According to the Virginia Department of Health Professions, only 12% of RNs working in the state held a master’s degree in 2013.
However, the rising demand for advanced practice nurses in the clinical environment, and the need for master’s-prepared nurses to fill complex roles in administrative, educational, leadership and research positions is prompting more RNs to enter RN-MSN degree programs in order to qualify for these esteemed positions. RNs that graduate from these progressive MSN programs also gain the added advantage of earning a higher salary.
RNs interested in bolstering their career opportunities and salary potential can locate RN-MSN bridge programs in cities such as Fairfax, Hampton, Lynchburg, Winchester, and Richmond. In addition, there are more than 150 online RN-MSN degree programs for RNs looking for a larger selection of specialized degree options in areas like nursing education, patient care administration, and nursing informatics.
In 2013, the American Association of Colleges of Nurses found that nursing programs in Virginia contributed to the state’s future nursing workforce by:
- Helping to enroll 1,638 students into graduate nursing programs
- Assisting in the graduation of 2,987 students from baccalaureate and graduate nursing programs
- Preparing 953 students for careers as APNs (Advanced Practice Nurses)
Salaries for MSN-Educated Nurses in Virginia
In 2012, the Advance Healthcare Network piloted an education-based salary survey among nurses employed in the Mid-Atlantic and Lower Great Lakes states, including Virginia. The results of this survey showed irrefutable evidence that nurses with MSN degrees earned far greater annual salaries than those with diplomas, ADNs or BSNs:
- Diploma: $58,151/yr.
- ADN Degree: $59,074/yr.
- BSN Degree: $69,253/yr.
- MSN Degree: $81,546/yr.
In 2012, the Virginia Employment Commission released a series of salary reports for APNs working in the state. Pay statistics found therein further cemented the Advance Healthcare Network’s findings that MSN degrees among nurses in Virginia result in high-end salaries:
Nurse Practitioners
- Entry-Level: $67,958/yr. or $32.67/hr.
- Mid-Career: $87,321/yr. or $41.99/hr.
- Experienced: $98,934/yr. or $47.57/hr.
Nurse Anesthetists
- Entry-Level: $90,144/yr. or $43.32/hr.
- Mid-Career: $140,657/yr. or $67.62/hr.
- Experienced: $171,633/yr. or $82.52/hr.
Nurse Midwives
- Entry-Level: $40,285/yr. or $19.36/hr.
- Mid-Career: $62,238/yr. or $29.93/hr.
- Experienced: $80,479/yr. or $38.69/hr.
Nurse Practitioner Salaries in Virginia
Nurse practitioners often find that pay averages can vary depending on their geographic location of employment. In 2013, the United States Bureau of Labor Statistics released the following data to show pay differences among nurse practitioners working in numerous districts of Virginia:
Nurse Anesthetist Salaries in Virginia
Nurse anesthetists generally search for positions in areas that offer the highest pay averages in the state. In 2013, the United States Bureau of Labor Statistics reported the pay averages for nurse anesthetists working in several metropolitan and nonmetropolitan divisions of Virginia:
Nurse Midwife Salaries in Virginia
Metropolitan regions typically employ the largest number of nurse midwives in Virginia. In 2013, the United States Bureau of Labor Statistics found that nurse midwives working in the Washington-Arlington-Alexandria metropolitan division earned the following pay averages:
*These figures represent hourly wages that are at least $90.00 per hour or annual salaries that are at least $187,199. These are the maximum salaries reported by the US Bureau of Labor for Labor Statistics for Virginia.