Types of Nursing Degrees and Their Salaries

Many students look for a career in nursing. This is because of the vast career opportunities they get from a nursing degree. There are many ways of getting a nursing degree or a diploma.



It is a known fact that in all fields, higher the degree the better is the salary. And nursing is no exception! Salaries for RN is always much higher than a LPN or a LVN. So, if you are interested in making a career in nursing then you should look for ways to accelerate your RN salary by getting the appropriate educational qualification and of course experience.



Currently, nurses are very much in demand due to the on-going shortage of manpower. Qualified nurses have great career opportunities in government as well as private health care institutes across the country. Nurses not only have career potential but also salary potential if you have the right kind of degree and experience in this noble field.



Nursing salaries depend on various factors-



- Nursing degree and education: As much as the nursing degree is important to pave a smooth career path, the way in which you obtain the degree is equally important. You need to do some researching before you choose a nursing program. Different programs such as LPN degree, RN degree, Nursing diploma, Associate's degree, BSN degree are available which offer different nursing education with different time frames. Individuals need to choose the one which fits their career endeavor.



- Experience: Like any other profession, RN salary too depends on the years of experience the individual brings with them. If you have an impressive experience list of let's say 4-5 years, then it shouldn't be difficult for you to bring in good salary at a top health care institute.



- State and city where you work: This is a very important factor as far a RN salary goes. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, nurses have higher salaries in larger cities like New Your, Los Angeles or Chicago. They also have better benefits and perks when compared to smaller cities or towns. It's because the cost of living is much higher in larger cities.



Payscale.com conducted a survey on RN salaries in June 2009. Statistics below mention the hourly pay-scale of nurses from different states



California: $33.73
New York: 27.91
Texas: $25.95
Illinois: $25.84



- Specialty: You could do a nursing degree with specialty in mental health or psych nurse, certified RN anesthetist, certified nurse midwife, orthopedic nurse, nurse practitioner, clinical nurse, neonatal nurse, etc. The nursing specialty with prime focus will always fetch a higher salary.



Nursing is not a charity profession for sure and nurses get paid well too, for the service they render to mankind.