How to Make More Money as a Nurse: 17 Ways
Nursing is evolving. What was once a hospital-specific job has become a career overflowing with opportunity. Nurses provide hands-on direct care in long-term care facilities, in people’s homes, and in the community. Nurses work remotely, with technology, with insurance, with pharmaceutical companies, and even with lawyers.
Perhaps you found your dream nursing job, but it doesn’t pay as well as you hoped. Now you’re wondering how to make more money as a nurse. Luckily for you, there are many possible solutions.
What Can Nurses Do to Earn Extra Money?
You absolutely love being a nurse, you’ve been using discounts for healthcare workers, but you can’t help but wonder how to make more money. You have opportunities to increase your nurse salary, from advancing your nursing degree to changing jobs to finding a nursing side hustle.
1. Optimize Your Shift Schedule
Want to know how to earn more money as a nurse without making many changes? For this route, all you need to do is optimize your work hours. Many hospitals will offer shift differentials. This means you get an additional hourly rate on top of your typical hourly rate. Shift differentials are offered for working in the evening, night, or weekends. You can also snag an increased hourly rate for working on holidays.
For example, a night shift differential may be an additional $5 per hour. So if you typically earn $34 per hour, working the night shift could increase your rate to $39 per hour.
2. Become a Charge Nurse
A charge nurse is a nurse who is responsible for the entire unit. They create nursing assignments, coordinate patient admissions and transfers, perform safety and quality checks on the unit, and assist nurses at the bedside. Many facilities provide an increase in hourly rate for working as a charge nurse.
3. Work in Acute Care
Do you want to know how to make more money as a nurse while staying with your same employer? Some facilities offer an increase in hourly rate for working in acute care, like the intensive care unit.
Of course, you could also see a bump in your salary by switching employers and entering acute care nursing. For example, an RN working in general medical and surgical hospitals makes an average of $96,830 annually, but an RN in home health care makes an average of $87,430 annually.
4. Earn an Advanced Degree
Moving through the levels of nursing can earn you more money. You’re probably aware that a bachelor’s degree salary is more than an associate degree salary. Generally speaking, an advanced degree means an even larger paycheck. For example, becoming a nurse practitioner could result in making $128,490 a year, which is about $50,000 more than the average RN salary of $94,480. Check out the nursing school scholarships that can help you get there.
5. Become Certified
Earning a nursing certification — a type of nursing credential — can boost your self-esteem, confidence, and salary. Some facilities offer a bonus for obtaining nursing certifications.
6. Work PRN
Working per diem shifts in addition to your current job can be a lucrative nursing side hustle. With IntelyCare, you can not only get benefits, but also a higher hourly wage and flexibility for PRN shifts. The money can really add up — quickly. So if you have expenses that spike throughout the year — heating costs in winter, electric bills in the summer, holiday presents, etc. — you can work a few shifts as an IntelyPro to alleviate the pocket strain. Consider this: The average American planned to spend around $975 on holiday presents in 2023. That’s the equivalent of approximately three shifts as an RN IntelyPro.
7. Start Freelance Nurse Writing
Do you love the education and research side of nursing? If so, nurse writing might be a wonderful field for you to explore. Many companies want nurses to write their healthcare content or develop practice nursing exam questions.
8. Tutor Nursing Students
Make use of your nursing experience and knowledge to help future professionals succeed in nursing school. This can be a great option for those working full-time, as the hours can be variable and flexible.
9. Become a Travel Nurse
If you’re wondering how to make more money as a nurse and have an adventurous spirit, this may be the job for you. Travel nurses tend to make more money than staff nurses do. Keep in mind, travel nurses need recent nursing experience in the specialty they will be working in. Learn more about how to become a travel nurse.
10. Pick Up Extra Shifts
Consider working an extra shift a few times per month. Even if it’s just one here or there, it will increase your overall earnings. Bonus: You may even get an overtime shift differential.
11. Ask for a Raise
You know what they say — you don’t know if you don’t ask. One of the easiest ways to increase your income is to ask for a raise. A survey of over 30,000 workers found more than half of those who asked for a raise got one. Those are pretty good odds.
12. Negotiate Your Salary
Similar to asking for a raise, negotiate your hourly rate or salary when you first receive a job offer. Know your worth. Find out what the average hourly rate is for nurses in your area, with similar experience, doing similar work.
13. Precept New Nurses
A preceptor is an experienced nurse who trains a new nurse to a specific unit or job. Employers often increase your hourly rate during your shifts as a preceptor. Ask your employer about upcoming opportunities to be a preceptor.
14. Become a Nurse Consultant
You have knowledge other people want and need. Nurse consultants use their years of experience to help advise others. Use your past work in a nursing specialty to your advantage, and take on consulting projects.
Examples for nurse consulting include:
- Legal nurse consultant
- Critical care nurse consultant
- Pediatric nurse consultant
15. Start Your Own Business
Your options for starting a business are seemingly endless. As a nurse, you already have the time-management skills, autonomy, and work ethic required for becoming an entrepreneur.
Consider these options for a nursing side hustle:
- Mobile IV therapy clinic
- Aesthetic nursing
- Holistic health coach
- Home care agency
- Concierge nursing
- Fitness coach
16. Work in Flu Clinics
Pick up a few extra shifts in the flu clinics when flu season arrives. You’ll administer vaccinations, provide education, monitor the patient after they receive their vaccine, and ensure patient safety.
Shifts vary from a few hours to a full day, depending on if you are working in a pop-up clinic in the community or at a walk-in facility. Because of this flexibility, it makes a great side job in addition to your current work.
17. Move Locations
If you absolutely love your nursing specialty and do not want to switch it up, consider moving. You could perform the same job and duties, just in a higher-paying location.
For example, a registered nurse in California makes an average of $133,340 per year. If you are currently living in South Dakota, where the average RN makes $64,500 per year, a move to California could double your income.
Inspired to Make a Job Change?
If you’re wondering how to make more money as a nurse, IntelyCare can help you pinpoint job opportunities that fit your needs. Get started today.