What is the average yearly income for a nurse?

According to a 2006 study by Allied Physicians Incorporated, there are currently over 2 million nurses holding positions in the United States. The average starting yearly salary for a registered nurse (RN) is $39,000 and a regular RN with three years experience makes an average yearly salary of $47,110. That is quite a growth in salary for three years of experience, definitely higher than the national average. Some nurses, however, choose to attend graduate school. Such nurses will see an even larger pay increase, as is expected with a post-graduate education. RNs with a master's degree earn an average of $49,700 a year in the beginning of their career. After at least three years in a nursing position, the master's level RN earns approximately $59,600 a year to start. Although it is easy to generalize what a nurse with a master's degree may earn, salaries differ greatly where specialties are concerned. Nurses can earn a graduate degree in a host of different specialties. One with a degree in ambulatory care will earn an average yearly income of $44,000. However, a nurse with a degree in nurse management will have the potential to earn an average of $65,000 a year in that field. The highest earning nurse in the health care industry is often the nurse practitioner. Depending on level of degree, the average nurse practitioner earns $45,500 to $72,000. The national average for a nurse in a hospital setting is $45,000, so each department of nursing can obviously differ greatly where yearly salary is concerned. The same 2006 study showed that hospital nurses also differed in salary according to the size of the hospital that is employing the nurses. Showing hourly wage statistics rather than yearly salary, this report compared hospital nurse earnings with how many beds a hospital holds. A nurse who works in a hospital with less than 100 beds makes an average of $17.65 an hour. Nurses who work in a hospital with over 500 beds makes an average of $21 an hour. One can clearly see a sizable difference, although it can be assumed that larger hospitals are found in larger cities, where the cost of living is much higher.