Highest Paid Nursing Specialties: Top Nursing Careers by Salary

What nursing specialty pays the most?

Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetists (CRNAs) are consistently the highest-paid nursing specialty. Depending on data year and source, CRNA median pay sits at or above the low $200,000s per year, with senior and locum CRNAs earning meaningfully more. Advanced practice roles — nurse practitioner, nurse-midwife, and clinical nurse specialist — round out the top of the list.

Highest paid nursing specialties

Top 10 nursing specialties by national median salary, across APRN and RN credentials.

• Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetist (CRNA) — median $212,650 ($170k–$260k+) · APRN
• Nurse Practitioner (NP) — median $126,260 ($95k–$165k) · APRN
• Certified Nurse-Midwife (CNM) — median $120,880 ($95k–$155k) · APRN
• Clinical Nurse Specialist (CNS) — median $115,000 ($90k–$150k) · APRN
• Pain Management Nurse — median $110,000 ($85k–$140k) · RN/APRN
• Travel RN — median $110,000 ($85k–$170k) · RN
• Informatics Nurse — median $102,000 ($80k–$135k) · RN/BSN
• ICU / Critical Care RN — median $95,000 ($78k–$130k) · RN
• ER / Trauma RN — median $92,000 ($75k–$125k) · RN
• Cardiac Cath Lab RN — median $92,000 ($75k–$125k) · RN

Highest paid RN specialties

Among registered nurses without an APRN credential, procedural and critical-care specialties pay the most.

• ICU / Critical Care RN — median $95,000 ($78k–$130k)
• ER / Trauma RN — median $92,000 ($75k–$125k)
• OR / Perioperative RN — median $90,000 ($72k–$120k)
• Cardiac Cath Lab RN — median $92,000 ($75k–$125k)
• Oncology RN — median $88,000 ($72k–$115k)
• Neonatal ICU (NICU) RN — median $90,000 ($72k–$120k)

Highest paid nurse practitioner specialties

Among APRNs, CRNA leads, followed by NP specialties like psychiatric mental health, acute care, and cardiology.

• Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetist (CRNA) — median $212,650 ($170k–$260k+)
• Nurse Practitioner (NP) — median $126,260 ($95k–$165k)
• Certified Nurse-Midwife (CNM) — median $120,880 ($95k–$155k)
• Clinical Nurse Specialist (CNS) — median $115,000 ($90k–$150k)

Nursing specialties and salaries

Salary bands vary widely by specialty. Below is a broad picture of where each specialty typically falls on the pay curve. See the linked pages for full breakdowns by credential and setting.

• APRN roles (CRNA, NP, CNM, CNS) — $115k to $260k+
• Procedural / critical care RNs (ICU, ER, OR, cath lab) — $88k to $130k
• Specialty RNs (oncology, NICU, L&D, psych) — $83k to $120k
• Community RNs (home health, school, clinic) — $60k to $100k
• LPN / LVN — $45k to $78k

Nursing salary by specialty

Pay ranges reflect national medians. Local pay can vary 20–40% above or below depending on state, metro, employer type, and shift differentials. California, Hawaii, Massachusetts, and Oregon typically pay the highest nurse salaries in the country.

Best paying nursing fields

• Anesthesia — CRNAs, pain management
• Critical care — ICU, ER, trauma, cardiac cath lab
• Advanced practice primary and acute care — NP, CNS
• Procedural / OR — perioperative, cath lab, endoscopy
• Informatics and leadership — clinical informatics, nurse manager, DON
• Travel and locum — 13-week and short-term contracts

How education level affects nursing pay

Credential is the single largest driver of nursing pay.

• LPN / LVN (practical nursing diploma) — median ~$60k
• ADN Registered Nurse — mid-$70k to low-$90k depending on specialty
• BSN Registered Nurse — often $5k–$15k above ADN peers, unlocks specialty and leadership tracks
• MSN — required for most NP, CNS, CNM, and nurse educator roles
• DNP — required or preferred for CRNA and many NP specialties by 2025+
• Specialty certification (CCRN, CEN, OCN, PMHNP-BC, CRNA) — adds a further pay premium on top of credential

Ready to explore roles by specialty?

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