When you get a higher degree in your field, you’re automatically qualified for more high-paying jobs. One of the other perks is that you can afford to be slightly less flexible with your location desires, since you’ll likely receive more job offers no matter where you live. As a nurse practitioner, this is often the case, since many hospitals and other healthcare facilities are hiring nurses in these advanced positions to take over some tasks traditionally done by doctors.

Still, you might find it hard to find a job depending on your specialty or the type of employer you want. To increase your chances of getting that perfect job, start by applying in states that hire the most nurses, in relation to general population. According to the United States Department of Labor’s Bureau of Labor Statistics, those states are as follows:

• South Dakota: 10,010 nurses hired (2.528 percent of the population)
• Massachusetts: 79,670 nurses hired (2.463 percent of the population)
• Mississippi: 27,350 nurses hired (2.403 percent of the population)
• Rhode Island: 11,360 nurses hired (2.374 percent of the population)
• West Virginia: 16,910 nurses hired (2.356 percent of the population)

In all of these states, the average salaries for nurses range from $52,000 to $80,000, and with your master’s degree in nursing as a nurse practitioner, you can expect to make at least that, if not more. If salary concerns you, though, you should perhaps look to the states that pay their nurses the most money. As of 2008, those were the following states:

• California: $83,040 per year, on average
• Massachusetts: $79,390 per year, on average
• Hawaii: $77,950 per year, on average
• Maryland: $74,370 per year, on average
• New York: $73,160 per year, on average

Again, this data was compiled for all nurses, so those averages reflect salaries of LPNs and RNs with just their associate’s of bachelor’s degrees. With your master’s degree, you can command a much higher price, so many nurse practitioners find that they make more money than average, even within just a few years of graduation from an MSN program.

There’s also always a higher demand for medical staff members in cities than in more rural areas, in most cases. Moving to a city opens you up for more numerous job opportunities, many of which come attached to higher paychecks. Some of the metropolitan areas that hire the most nurses include the following:

• Rochester, Minnesota
• Gainesville, Florida
• La Crosse, Wisconsin/Minnesota
• Johnstown, Pennsylvania
• Cumberland, Maryland/West Virginia

The highest-paying jobs, however, can be found in the following metropolitan areas:

• San Jose – Sunnyvale – Santa Clara, California: $104,400 per year, on average
• Visalia – Porterville, California: $103,660 per year, on average
• San Francisco – San Mateo – Redwood City, California: $96,700 per year, on average
• Oakland – Fremont – Hayward, California: $96,150 per year, on average
• Napa, California: $88,970 per year, on average

With your MSN degree, the sky really is the limit when it comes to finding a job you love with a salary deserving of your time and educational level. Remember, some employers will even pay for you to go on to get your doctorate with tuition reimbursement programs, so consider all of your job options carefully before you accept an offer.

Nowadays, earning an advanced nursing degree online from the comfort of your own home is quite simple. The following schools are tops in the nation in terms of delivering a quality, accredited online nursing practition education.

MSN - Clinical Nursing MSN - Family Nursing MSN - Nurse Admin MSN - Women's Health More...	University of Cincinnati — The MS in nursing degree program with a specialization in women's health practice offered online by the University of Cincinnati is geared toward nursing students wanting to receive expert training on women's health issues. Cincinnati also offers many other nurse practitioner degree programs, including MSN specialties in clinical nursing, nurse administration, family nursing, nurse midwifery, and mental health nursing.
MSN for Nurse Practitioners	South University — South University has built a reputation on class flexibility and affordability and their general MSN program for nurse practitioners is no exception. This program is ideal for busy working healthcare nurses and professionals looking for advancement in their respective careers.
MS in Nursing MSN / MBA Dual Degree MSN / MHA Dual Degree MSN - Health Education MSN - Health Informatics	University of Phoenix — The Master of Science in nursing for nurse practitioners from the University of Phoenix is a flexible online program from an accredited school. Students will learn advanced nursing skills, finance, change management, and evidence-based nursing research. Upon completion, graduates will be well prepared to advance their nursing careers. MSN specialties are offered in health education and health informatics. Dual degrees (MSN + MBA and MSN + MHA) are also available.
MSN for Nurse Practitioners - Acute Care	Liberty University — Liberty's Master of Science degree program in nursing is geared toward individuals interested in acute care nursing. Students of this program will be trained to become a clinical nursing specialist (CNS) in acute care. Liberty University is the largest online evangelical Christian university in the nation.
RN to MSN - Practitioner MSN - Nurse Education MSN - Nurse Leadership	Gonzaga University — Gonzaga's RN to MSN degree program will dutifully prepare anyone for a career as a nurse practitioner. Students of this program learn administrative, human capital management, financial, ethical, and legal skills. Other programs are offered in nurse education and health systems leadership.
MS in Nursing - RN Track RN to MSN - Informatics RN to MSN - Education RN to MSN - Leadership	Walden University — The Walden School of Nursing offers several unique master's in nursing degree programs for the aspiring nurse practitioner. For those RNs who have already obtained their BSN degrees, there are multiple fast-track MSN programs offered that will get you on the path to your degree as fast as possible. MSN specialty programs are available in subjects like informatics, education, and leadership.
MSN - Adult Acute Care MSN - Adult Psych Care MSN - Clinical Trials MSN - Nursing Leadership	Drexel University — Drexel's MSN - adult acute care nurse practitioner program is geared toward preparing students for professional nursing practice with acutely ill patients. Graduates of this program can find careers in several settings, including ICUs, clinics, emergency departments, medical research laboratories, and more. Programs are also available in adult psychiatric care, clinical trials, and nursing leadership.
MSN - Nurse Educator MSN - Nurse Educator Bridge	Capella University — The master's degree in nursing education is taught in two flavors by Capella University. The regular MSN in nursing education is geared toward nurses with a BSN under their belts. They also offer an MSN bridge degree in nursing education that is designed for bachelor's degree holders in other subjects not related to nursing.
MS in Nursing	Benedictine University — The online Master of Science degree in nursing program from Benedictine University prepares students to become nurse educators, leaders, administrators, case coordinators, managed care consultants, and more. This program is regionally accredited by the Higher Learning Commission (HLC).
MSN - Nurse Admin MSN - Nurse Education	Kaplan University — The MSN nurse administration and nurse education degree programs from Kaplan allows nurses with bachelor's degrees to take their careers to the next level. Students of these programs will learn advanced nursing theory, health policy, evidence-based decision making, financing, and more.
MSN - Nurse Education MSN/MBA - Leadership MSN - Nursing Leadership	Grand Canyon University — Grand Canyon University is always worth a look for students seeking a well-rounded education that integrates the ideals of the Christian belief set. GCU is not only one of the most renowned Christian universities in the nation, but also offers a variety of graduate-level nursing degrees for students to choose from, including nursing education and nursing leadership (also with an MBA option).
RN to MSN Bridge MSN - Health Mgmt	Loyola University of New Orleans — Two online degree programs are offered at Loyola University of New Orleans for aspiring nurse practitioners. Their RN to MSN bridge program covers topics of leadership, community health, health promotion, and professional development to help prepare students for careers as nurse practitioners. Loyola also offers an online MSN degree in health care systems management.
MSN - Clinical Leadership	St. Xavier University — The online MSN program from St. Xavier University has a focus on clinical nurse leadership, ideal for any student who is looking for an advanced nursing role within the healthcare industry. Nurse leaders help identify, design, implement, and evaluate critical administrative processes to enhance patient care.
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