Skip to content

Top Paying Nursing Jobs In 2023


Article Shared from DiversityNursing.com 

Whether you are considering a career in Nursing or are a Nurse looking to switch pathways, something to consider is salary. Many factors play into salary such as location, employer, and experience.

Here is a list of this year’s highest paying Nursing positions.

1. Chief Nurse Anesthetist
Chief Nurse Anesthetists are responsible for supervising other Nurse Anesthetists and managing the day-to-day operations of the anesthesia department. They may also administer anesthesia to patients undergoing surgical procedures. They work closely with surgeons and other medical personnel to ensure patients receive high-quality care.
Average Annual Salary- $211,500

2. Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetist
Nurse Anesthetist provides pain medication (anesthesia) care for patients before, during, and after surgery. They administer medications to keep patients asleep or pain-free during surgery and constantly monitor every biological function of the patient’s body.
Average Annual Salary- $189,190

3. Dean of Nursing
The Dean of Nursing manages administrative functions of the College of Nursing, develops college strategic initiatives, and participates in university long-term planning and policy setting. As the Dean, you lead the college in fundraising, cultivate relationships with donors, as well as provide senior level administrative leadership in areas of curriculum development, institutional assessment and improvement, human resources, faculty development and performance appraisals, budget and finance, and facilities planning and management.
Average Annual Salary- $185,466

4. Chief Nursing Informatics Officer
Chief Nursing Informatics Officer (CNIO) oversees the safe, secure implementation of technology in the workplace. They are familiar with current medical systems, and continually seek opportunities to organically integrate technology to a greater extent within these systems.
Average Annual Salary- $159,849

5. Chief Nursing Officer
On a day-to-day basis, the CNO of a healthcare organization is kept busy by a wide range of responsibilities. Between communicating with team members, implementing new protocols, and evaluating department performance, a CNO completes leadership tasks each day that allow the rest of the organization to function well.
Average Annual Salary- $146,250

6. Chief Nurse Practitioner
Chief Nurse Practitioner is a Registered Nurse who has advanced training and experience in primary care. In addition to their clinical responsibilities, they play a role in leading and promoting best practices within their organizations. They are often involved in developing and implementing policies and procedures.
Average Annual Salary- $145,000

7. Travel Nurse
travel Nurse is a Registered Nurse with a clinical background working in a non-permanent or temporary Nursing role. Travel nurses are typically employed by an independent Nursing staffing agency instead of a single facility.
Average Annual Salary- $118,270

8. Director of Nursing
A large health care facility will often have a Director of Nursing. The Director oversees all Nursing staff and performs both the duties of a Lead Nurse in a team and the administrative and leadership responsibilities of a manager. The Director of Nursing is a qualified Nurse who is often called upon to advise in difficult, sensitive or long-term care situations. In the role of manager or administrator, the Director of Nursing will communicate directly with the Physicians and other Directors in the department.
Average Annual Salary- $117,996

9. Certified Nurse Midwife
Certified Nurse Midwife (CNM) is a primary health care provider to women of all ages throughout their lives. CNMs focus on gynecologic and family planning services, as well as preconception, pregnancy, childbirth, postpartum and newborn care. They also provide primary care such as conducting annual exams, writing prescriptions, and offering basic nutrition counseling.
Average Annual Salary- $117,552

10. Nurse Practitioner
Nurse Practitioners (NPs) are trained, licensed, and independent health care clinicians who concentrate on managing patients’ health conditions by treating injuries and illnesses, as well as supporting injury and disease prevention.
Average Annual Salary- $115,195

11. Pain Management Nurse
Pain Management Nurses are responsible for the care of patients with chronic or acute pain. Once they have assessed a patient’s pain, they work closely with Doctors and other Nurses to create a treatment plan. Pain Management Nurses administer medications and provide pain relief through other therapeutic methods. In addition, they teach patients and their families how to alleviate pain and make patients more comfortable.
Average Annual Salary- $114,450

12. Neuroscience Nurse
Neuroscience Nurse treats patients with neurological injuries and disorders, including head and spinal trauma from accidents, or illnesses such as Parkinson’s disease, Alzheimer’s, epilepsy and multiple sclerosis. It’s important for these Nurses to have a firm understanding of how the nervous system works and how it can affect both the mind and the body.
Average Annual Salary- $109,930

13. Nurse Educator
Nurse Educators are responsible for teaching and instructing Nurses at colleges, universities, and in clinical settings like Doctors offices and hospitals. They have advanced Nursing degrees and understand the workload, policies, and requirements of nursing. Nurse Educators influence healthcare by training future Nurses who will play vital roles in healthcare facilities.
Average Annual Salary- $108,060

14. Respiratory Nurse
Respiratory Nurse is a specialized Nursing professional that helps treat patients who are suffering from respiratory problems. As a respiratory Nurse, you will often care for patients who suffer from acute and chronic respiratory illnesses. Some examples may include bronchitis, pneumonia, asthma, emphysema, and lung cancer.
Average Annual Salary- $107,280

15. Cardiac Catheterization Laboratory Nurse
Registered Nurse in the Cardiac Catheterization Laboratory (shortened as Cardiac Cath Lab) assists Cardiologists during the entire catheterization process. They prepare the patient before and after the procedure to stabilize their health status. The type of patients they’ll work with have heart diseases or ailments that require constant monitoring.
Average Annual Salary- $106,550

16. Clinical Nurse Specialist
Clinical Nurse Specialists are Advanced Practice Registered Nurses who hold a master’s or doctoral degree in a specialized area of Nursing practice. In addition to conventional Nursing responsibilities, which focus upon helping patients to prevent or resolve illness, a Clinical Nurse Specialist’s scope of practice includes diagnosing and treating diseases, injuries and/or disabilities within his/her field of expertise.
Average Annual Salary- $106,407

17. Surgical Nurse
Surgical Nurses are also known as Perioperative Nurses, and work in the OR and with surgery patients before, during, and after their surgery. There are many specific things that a Perioperative trained Registered Nurse will do to help Surgeons and Nurse Practitioners during surgery. They usually work directly with a Doctor on specific surgery patients to ensure everything goes smoothly.
Average Annual Salary- $104,370

18. Clinical Nurse Leader
The Clinical Nurse Leader (CNL) is responsible for evaluating patient outcomes, assessing risk across groups of patients, developing or revising care plans, and coordinating care among the multidisciplinary health care team. The CNL acts as a liaison between Nursing administration and the Staff Nurse, serving as an invaluable resource to that frontline care provider.
Average Annual Salary- $104,107

19. Labor And Delivery Nurse
From admission to discharge, Labor and Delivery (L&D) Nurses are there for every step of the birthing process and postpartum care. This means that L&D Nurses monitor vitals of both mother and baby; track and measure contractions; proactively assess and address mothers’ needs (e.g., pain medications or other support); assist with delivery and provide care.
Average Annual Salary- $104,000

20. Geriatric Nurse
Geriatric Nurses work with Doctors and other healthcare professionals to care for the physical, mental, and emotional well-being of elderly patients, helping them maintain independence and quality of life. These Registered Nurses (RNs) possess specialized knowledge and skills to treat common health issues affecting the elderly population.
Average Annual Salary- $103,800

Salary Source: Nursingprocess.org

Learn more about Nursing Jobs:

5 Nursing Trends Heading into 2025

In an ever changing career its important to know what may be coming your way. Here's 5 things to look for in theNew Year! The

Share at FacebookShare at TwitterShare at PinterestShare at LinkedIn

SUMNER COLLEGE STUDENT OF THE MONTH | DECEMBER 2024

Congratulations Kymra for being the December 2024 Student of the Month at Sumner! Congratulations on your accomplishment!

Share at FacebookShare at TwitterShare at PinterestShare at LinkedIn

Continuing Your Education with a BSN

Many individuals enter the nursing profession driven by a desire to help others. As they gain experience, many seek to advance their careers to provide

Share at FacebookShare at TwitterShare at PinterestShare at LinkedIn

Happy Thanksgiving!

Happy Thanksgiving from Sumner College! We are grateful to all of our students for entrusting us with taking their nursing dreams to reality.

Share at FacebookShare at TwitterShare at PinterestShare at LinkedIn

Upcoming Info Sessions

Looking for some more information on our programs? Join us for an info session! Our upcoming info sessions are all at 11am, November 26, December

Share at FacebookShare at TwitterShare at PinterestShare at LinkedIn

Why Become a Nurse?

A career in nursing offers one of the most exciting, rewarding, and dynamic paths in the healthcare field. With over 4 million registered nurses in

Share at FacebookShare at TwitterShare at PinterestShare at LinkedIn

Welcome New Class Start November 18!

Happy first day, and welcome, to our newest class starting today, November 18! Thank you for choosing Sumner College to continue your educational career! Dream

Share at FacebookShare at TwitterShare at PinterestShare at LinkedIn

What Are Clinicals?

If you have been researching nursing schools, you may have seen the word "Clinicals" before but not known what they are. Clinicals are a safe

Share at FacebookShare at TwitterShare at PinterestShare at LinkedIn

Sumner College Student of the Month | November 2024

Congratulations Olga for being the November 2024 Student of the Month at Sumner! Olga was inspired to join Sumner College's nursing school after hearing about

Share at FacebookShare at TwitterShare at PinterestShare at LinkedIn

Sumner College Student of the Month | October 2024

Congratulations Benjamin for being the October 2024 Student of the Month at Sumner! Benjamin is a compassionate nursing student who learned about Sumner College through

Share at FacebookShare at TwitterShare at PinterestShare at LinkedIn

Thank you, Veterans

Sumner College thanks and values our veterans on this honorable day. If you or someone you know has an interest in continuing education, please see

Share at FacebookShare at TwitterShare at PinterestShare at LinkedIn

Nursing in the 21st Century

21st Century nursing is the glue that holds a patient’s health care journey together. Across the entire patient experience, and wherever there is someone in

Share at FacebookShare at TwitterShare at PinterestShare at LinkedIn

Paying for Nursing School- Scholarships

Sumner College understands that every student’s financial situation is unique. Our financial aid department can provide you with more information about Oregon financial aid options

Share at FacebookShare at TwitterShare at PinterestShare at LinkedIn

How to Prepare for Nursing School

Nursing school can be intimidating, but here are some helpful tips for you to make the most of your time and studies. As always, feel

Share at FacebookShare at TwitterShare at PinterestShare at LinkedIn

Bend, Oregon, Our New Home!

In a recent article with the Bend Bulletin, our School President Joanna Russell shared how we are enrolling for February 24, 2025 at our newest

Share at FacebookShare at TwitterShare at PinterestShare at LinkedIn

RN to BSN – Career Upgrade!

Here at Sumner College we offer a program for current Registered Nurses, to further their education in a flexible schooling style and get a Bachelors

Share at FacebookShare at TwitterShare at PinterestShare at LinkedIn

Niche Award!

Exciting news! Sumner Nursing College was recently ranked by Niche, listed as #1 in Best Value Colleges in Oregon, #1 in Best Value Colleges in

Share at FacebookShare at TwitterShare at PinterestShare at LinkedIn

Check Out Our New Campus!

Welcome to our new campus in Bend, Oregon! We are excited to be welcoming the first BSN cohort February 24th, 2025. Stay tuned as we

Share at FacebookShare at TwitterShare at PinterestShare at LinkedIn

Upcoming Info Sessions

On the fence or have questions about starting your education at Sumner College? Check out our upcoming BSN Info Sessions! Available for on-campus in Portland

Share at FacebookShare at TwitterShare at PinterestShare at LinkedIn

All About TEAS

If you're considering enrolling at Sumner College (or other nursing schools!) you will be required to take the TEAS Exam. This stands for Test of

Share at FacebookShare at TwitterShare at PinterestShare at LinkedIn

Nursing School Study Tips

Nursing school is known to be extremely difficult, but there are ways to make it easier on yourself! NursingWorld.org suggests a few different things to

Share at FacebookShare at TwitterShare at PinterestShare at LinkedIn

$5,000 Education Award Available!

Exciting news! DiversityNursing.com is offering a $5,000 education award, with easy entry and no essays, why not enter for a chance to win $5,000 to

Share at FacebookShare at TwitterShare at PinterestShare at LinkedIn

New Member Bend Chamber of Commerce

Sumner College is proud to share we are new members of the Bend Area Chamber of Commerce. Coming soon our official ribbon cutting and social

Share at FacebookShare at TwitterShare at PinterestShare at LinkedIn

Spirit Week!

Happy Spirit Week! Stop by the Lobby or Front Desk throughout the week to say hi and show some school spirit! Monday: Meal Prep and

Share at FacebookShare at TwitterShare at PinterestShare at LinkedIn

Sumner College Student of the Month | September 2024

Congratulations Kristina, for being the September 2024 Student of the Month at Sumner! Kristina completed the LPN program from Sumner College and recently returned to

Share at FacebookShare at TwitterShare at PinterestShare at LinkedIn

Virtual Tour: SIM Lab 202

Welcome to Sumner College! Before you head in to our Portland Campus take a virtual tour where you can see our Simulation Lab, Hospital Simulator,

Share at FacebookShare at TwitterShare at PinterestShare at LinkedIn

New Campus Alert!

We are extremely excited to announce the opening of our new additional campus location in Bend, Oregon! Conveniently located just around the corner from Bend's

Share at FacebookShare at TwitterShare at PinterestShare at LinkedIn

The Heart of Healthcare

Nursing can be described as both an art and science; a heart and a mind. At its heart, lies a fundamental respect for human dignity

Share at FacebookShare at TwitterShare at PinterestShare at LinkedIn

Labor Day Weekend

Happy Labor Day! We will be closed Monday to enjoy a long weekend!

Share at FacebookShare at TwitterShare at PinterestShare at LinkedIn

Upcoming Class Start Dates

Join us on one of our upcoming start dates for RN's looking to achieve a BSN completion!

Share at FacebookShare at TwitterShare at PinterestShare at LinkedIn

Dream It! Do It!® Request Info