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This information has been updated in a new infographic. 

After you finish nursing school, or if you’re considering going back for more training, choosing the right nursing specialty becomes your chief focus.

With so many specialties to choose from, many prospective nurses find it difficult to just pick one, but with nearly every specialty requiring candidates to pass a series of exams and fulfill a period of on-the-job training, time is of the essence!

Pay should not be your only consideration when deciding on a specialty, but this list of the highest paid nursing specialties, provided by our friends at NursingLink.com, is a good primer on which types of nurses have the greatest earning potential.

A special note on gender and pay here. Many contend that there is an income disparity between male nurses and female nurses. With so many myths and gender stereotypes about male nurses floating around, we thought we’d try to set the record straight. Although it isn’t definitive, most salary surveys we reviewed show that male and female nurses earn roughly equal pay (averaging at $45K-$55K year). Pay should be based on duties performed. Not gender. Unless it is earned through years of service or specialty, we all agree that increased pay based on a person’s sex is a form of discrimination that should have gone out of the window years ago!

You worked hard to get where you are. Now you want to make the most of your skills by obtaining the highest salary possible! Take a look at some of the best nursing careers in the industry today:

#10: Neonatal Nurse, Average Salary: $74,000

Neonatal nurses care for sick and/or premature newborn babies. They also provide consultation to the newborn’s family during what can be an emotionally draining period. These nurses should feel comfortable working intimately with families during what can be the most painful point in their lives.

#9: Gerontological Nurse Practitioner, Average Annual Salary: $75,000

Gerontological Nurse Practitioners (GNPs) hold advanced degrees specializing in geriatrics. They are able to diagnose and manage their patients’ often long-term and debilitating conditions and provide regular assessments to patients’ family members. Similar to all geriatric nurses, GNPs must approach nursing holistically and pay special attention to maintaining a comforting bedside manner for their elderly patients. They often work in long-term care facilities and nursing homes.

#8: Clinical Nurse Specialist, Average Salary: $76,000

Clinical Nurse Specialists develop uniform standards for quality care and work with staff nurses to ensure that those standards are being met. They are required to possess strong managerial skills and an ability to anticipate potential staff/patient conflicts. They should be able to communicate effectively with both registered nurses and management and will typically act as a bridge between the two.

#7: Nurse Practitioner, Average Salary: $78,000

Nurse practitioners provide basic preventive health care to patients, and increasingly serve as primary and specialty care providers in mainly medically underserved areas. The most common areas of specialty for nurse practitioners are family practice, adult practice, women’s health, pediatrics, acute care, and gerontology; however, there are many other specialties. In most states, advanced practice nurses can prescribe medications.

Family nurse practitioners focus on caring for the entire family. They provider a range of basic medical services while usually treating the same types of patients for years on end.

#6: Orthopedic Nurse, Average Salary: $81,000

Orthopedic nurses provide care for patients suffering for musculoskeletal ailments, such as arthritis, joint replacement and diabetes. They are responsible for educating patients on these disorders and on available self-care and support systems. Patient care often comes down to symptom and pain management with an emphasis on physical therapy and rehabilitation.

#5: Pediatric Endocrinology Nurse, Average Salary: $81,000

Pediatric endocrinology nurses provide care to young children who are suffering from diseases and disorders of the endocrine system. This often involves educating both parents and children on the physical and sexual development issues that arise from these disorders. Pediatric nurses should feel comfortable working and communicating with children.

#4: Certified Nurse Midwife, Average Salary $84,000

Nurse midwives provide primary care to women, including gynecological exams, family planning advice, prenatal care, assistance in labor and delivery, and neonatal care. CNMs work in hospitals, clinics, health departments, homes and private practices. Midwives will often have to work unpredictable hours (due to the unpredictable nature of childbirth). They should have good communications skills and be willing to commit to a holistic approach to patient care.

#3: Psychiatric Nurse Practitioner, Average Salary: $95,000

Psychiatric Nurse Practitioners are advanced practice nurses who provide care and consultation to patients suffering from psychiatric and mental health disorders. These nurses work in psychiatric and mental health departments across various types of facilities. You will need additional training in psychology to work as a psychiatric nurse practitioner.

#2: Nurse Researcher, Average Salary: $95,000

Nurse educators and researchers work as analysts for private companies or health policy nonprofits. They publish research studies based on data collected on specific pharmaceutical/medical/nursing product and practices. You will need additional education to work as a researcher. It will also help to have a doctoral degree in nursing.

#1:  Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetist, Average Salary: $135,000

A certified registered nurse anesthetist administers anesthesia to patients. They collaborate with surgeons, anesthesiologists, dentists and podiatrists to safely administer anesthesia medications. Nurse anesthetists work in surgery departments and emergency rooms in various types of facilities.

These represent some of the best nursing specialties in the healthcare industry today. They cover a wide range of duties and responsibilities. As you can see, pay is usually based on training and experience, not how challenging the job can be. For example, critical care nurses often face grueling work conditions even though they didn’t make the list of the highest paid nursing specialties.

Imagine working alongside some of these providers and research these different positions to get a better sense of what’s like to work in your chosen specialty. Pay may not be the most important factor when finding a career, but a big paycheck will definitely help you pay off your student loans. Keep this information in mind when continuing your education.

See all of our articles on nurse salaries, including salary maps, salary projections, hourly and yearly salary reports for top nurse jobs, and more!!!

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