Salaries for North Carolina’s MSN-Educated Nurses

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According to the United States Department of Labor, in 2014 registered nurses holding BSN degrees earned $60,030, while MSN-educated nurses in advanced practice roles earned as much as $90,000 more on average:

  • Nurse anesthetists: $155,380
  • Nurse midwives: $89,100
  • Nurse practitioners: $96,020

In that same year, North Carolina became nationally recognized as a high-paying state for MSN-educated nurses. For example:

  • The Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton area was the fifth highest paying metropolitan area for nurse anesthetists in the country. The 70 nurse anesthetists practicing here earned $223,610 annually.
  • The Other North Carolina nonmetropolitan area was the fifth highest paying nonmetropolitan area for nurse anesthetists in the country. The 90 nurse anesthetists employed here collected $197,150 annually.
  • The Western Central nonmetropolitan area was the fourth highest paying nonmetropolitan area for nurse practitioners in the country. The 180 working here received $116,490 annually.

The Pay Benefits for Experienced MSN-Educated Nurses in North Carolina

The American Association of Colleges of Nursing has stressed the need for MSN-educated nurses to gain experience in settings outside of hospitals, encouraging them to complete clinical experiences in community-based sites, private homes, and clinics.

In 2014, the United States Department of Labor released the following pay statistics to illustrate how experience affects salaries for MSN-educated nurses in North Carolina:

Nursing Instructor and Teacher, Postsecondary

  • Entry-level: $43,700
  • Mid-career: $60,100
  • Experienced: $89,900

Nurse Anesthetist

  • Entry-level: $108,700
  • Mid-career: $148,500
  • Experienced: $187,200+

Nurse Midwife

  • Entry-level: $69,000
  • Mid-career: $88,700
  • Experienced: $114,800

Nurse Practitioner

  • Entry-level: $70,900
  • Mid-career: $92,600
  • Experienced: $123,600

An Analysis of Nurse-Anesthetist Salaries in North Carolina

Nurse anesthetists are the highest paid MSN-educated nurses in North Carolina. Even further, in 2014 the United States Department of Labor reported that North Carolina’s nonmetropolitan districts were among the highest paying places in the state for nurse anesthetists:

Area name
Employment
Annual mean wage
Asheville NC
170
135090
Charlotte-Gastonia-Rock Hill NC-SC
670
159640
Fayetteville NC
60
165630
Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton NC
70
223610
Raleigh-Cary NC
480
127160
Winston-Salem NC
220
160590
Northeastern North Carolina nonmetropolitan area
80
173830
Other North Carolina nonmetropolitan area
90
197150
Western Central North Carolina nonmetropolitan area
160
160000
Western North Carolina nonmetropolitan area
50
178080

*These salaries are equal to or greater than $90 an hour or $187,199 a year. The US Bureau of Labor Statistics does not report salary data higher than these values.

An Analysis of Nurse-Midwife Salaries in North Carolina

The Charlotte-Gastonia-Rock Hill is the largest metropolitan area in North Carolina, which also makes the region a major employer for nurse midwives in the state. In 2014, the United States Department of Labor found this urban epicenter paid nurse midwives $68,340 annually. Additional salary details for this area are follows:

Area name
Employment
Annual mean wage
Charlotte-Gastonia-Rock Hill NC-SC
30
68340

An Analysis of Nurse Practitioner Salaries in North Carolina

In 2014, the United States Department of Labor reported that Goldsboro, Jacksonville, and the Northeastern nonmetropolitan area were among the highest-paying communities for nurse practitioners in North Carolina. Nurse practitioners that landed positions here were offered over $100,000 annually:

Area name
Employment
Annual mean wage
Asheville NC
220
95110
Charlotte-Gastonia-Rock Hill NC-SC
490
98620
Durham-Chapel Hill NC
530
87110
Fayetteville NC
60
92000
Goldsboro NC
40
103850
Greensboro-High Point NC
190
93450
Greenville NC
160
99910
Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton NC
140
96670
Jacksonville NC
40
110890
Raleigh-Cary NC
430
94120
Rocky Mount NC
40
97240
Wilmington NC
170
92960
Winston-Salem NC
260
96900
Northeastern North Carolina nonmetropolitan area
90
109100
Other North Carolina nonmetropolitan area
230
97660
Western Central North Carolina nonmetropolitan area
180
116490
Western North Carolina nonmetropolitan area
110
82900

*These salaries are equal to or greater than $90 an hour or $187,199 a year. The US Bureau of Labor Statistics does not report salary data higher than these values.

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