Those who decide pursing a nursing career is right for them are often driven by a strong desire to help others. While nursing provides the chance to help others and make a difference, it can also be financially rewarding and can create opportunities for potential salary increases and career advancement.
The salary amounts a registered nurse (RN) makes will vary significantly based on a number of components that include their location, level of education, experience, and professional certifications. Nursing is also a changing field; more healthcare needs the creation of new positions and need for nurses that didn’t previously exist that has begun adapting more diverse hiring policies that mandate a certain percentage of men along with other minorities in healthcare professions.
RN’s without advanced degrees still have a number of options to specialize and concentrate in that can result in the satisfaction of helping their communities and bringing home a satisfying paycheck. Here are 10 of the top RN jobs you can get without an advanced nursing degree.
1
Pain management nurses work with those who have chronic or debilitating pain. These nurses are experts in treating pain and using their nursing skills to treat pain and educate others on how to reduce and manage their pain through physical therapy, occupational therapy, and other forms of rehabilitation. The expertise required for treating chronic pain and the high demand for pain management makes this nursing job one of the highest paying jobs RNs are qualified for.
Median Salary: $101,295
2
Neonatal nurses provide nursing care to newborns who are premature, have birth defects, or have medical problems that developed within the first month of life. While the neonatal period is the first month of life, neonatal nurses may care for children as old as 2 years old. The level of knowledge and frailty of the patients makes nurses to work in this field in high demand.
Median Salary: $98,417
3
Pediatric endocrinology nurses work with children who have endocrine disorders. Endocrine disorders can affect children’s’ growth and development in significant ways, and failing to correctly treat them can lead to lifelong consequences. The high pay rate for this position is likely due to the fact that the job involves working with children and involves work that has lasting effects.
Median Salary: $93,966
4
Informatics nursing is one of the newest fields of nursing and typically involves working with technology to analyze patient information and identify patterns that could lead to improvement in care. Nursing informatics may also include any nursing job that involves integrating technology with nursing or healthcare information. Because this is a newer field, the exact job description may vary significantly between facilities. This field involves a higher level of nursing knowledge and pays accordingly.
Median Salary: $93,000
5
Orthopedic nursing involves helping patients who have a condition related to their joints or muscles, and often involves helping these patients before and after an orthopedic surgery. This specialty is very profitable, therefore, those who work in this speciality are often well paid.
Median Salary: $88,481
6
Nurse researchers are nurses who engage in scientific research, either in nursing or in another field of medical science. The job of nurse researchers varies significantly, depending on what type of research they are engaged in and what their role in the research is. Many nurse researchers have Master’s or Ph.D. level education, but it is possible to be a nurse researcher without an advanced degree.
Median Salary: $81,500
7
Nursing administrators are part of the executive team in a company and oversee the nursing personnel and the delivery of nursing care in the facility. Nursing administrators typically have an advanced degree, but those who only have a Bachelor’s degree may still be able to get administrative positions, especially in long-term care facilities. This position has a high level of responsibility and the pay reflects this.
Median Salary: $81,033
8
Critical care nursing involves treating the most critically ill patients in a hospital and requires a high level of nursing expertise. Critical care nurses must be familiar with complex equipment and be able to respond quickly to deterioration in patients’ conditions. The high level of expertise and skill that is necessary to work in this environment influences the compensation.
Median Salary: $74,191
9
Pediatric nurses provide care for children and treat a variety of medical conditions. The nursing knowledge needed to care for children is more complex than the level of knowledge necessary to treat adults, and caring for children presents difficulties that do not exist in adult nursing. Pediatric patients and illnesses are often more distressing and unexpected than similar situations in adults. The higher level of skill needed for this type of nursing and the complexities of this population make this a higher paying nursing position.
Median Salary: $70,332
10
Geriatric nurses specialize in the treatment of older adults and are familiar with the needs of this specific group. While this type of nursing may involve nursing home positions, geriatric nurses are also used in hospitals, doctors offices, and a variety of other care environments. The geriatric population is growing quickly, and the increasing demand for this type of nursing contributes to it being one of the higher paying nursing positions.
Median Salary: $69,667
