Healthcare
Clinical Nurse Specialists
Direct nursing staff in the provision of patient care in a clinical practice setting, such as a hospital, hospice, clinic, or home. Ensure adherence to established clinical policies, protocols, regulations, and standards.
Median salary (BLS)
$97,550
10th–90th percentile (BLS)
$69k – $137k
Job outlook
+5% (faster than average)
AI exposure
The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reports one wage for this occupational group, which covers 4 related roles — so read the median as an approximate group figure, and the range as the truer picture for this specific title. BLS source.
Early-career check: graduates of the matching programs below typically earn $93,000 ten years after starting college — an early-career figure, vs. the all-experience BLS median above. Source: U.S. Dept. of Education College Scorecard.
Plan a path to Clinical Nurse Specialists
Education
Typical entry: Master's degree
Plan my path to this →How to qualify
License requiredCost to qualify
$6,300–$80,650
Time to qualify
2.2 yr
Renewal
$75/yr
- 1
Nursing degree (ADN or BSN)
Degree2-year associate or 4-year bachelor's in nursing from an accredited program.
$6,000–$80,000 · 2 years source
- 2
- 3
State RN license
LicenseApply to your state board of nursing after passing the NCLEX.
$100–$300 · 1 months · varies by state · renews every 2 yr source
Which occupations require a license and in which states: CareerOneStop License Finder (U.S. DOL). Costs/hours are curated estimates that vary by state and change — see each step's official source.
Typical progression
Junior Clinical Nurse Specialists
Entry / Junior
$68,940
~2 yrs to advance
Clinical Nurse Specialists
Established
$97,550
~3 yrs to advance
Senior Clinical Nurse Specialists
Senior
$117,510
Key skills
A typical day
- •Provide specialized direct and indirect care to inpatients and outpatients within a designated specialty, such as obstetrics, neurology, oncology, or neonatal care.
- •Collaborate with other health care professionals and service providers to ensure optimal patient care.
- •Read current literature, talk with colleagues, or participate in professional organizations or conferences to keep abreast of developments in nursing.
- •Develop, implement, or evaluate standards of nursing practice in specialty area, such as pediatrics, acute care, and geriatrics.
- •Maintain departmental policies, procedures, objectives, or infection control standards.
Fields of study
Any field
Top colleges for Healthcare
Explore all- Johns Hopkins University7% admit · $93,000 grad pay
- Harvard University4% admit · $119,000 grad pay
- University of Michigan18% admit · $87,000 grad pay
- Duke University6% admit · $105,000 grad pay
- University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill19% admit · $73,000 grad pay
Reputation-based selection; stats shown are outcome data per school.