One of the top questions people have when they are considering entering a field—and even more so if they are already in it—is how much can I earn? Of course, there is no simple answer to this question since salary depends on a number of factors, such as education and certifications, work experience and special skills, location and openness to move, etc.
Although a nurse’s salary can vary greatly in the nursing field, this ultimate guide covers everything you need to know to help you make informed decisions to become a nurse or to advance in the nursing field—and earn the highest possible salary.
Certified Nursing Assistant (CNA) Salary
Many people in the nursing field are not technically speaking nurses but are certified nursing assistants (CNAs). It is possible to train as a CNA in as little as four weeks, which makes this type of work ideal for people interested in starting or already in nursing school. Of course, working as a CNA is an excellent career choice in itself since CNAs are always in demand and since the work they do is incredibly valuable. However, this type of work is the lowest paid in the nursing field, which is the main reason CNAs should consider continuing their studies to become registered nurses (RNs).
Where Can a CNA Make the Most Money?
Although the national average rate is $15.99 per hour or $33,250 annually, a CNA can make as much as $20.71 per hour in Alaska and as little as $12.35 in Mississippi. However, location is not all; whereas CNAs nationwide earn on average $14.39 working in home health services, they make on average $17.02 in specialty hospitals.
Let’s take a look at average CNA salaries in different states and industries to help you get an idea of how much you could earn as a CNA.
Highest Paying States for CNAs
Source: Table created based on data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS)
Lowest Paying States for CNAs
Source: Table created based on data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS)
Average CNA Salary in Different Industries
According to the most recent data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), the following are average CNA salaries in the industries that employ the largest percentage of CNAs:
Source: Table created based on data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS)
Average CNA Salary by State
The previous statistics can help CNAs pinpoint the highest-paying states and industries to work as CNAs; however, you might not have seen your state mentioned in the previous lists. Therefore, the following table covers the average CNA salaries in all fifty states in alphabetical order:
Source: Table created based on data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS)
Licensed Practical Nurse (LPN)/Licensed Vocational Nurse (LVN) Salary
Moving up the salary ladder, with approximately one year of studies under their scrubs, licensed practical nurses (LPNs), also known as licensed vocational nurses (LVNs) in Texas and California, receive significantly larger paychecks than CNAs do with a national average hourly rate of $24.93 and an annual average salary of $51,850.
Where Can an LPN/LVN Make the Most Money?
Based on the latest data from BLS, here are the five highest-paying states for LPNs or LVNs:
Source: Table created based on data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS)
The following are the five lowest-paying states for LPNs:
Source: Table created based on data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS)
Average LPN/LVN Salary in Different Industries
As is the case with CNA salary, LPN/LVN salary varies greatly depending on the industry these nurses work in. According to the most recent BLS data, these are the industries that employ most LPNs and the sales these industries offer.
Source: Table created based on data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS)
Average LPN/LVN Salary by State
If you’re lucky, you might have already found your state among the highest paying states for LPNs/LVNs. However, for those of you who don’t live in the highest or lowest paying states, here are the average LPN/LVN salaries in all fifty states in alphabetical order:
Source: Table created based on data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS)
Other Factors Influencing LPN/LVN Salary
Aside from the state of residence and type of facility, many other factors can influence an LPN’s salary. According to Medscape’s 2022 RN/LPN Compensation Report, here are some of those factors:
Gender
Whereas the average male LPN makes $59,000 annually, the average female LPN makes $51,000.
Years of Work Experience
Naturally, LPNs with more years of experience earn more than newly graduated LPNs. The following are average LPN salaries based on years of nursing experience:
- Twenty-one years or longer: $54,000
- Eleven to twenty years: $52,000
- Six to ten years: $50,000
- Five years or less: NA
Community Type
A factor that is as undeniably important as years of work experience is community type. Regardless of their state of residence, LPNs in rural settings can expect to earn less than those in urban communities. The following are average LPN salaries based on community type:
- Urban: $54,000
- Suburban: $53,000
- Exurban: $53,000
- Rural: $47,00
Supplemental Income
Another significant factor influencing LPN earnings is supplemental income. The following figures show the percentage of nurses who increase their earnings with supplemental income and where this extra income comes from:
- Worked extra shifts/overtime, weekends, and/or extra holidays: 31%
- Acted as a preceptor: 6%
- Worked “on call” shifts: 9%
- Took on charge nurse responsibilities: 5%
- Worked a second job or another income-producing activity: 12%
- Taught classes: 2%
- None, no supplemental income: 51%
Union Membership
Finally, a factor that can influence LPN salary is union membership. Here are average LPN salaries based on union membership:
- Average union-member LPN salary: $55,000
- Average non-union-member LPN salary: $52,000
Registered Nurse (RN) Salary
Aside from advanced practice registered nurses (APRNs), RNs are at the highest nursing tier. After studying for two to four years, RNs can expect to earn an average of $39.78 per hour or $82,750 per year based on the latest data from BLS. Again, your salary as an RN will greatly depend on the state you call home.
Where Can an RN Make the Most Money?
According to BLS, the following are the highest-paying states for registered nurses:
Source: Table created based on data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS)
RN Salary by State: The Bottom Five
Here are the five lowest paying states for registered nurses:
Source: Table created based on data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS)
Average RN Salary Adjusted to Cost of Living
Now, it’s easy to be misled by high hourly rates because these alone do not paint the whole picture. For example, Hawaii has the country’s second-highest hourly rate, but it’s the state with the lowest pay once you factor in the cost of living. Therefore, the cost of living is one of the most important factors to help you understand what a nurse’s salary is really worth in each state.
Based on data from both BLS and Becker's Hospital Review, here is every state—with its respective hourly and annual average pay—ranked by its cost-of-living adjusted average RN hourly wage:
Source: Table created based on data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) and Becker's Hospital Review
Other Factors Influencing Average RN Salary
As you have probably guessed, location is not the only factor affecting RN salary. The following are other aspects influencing a registered nurse’s income:
Type of Facility
One important consideration is the industry that RNs work in. Here are the national average RN salaries for different industries:
Source: Table created based on data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS)
According to Medscape’s 2022 RN/LPN Compensation Report, average RN salary is also affected by the following factors:
Gender
Whereas male RNs earn an average salary of $92,000, female RNs earn an average of $87,000 annually.
Education
Registered nurses can choose different programs to become licensed RNs. However, ending up with the same license does not guarantee the same salary. With that in mind, the following figures represent average RN income by educational degree:
- Doctoral degree: $99,000
- Master’s degree: $96,000
- Bachelor’s degree: $85,000
- Associate’s degree: $84,000
- RN diploma program: $82,000
Certification
Aside from nursing programs, RNs can also decide to pursue nursing certifications. The following are average RN salaries based on this factor:
- Certified RNs: $92,000
- Noncertified RNs: $81,000
Years of Work Experience
Naturally, a nurse’s years of experience will significantly influence their salary. Here is the average RN income by years of practice:
- Twenty-one years or longer: $91,000
- Eleven to twenty years: $86,000
- Six to ten years: $80,000
- Five years or less: $71,000
Community Type
Even with certifications and many years of experience, RNs working in rural communities earn less on average than RNs in urban settings. The following are average RN salaries by community type:
- Urban: $91,000
- Suburban: $88,000
- Exurban: $84,000
- Rural: $76,000
Supplemental Income
Of course, an RN who works full time earns more than an RN who works part time. Therefore, it is also logical that nurses who take advantage of supplemental income opportunities make more than those who don’t. The following percentages can give nurses an idea of how common it is for RNs to increase their earnings with supplemental income and how they do it:
- Worked extra shifts/overtime, weekends, and/or extra holidays: 33%
- Acted as a preceptor: 12%
- Worked “on call” shifts: 12%
- Took on charge nurse responsibilities: 12%
- Worked a second job or another income-producing activity: 10%
- Taught classes: 7%
- None, no supplemental income: 47%
Union Membership
Finally, membership in a nurses’ union may also significantly affect a nurse’s income. The following are average RN salaries based on union membership:
- Union members: $93,000
- Non-union RNs: $86,000
Advanced Practice Registered Nurse (APRN) Salary
Advanced practice registered nurses (APRNs) are the nurses with the highest level of education who, consequently, rake in the highest salaries. According to Medscape’s 2022 APRN Compensation Report, the following are the average annual earnings of each type of APRN:
- Nurse practitioner (NP): $118,000
- Clinical Nurse Specialist (CNS): $114,000
- Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetist (CRNA): $217,000
- Nurse Midwife (NM): $120,000
Where Can an APRN Make the Most Money?
As is the case with all nurse salaries, location is one of the most significant factors influencing APRN income. The following are average APRN earnings by region:
- Pacific (including Alaska and Hawaii): $148,000
- West South Central: $143,000
- West North Central: $134,000
- New England: $133,000
- Mid-Atlantic: $131,000
- South Atlantic: $131,000
- East North Central: $129,000
- Mountain: $127,000
- East South Central: $123,000
Other Factors Affecting APRN Salary
Medscape’s 2022 APRN Compensation Report helps explain the great variation that can be seen among APRN salaries. Aside from the region, the following are some of the factors that can affect APRN salary:
Gender
As is the case with RNs and LPNs, male APRNs earn more on average than female APRNs. The following are average APRN salaries by gender:
- Male: $180,000
- Female: $124,000
Education
By definition, APRNs have pursued higher studies after the initial associate’s degree in nursing (ADN) or bachelor’s of science in nursing (BSN) required for RN licensure, meaning that they hold either a master’s degree in nursing (MSN) or a doctoral degree in nursing. Although the vast majority of APRNs hold MSNs, a nurse’s level of education must still be noted when it comes to the average APRN salary. The following are average APRN salaries based on the level of education nurses have reached:
- Doctoral degree: $139,000
- Master’s degree: $131,000
Years of Experience
As is generally true across professions, APRN income is influenced by years of experience. The following figures represent the average APRN salary by years of experience:
- Twenty-one years or longer: $135,000
- Eleven to twenty years: $135,000
- Six to ten years: $123,000
- Five years or less: NA
Union Membership
Unlike its effect on RN salary, union membership has very little effect on APRN salary. Most APRNs are not members of a union (91 percent), and those who are (9 percent) make only about $1,000 more annually than non-members.
Supplemental Income
Evidently, advanced practice registered nurses who go beyond the bare minimum required by their jobs earn higher incomes than those who don’t. The following percentages indicate the prevalence of supplemental income among APRNs and the ways that APRNs obtain this supplemental income:
Supplemental Income among NPs
- Acted as a preceptor: 9%
- Worked “on call” shifts: 9%
- Took on charge nurse responsibilities: 1%
- Worked extra shifts/overtime, weekends, and/or extra holidays: 19%
- Worked a second job or another income-producing activity (non-nursing): 13%
- Taught classes: 8%
- Other: 9%
- None, no supplemental income: 53%
Supplemental Income among CNSs
- Acted as a preceptor: 6%
- Worked “on call” shifts: 4%
- Took on charge nurse responsibilities: 2%
- Worked extra shifts/overtime, weekends, and/or extra holidays: 26%
- Worked a second job or another income-producing activity (non-nursing): 13%
- Taught classes: 9%
- Other: 10%
- None, no supplemental income: 46%
Supplemental Income among CRNAs
- Acted as a preceptor: 7%
- Worked “on call” shifts: 27%
- Took on charge nurse responsibilities: 4%
- Worked extra shifts/overtime, weekends, and/or extra holidays: 49%
- Worked a second job or another income-producing activity (non0nursing): 12%
- Taught classes: 5%
- Other: 9%
- None, no supplemental income: 33%
Supplemental Income among NMs
- Acted as a preceptor: 20%
- Worked “on call” shifts: 13%
- Took on charge nurse responsibilities: 1%
- Worked extra shifts/overtime, weekends, and/or extra holidays: 26%
- Worked a second job or another income-producing activity (non-nursing): 13%
- Taught classes: 9%
- Other: 10%
- None, no supplemental income: 46%
Nurse Practitioner (NP) Salary
Since nurse practitioners hold 234,690 of the total 300,000 APRN jobs, it makes sense to dedicate an entire section to NP salary.
Where Can an NP Make the Most Money?
Let’s also see how much NPs earn by region based on data from Medscape’s 2022 APRN Compensation Report:
- Pacific (including Alaska and Hawaii): $140,000
- Mid-Atlantic: $124,000
- West South Central: $123,000
- South Atlantic: $116,000
- East North Central: $113,000
- East South Central: $108,000
- New England: NA
- Mountain: NA
- West North Central: NA
Average NP Salary Adjusted by Cost of Living
As we saw with RN salary, the cost of living in each state helps put average NP salary in context. With this in mind, here is every state—with its respective hourly and annual average pay—ranked by its cost-of-living adjusted average NP hourly pay:
Source: Table created based on data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) and Becker's Hospital Review
NP Salary by Industry
As we have seen, location is not all when it comes to salary. NP salary varies significantly from one work setting to another. The following figures represent average NP salaries in different work settings:
Source: Table created based on data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS)
NP Salary by Specialty
Even in the same state and type of healthcare facility, not all nurse practitioners earn the same since they work and become certified in different specialties. The following are the NP specialties with the highest median total cash compensation, according to survey data shared with Becker's Hospital Review:
- Pediatrics – neonatal-perinatal medicine: $144,461
- Emergency medicine: $137,280
- Hospitalist – internal medicine: $128,483
- Psychiatry – general: $128,480
- Oncology – hematology and oncology: $128,264
- Urgent care: $127,320
- General surgery: $127,133
- Critical care medicine: $126,953
- Internal medicine: $126,239
- Pediatrics – general: $125,924
- Obstetrics/gynecology – general: $123,594
- Neurological surgery: $122,343
- Cardiology – general: $121,984
- Endocrinology and metabolism: $121,721
- Family medicine: $120,682
- Orthopedic surgery – general: $120,669
- Pulmonology – general: $119,790
- Neurology: $117,813
- Gastroenterology: $116,329
- Urology: $115,812
How to Increase Your Nursing Income
Now, we know a nurse’s salary increases steadily with their years of work experience, plus additional education and certifications. However, we know you don’t want to wait years before you start making good money, so let’s look at some simple ways to earn the income you want today!
- Work nights, weekends, and holidays
- Work overtime
- Try travel nursing
- Pick up occasional PRN shifts or work PRN full time
- A combination of the above
The average nurse salaries that we covered extensively in previous sections did not include two growing and very lucrative types of nursing: travel nursing and per diem or PRN nursing. These jobs pay significantly more than regular staff positions do because they are born from unexpected or temporary needs at healthcare facilities. Therefore, facilities must make these jobs more attractive for nurses to guarantee that those positions will be filled.
PRN Nurse Salary
Understanding that PRN nurses work “as needed,” we can see that they could choose to pick up night or weekend shifts to make more money and easily work overtime. However, that is not the only way that PRN work can help you make more money. PRN shifts also simply pay more per hour than staff positions do.
Let’s put this in perspective:
- If CNAs earn $15.99 per hour on average, then they make $191.88 per 12-hour shift. However, through Nursa’s PRN staffing app, CNAs can make $250 per shift.
- On average, LPNs earn about $300 per shift, but through Nursa, they can make $500!
- RNs rake in approximately $477 per shift. How does $650 sound?
Has PRN work caught your interest? Download Nursa’s healthcare staffing app for free and give PRN work a try!
