Nursing

Can Nurses Increase Their Salary With an MSN?

Written by: Wilson College • Jun 11, 2025

A Nurse Practitioner Speaks With a Patient in a Hospital Room..jpg

Can Nurses Increase Their Salary With an MSN Degree?

For many nurses, earning a nursing degree before launching their career is merely the start of their educational journey. According to the American Association of Colleges of Nursing (AACN), roughly 20% of U.S. nurses hold a master’s degree or higher.

With demand for advanced practice nurses currently outpacing supply—due partly to the increasing medical needs of the aging population and a growing number of nurse retirements—more of these nurses will be needed in the future.

Bachelor’s-trained nurses can help meet this demand, and take the next step in their career, by earning a Master of Science in Nursing (MSN). Whether taking the next step means moving into a new role or increasing their salary, an MSN can broaden a nurse’s career opportunities by opening doors to specialized or leadership roles while enhancing their earning potential.

What Determines a Nurse’s Salary?

Various factors can influence a nurse’s salary, including their education and level of experience. The following are some of the most notable variables employers consider when determining how much to pay nurses.

Role

Nurses perform a wide range of functions in healthcare. From providing primary care in physician’s offices, treating critically ill or injured patients in hospital intensive care units, caring for older adults in nursing homes, or developing programs to promote public health in government agencies, a nurse’s particular role or specialization can greatly impact their earnings.

For example, according to January 2025 data from Payscale, family nurse practitioners (FNP) had a median annual salary of approximately $105,900. Psychiatric NPs’ median salary, meanwhile, was about $122,100.

The level of demand for a particular type of nurse professional is a determining factor in their compensation. More and more Americans are seeking out mental healthcare, causing a greater need for specialty trained practitioners. This demand is boosting the salary potential for providers like psychiatric NPs.

Experience

Generally, the more experience a nurse has, the more they tend to earn. Entry-level NPs had a median annual salary of about $98,600 in January 2025, Payscale reports, the median salary of those with one to four years of experience was nearly $10,000 more, and for midcareer NPs it was around $114,100 annually. This steady climb in salary for nurses with more experience is reflected across numerous other nursing roles and specializations.

Region and Work Setting

Where a nurse works—including both the geographic location and the type of facility—can affect their compensation as well. NPs in California, for instance, had a mean annual wage of $161,540, whereas in Pennsylvania, nurse practitioners earned on average $127,450, according to 2023 data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS).

Nurses’ salaries also vary across work settings. NPs who work in hospitals had a median annual wage of $136,050 in 2023, the BLS reports, while those working in doctor’s offices earned $126,270 annually.

Nurse Salary Comparison: BSN vs. MSN Salary

Across industries, education level is a key driver of salary potential, with higher academic achievements often translating into increased earning potential. Master’s degree holders’ median annual salary was nearly $13,000 more than that of those with only a bachelor’s degree, according to 2023 data from the BLS.

This applies in nursing as well. Similar to work experience, in many cases, the more education a nurse has, the more they earn. The median annual salary for an MSN-educated nurse was approximately $104,000 in 2024, according to Payscale. For those with a Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN), on the other hand, it was about $96,000.

Additionally, many MSN students can pursue a concentration within their degree program, such as in education or leadership. Specializing in a particular aspect of nursing can lead to a specialized career path, which may also affect a nurse’s salary.

Ultimately, an MSN’s salary-boosting potential stems from the skills it helps nurses gain and the professional opportunities those skills can lead to.

Other Benefits of Earning an MSN

For nurses pursuing an MSN, a higher salary is just one of the degree’s many potential advantages. Other key benefits of earning an MSN include the following.

Enhanced Knowledge and Skills

While a BSN program lays the groundwork for a nursing career, helping students develop fundamental clinical skills and a strong theoretical foundation in nursing practice, an MSN program builds on that base by advancing a nurse’s specialized practice, research, and leadership abilities.

MSN programs help nurses become more impactful providers by providing them with a holistic understanding of healthcare operations and nursing practice, exploring concepts such as health policy, ethics, evidence-based practice, and leadership strategies.

Competitive Advantage in the Job Market

The medical needs of an increasingly older population, along with the expansion of nurses’ practice authority, have contributed to the growing demand for nurses—particularly for those with advanced education and training. According to the BLS, employment of nurse practitioners is projected to grow by 46% between 2023 and 2033—the third-fastest growth rate among all occupations—creating more than 135,000 new jobs.

Earning an MSN can help nurses stand out from their peers, enabling them to take advantage of a promising labor market.

Career Advancement

Earning an MSN can unlock new employment opportunities for nurses, including roles in leadership and specialized practice. While becoming a nurse practitioner is one of the most common routes for MSN-trained nurses, an MSN can lead to numerous other nursing positions as well, including the following.

Nurse educators train new and aspiring nurses in both clinical and academic settings. They are pivotal to the future of healthcare, with faculty shortages at nursing schools creating an urgent need for qualified nurse educators to bolster academic programs and mentor the next generation of healthcare professionals.
Nurse managers supervise nursing staff within a particular unit, ensuring they comply with established safety practices and regulatory requirements to provide quality patient care. They’re also involved in hiring and training new nurses and often act as a liaison between staff and upper management.
Chief nursing officers (CNO) are typically the highest-ranking nursing professionals within a healthcare organization. They are responsible for overseeing every aspect of nursing practice in the organization, setting policy and ensuring consistency in nursing care. CNOs may also manage budgets and serve as the public face of an organization’s nursing staff.

Elevate Your Future With an MSN

Nurses with advanced skills and expertise are urgently needed across the healthcare industry to provide holistic care to a growing population of patients in need and lead the next generation of nursing professionals. MSN-educated nurses can help meet this demand, developing innovative patient care strategies while helping to guide the nursing profession into the future.

If you’re looking to expand your professional horizons and improve your salary potential, the Master of Science in Nursing program at Wilson College Online can help you achieve your goals. Our program offers concentrations in Education as well as Leadership and Management so you can align your education with your professional aspirations. The program’s flexible, asynchronous courses—with no requirements for clinical hours—is designed for working nurses, allowing you to expedite your education and advance in your career without disrupting your life.

Explore the advantages of a nursing education at Wilson College Online.

Recommended Readings

MSN in Education: Curriculum and Career Opportunities

How to Become a Nurse Manager

Sources:

American Association of Colleges of Nursing, Nursing Faculty Shortage Fact Sheet

American Association of Colleges of Nursing, Nursing Workforce Fact Sheet

American Nurses Association, “Charge Nurse vs. Nurse Manager: What’s the Difference?”

American Nurses Association, “What Is a Chief Nursing Officer/Chief Nurse Executive?”

CNN, “Mental Health Jobs Will Grow 3 Times the Rate of All US Jobs Over the Next Decade”

Payscale, Average Family Nurse Practitioner (NP) Salary

Payscale, Average Nurse Practitioner (NP) Salary