As I am pursuing my bachelor’s in nursing, I also wondered how I can earn top-of-the-peak hourly wages and in which specialty, so I searched and searched for hours and finally came up with the top 10 high-paying career options for nurses in 2024. As you are reading this article I think you wonder the same so continue reading this article and I can assure you that the options I have listed below will help you choose a career best suited for you.
- Table of content
| Specialty | Wage |
| Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetist (CRNA) | $217,000 yearly |
| Pediatric and Neonatal Nurses | $144,000 yearly |
| Emergency Nurse Practitioner | $137,200 yearly |
| Cardiac Nurse Practitioner | $121,700 yearly |
| General Nurse Practitioner | $118,500 yearly |
| Psychiatric Nurse Practitioner | $114,800 yearly |
| Travel Nurse | $111,900 yearly |
| Certified Nurse Midwife | $105,100 yearly |
| Research Nurse | $100,479 yearly |
| Intensive Care Unit (ICU) Nurse | $96,479 yearly |
Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetist (CRNA) – $217,000 yearly
- A certified registered nurse anesthetist is a highly trained nurse professional in administering anesthesia. They also take care of patients who receive or are recovering from anesthesia. The (CRNAs) can work independently and with surgeons, dentists, and anesthesiologists to administer anesthesia to provide a painless surgical experience to the patient.
- At the current time the highest-paying nursing specialty is (CRNA) and the BLS has projected 31% growth in the jobs for the future (CRNAs).
- To become a CRNA you need to complete your BSN
- In some US states, to become a CRNA, you must have one year of recent RN experience in an adult critical care unit.
- After completing your BSN and your 1 year of experience as an RN it will take you a minimum of 36 months to become a CRNA.
Pediatric and Neonatal Nurses – $144,000 yearly
- A pediatric and neonatal nurse provides nursing and medical care to the infants and the neonatal. To become a pediatric and neonatal nurse the person has to be passionate about the nursing care that he or she is going to provide, if you like children you are going to enjoy every part of becoming a pediatric and neonatal nurse.
- It is an evergreen specialty to choose from, and the demand for pediatric and neonatal nurses and their wages are constantly rising. So it could be a great specialty for you to choose.
- The BLS has predicted a 52.2% employment growth for pediatric and neonatal nurses from 2020-2030.
Emergency Nurse Practitioner – $137,200 yearly
- An emergency nurse Practitioner is a specialized nurse who works in an emergent care setting.
- They have specialized training for handling critical patients in an emergency condition.
- If you like thrilling and life-saving experiences, this specialty could best fit you.
Cardiac Nurse Practitioner – $121,700 yearly
- They are the specialized nurses responsible for caring for patients with chronic and acute heart diseases.
- They work under the cardiologists to ensure the patient’s well-being before and after the treatment.
- To become a cardiac nurse practitioner minimum of 1 year of experience in a cardiac care unit is necessary.
General Nurse Practitioner – $118,500 yearly
- These nurses are also known as the family nurse practitioners.
- The main role of general nurse practitioners is to provide primary care, diagnose the patient, and educate the patient about preventive care.
- This specialty gives total freedom to the nurse as general nurse practitioners don’t have to work under physicians.
Psychiatric Nurse Practitioner – $114,800 yearly
- Psychiatric nurse practitioners are nurses who are highly skilled in assessing, diagnosing, and giving treatment for mentally ill or unstable patients.
- Psychiatric nurse practitioners should a good knowledge about mental health problems and how to treat them.
- Psychiatric nurses must show great patience with the patients they are treating.
- This specialty is best for those individuals who are very empathetic and caring.
Travel Nurse – $111,900 yearly
- This is the most in-trend nursing specialty, travel nurse works in temporary nursing roles as they fill the staff shortage faced by the healthcare facilities of various cities or sometimes countries.
- Travel nurses have to handle various job roles in their working field depending on the healthcare facility they are working in.
- Travel nurses have to be adaptable to the new environment and show good communication skills and they should have a good understanding of cultural diversities.
Certified Nurse Midwife – $105,100 yearly
- This specialty is best suited for most of the women out there cause this specialty is all about providing primary health care to women of all age groups.
- They focus mainly on gynecological and family planning services and preconception, pregnancy, childbirth, and newborn care.
- The Bureau of Labor Statistics projects growth of 6.4% for midwife nurses between 2024 and 2034
Research Nurse – $100,479 yearly
- A research nurse is a scientist who works in a dedicated health setting to study health, illness, and healthcare facilities to improve the healthcare structure for the better and ethical development of nurses.
- This specialty is best suited to those who are curious about why and how things work in health care if you want to change health care for the better, then becoming a research nurse can be the best option for you.
Intensive Care Unit (ICU) Nurse – $96,479 yearly
- ICU nurses are highly specialized and trained to take care of patients with life-threatening illnesses.
- They are specially trained to make split-second decisions to maintain patient safety.
- ICU nurses have to be well-educated about life-saving machines like ventilators.
- The ICU nurse’s primary goal is to normalize the patient’s health condition from a critical illness that the patient is suffering.