Salary Comparison Tool

This tool will allow you to easily search and compare the average salaries of nurses for many cities and locations across the U.S. You can search by city and state. Salary data is provided through the BLS.

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How Much Do MSN Nurses Make?

The current mean annual salary for MSN-educated nurses nationwide is $93,000, according to data provided by PayScale.com. However, individual salary levels can vary based on a number of factors, including:

Geographic Location

Geographic location and local cost of living is a primary factor influencing salary levels. According to data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), California and Alaska offer the highest annual salaries to nurse practitioners of any state, and Tennessee and Alabama offer the lowest annual salaries.

Nurse Practitioner Salary Table

Location Total Employment Annual Salary
United States 179,650 $107,030
Alabama 3,680 $95,010
Alaska 440 $120,100
Arizona 3,510 $111,780
Arkansas 1,900 $99,740
California 13,420 $126,890
Colorado 2,920 $105,560
Connecticut 2,340 $115,370
Delaware 760 $105,390
District of Columbia 840 $110,420
Florida 10,590 $97,270
Georgia 6,110 $104,360
Hawaii 410 $123,570
Idaho 750 $102,830
Illinois 5,540 $103,760
Indiana 4,780 $102,390
Iowa 1,830 $104,640
Kansas 2,270 $97,310
Kentucky 3,160 $96,180
Louisiana 2,820 $99,510
Maine 1,240 $102,280
Maryland 3,710 $108,580
Massachusetts 6,200 $119,420
Michigan 4,490 $103,210
Minnesota 3,880 $115,550
Mississippi 2,930 $102,480
Missouri 4,390 $98,430
Montana 640 $103,390
Nebraska 1,070 $102,210
Nevada 710 $112,090
New Hampshire 1,140 $108,750
New Jersey 5,900 $118,040
New Mexico 980 $109,970
New York 13,710 $118,550
North Carolina 4,760 $101,540
North Dakota 480 $105,030
Ohio 7,510 $101,010
Oklahoma 1,590 $104,310
Oregon 2,030 $110,770
Pennsylvania 7,280 $97,130
Rhode Island 690 $112,620
South Carolina 2,260 $96,080
South Dakota 540 $100,440
Tennessee 7,010 $96,440
Texas 12,020 $108,660
Utah 1,380 $105,160
Vermont 520 $101,660
Virginia 4,710 $102,480
Washington 3,430 $116,350
West Virginia 1,080 $96,250
Wisconsin 3,030 $106,160
Wyoming 290 $114,000
Puerto Rico - $19,450

Table data taken from 2018 BLS (http://www.bls.gov/oes/current/oes291171.htm)

Type of Employer

Advanced practice nurses with their MSN degrees can work in a number of settings, including hospitals, in-patient and outpatient care facilities, private practices and the offices of other physicians and government and non-profit organizations. According to the BLS, nurse practitioners who work in state, local and private hospitals earn higher salaries than those who work in other settings.

Nursing Specialty

Another factor influencing individual salary level is the specialty area of nursing chosen. MSN nurses can enter a variety of careers within the nursing field, including as nurse practitioners, educators, executives, managers, and anesthetists. According to BLS data, nurse practitioners earned an average of $107,030 per year in May 2018, and nurse anesthetists earned an average of $167,960 per year.

MSN Salary Per Hour

You may be wondering what the average MSN-educated nurse can expect to make on an hourly basis. While salary can vary based on the factors previously mentioned, according to PayScale.com the mean hourly wage for MSN nurses is $42.70.

Salaries of MSN Specialties

An MSN degree opens the door to a wide range of career possibilities, including advanced practice roles as nurse practitioners and clinical nurse leaders, leadership positions as nurse managers and administrators and educational roles training future generations of nurses. A few of the career options open to MSN-educated nurses include:

Nurse Practitioner

Nurse practitioners (NPs) can specialize in a number of practice areas, including pediatrics, family health, women's health, psych/mental health, adult/gerontology and acute care. NPs are trained to diagnose and treat patient's chronic or acute diseases and injuries, order diagnostic tests, provide preventative healthcare and prescribe medications. NPs earn an average salary of $107,030 according to the BLS.

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Clinical Nurse Leader

Clinical nurse leaders (CNLs) are advanced practice nurses who provide care coordination for patients as well as evidence-based quality improvement strategies for improving patient outcomes and standards of care. The average salary for CNLs is 77.637 according to PayScale.com, with a range of $54,000 to $107,000 per year.

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Nurse Administrator

Nurse administrators work in a number of healthcare settings to fill managerial and leadership roles, managing nursing staff, training new employees, overseeing budgets and developing policies and procedures. According to Payscale.com, nurse administrators earn an average salary of $86,877 per year with a range of $61,000 to $130,000.

Find out more about the Master’s in Nursing Administration

Nurse Educator

Nurse educators train the next generation of nurses, working in colleges and universities as well as vocational schools and healthcare facilities. Nurse educators develop and teach nursing curriculum, provide mentorship to aspiring nurses and may also conduct or assist with research projects. The average salary for nurse educators is around $75,000 with a range of $54,000 to $100,000 according to PayScale.

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Nurse Midwife

Nurse midwives, also referred to as Certified Nurse Midwives (CNMs) provide routine gynecological exams and family planning services to women, assist in the childbirth process and provide primary care to post-natal mothers and newborn babies. According to the BLS, nurse midwives earn annual salaries of $103,770.

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Research Nurse

Nurse researchers conduct research projects that improve patient outcomes, develop new therapies and medications and create life-saving medical advancements. Research nurses design and develop research projects, find and evaluate patient participants, gather patient data and record results. Research nurses can expect an average salary of around $70,000 per year according to PayScale, which a range of $55,000 to $92,000.

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