The range of specializations for advanced nurse practice grows every year as nurses move into the ranks of medical management and expanded medical practice roles.  We have listed some of the job categories and some of the more common positions here, along with average salary figures that do not reflect the differences among pay scales based on geographic location and type of employer.  But the figures here establish a range – in almost all cases a median salary figure based on at least a few years of experience.

Salary data has been taken from several sources.  Most of the figures for nurse practitioners are taken from a survey conducted by the American Association of Nurse Practitioners in 2008, to which 6,300 members responded.  The average experience among the responders was nine years.  Other figures are from Salary.com and where available, from the U.S. Department of Labor

1. Acute Care Clinical Nurse Specialist works with patients who need critical care or who have chronic health issues: $89,540
2. Acute Care Nurse Practitioner sees patients in acute care management facilities including ICUs and coronary units: $98,370
3. Adult Nurse Practitioner may practice in a public health clinic, HMO, or a private partnership: $93,240
4. Cardiovascular Clinical Nurse Specialist specializes in treatment management for coronary and post-op cardiovascular patients: $94,520
5. Case Manager is assigned the role of care and communication oversight for a body of patients or a clinical section: $81,250
6. Clinical Nurse Leader is a quality control and patient care expert engaged in training and performance improvement: $78,800
7. Clinical Nurse Specialist is an advanced practice nursing generalist: $80,975
8. Clinical Nurse Specialist – Oncology specializes in working with cancer patients and with doctors engaged in treating cancer patients: $89,340
9. Clinical Nurse Specialist – Home Care works in home care education and patient training for environments where one or more occupants of the home has compromised health: $68,460
10. Critical Care Clinical Nurse Specialist is another acute care specialist who works in intensive care or surgical environments that require vigilant attention and a variety of skills: $93,240
11. Diabetes Clinical Nurse Specialist assists diabetic patients with treatment and educates both patient and family about the disease and an ongoing program of care: $87,260
12. Family Nurse Practitioner is the advanced practice nurse most often found in private practice working alongside physicians seeing patients on an outpatient basis for regular checkups or new complaints: $90,440
13. Forensic Clinical Nurse Specialist usually works in the Emergency Room in a hospital setting or may become a legal consultant: $84,250
14. Gerontological Nurse Practitioner is a growing field for advanced practice nurses who specialize in the treatment of the elderly and in educating patient and family about geriatric care: $90,101
15. Hospice Director manages care for patients and services for families in end-of-life care facilities: $95,790
16. Nurse Manager – Long Term Care provides administrative oversight for RNs and healthcare specialists in an environment that is usually for elderly people in deteriorating health: $69,460
17. Neonatal Nurse Practitioner is a specialist in the care of premature babies or babies born with immediate healthcare needs: $100,280
18. Nurse Administrator is a generalist MSN graduate with additional training that may work in a nurse management role or may find work in a healthcare systems administrative role: $81,370
19. Nurse Anesthetist is the highest paid advanced practice nurse specialty and the one that requires the most training: $147,340
20. Nurse Educator: $79,780
21. Nurse Executive is a term that is used for nurses in management or professional roles in healthcare or with a health systems operator, an insurance company or in public health administration: $89,550
22. Nurse Midwife: $89,812
23. Pediatrics Nurse Practitioner may be the pediatrics specialist in a private medical practice or may work in a clinical setting providing medical services for children and education for their parents: $90,760
24. Pulmonary Nurse Practitioner usually works in with children or adults who suffer from chronic pulmonary problems like asthma, severe allergy problems or more serious respiratory developments: $89,590
25. Psychiatric & Mental Health Nurse Practitioner is one of the nurse practitioner specializations, a profession that combines advanced medical skills with treatment capability for patients suffering from psychiatric or psychological problems – both critical and long-term: $87,230
26. Clinical Facilities Planner is an advanced practice nurse who has moved into healthcare administration with a provider or in a public health system: $74,870
27. Community Health Clinical Nurse Specialist works as a health services provider and manager in a public health setting and may also work as a program evaluator: $86,760
28. Clinical Services Director – Home Health is usually a position with a home health care agency that provides services on a contract basis for Medicare or an insurance firm or for a public health agency: $84,340
29. Surgical Clinical Nurse Specialist is a specialty for clinical nurse specialists that often evolves on the job as opportunities in critical care environments within a hospital setting become available: $96,450
30. Women’s Health Nurse Practitioner is one of the standard specializations for nurse practitioner students and is becoming more popular as the NP role moves toward the Doctor of Nursing Practice, allowing for broader and more thorough care in a nurse practitioner practice : $87,520