Nursing is one of the few well-paying, predominantly female professions; Male nurses make up only 13% of the nursing workforce. Overall, the average RN earns approximately $39.78 per year. Yet, despite holding fewer nursing jobs, men do tend to earn more than women in the field.
According to an American Journal of Nursing study of 294,000 nurses, male RNs tend to earn about $10,000 more per year than their female RN counterparts, although that gap narrows to $5,100 when adjusted for factors like age, education, and specialty.
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Why do male nurses earn more?
A 2017 Medscape RN/LPN Compensation Report found that some differences in the ways male nurses work and interact with their employers could account for the pay gap. These are some of the differences:
- Male nurses were more likely to work overtime hours than female nurses.
- Male nurses more likely to work at inpatient hospitals, which pay more than outpatient settings.
- Male nurses were more likely to negotiate their salaries.
- Male nurses were more likely to work in urban areas, which typically pay more than rural areas due to the cost of living.
- Male nurses take more on-call and high-differential shifts.
How can nurses increase their salaries?
Regardless of your gender or current salary, any nurse could benefit from understanding the key ways to increasing what they can earn. Here are five ways to help increase your pay as a nurse:
Negotiate
A big point where nurses male and female can improve is salary negotiation.
Here are some tips for negotiating your salary:
- Research salaries ahead of time so you know what is realistic for your area.
- Allow the employer to make the first offer.
- Ask for slightly more than you want but know the lowest amount you can accept.
- Consider the whole compensation package (benefits, vacation time, etc.) as these can add significant value.
Take on more responsibility
If you enjoy your current workplace but want to increase your salary, try taking on more responsibility. Shift leader, charge nurse, nurse educator or manager, or preceptor positions usually come with a bump in earnings. Many facilities prefer to hire from within for these positions so you will already have an advantage.
Take on per diem shifts
Per diem nursing allows you to have flexible side gig outside your full-time role. You can grab extra shifts at your hospital or another employer of your own choosing. You also decide when you want to work.
Pursue advanced education or certification
If you are open to continuing your education, advanced practice nurses like Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetists, Mental Health Nurse Practitioners, Pediatric Nurse Practitioners, and Family Nurse Practitioners make the most money out of all nurses.
Explore different areas of practice
Salaries between specialties vary greatly. If a larger salary is your goal, try exploring different specialties to see if they are a good fit.
Some of the highest-paying RN specialties include Cardiac Electrophysiology Lab Nurse, Catheterization Lab Nurse, Pain Management Nurse, and PICU Nurse.
Explore different locations
Wages can vary dramatically between regions. If relocating is an option for you, consider higher-paying states or cities to earn more – but make sure to factor in cost-of-living in each of those areas.
Nurses in the Pacific region earn significantly more than nurses in the East South-Central region. Although the cost of living is higher, the salary difference can be up to 58%.
💰 RN salaries
🍑 Atlanta, GA ($76k/year) | 🦞 Boston, MA ($99k/year)
🤠 Dallas, TX ($78k/year) | 🏔 Denver, CO ($79k/year)
🎲 Las Vegas, NV ($93k/year) | 🏄 Los Angeles, CA ($113k/year)
Free RN Salary Calculator
If you want to figure out how much you can potentially make as a male RN or female RN, or to see what nurses are making in your area and around the country, check out Incredible Health’s Nurse Salary Estimator.
Top nursing jobs on Incredible Health
🏥 Nursing Supervisor – Emergency Department
Lawrenceville, GA |
🏥 Registered Nurse – Case Management
Winter Haven, FL | $49,900 to $80,000 /year
🏥 Registered Nurse – NICU
Azle, TX | $54,000 to $105,000 /year
🏥 Registered Nurse – Orthopedics
Petaluma, CA | $60,000 to $118,000 /year
🏥 Registered Nurse – Palliative Care
Temple, TX | $54,000 to $100,000 /year
Sources
- “In Nursing It Still Pays More to Be a Man” journals.lww.com. Accessed May 11, 2022
- “Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics.” bls.gov. Accessed Jan. 31, 2022.
