Impact Lives

Master of Science in Nursing Career Outlook

It’s a great time to be a nurse. The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics expects nursing career outlook to grow 9 percent through 2029.1

It’s also a great time to earn an advanced nursing degree from Benedictine University. Factors like a national nursing shortage, changing patient demographics and a significant number of nurses nearing retirement age2 mean nurse leaders are in high demand.

Hospitals Seek Nurses With Advanced Credentials

Health care facilities across the country are seeking a more educated nursing workforce. For example, many hospitals now require a certain percentage of nurses on staff to have earned master’s degrees.

According to the latest workforce study by the National Council of State Boards of Nursing, only 64.2% of registered nurses are prepared at the baccalaureate or graduate degree level.3

Nurses with an M.S.N. have an advantage over those without an advanced degree when it comes to applying for nursing careers and positioning themselves for professional advancement.

Job Outlook for Nurse Executive Leaders

The nursing profession is expected to add 276,800 jobs through 2029.1 In today's increasingly complex and evolving health care system, there is a need for nursing leaders with an advanced leadership skill set.

The Nurse Executive Leader concentration in Benedictine's online M.S.N. program is designed to give registered nurses the organizational skills necessary to oversee units, departments and facilities in a variety of nursing careers.

Leadership Careers in Nursing

Nurse executive leaders must keep up with the latest health care developments and changes in the health insurance industry. In addition, a nurse working on the administrative side will need to maintain schedules, budgets and electronic health and personnel records.

Completing Benedictine's Nurse Executive Leader concentration will prepare you to meet the challenges of 21st-century nursing careers, including:

Job Title

Median Salary

Chief Nursing Officer

$134,2094

Clinical Nursing Manager

$84,9265

Nursing Director

$88,5586

Job Outlook for Nurse Educators

With the Nurse Educator concentration in Benedictine's online M.S.N. program, you'll graduate ready to educate a variety of learners, the next generation of nurses. Nursing educators may work with patients to teach them how to manage illnesses and medications, or with communities on wellness and disease prevention initiatives. 

Completing the Nurse Educator concentration shows employers you have the mastery that comes with an M.S.N. and the expertise of an effective educator. These are skills that can prepare you for a variety of M.S.N. nursing education careers, including:

Job Title

Median Salary

Clinical Educator

$78,7927

Clinical Services Director

$90,9838

Nurse Educator

$79,0939

M.S.N. Alumni in the Workforce

With the career-focused outcomes and hands-on experience you gain in this program, you'll graduate with advanced nursing knowledge and skills you can immediately apply in the workplace. Benedictine M.S.N. graduates reported working for organizations such as:

  • Advocate Aurora Health System
  • Illinois Department of Public Health
  • Mayo Clinic
  • Rush University Medical Center
  • Walter Reed National Military Hospital

Career Support for Benedictine M.S.N. Students

The Benedictine Virtual Career Center (BVCC) provides students and alumni with access to hundreds of current internships, job opportunities career fairs and networking events that expose students to the nation's top employers. On BVCC, you can search job openings by industry, salary, location and area of interest with just the click of a button.

You can also submit your resume directly to the BVCC website and have it personally reviewed by a director in the Office of Career Development, who will give you feedback within 48 hours.

Additionally, all of Benedictine's career support resources are available online at your convenience. From resume/CV templates to downloadable guides on interviewing skills and salary negotiations, the Career Development website offers a variety of resources.

Take the First Step to Advance Your Career in Nursing

Learn more about the careers in nursing available to you with an M.S.N. from Benedictine University. Request more information or call (866) 295-3104 today to speak to a program manager.

Sources

1US Bureau of Labor Statistics. Registered Nurses. Occupational Outlook Handbook. Retrieved 29 September 2020, from https://www.bls.gov/ooh/healthcare/registered-nurses.htm.
2American Association of Colleges of Nursing. Fact Sheet: Nursing Shortage. Retrieved 29 September 2020, from https://www.aacnnursing.org/Portals/42/News/Factsheets/Nursing-Shortage-Factsheet.pdf.
3National Council of State Boards of Nursing. The 2017 National Nursing Survey. Retrieved 29 September 2020, from https://www.journalofnursingregulation.com/article/S2155-8256(18)30131-5/pdf.
4Payscale. Average Chief Nursing Officer (CNO) Salary. Retrieved 29 September 2020, from https://www.payscale.com/research/US/Job=Chief_Nursing_Officer_(CNO)/Salary.
5Payscale. Average Clinical Nurse Manager Salary. Retrieved 29 September 2020, from https://www.payscale.com/research/US/Job=Clinical_Nurse_Manager/Salary.
6Payscale. Average Nursing Director Salary. Retrieved 29 September 2020, from https://www.payscale.com/research/US/Job=Nursing_Director/Salary.
7Payscale. Average Clinical Educator Salary. Retrieved 29 September 2020, from https://www.payscale.com/research/US/Job=Clinical_Educator/Salary.
8Payscale. Average Clinical Services Director Salary. Retrieved 29 September 2020, from https://www.payscale.com/research/US/Job=Director%2C_Clinical_Services/Salary.
9Payscale. Average Nurse Educator Salary. Retrieved 29 September 2020, from 
https://www.payscale.com/research/US/Job=Nurse_Educator/Salary.