Salary: Top paying specialties–geriatrics

Two weeks ago we covered the top paying nurse specialty, certified RN anesthetists. Last week, we chatted about the second highest paying gig, orthopedics. This week, we move right along to, you guessed it, the third highest paid nursing specialty — geriatrics.

Geriatrics is a great field to be getting into right now. The estimated low end salary is $73,000 a year (high is $123,000). It’s also in-demand due to aging baby boomers. Did you know that, according to the U.S. Census, by 2050 more than 20% of Americans – 88 million people – will be over age 65? Sound like something you might want to get in on? (To gain an extra special edge, we suggest learning Spanish and becoming a nurse practitioner first!)

Geriatric nursing is just what it sounds like – nursing related to aged individuals. Since half of all hospital admissions are for people over the age of 65, you can see why this position is such an important one. Of course, older patients are more likely to require special care and attention, but only 1% of nurses are certified properly to handle these patients. Training includes learning how to generally assess the mental and physical well-being of patients and participate in treatment ideas dependent on their case.

Check out GeroNurse.org for more information about this career path.