Top 10 Nursing Jobs & Career Pathways

Nursing is a high demand industry with a low supply of workers. That does not mean that these jobs are one size all. Below, in no particular order, are a list of the top ten growing nursing jobs and career pathways today.

1. Surgical Nursing

If you’re interested in making over $80,000 a year, consider being a surgical nurse. Here, you help surgeons perform intense procedures such as organ transplants. Your best shot at this position is if you attain a BSN.

2. Certified RN Anesthetist (CRNA)

A Nurse Anesthetist provides anesthesia care to patients in the same way that an anesthesiologist does. This kind of position requires a BSN typically, but the pay is more than worth it, at an annual rate of $165,000.

3. Nurse Practitioner

If you’re interested in seeking out multiple degrees, you might want to consider being a nurse practitioner. These individuals usually have a Masters or Doctoral degree, which allows them to administer a wider variety of health services. As a result, they often run their own family or adult health clinics, resulting in a high level of pay.

4. Clinical Nurse Specialist

Have you always been good at managing people and resources? Then the position of Clinical Nurse Specialist, or CN, might be a good fit for you. These are usually people with expertise in the diagnosis and management of an illness, and they will oversee an entire case. The pay for a position like this is usually around $80,000 a year.

5. Staff Nurse

A staff nurse is someone who is typically far more involved in patient care than the average nurse, and will help in making a diagnosis based on scientific information. You must be an RN to get a position like this one, and the pay is more than worth it: over $60,000 a year.

6. Flight Nurse

If you like intensity, look into being a flight nurse. You’ll be responsible for helping treat patients on the scene after a plane lands, or en route to other forms of care. If this sounds like the job for you, you’re likely to make over $60,000 annually.

7. Travel Nursing

Like to travel? Check out Travel Nursing. This position requires nurses to travel to remote areas in need of medical assistance, and pays well for it. You can expect to be paid $24 to $42 per hour! RN’s will be able to qualify most easily for this position, but LPNs can also register if the local boards will allow.

8. Military Nursing

Help out your country, and your bank account. Consider being a military nurse! Your pay may be in the ballpark of $45,000 a year and you may be able to get your nursing degree paid for, or even receive another one while in service. You won’t necessarily go abroad, but that is a possibility.

9. Forensic Nursing

Always had a penchant for those CSI shows? You could be part of the process as a forensic nurse. In this position, you would go to the crime scene with investigators to identify injuries, causes of death, and help collect evidence. You can start off getting paid about $35 per hour, and some nurses end up with a pay rate of $100 an hour!

10. Legal Nurse Consultant

Were you always more interested in Law and Order than CSI? Take your spot in the courtroom, and become a legal nurse consultant. Here, you put your nursing smarts to use by testifying in cases that require medical expertise.