Guest post: The 4 highest paying nursing specialties

By Emily Craft

When pursuing a nursing career, it is important to choose the right specialty according to one's interests, which can become one's focus in the future. As there are many specialties available in the field of nursing, it has become more challenging for nurses to choose the right area of expertise after graduating from nursing school. Also, it is important to keep in mind that a candidate has to pass a series of additional exams and undergo rigorous on-the-job training to be qualified for a specialty. Moreover, when deciding on a specialty, the pay should not the lone factor. With that said, provided below are the four highest paying nursing specialties on today's market.

1. Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetist

As a certified registered nurse anesthetist, the main responsibility is to administer the anesthesia to patients who have to undergo surgeries. They work closely with physicians belonging to different medical fields including surgeons, anesthesiologists, podiatrists, general medicine practitioners and even dentists. The average annual salary for this position is $135,000. Based on the nurse's experience and his or her location, the amount of compensation varies.

2. Nurse Researcher

Under this field of specialization, a nurse researcher typically assists with the collection of data in relation to the field of health and medical care. The nurse researcher also plays an important role in forming logical conclusions from the data. Also, she is going to play an important role in understanding the complications of a medical condition in a patient by collaborating with scientists and doctors. The average annual salary of a nurse researcher is $95,000 depending on the level of experience and work location.

3. Psychiatric Nurse Practitioner

Many nurses work under this specialization, and their responsibilities are similar to what a practicing psychiatrist does. A psychiatric nurse also acts as a therapist who is responsible for helping patients to overcome suicidal tendencies, anxiety, depression and other conditions that can be remedied through counseling. A nurse carries out assessment, examination, diagnosis and treatment for patients with mental illnesses. In addition, they performs counseling to the members of the patients' families and provide assistance for the family members to go through these difficult times. The average annual salary of a psychiatric nurse practitioner is $95,000, and this number increases with experience.

4. Certified Nurse Midwife

These nurses function as a primary health care provider for pregnant woman. In most cases, they work with healthy woman who do not have to undergo complicated procedures. They are responsible for taking care of the woman during the process of birth, and they make sure that the patient is able to deliver the child successfully. Certified nurse midwives typically work in hospitals, medical clinics and birthing centers. They perform different types of medical care for woman of all ages. Like their counterparts, their salaries depend on their experience and working locations.

The aforementioned specializations are the top four highest paying specialties in the field of nursing. Before picking a specialty, it is very important for the individual to understand their own areas of interest. In order to the nurse to excel in his or her area of specialization, he or she must tackle the job with passion and interests from within.

Emily Craft is an ER nurse and guest author at Best BSN to MSN Degree Programs, a site with guides and reviews of top-rated BSN to MSN nursing degree programs online.