Masters Degree in Nursing
Masters Degree in Nursing – Facts
If an applicant for a master´s degree program has a bachelor´s degree in nursing, the degree can be completed in 18 to 24 months. There are special three year accelerated programs that allow nurses with an associate´s degree to complete the coursework for the bachelor´s degree while earning their masters. The first year of the program is devoted to bachelor degree coursework. Applicants with a non nursing bachelor of arts degree can also enroll in the accelerated program. Required coursework varies with specialty and some programs, like nurse practitioner, may require applied experience like an internship.
Top Schools Offering a Masters Degree in Nursing
The top five schools for a master´s in nursing are the University of California at San Francisco, the University of Pennsylvania at Philadelphia, the University of Washington at Seattle, John Hopkins University and the University of Michigan at Ann Arbor. Since there is a chronic shortage of qualified nurses, financial aid is more readily available to students in nursing programs. There are scholarship programs and state and federal governments offer financial assistance programs which can make tuition more affordable.
Work Possible with a Masters Degree in Nursing
Nursing is a field with many possibilities and graduates with a masters degree in nursing may choose to work as nurse practitioners, nurse midwives, researchers or clinicians. A specialty in management and administration allows nurses to seek leadership positions like director of nursing. Some nurses may chose to specialize in fields like surgery, cardiac care, trauma and intensive care. Nurse practitioners and nurse midwives can work in a hospital setting or in a physician´s office where they are responsible for patient examinations and routine care.
Salary and Outlook in Nursing
The salary range for experienced nurse practitioners is between $66,000 per year and $98,000 per year. The median salary for a director of nursing is $83,740 per year and the median salary for nurse midwives is $90,000 per year. Although salaries may be somewhat effected by geography, nurses are in high demand in all areas of the country and employers are offering compensation and benefits to attract job candidates.
At this time there are more nursing positions than there are qualified nurses and the job growth rate for nurses is expected to grow at the rate of about 16% over the next decade. Nurses are in demand in hospitals and healthcare facilities, physician´s offices and public health agencies. As a result, graduates can expect to find employment immediately.