How Much Money do Nurses Make?

The COVID-19 pandemic changed the landscape of healthcare work. The need for healthcare workers in all capacities has increased over the last two years, and when it comes to nurses, there are plenty of open high-paying travel nursing jobs across the nation. So, how much money do nurses make?

The need for nurses is constantly shifting across different markets, which is why travel nursing jobs have become such an attractive option for so many nurse practitioners.  

Top Paying Nursing Jobs by State  

The top 5 states for nurse practitioner pay, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) are:

• Alaska - $67,620

• California - $64,090

• Massachusetts - $60,400

• Washington - $59,780

• Nevada - $59,700

The highest paying travel nursing jobs vary from state to state, however, it’s hard to put a price on traveling the country, and getting to experience a new environment.  

Specialty nursing jobs can provide a higher salary, however, nursing trends over the last two years show that some specialties may experience a decrease in travel opportunities, such as oncology, cardiology, and surgical specialties. This is due to a variety of circumstances, one of which being that many elective surgeries have been halted due to the COVID-19 pandemic.  

Highest Paying Nursing Jobs

While there may be a decrease in travel opportunities for some nursing specialties, some specialties have seen an increase in pay over the last several years. Here are 10 of the highest-paid nursing jobs on average, according to the BLS:

• Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetist - $181,000

• Neonatal Nurse Practitioner - $125,000

• Cardiac Nurse Practitioner - $114,000

• Orthopedic Nurse Practitioner - $113,000

• Oncology Nurse Practitioner - $113,000

• General Nurse Practitioner - $112,000

• Family Nurse Practitioner - $110,000

• Clinical Nurse Specialist - $108,000

• Psychiatric Nurse Practitioner - $107,000

• Pediatric Nurse Practitioner - $107,000

Different states offer different starting salaries for nurses, and while the starting salary for each state varies, so do the benefits of becoming a traveling nurse practitioner in each state.  

Highest Paying Travel Nursing Jobs  

Some of the highest paying travel nursing jobs are the ones that are in the highest demand. While there has been some uncertainty amongst the nursing community about the availability of travel nursing jobs, some travel nursing jobs have never seen a greater demand.  

Here are just a few of the travel nursing jobs that have experienced an increase in demand since the COVID-19 pandemic:

• Respiratory Tech - 241% increase

• Registered Respiratory Therapy - 139% increase

• Pharmacist - 120% increase

• Pharmacy Tech - 54% increase

• Dialysis Tech - 38% increase

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Overall, the demand for allied health travel workers is at an all-time high, and there has never been a better time to take your nursing skills to a location that needs them the most.  

Advantis Medical is here to help allied health workers find the best nursing jobs in all specialties, in locations all over the country.  

If you are looking to see how much you can be paid as a travel nurse, Advantis Medical is here to connect you to your dream travel nursing job.