Current Average Nurse Salary Levels

It's no secret that becoming a nurse is a great way to make a living. Nurses are in high demand right now and thusly they draw attractive salaries in addition to generous benefit packages including medical, dental and retirement benefits. However, there is some difference in the nurse salary a licensed practical nurse will draw as opposed to the earnings of a nurse practitioner. Understanding the variations can help someone interested in nursing, decide which specialty is right for them.

On the low end of the nurse salary scale are licensed practical nurse (or licensed vocational nurses). The reason this position ranks lower than the others is the training and scope of responsibility that is involved. A LPN or LVN only needs to spend about a year in training. They are not primarily responsible for making diagnosis or determining what course of treatment is right for a patient. A LPN in the United States can expect to earn on average $33,000 per year.

Registered nurses are currently higher in demand than LPNs and therefore make more. The salary that a RN can expect to receive will depend on their specialty as well as the environment in which they work. A stationary RN earns on average $47,000 a year, while a traveling RN can expect to earn more.

Nurse practitioners earn more than RNs because they have additional training as well as more involved responsibilities. The nursing pay rates for NPs vary depending on where they work. For instance, someone who has their own family nurse practitioner practice would likely earn more than a nurse practitioner working in a hospital. The average salary for an experienced NP is $62,000.

It's been predicted that within the next ten to fifteen years the need for qualified nurses will far outweigh the actual number there are. For this reason, it's expected that the nursing wages at all levels will continue to increase.

Nurse practitioners are becoming increasingly popular because they offer virtually the same services as a general practitioner does for a lower cost. Many individuals and families seek out a nurse practitioner which creates a higher demand for individuals skilled in this field. They can expect to see a steady growth in earnings over the foreseeable future.

Another determining factor seems to be the location of the nursing position. Someone who is working in an urban setting, such as a big city hospital or health care center is likely going to earn more than a nurse who works in a rural doctor's office. This is true even if they have exactly the same education and credentials.