Data compiled by the American Association of Colleges of Nursing (AACN) shows that 1,689 nurses in Arizona were enrolled in graduate programs in 2013. Many of these graduate students were practicing RNs who had returned to school to complete RN-MSN programs with specialty tracks in advanced clinical practice, clinical leadership, administration, public health, informatics and nurse education.
The monetary advantages of a graduate level education are underscored by the results of the 2012 national salary survey conducted by the Advance Network of Nurses, which revealed earnings for nurses based on level of education. The results showed MSN-educated nurses in the Western states earning nearly $12,000 each year on average more than those with a BSN.
Those licensed as Advanced Practice Registered Nurses (APRN) earned $15,000 more than their BSN-educated colleagues:
- BSN – $75,973
- MSN – $87,933
- APRN – $90,975
Nurse Practitioner Salaries in Arizona
The US Department of Labor’s Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) reports the following salaries for nurse practitioners in Arizona (2013).
Salaries vary with location. The following table shows the results of the BLS survey of nurse practitioner salaries in various Arizona cities/regions. The Bureau noted that Yuma is the nation’s seventh highest paying metropolitan area for this occupation:
Nurse Anesthetist Salaries in Arizona
The BLS lists salaries for nurse anesthetists in Arizona as follows (2013):
In comparison, the national average nurse anesthetist annual salary at the 75th percentile level is $157,690.
The following BLS table reports nurse anesthetist salaries in various cities/regions of Arizona:
*Earnings are at or above $187,199 per year and $90 per hour. The US Department of Labor, Bureau of Labor Statistics does not report salaries in Arizona higher than the values shown here.
Nurse Midwife Salaries in Arizona
In 1957, Arizona was one of the first states to recognize nurse midwives. Today these professionals are licensed to attend to home births, including high-risk deliveries. Although still less than 10 percent of total births, home births in Arizona increased 80 percent between 2002 and 2012.
The US Bureau of Labor Statistics reports the following salaries for nurse midwives in Arizona (2013).
By comparison, the national averages for nurse midwives that year were: