What Jobs Can You Get with a Nursing Degree?

Updated 1/9/26

A nursing degree opens the door to healthcare opportunities all over the world. From delivering babies to caring for patients with chronic illnesses, registered nurses and advanced practice nurses work in a wide range of settings. You will find them in physicians' offices, hospitals, home care, nursing homes, schools, outpatient care centers, and community health settings.

Without a degree in nursing, your career options are limited. But with a nursing degree, the opportunities are plentiful. The nursing profession offers strong job satisfaction, competitive salaries, and the chance to make a real difference in people's lives every day.

Whether you are just starting out or looking to advance with a bachelor's degree or higher, understanding the full range of nursing degree jobs can help you plan your nursing career path with confidence.

Here's What You Can Do with a Nursing Degree

1. Registered Nurse (RN)

Median Salary: $93,600 Number of Jobs: 3.4 million Job Growth: 5% (2024-2034)

Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics, May 2024

Registered nurses are in high demand nationwide. This career offers excellent pay and many options for where you can work. As a registered nurse, you provide and coordinate patient care, teach patients about their health conditions, and offer emotional support to patients and their families.

Registered nurses work in hospitals, physicians' offices, nursing homes, home health care, and outpatient care centers. Many nurses work on a healthcare team with physicians and other healthcare specialists. Some registered nurses supervise licensed practical nurses and nursing assistants.

Your daily work as a registered nurse might include:

• Checking on patient health and needs
• Creating and following nursing care plans
• Administering medication and treatments
• Recording patient symptoms and medical history
• Running medical equipment
• Helping patients and families cope with illness

Nurses work in so many different places. In an intensive care unit, you monitor critically ill patients and use life-saving equipment. In outpatient clinics, you teach patients how to manage ongoing health issues. Home health nurses provide compassionate care right in patients' homes.

To become a registered nurse, you need to finish an accredited nursing education program and pass the NCLEX-RN exam. You can start with an associate degree in nursing, but earning your bachelor's degree opens more doors. Many healthcare facilities now prefer or require a BSN degree, especially for leadership roles.

The Bureau of Labor Statistics projects about 189,100 registered nurse job openings each year through 2034. This makes now a great time to start your nursing career.

2. Nurse Practitioner

Median Salary: $132,050 Number of Jobs: 382,700 (all APRNs) Job Growth: 35% (2024-2034)

Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics, May 2024

Want to take your nursing career to the next level? As a nurse practitioner, you can diagnose patients, order tests, and prescribe medications. This advanced practice registered nurse role offers greater responsibility and higher pay.

Nurse practitioners usually focus on a specific patient population. You might become a family nurse practitioner, work with elderly patients as an adult-gerontology provider, or help people with psychiatric-mental health conditions. Other options include pediatrics, women's health, or acute care.

Depending on your state's laws, you may work with a physician or practice on your own. Either way, nurse practitioners play a key role in patient care. With the healthcare industry facing a shortage of primary care providers, nurse practitioners help fill that gap in communities across the nation.

You will need an advanced degree to become a nurse practitioner. Many employers now prefer candidates with a doctoral degree. The investment in education pays off with higher salaries and more career options.

3. Certified Nurse Midwife

Median Salary: $128,790 Number of Jobs: 7,000+ Job Growth: 35% (2024-2034)

Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics, May 2024

More people want personal, natural approaches to childbirth. That makes this a great time to become a certified nurse-midwife. As an advanced practice registered nurse in this field, you help with all parts of pregnancy and birth. Many nurse midwives also provide women's health care throughout their patients' lives.

You can find nurse midwife jobs in physicians' offices, hospitals, birthing centers, and community health settings. In many states, certified nurse midwives can run their own practices.

Beyond delivering newborn babies, certified nurse midwives offer:

• Prenatal care and education
• Labor and delivery support
• Care for mothers after birth
• Newborn care
• Family planning help
• Women's health exams

A graduate degree is required for this role. If you feel drawn to helping women and families during one of life's most special moments, this nursing specialty can be deeply rewarding.

4. Nurse Educator

Median Salary: $80,780 Number of Jobs: 60,000+ Job Growth: 21% (2024-2034)

Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics, May 2024

Do you love teaching? Becoming a nurse educator might be perfect for you. There is a big shortage of nursing faculty right now, which means qualified nurse educators are in high demand.

Nurse educators work in colleges, universities, and hospital training departments. You teach patient care skills, create lesson plans, grade student work, and help prepare the next generation of registered nurses and other nursing professionals.

Most nurse educator jobs require at least a master's degree. Having a doctoral degree can help you land the best positions and advance in your career. If you want to shape the future of nursing, this path lets you make a lasting impact.

5. Healthcare Services Manager or Clinical Nurse Specialist

Median Salary: $117,960 Number of Jobs: 500,000+ Job Growth: 23% (2024-2034)

Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics, May 2024

Ready to move into nursing leadership? These roles let you shape how healthcare gets delivered.

A clinical nurse specialist is an advanced practice registered nurse who serves as an expert in a specific area. You might focus on oncology nursing, cardiac care, pediatrics, or psychiatric-mental health nursing. Clinical nurse specialists help other nurses improve patient care across their units. They combine direct patient care with teaching, research, and consulting.

Healthcare services managers (also called nurse administrators) handle the business side of healthcare. As a nurse manager or nurse administrator, you might run a department, lead a team of clinical nurses, or manage an entire facility. Some nurses rise to become a chief nursing officer, leading all nursing operations for a hospital or health system.

These leadership roles need both clinical knowledge and business skills. If you have a bachelor's degree and want to advance, earning your master's degree or doctoral degree can prepare you for these high-level positions.

Other Nursing Careers Worth Considering

Your nursing degree can lead to many other paths:

• Public Health Nurse: Work in community health settings to improve the health of whole populations. A public health nurse often works for government agencies or nonprofits, focusing on disease prevention and health education.
• School Nurse: Care for students in K-12 schools, manage health records, and support children's physical and mental health needs. A school nurse is often the main health resource for students and families.
• Oncology Nurse: Specializes in caring for cancer patients, giving treatments like chemotherapy, and providing emotional support to patients and families throughout their treatment journey.
• Travel Nurse: Work at different healthcare facilities across the country while earning premium pay. Travel nurses gain diverse experience as they explore new places.
• Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetist: One of the highest-paid nursing specialties. You work with surgeons in hospitals and outpatient care centers, administering anesthesia during procedures. This role requires a doctoral degree.
• Legal Nurse Consultant: Use your clinical expertise to help attorneys with medical cases and review patient records.
• Nursing Informatics Specialist: Bridge the gap between nursing practice and health information technology. These specialists help healthcare facilities use data to improve patient care.

What Education Do You Need?

Your career goals will shape the education you need:

• Licensed Practical Nurse (LPN): About one year of training through a nursing diploma program. You provide basic patient care under the supervision of registered nurses and physicians.
• Registered Nurse (RN): An associate degree or bachelor's degree in nursing. Both let you take the NCLEX-RN exam, but a bachelor's degree opens more doors for advancement. Many hospitals now require nurses to earn their BSN.
• Advanced Practice Registered Nurse (APRN): A master's degree or doctoral degree is required. This includes nurse practitioners, certified nurse midwives, certified registered nurse anesthetists, and clinical nurse specialists.
• Nurse Executive: Usually, a master's degree or higher is required. Many chief nursing officers hold doctoral degrees to prepare for top leadership roles.

Your Nursing Future Looks Bright

The Bureau of Labor Statistics projects strong growth for nursing careers through 2034. An aging population needs more healthcare services, including care for elderly patients with chronic conditions. Nurses who retire need to be replaced. This means steady demand for qualified nursing professionals for years to come.

Advanced practice registered nurses are especially in demand. The labor statistics show 35 percent job growth for nurse practitioners, certified nurse midwives, and certified registered nurse anesthetists through 2034. That is much faster than average.

The numbers tell a clear story about nursing salaries:

• Registered nurses: $93,600 median salary
• Advanced practice registered nurses: $132,050 median salary
• Nurse administrators: $117,960 median salary
• Nurse educators: $80,780 median salary

With more education and experience, many nurses earn well above these median figures.

Take the Next Step with CCU

At Colorado Christian University, nursing is more than a profession. It is a ministry. CCU's School of Nursing and Health Professions helps you grow both professionally and spiritually as you prepare for your healthcare career.

Whether you want to complete your RN to BSN online while you work, or earn your Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) to reach the highest level of clinical practice, CCU has a path for you. All programs integrate faith and learning, preparing you to practice nursing as ministry while developing the skills employers value most.

With flexible online formats designed for working adults, you can advance your nursing career without putting your life on hold. If you feel called to serve others through nursing, CCU is ready to help you take the next step.