How Much Do Nurses Make? A Complete Guide

Nursing is a unique profession that focuses on caring for people’s health and well-being. Nurses use knowledge and compassion to help patients heal physically and emotionally. Their role is different from other healthcare professionals because they focus on the patient’s overall needs. However, you may wonder, how much does a registered nurse make an hour? In the United States, registered nurses usually earn between $35 to $55 per hour. However, their earnings can vary depending on where they work and experience. So, keep reading to get all your queries answered about the profession of registered nurses. Learn what is their average hourly pay and factors that influence their income, such as experience, location, and workplace setting. 

Read More: Registered Nurse Salary in the USA

What Factors Influence A Registered Nurse’s Salary?

The earnings of nurses vary for different locations, experience, areas of specialization, and education qualifications. The following are the key factors contributing to the salaries of the nurses:

1. Education Level

This profession requires an associate degree in nursing (ADN) as a minimum qualification to work in healthcare facilities. Here, the salary rises with an increase in experience, degree, and advanced certifications. A DNP (Doctor of Nursing Practice) or PhD can earn more than an MSN (Master of Science in Nursing) or BSN (Bachelor of Science in Nursing). A Registered Nurse (RN) earns an average salary of $86,070, while Nurse anesthetists earn $129,480 in the same period.

2. Experience

Experience is an important determinant of how much nurses make. Nurses become an invaluable asset in the USA when they gain more practical exposure in the field. It enables them to have better decision-making abilities and deep knowledge about patient care. The RNs at entry level earn an average salary of $52,080 annually, while in their mid-career, around $66,640 per annum salary can be expected. After serving 4-5 years in this profession, how much a registered nurse makes yearly could be around $77,670, and in later stages, they can earn $91,450 annually.

3. Specialization

In nursing, many areas of specialization pay differently. The specializations requiring additional education or training like critical care and anesthesiology, result in more earnings than nurses in other or less specialized areas. The list of annual salaries of RNs in various specialization areas is given below:

4. Geographic Location

The location of work also impacts what a nurse makes. This is because of variations in the cost of living and demand for nursing courses from one region (state) to another, resulting in higher wages for the nurses. The top 10 highest-paying states with median wages for RNs are:

5. Other Workplace Setting

The salary of nurses differs in different workplace settings, such as hospitals, private practices, schools, nursing homes, and research facilities. For instance, the average wage (per hour) is higher in hospitals with low patient-to-nurse ratios, such as private hospitals, than in government hospitals. The average wage per hour is also high in teaching hospitals or high-tech hospitals. The table below covers the hourly wage range for a registered in different workplace settings: 

Read more: Scope of Practice: Nurse Practitioner vs. Registered Nurse

The Role of Education in Salary Growth

Education qualifications and certifications are like symbols of honor for nursing professionals. They demonstrate the specific area of expertise or practice and advanced knowledge with skills beyond the basic nursing license. Nurses with a BSN degree tend to earn more than those with a diploma or an associate degree in nursing. The two main categories of certifications in nursing are :

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1. Specialty Certifications: These focus on specific patients or areas of practice, such as Emergency Nursing (CEN), Critical Care (CCRN), or Pediatric Nursing (CPN).

2. Advanced Practice Certifications: These are available for nurses who have completed an MSN (Master’s degree) consisting of Clinical Nurse Specialists (CNSs) or Nurse Practitioners (NPs).

Thus, obtaining a high level of education, such as a BSN, MSN, or DNP, has a significant impact on how much a registered nurse makes an hour. Certifications avail in-depth training in specific areas and make a nurse expert in the desired field.

Read More: Can A Nurse Practitioner Prescribe Medication?

Trends and Future Outlook for Nurse Salaries

With the continuous increase in the demand for nurses across the United States, the earnings of a registered nurse would rise as well. As per a BIS, the job prospects between 2022-23 for RNs alone are projected to rise by 6%, much faster than other occupations. In the future, the following factors will also contribute to the rise in demand for nurses such as:

• Increasing demand for nurses due to an aging population.

• Impact of healthcare reforms on salaries.

• Emerging roles like telehealth nurses and their earning potential.

• Comparing U.S. nurse salaries with countries like Canada, Australia, and the UK.

• Differences in healthcare systems affecting pay.

Moreover, as healthcare is becoming complex, there is a promising need for nurses. During inflation, wages are more important, but a good work environment, staff dignity, and pay without disparity are equally important. Nurses, being an essential pillar of healthcare, also need:

• Payment without disparities based on gender or ethnicity

• Control on wage stagnation in certain regions or roles.

• Work environment with less workload and burnout through fair pay.

Read more: Nurse practitioner vs Doctor: Key differences covered

The Bottom Line!

With the increasing demand for nurses, the rise in income is evident.  The understanding of how much a registered nurse makes varies greatly based on the geographic location, area of specialization, level of education and experience, and many other factors. Nursing as a profession is everlasting due to the specialized skills. The growing demand for skilled professionals will expect to raise the salaries of nurses in the coming years. Consequently, aiming for higher nursing courses or certifications will allow nurses to position themselves with better careers and higher pay.

References

1. https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC4799897/

2. https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC4667784/