Specialties & Salaries
A reference for nursing specialty pay across credentials, settings, and states. Compare RN, NP, CRNA, CNM, and specialty wages so you can plan your career and benchmark offers.
Combine the specialty pay ranges with state-level data and your years of experience to model a realistic 3–5 year career path. Add the certification you would need, the experience hours required, and any bridge programs (RN-to-BSN, BSN-to-DNP).
Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetists (CRNAs) consistently top the list, with mean wages above $200,000. Acute-care, psychiatric, and neonatal nurse practitioners follow.
Most clinical specialties have a national certification (CCRN for critical care, CEN for ER, OCN for oncology, CCM for case management, RNC for inpatient OB). Certification usually requires hours of experience plus an exam.
RN salaries vary widely — California, Hawaii, Oregon, Massachusetts, and Alaska lead. Pay also depends on metro, setting, shift differentials, and years of experience.
Travel nurses typically earn $90,000–$150,000+ depending on specialty, crisis-pay multipliers, and tax-free housing stipends.