Massachusetts has long been considered a national leader in health care. Part of the reason for this is its highly educated workforce that included 10,352 advanced practice nurses as of 2014, according to the Massachusetts Action Coalition.
APRNs typically have a master’s degree and are highly compensated for their high quality, cost-effective, and accessible care. These professionals have median salaries of 1.27 to 1.9 times that of staff nurses according to the Massachusetts Labor and Workforce Development.
In 2013, there were 2,842 students enrolled in master’s degree programs in Massachusetts according to the American Association of Colleges of Nursing (AACN). MSN programs in Massachusetts range from RN-MSN bridge programs to those designed for nurses with BSNs to obtain the MSN credential that enables them to act as expert clinicians, clinical educators, administrators, and policy consultants.
A Comparison of APRN and Staff Nurse Salaries in Massachusetts
MSN-educated nurses such as APRNs almost uniformly earn more than the staff nurses who typically have ADNs or BSNs. 2013 salary information from Massachusetts Labor and Workforce Development reveals the earning potential that comes with having an MSN:
Further evidence that MSN-educated nurses are paid significantly more than lesser-educated staff nurses in Massachusetts is found in the results of the Advance Healthcare Network for Nurses 2012 salary survey. APRNs in Massachusetts and other parts of the northeast earned 11.3% more on average than staff nurses:
- APRN – $92,757
- Staff Nurse – $83,303
Nurse Practitioner Salaries Throughout Massachusetts
The US Bureau of Labor Statistics provides the salaries of nurse practitioners in a number of regions of Massachusetts in 2013. Those in the New Bedford area were exceptionally well paid:
Salaries for Nurse Anesthetists in Boston and Worcester
Salary data from the US Bureau of Labor Statistics reveals the high salaries that nurse anesthetists earned in Boston and Worcester in 2013. Those in Boston had the highest salaries of such professionals in these two metropolitan areas:
*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 Statistics for nurses in Massachusetts.
Nurse Midwife Salaries in Boston and Springfield
The US Bureau of Labor Statistics provides salary information for nurse midwives in Boston and Springfield (2013). The median salaries in both metropolitan areas were at least $99,790: