Our 2020 Nurse Salary Report can aid you choose your next profession move

Our 2020 Nurse.com Nurse Salary Research Report provides up-to-date data you should use to advance your profession.

More than 7,400 RNs, Advanced Practice Registered Nurses (APRNs), and Licensed Practical Nurses/Licensed Vocational Nurses (LPNs/LVNs) from across the United States participated in our online Nurse Salary Survey conducted from late March through May 2020. The responses make clear current nursing salaries and the advantages you would like most. The report also revealed some difficult features of the occupation, equivalent to high stress and protracted gender pay gaps.

A snapshot of nurse pay and the gender pay gap

Our report shows that today’s average base salary for RN staff is $75,293. However, as in our previous report on nurse salaries, male RNs earn greater than women. Our 2020 report revealed that the pay gap persists though male nurses report lower levels of education than their female nurses and are less more likely to earn certifications.

While women reported a median annual base salary of $72,703, men earned $80,000.

According to research by the American Association of Nurse Anesthetists, the gender pay gap also varies by position, with registered nurse anesthetists standing out with a gender pay gap of $18,000. Kate Jansky, BLACK “All nurse anesthetists receive the same education and training,” said AANA President Kate Jansky, MHS, CRNA, APRN, USA LTC (ret.). “AANA would like to see the wage gap eliminated.” Jansky added that of CRNAs who’re AANA members, 40% are men and 60% are women. Negotiating your salary may help bridge this gap. Our salary study found little correlation between RN, APRN, and LPN staff who negotiated their pay and people who demanded a better base salary. However, while 46% of male RNs reported that they negotiate salary all the time or more often than not, only 34% of female RNs reported that they did so. The results also suggest that, no matter gender, education increases nurses’ income. The survey also collected salary data for LPNs and APRNs. According to the study, LPNs earned a median annual base salary of $45,000. While APRNs earn greater than twice the LPN rate. In our report, U.S. nurses reported earning a median of $107,000 per yr (not including extra time and other additional sources of income). This compares to $184,000 for certified anesthesiologists; $113,800 per yr for certified midwives; and $100,000 for clinical nurses.

Higher education may equal higher earnings

Deborah Trautman, PhD, RN, FAAN, president and CEO of the American Association of Colleges of Nursing, said our Nurse Salary Survey Report shows that employers recognize the difference education makes and are more willing to reward bachelor’s and graduate nurses. “Nursing is a dynamic profession that provides advanced-educated nurses with unlimited opportunities to pursue clinical, research, teaching, policy and leadership roles,” she said. “Given the widespread availability of online and hybrid nursing education programs, all nurses are encouraged to pursue lifelong learning that will expand their career horizons and earning potential.” The role of a nurse also influences salary. For example, school nurses reported earning a median annual income of $53,800, while chief nursing officers and vice presidents of nursing reported a median annual income of $150,000. According to our nurse salary survey report, 48% of nurses have achieved skilled certification. Our report shows that certification can even increase your salary. For example, by controlling education and the variety of hours worked, a big relationship was noticed between the remuneration of men and ladies and the certificates they held. Other findings regarding the correlation of upper education with salary increases in nursing include:

• The average total salary for an associate degree nurse (ADN) within the US is $65,000.
• Nurses with a doctoral degree in nursing earn a median salary of $98,000.
• Only 1% of men and 1% of nurses surveyed reported having a DNP.

Back to high school is trendy

Among respondents, 56% of men and 49% of nurses indicated that they were considering pursuing higher education, certification or training to extend their earning potential. Eleven percent of RNs, 6% of APRNs, and 15% of LPN/LVNs reported that they intended to pursue higher education in the subsequent six months. Many others have expressed interest in returning to high school next yr or later.

However, there are some essential highlights that nurses search for when deciding on a nursing program. The report shows that cost and versatile class schedules matter most, and the report says online education is superior to in-person education.

RNs who return to high school typically work full-time. If they work in a hospital, they often work different shifts. RNs’ work schedules make it difficult for them to attend day or evening courses in person without having to depart their jobs, said Kristi Feutz, DNP, APRN, FNP-BC, associate dean for online graduate programs at Louise Herrington School of Nursing at Baylor University.

“We have seen a huge increase in applicants to our online programs because we provide flexibility in schedules and allow students to continue working without having to travel,” Feutz said. “In the face of the current pandemic, this is even more important for many candidates. In my opinion, this is where higher education is heading and will continue to be, especially for students pursuing second-cycle degrees because of the flexibility it provides and the ability to complete courses on their own time in their own home from anywhere.” In the Nurse.com survey, nurses identified personal achievement, profession development and advanced clinical knowledge as essential advantages of participating in a level program. “Education provides improved clinical judgment and patient outcomes, leadership skills, development of clinical knowledge, a sense of personal achievement and increased self-esteem, as well as increased compensation,” Feutz said. “Going back to improve your education was never a bad idea.” Feutz said her profession progression was never about salary, but moderately the advantages of work-life balance. However, salary increases occurred at every stage of her 30-year profession as an RN, FNP and associate professor.

“When I graduated from university with my BSN, I never dreamed of being anything other than a bedside nurse,” Feutz said. “However, during my long shifts on the ground, I had the chance to work with a complicated practice nurse. This person had way more decision-making independence and authority than I had as a bedside nurse. She also had more control over the working hours she worked.”

Intrigued, Feutz returned to school and became an advanced practice nurse. As a family nurse working at the Feutz clinic, she did not have to work weekends, holidays or night shifts. “I had the freedom to make decisions about managing patient care based on current evidence-based practice,” she said. “As an APN, my salary increased… Initially, it wasn’t much more than an RN would make on night and weekend shifts. But as my clinical practice grew, so did my salary.” Feutz didn’t think he’d go back to school, but he realized the benefits and made the decision. She was teaching advanced practice nursing students in her clinic when she discovered how much she enjoyed teaching. So Feutz joined the faculty of a local university and continued his practice. Subsequently, the American Association of Colleges of Nursing developed a new DNP degree pathway. As a faculty member, Feutz was encouraged to pursue the DNP. She did this and found that it opened new doors to leadership roles.

Although each promotion in management led to a corresponding increase in salary, Feutz advises nurses to follow their hearts and goals, not necessarily just their wallets. “Increasing knowledge almost always leads to an increase in wages as well as increased autonomy,” she said.

Tuition reimbursement is a welcome addition

According to Feutz, employers can show their support by offering nurses tuition reimbursement. The costs of going back to school can be a barrier for nurses who want to advance their skills. Our report found that cost was the most important factor considered when selecting a degree program for RNs, APRNs, and LPNs/LVNs. However, providing tuition reimbursement can be a win-win situation for employers and their nursing staff. “This employee may become a leader in the hospital who will promote policies to improve patient care or improve staffing issues,” Feutz said. “For many hospitals that desire Magnet status, this is a win-win situation. They provide tuition reimbursement and, in return, increase the number of BSN or MSN or PhD-prepared nurses, which in turn leads to higher quality nursing care and an improvement in the quality of care in the nursing profession.” Approximately 40% of survey respondents were RNs, 25% APRNs, and 25% LPN/LVNs stated that their employers reimbursed tuition. Some employers covered lower than 10% of the associated fee of tuition, others paid 100%.