Education levels and experience play a crucial role in career advancement for nurses. Experts estimate that registered nurses can receive an average salary increase of $660 annually. According to a survey conducted by the Association of Perioperative Registered Nurses (AORN), staff nurses or registered nurses earned an average of $57,600 in 2005. However, as nurses better equip themselves with certifications, a master’s degree or a doctoral degree, the ceiling on their annual income becomes elevated. Staff nurses who worked in the infection control department earned an average of $60,892, while a transplant coordinator earned an income of $65,512. The more demanding the job specialties, the higher the pay, so it’s important to get a higher education in areas that are most demanding.
This leads to the second factor that affects nurse salary: specialty. Nurses with a master’s degree can advance in one of the four following fields – midwifery, clinical nurse specialist, nurse practitioner, and nurse anesthetist. In an emergency room, a head nurse can earn up to $78,372 per year whereas those in charge of intensive care average $83,900. After a few years as a registered nurse, those with a higher level of competence may advance into a position as head nurse of the unit, no matter what the specialty, marking an increase in annual income.
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