salary rise with each advanced degree?
As shown in the table below, the average pay scale increases at each level of education, based on data from NursingProcess.org.
Table of nursing degrees: Average salary based on level of education
As you can see, a master’s degree marks the most significant leap in wages. However, nursing salaries at the same level vary widely by specialty, location, healthcare industry, and years of experience.
The scholarships and financial support available through many healthcare organizations can help you further your education and make more money in nursing.
How much can RNs earn per hour?
In California, the top 10% make about $100/hour, significantly more than the national median hourly wage for the same percentile. According to national wage data released in April 2025, the following table shows the typical range in annual and hourly RN salary.
National annual and hourly wages by percentile
Note: Each figure represents the earnings threshold for each percentile. For instance, RNs in the lowest 10% earn up to $66,030 annually. RNs in the highest-earning 10% earn over $135,320 annually.
This is a wide range, determined to a great degree by location and education level—as explained above—as well as nursing specialties and years of experience.
Keep in mind that PRN jobs can help you reach income in the higher end of the pay range.
Which are the higher-paid RN specializations?
The highest-paying nursing specialties require advanced degrees and specialized certifications.
Nurses with master's or doctoral qualifications can attain licensure as advanced practice registered nurses (APRNs). APRNs can choose from 4 main career paths:
- Certified registered nurse anesthetists (CRNAs)
- Certified nurse midwives (CNMs)
- Certified nurse specialists (CNSs)
- Nurse practitioners (NPs)
Notably, the highest-paid nursing positions fall within these 4 areas of advanced nursing licensure.
Can specialized RNs earn more without an advanced degree?
RNs without advanced degrees can also work in specialized areas, which often offer higher compensation. The highest-paying RN specialties include ER, ICU, and pain management.
Emergency room jobs - $114,037
RNs working in the emergency room (ER) or emergency department (ED) often earn salaries that surpass average RN pay, due to high demand, specialized skill requirements, and, at times, significant hazard pay or shift differentials.
To qualify for ER jobs, certification in Basic Life Support (BLS) and Advanced Cardiovascular Life Support (ACLS) is generally required, and other certifications are advantageous.
ER RNs typically earn $114,037 yearly, significantly higher than the average RN salary.
ICU jobs - $115,128
Valuable certifications for ICU jobs include Acute/Critical Care Nursing (adult, pediatric, neonatal), Acute/Critical Care Knowledge Professional (adult, pediatric, and neonatal—not providing direct patient care), and Tele-ICU Acute/Critical Care Nursing (for those working in remote jobs for RNs at tele-ICU locations).
ICU RNs typically earn $115,128 yearly, slightly more than ER nurses and significantly more than the average RN.
Pain management jobs - $129,445
This role leverages specialized assessment skills and often involves advanced procedures, such as nerve blocks or implant management, which drives a high salary.
Requirements often include a BSN and at least 2 years of bedside experience.
RNs working in pain management typically earn $129,445 per year.
The complex role of pain management professionals
In recent years, the number of individuals and patients grappling with opioid addictions has skyrocketed. This growing dependence is directly related to increased demand for pain management.
Data from the American Society of Addiction Medicine reveals that among the 20.5 million individuals affected by substance use disorders, 2 million were specifically entangled with prescription pain medications. Healthcare providers are exploring alternative and safer approaches to managing pain.
What nursing specialty commands the very highest salaries?
CRNAs earn by far the highest nursing salaries, with an impressive average of $223,210 per year. They top the nursing salary charts.
CRNAs are highly skilled nurses—with advanced degrees, critical care experience, and national certification—who prepare and administer anesthesia and work closely with surgical teams, anesthesiologists, dentists, and other healthcare professionals to ensure patient comfort and safety.
The CRNA specialty also has the highest percentage of male nurses, a staggering 42% in comparison to 10% of nurses in general.
At this point you may be wondering, “Do male nurses earn more money?”
Find out how much male and female nurses make and why in “Gender pay gap: Women dominate nursing, men dominate pay.”
How to find nurse jobs near me
Today’s job hunt is digital, much more efficient, and easier for RNs and other nursing professionals, thanks to virtual marketplace platforms such as Nursa for per diem RN jobs that help you make more money with nursing. Remember, per diem jobs generally pay much higher rates regardless of educational level or location.
Sign up with Nursa to find per diem RN jobs near you from the comfort of your couch.
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