What Can You Do with a Nursing Degree?

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The nursing profession is highly respected. Nursing ranked at the top of all professions in terms of honesty and ethics for the 20th consecutive year, according to a 2021 survey by analytics and advisory firm Gallup.

A smiling nurse stands by the nursing station.

But the nursing field is not limited to the traditional role of a bedside nurse. The variety of career options in nursing makes it attractive to individuals with a wide range of preferences and interests. To start exploring possible nursing careers, one approach is to ask the simple question: What can you do with a nursing degree?

Options for careers expand for nurses who pursue advanced degrees. People who may be considering furthering their education by earning an online Master of Science in Nursing (M.S.N.) degree can benefit from exploring the landscape of career options in more detail.

What Is the Range of Careers for Nurses?

In 2021, employment website Indeed counted 62 careers for nurses, each with its own unique set of requirements and career paths. To a large extent, what individuals can do with a nursing degree depends on their level of education. For example:

The 2020 National Nursing Workforce Survey found that, of the registered nurses surveyed, 37.7% had associate degrees and 41.8% had bachelor’s degrees.
Advancing beyond the registered nurse role to become a nurse practitioner requires additional education. Nurse practitioners must complete either an M.S.N. program or a Doctor of Nursing Practice (D.N.P.) program.
A Ph.D. is the highest level of nursing education and is usually required for those who want to conduct advanced research in nursing.

Regardless of the specific careers they pursue, all nurses share common goals. In any setting, nursing encompasses promoting health, preventing illness and caring for ill and disabled people.

What Can You Do with a B.S.N.?

A Bachelor of Science in Nursing (B.S.N.) prepares nurses for the entire scope of nursing practice in all health care settings. And what can you do with a B.S.N.? As the examples below demonstrate, earning a B.S.N. enables nurses to work in a variety of positions.

Registered Nurse

Registered nurses’ job duties include responsibilities such as administering health interventions, conducting physical exams and coordinating care with other health care professionals.

The skills and competencies of RNs include areas such as safety and infection control, health promotion, pharmacological therapies, risk reduction and physiological adaptation.

Requirements for becoming an RN include earning either an associate degree or a B.S.N. degree, passing the National Council Licensure Examination for RNs (referred to as the NCLEX-RN) and obtaining state licensure.

The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported that RNs had a median annual salary of $77,600 as of May 2021.

Nurse Informaticist

The range of careers with a nursing degree also includes roles in the digital realm. A nurse informaticist focuses on the quality of patient care by relying on data and advanced technology. Nurse informaticists combine their clinical knowledge with software and data to guide health care decision-making.

Key nurse informaticist skills and competencies include being able to implement new technology, validate data and communicate the importance of data collection.

Becoming a nurse informaticist requires first becoming an RN. The next step is to become certified in informatics through an organization such as the American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC).

Payscale reported that, as of May 2022, the median annual salary for nursing informatics specialists was about $83,900.

Forensic Nurse

Forensic nurses work at the intersection of health care and the legal system. They offer services to patients who have experienced violence or victimization; they also provide testimony for criminal and civil proceedings.

Forensic nurses have skills and competencies in areas such as child abuse and neglect, death investigation and sexual assault investigation.

The path to becoming a forensic nurse starts with becoming an RN. Next, nurses interested in this specialization typically obtain a certification in forensic nursing through an organization such as the International Association of Forensic Nurses.

According to Payscale, the median annual salary for forensic nurses was about $67,000 as of May 2022.

Nurse Researcher

Nurse researchers are nurses who design and test new medications, medical procedures or vaccines. They help to implement new research trials and monitor patients who participate in research.

Important competencies for nurse researchers include strong analytical, collaboration and observation skills.

The path to becoming a nurse researcher involves first becoming an RN. Nurses can then work toward earning a research-related certification through an organization such as the Society of Clinical Research Associates.

As of May 2022, Payscale reported that the median annual salary for nurse researchers was approximately $81,500.

What Can You Do with an M.S.N.?

An M.S.N. program prepares nurses to work in advanced roles. But exactly what can you do with an M.S.N.? Here are some of the variety of specialties that earning an M.S.N. opens to nursing professionals.

Family Nurse Practitioner

A career as a family nurse practitioner (FNP) is one of the many rewarding careers you can enter with a nursing degree. FNPs offer care to patients ranging from infants to the elderly. FNPs conduct exams, prescribe medicine and treat both chronic and acute illnesses.

FNPs have skills and competencies in areas such as assessing patient health and evaluating patient care plans.

To become an FNP, an individual first needs to become an RN. The next steps are to earn either an M.S.N. or a D.N.P. degree, obtain certification as an FNP from an organization such as the ANCC and become licensed through a state licensure board.

According to Payscale, the median annual salary as of May 2022 for FNPs was about $98,000.

Psychiatric-Mental Health Nurse Practitioner

Psychiatric-mental health nurse practitioners (PMHNPs) focus on patients’ mental health needs. They offer therapy, prescribe medicine and evaluate treatment effectiveness.

PMHNPs need to have skills and competencies in areas such as advanced pharmacology, mental health screening and psychiatric emergency management.

The first step in becoming a PMHNP is to become an RN. The next steps include earning either an M.S.N. or a D.N.P. degree, obtaining certification as a PMHNP from an organization such as the ANCC and obtaining licensure from a state licensure board.

Payscale reported that the median annual psychiatric nurse practitioner salary was about $113,100 as of May 2022.

Adult-Gerontology Nurse Practitioner

Adult-gerontology nurse practitioners treat individuals ranging from young adults to the elderly. They work as either of the following:

Adult-gerontology primary care nurse practitioners (AGPCNPs), who assess, diagnose and plan for patients’ primary care health needs
Adult-gerontology acute care nurse practitioners (AGACNPs), who treat patients’ acute, complex conditions

AGPCNPs need to have skills and competencies in areas such as obtaining medical histories, ordering screening tests and interpreting test results. AGACNPs need to have skills and competencies in areas such as performing complex monitoring of patients and developing multifaceted plans of treatment.

As with other nurse practitioner careers, becoming an AGPCNP or an AGACNP requires first becoming an RN. The next steps are to earn either an M.S.N. or a D.N.P. degree, become certified through an organization such as the ANCC and obtain licensure from a state licensure board.

As of May 2022, Payscale reported that the median annual salary for adult-gerontology nurse practitioners was $90,400.

Women’s Health Nurse Practitioner

The careers you can pursue with a nursing degree also encompass positions specializing in women’s health. A women’s health nurse practitioner (WHNP) focuses on gynecological, obstetric or reproductive health. WHNPs provide services such as well-woman exams and contraceptive care.

WHNPs need to have skills and competencies in areas such as women’s preventive care, prenatal care and fertility evaluation.

Aspiring WHNPs must become RNs first. The subsequent steps include earning either an M.S.N. or a D.N.P. degree, becoming certified through an organization such as the National Certification Corporation and obtaining licensure from a state licensure board.

The median annual salary for WHNPs was about $96,600 as of May 2022, according to Payscale.

Pediatric Nurse Practitioner

Pediatric nurse practitioners (PNPs) provide health care to patients ranging from infants to young adults. PNPs provide both primary care (for example, wellness care) and acute care (for example, critical care).

PNPs have skills and competencies in areas such as pediatric assessment techniques, treating children who are experiencing life-threatening symptoms and communicating with children and their families.

To become a PNP, the first step is to become an RN. Individuals then need to earn either an M.S.N. or a D.N.P. degree, become certified through an organization such as the Pediatric Nursing Certification Board and obtain a license from a state licensure board.

According to Payscale, PNPs had a median annual salary of approximately $93,400 as of May 2022.

A Look at D.N.P. Careers

As nursing professionals in the modern health care field gain experience, many of them become interested in managerial, executive and educational roles. A D.N.P. program prepares nurses for these kinds of advanced roles in health care leadership or clinical practice. As the examples below demonstrate, D.N.P. careers allow a nurse to leverage their experience and advanced training across a variety of responsibilities, many of which also come with higher compensation.

Director of Nursing

Directors of nursing are responsible for ensuring that their nursing staff conduct their work efficiently and productively. In addition, directors of nursing develop training programs and operating policies. They need to have both clinical skills and skills in areas such as budgeting and recruiting.

Directors of nursing must be RNs and usually must have an advanced degree. They also need to have substantial experience in health care and operations management.

Payscale reported that the median annual salary for directors of nursing was approximately $93,600 as of May 2022.

Chief Nursing Officer

What you can do with a degree in nursing also includes the high-level position of chief nursing officer. A CNO is responsible for an organization’s entire practice of nursing. CNOs have responsibilities such as developing strategy and strengthening patient engagement, and they need to have strong skills and competencies in areas such as leadership and communication.

Becoming a CNO involves working in progressively higher nursing leadership positions (such as nurse manager or director of nursing roles), and individuals in this position usually have an advanced degree. Aspiring CNOs can bolster their executive and leadership credentials by earning certifications from organizations such as the ANCC.

As of May 2022, Payscale reported that the median annual salary for CNOs was about $134,900.

Hospital CEO

Hospital CEOs are responsible for the entire operation of a hospital. They are accountable for a hospital’s financial performance, quality of care and compliance with requirements. Skills and competencies in areas such as leadership, management and communication enable hospital CEOs to do their jobs well.

The steps in becoming a hospital CEO include earning both a bachelor’s degree and an advanced degree. Most hospital CEOs gain experience working in progressively higher positions and eventually become chief operating officers before becoming CEOs. They also can strengthen their credentials by becoming fellows of the American College of Healthcare Executives.

The median annual salary for hospital CEOs was approximately $153,900 as of May 2022, according to Payscale.

Nurse Educator

Nurse educators facilitate learning for new nurses, employ learning assessment strategies and prepare curricula. Their jobs are increasingly important due to the current nursing shortage across the country. They need to have skills and competencies in areas such as communication, learner development and curriculum design.

Nurse educators must first become RNs and acquire experience in instructional roles. They then need to earn an advanced degree, and they can earn nurse educator certification from organizations such as the National League for Nursing.

Nurse educators had a median annual salary of about $78,600 as of May 2022, according to Payscale.

Alternative Careers for Nurses

Careers you can pursue with a nursing degree are available in a number of areas outside traditional health care settings. The examples of alternative careers for nurses discussed below could appeal to individuals looking for nontraditional roles in nursing.

Travel Nurse

A travel nurse is a nurse who works temporarily at a health care organization that has short-term staffing needs. Travel nurses who have the necessary skills can work in areas such as emergency care, long-term acute care, surgery or psychiatric care.

Travel nurses are RNs who have gained some nursing experience prior to embarking on a career as a travel nurse. Earning certifications in specialty areas can help travel nurses expand the number of roles they can assume.

Salaries for travel nurses fluctuated significantly during the COVID-19 pandemic. A May 2022 report by Kaiser Health News cited payments of $10,000 per week during the height of the pandemic, but by May 2022 the average pay had decreased to about $3,100 per week.

Travel nurses’ total annual salaries can vary based on the number of assignments they accept. According to Payscale, travel nurses had a median annual salary of about $73,600 as of May 2022.

Nurse Health Coach

Nurse health coaches promote and facilitate clients’ health and well-being by helping them work toward specific health goals. Nurse health coaches need to have skills and competencies in areas such as developing wellness strategies and identifying health risks.

To become a nurse health coach, an individual first needs to become an RN. The next step is to gain experience related to health coaching either through work or volunteer opportunities. Individuals can become certified in health coaching through organizations like the National Board for Health and Wellness Coaching.

Payscale reported that the median annual salary for health coaches was about $42,800 as of May 2022.

Insurance Nurse

The health insurance industry also offers careers for individuals who have nursing degrees. Insurance nurses work for insurance companies, and they coordinate with clients regarding treatment plans and insurance claims. In addition to clinical skills, insurance nurses benefit from having strong analytical and communication skills.

Insurance nurses usually need to be RNs, and they can strengthen their credentials by obtaining certifications in specialty areas from an organization such as the ANCC.

Payscale reported that the median annual salary of registered nurses with insurance skills was about $78,000 as of May 2022.

Nurse Life Care Planner

Nurse life care planners create life care plans for people who have experienced a significant illness or injury and need lifelong medical care as a result. The plans outline the resources and care an individual will need to maintain their long-term health and wellness.

To work as a nurse life care planner, individuals need strong skills in assessing patients, creating treatment plans and estimating future medical costs.

Before becoming a certified life care planner, individuals should have at least a few years of experience as an RN or nurse practitioner. They will also need to take the Certified Life Care Planner Examination, administered by the Commission of Health Care Certification.

Payscale reports that nurse life care planners had a median annual salary of about $84,000 as of May 2022.

Choose Your Nursing Path

What you can do with a nursing degree isn’t limited to a narrow set of careers. You can use your nursing degree to chart your own course in health care.

If you’ve been seeking career advancement in nursing, explore the University of North Dakota’s online Master of Science in Nursing program. With FNP and PMHNP concentrations, the program places students on the path to personally enriching and lucrative careers in health care. Start your journey today.

Recommended Readings

Essential Nursing Skills for MSN Students

How Long Does It Take to Get a Master’s in Nursing?

What Kind of Nurse Should I Be? Exploring Nursing Specialties

Sources:

Agency Height, “Better Pay and Job Outlook: Why You Should Look for Insurance Nurse Jobs”

American Association of Colleges of Nursing, “The Research-Focused Doctoral Program in Nursing: Pathways to Excellence”

American Association of Nurse Practitioners, “Are You Considering a Career as an Adult-Gerontology Acute Care Nurse Practitioner?”

American Association of Nurse Practitioners, “Are You Considering a Career as an Adult-Gerontology Primary Care Nurse Practitioner?”

American Association of Nurse Practitioners, “Are You Considering a Career as a Family Nurse Practitioner?”

American Association of Nurse Practitioners, “Are You Considering a Career as Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner?”

American Association of Nurse Practitioners, “Are You Considering a Career as a Women’s Health Nurse Practitioner?”