With a critical shortage of nurses looming throughout the country, MSN-educated nursing professionals such as advanced practice nurses are increasingly in demand. These professionals are extremely well compensated for their advanced skills. For instance, APRNs in Nebraska earned salaries that were 1.55 to 2.49 times higher than that of staff nurses that typically have BSN or ADN degrees according, to the Nebraska Department of Labor.
APRNs are in short supply in Nebraska according to a 2008 survey of nurses conducted by the Nebraska Center for Nursing. At that time, 38 of Nebraska’s rural counties did not have any ARPNs, indicating a major shortage of primary care providers in these areas.
A number of residents of Nebraska are availing themselves of a graduate-level education in nursing to help fill this void. There were 670 students enrolled in MSN programs in 2013 according to the American Association of Colleges of Nursing. Nearly 270 nurses were expected to graduate with an MSN in 2013 according to the Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services.
A Salary Comparison of APRNs and Staff Nurses in Nebraska
Salary data from the Nebraska Department of Labor for 2014 reveals the dramatic increase in the earning potential for nurses with MSNs such as APRNs compared to that of staff nurses who typically have an ADN or BSN as their highest degree:
The Advance Healthcare Network provides additional data that demonstrates the substantially higher salaries that APRNs in Nebraska earn. Its 2012 salary survey of nurses throughout the Midwest revealed that APRNs made $31,941 a year more than staff nurses on average:
- APRN – $87,608
- Staff Nurse – $55,667
Nurse Practitioners Salaries in Nebraska’s Key Regions
The US Bureau of Labor Statistics provides salary information for nurse practitioners throughout Nebraska for 2013. It revealed that these nurses had substantially higher salaries when they were located in the central nonmetropolitan area of the state:
Nurse Anesthetist Salaries in Nebraska
Salary data from the US Bureau of Labor Statistics revealed that the median income for nurse anesthetists in the western nonmetropolitan part of Nebraska was 17% higher than that for professionals in the next highest paying region (2013):
*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 in Nebraska by the US Bureau of Labor Statistics.