Healthcare leaders in the US have long recognized the critical importance of having highly educated nurses working as primary care providers. Advanced Practice Registered Nurses (APRNs) are of particular interest to those planning the future of healthcare in the US.
With a master’s degree at minimum, APRNs are highly compensated for their ability to provide comprehensive care to patients. In fact, ARPNs in New Hampshire earned 1.54 to 1.72 more than staff nurses in 2014 according to the state’s Economic and Labor Information Bureau.
The number of MSN-educated nurses in advanced clinical practice, as well as those in leadership roles and education, grew by about 60% between 2007 and 2011 according to the US Department of Health and Human Services.
A number of nursing students in New Hampshire are availing themselves of the opportunity to obtain specialized master’s degrees through RN-MSN bridge programs. In fact, 214 students were enrolled in MSN programs in the state in 2013 according to the American Association of Colleges of Nursing.
In addition to practicing as APRNs, MSN-educated nurses are qualified to become administrators, researchers, informaticists and serve as faculty members in nursing schools.
APRN Salaries Versus Staff RN Salaries in New Hampshire
A New Hampshire Department of Economic and Labor Information Bureau analysis of the salaries of nurse practitioners and nurse midwives demonstrates the significant increase in earning potential for MSN-educated nurses compared to staff nurses who generally have ADNs or BSNs:
Annual Salaries:
Hourly Wages:
Another analysis that demonstrates the value of an MSN to nurses in New Hampshire is that of the Advance Healthcare Network for Nurses. It conducted a survey of the salaries of nurses in New Hampshire and other parts of the northeast in 2012. Nurses in this region who had MSNs earned an average of $13,309 more a year than those with BSNs:
- MSN – $85,974
- BSN – $72,665
The findings of this survey also revealed that MSN-educated nurses in New Hampshire earned more on average than those located in the rest of the northeastern states.
Salaries of Nurse Practitioners Throughout New Hampshire
The US Bureau of Labor Statistics performed a detailed analysis of the salaries of nurse practitioners in New Hampshire’s major cities and several nonmetropolitan areas (2013):