People should go into nursing out of a genuine desire to help others, but there’s nothing wrong with looking at salaries as well. The beauty of nursing is that it is so diverse, and there are so many directions you can go in, even if all you have is a bachelor’s degree.
BSN nurses are in high demand right now, and facilities around the country are ready to pay top dollar for them. If you are thinking of getting a BSN in nursing and want to know what opportunities there are out there for you, here are some of the highest-paying careers you can pursue with a nursing BSN degree.
Informatics nurse
The world will need nurses who can use and understand technology in the next coming years and informatics nurses will play a very crucial role in healthcare. As an informatics nurse, you will serve as a liaison between the IT department and the hospital staff. You will also be gathering information, analyzing data, and using that data to provide better outcomes for patients
Informatics nurses can stand to make as much as $80,000 per year. This could be a great field to move into if you already have a background in informatics too.
Pharmaceutical nurse
The pharmaceutical industry routinely hires nurses. They are often involved in research, clinical trials, or sales. RNs who work as pharmaceutical nurses can earn up to $86,400, and it is one of the highest-paid positions that you can get without a master’s or a doctorate.
If you decide to work as a sales representative, know that you don’t necessarily need a bachelor’s degree. You don’t even need to be a nurse or healthcare professional, but having a bachelor’s in your back pocket will open a lot of doors for you and make you a much more credible and efficient salesperson.
Travel nurse
Travel nursing is not only one of the most lucrative careers, but it’s also one of the most interesting careers that you can get with a BSN degree. As a travel nurse, you’ll be called to travel around the country and even around the globe to fill staffing or skill gaps.
You could be hailed as a savior depending on your assignments which will fill you with a sense of pride and purpose. Another great thing about being a travel nurse is the variety. You’ll always be thrust into different situations and will have to adapt. This is great for nurses who love a challenge. The average travel nurse makes around $78,046 per year.
Operating room nurse
Operating room nurses also have a very interesting job and are there to assist patients before they have to undergo surgery. They have to provide medical assistance to them, prepare them psychologically for surgery, and be able to educate them on the procedure.
You might also need to educate the patient’s family and alleviate some of the fears they may have. This is a great job for anyone who enjoys human contact and is a naturally great communicator. The average pay for operating room nurses is around $74,713 per month.
Legal nurse consultant
There are also many non-clinical nursing positions that you can fill with nothing but a BSN degree and they tend to pay very well too. One example is a legal nurse consultant. As a legal nurse consultant, your job will be to work in close relation with law firms. You might work independently, but many firms around the country keep nurses on their payroll.
Firms that are specialized in malpractice cases, for example, will need to have nurses on their staff to make out some of the medical jargon involved. Nurses will also play a critical role when it comes to extracting valuable information from medical records and irregularities that would go way above the head of the average legal professional. It’s estimated that the average pay for legal nurse consultants is $78,046.
Critical care nurse
Critical care nursing is one of the most demanding jobs in the field and it’s one of the reasons why critical care nurses are paid so handsomely. It’s estimated that the average critical care nurse makes around $73,549, and believe us, they deserve every dollar they make.
Critical care nurses are there to assist patients who are dealing with life-threatening injuries or conditions. It takes nerves of steel to work as a critical care nurse, and you will routinely be faced with tragedy. You will still need to show a strong face through it all for the sake of the patients you’re dealing with.
If you feel you have the disposition to work as a critical care nurse, this could be an extremely fulfilling position for you, especially when you manage to save someone’s life, which you’ll have the opportunity to do often as a CC nurse.
ER nurse
You should also know that you always have the option of working as an emergency room nurse. ER nurses have to be able to deal with unpredictable and gruesome cases daily. They also have to perform well under pressure and may have to make life or death decisions in seconds in some cases.
ER nurses are paid very well, with the average salary being around $67,434. This number doesn’t tell the full story, however, as there are great disparities between different parts of the country and facilities in terms of salary.
Final words
A BSN degree could make you a great candidate for all sorts of positions, and many of them pay very well, as you can see. So, don’t hesitate to give the program a closer look and see where you could apply your skills and aptitudes the best.
