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Top Careers for RNs with a Doctorate in Nursing

Home » PhD and DNP Degrees » Top Careers for RNs with a Doctorate in Nursing

Nursing is a calling for most RNs , and many want to continue their education to further their careers and take an even greater leadership role in the field. A doctorate in nursing is the terminal degree for nurses who want to expand their current roles, move into management and leadership positions, conduct clinical research or pursue employment in higher education.

A number of career possibilities exist for nurses with a Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) in Nursing or a Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP).

Here are some of the top jobs that are available for nurses with a doctorate in nursing.

Nurse faculty

A career in nursing education is a great option for nurses who want to prepare future nurses and are interested in nursing research. The shortage of qualified nursing faculty has been well documented by nursing organizations and in professional research.

A survey released by the American Association of Colleges of Nursing in October 2018 found a total of 1,715 vacant faculty positions at 872 nursing schools, with a national vacancy rate of 7.9%. More than 90% of those vacancies were for faculty positions requiring or preferring a doctoral degree, the survey found.

A PhD in Nursing is a research-focused degree and is generally the most common doctoral degree for nurse faculty, although some nurse educators hold a DNP in nursing. The average salary for nursing instructors and teachers in higher education was $81,300 in 2018, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, while those on the higher end of the pay scale can make $130,000 or more.

While salaries for nurse educators may not go as high as some occupations with advanced nursing degrees, faculty members typically work shorter hours and may face less stress than most practicing nurses.

Nurse anesthetist

One of the more lucrative career options for advanced practice registered nurses with a doctoral degree is that of nurse anesthetist. Certified registered nurse anesthetists (CRNAs) administer anesthesia to patients for surgical and other medical procedures and are the sole anesthesia providers in nearly all rural hospitals, according to the AACN.

The average annual salary for nurse anesthetists was nearly $175,000 in 2018. In several states, such as Montana, California, Iowa, Oregon and Wisconsin, average annual wages for CRNAs top $200,000, according to BLS.

The most common doctoral degrees for nurse anesthetists are the DNP or Doctor of Nurse Anesthesia Practice (DNAP). By 2025, the Council on Accreditation of Nurse Anesthesia Educational Programs , which accredits nurse anesthesia programs in the U.S. and Puerto Rico, will require all new CRNAs to have doctoral degrees.

Nurse practitioner

A doctorate in nursing also is very valuable to those who are looking to become nurse practitioners . NPs are “clinicians who assess, diagnose and treat acute chronic illnesses, as well as counsel, coordinate care and educate patients regarding their illnesses,” according to the website of the American Association of Nurse Practitioners .

NPs work in a variety of settings , including private practice, hospital outpatient clinics, inpatient hospital units, emergency rooms, urgent care facilities, community health centers and Federally Qualified Health Centers.

Working as a nurse practitioner comes with many benefits. NPs have greater authority in diagnosing and treating patients and prescribing medications, and many states now allow nurse practitioners to practice independently without physician oversight.

Nurse practitioners also make significantly higher salaries than other nurses, with average annual earnings of about $110,000. While a doctorate in nursing is not required to become a nurse practitioner, the AACN supports moving the standard preparation level for advanced nursing practice from a master’s to a doctoral degree. A growing number of students that are considering careers as NPs are enrolling in DNP programs.

Nurse leader

Nurses who want to move into top management and leadership roles in hospitals, nursing homes and other health systems can benefit from a doctorate in nursing.

Some of those positions include CNO, chief nurse executive, director of nursing, nursing administrator, nurse manager and health system president or CEO. A 2019 survey of nurse leaders conducted by the American Organization for Nursing Leadership found that most nursing leaders’ annual salaries ranged from $90,000 to $169,000, with those at the top end of the pay scale earning more than $250,000 a year.

While a doctorate in nursing may not be required for all of these positions, it can certainly help improve a nurse’s chances of moving into leadership or management roles.

Nurse scientist/researcher

Nurse scientists or nurse researchers are dedicated to the study of nursing research. They conduct scientific studies, collect data and present their findings, often partnering with researchers from other fields, such as medicine, pharmacy and nutrition to address complex healthcare questions or problems, according to an article .

While nurse researchers often work as faculty at colleges and universities, they also can work at hospitals, research laboratories or other healthcare facilities. Many of these jobs require a PhD in Nursing or DNP degree. The average salary for a nurse scientist is about $95,000.

Nurse informatics

For nurses with an interest in information technology and analytics, a career in nurse informatics may be a good option. Nursing informatics is “a specialty that integrates nursing science, computer science and information science to manage and communicate data, information, knowledge and wisdom in nursing practice,” according to the Healthcare Information and Management Systems Society .

A doctorate in nursing is not required for all nurse informatics roles, but it could be beneficial when applying for higher-level positions such as chief nurse informatics officer. Salaries vary for nursing informatics roles depending upon skill level and geographic area, but the average salary for a chief nursing informatics officer is $109,072, with those in some areas of the country making upward of $200,000.

While these are some of the potential roles for nurses with doctoral degrees, many other career options are available. Some of the other roles that can benefit from an advanced nursing degree include clinical nurse specialist, certified nurse-midwife (CNM) and public health and public policy nurses.

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What Can You Do With A Doctorate In Nursing?

The practice of nursing has evolved dramatically over the past decade. Nurses must now take on an expanded scope of practice that includes serving as educators, researchers, and leaders within their organizations.

A doctorate in nursing, also known as a Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) degree, is the highest achievement in nursing education. DNP programs represent advanced practice education and are designed to prepare nurses to improve health system performance at the local, state and national levels.

In this article, we’ll provide an overview of the skills and career options for nursing professionals with a doctorate in nursing. We hope this takes the guesswork out of preparing for your DNP degree so you can go on to have a successful career as an advanced practice nurse in clinical or administrative roles.

What Will A DNP Prepare You For?

A Doctor of Nursing Practice has many applications. Whether you want to work as a Nurse Practitioner, become a clinical leader or affect change in an administrative capacity, a DNP will put you on the path to career advancement.

Here are 5 practical ways a DNP will help you meet personal and professionals goals and put you at the top of the nursing profession:

• Improve the quality and safety of patient care using principles of evidence-based practice.
• Develop and manage interprofessional teams that meet the highest standards of quality and safety. 
• Analyze and evaluate the local and global impacts of a healthcare organization’s policies, practice, and funding.
• Become a change agent and accelerate transformation  to improve complex healthcare delivery systems.
• Educate the next generation of nurses to provide safe and effective patient care.

DNP programs typically focus on two different career paths—advanced patient care roles or organizational leadership roles. Let’s look at different careers in both clinical and non-clinical settings for nurses who earn a DNP.

Clinical Career Options For Nurses With A Doctorate In Nursing

Many nurses choose to pursue a career in nursing because they want to provide direct patient care. For those who find a clinical career path rewarding, there are many opportunities in advanced practice roles for nurses who earn a DNP.

Let’s look at some of the top professions for DNP graduates and how much you can expect to make on a yearly basis.

Certified Nurse Practitioner | Average Salary (EMSI): $111,675

While a DNP is not the same thing as a Nurse Practitioner (NP), this degree provides excellent preparation for a career as an NP. 

Nurse practitioners help with all aspects of patient care— including diagnosis, treatments and consultations. Nurse practitioners typically work in a primary care setting, managed care organizations or hospitals. 

According to labor market analytics firm EMSI, jobs for nurse practitioners are expected to grow by an astounding 43.4% by 2031 . This is largely due to a shortage of primary care providers. According to the American Association of Nurse Practitioners , nearly 80 million people live in Health Professional Shortage Areas. This shortage means no prevention, screening, immunizations or basic care for infections and illnesses, and patients in rural areas are hit especially hard.

To become a nurse practitioner, you’ll also need to earn a national NP certification, which typically requires meeting academic requirements (which a DNP satisfies), evidence of clinical work, an application fee, and a standardized examination.

Certified Nurse-Midwife | Average Salary (EMSI): $111,134

A nurse-midwife is a licensed advanced practice nurse who specializes in women’s reproductive health and childbirth. They provide gynecological care to women, as well as care for expectant mothers and their newborn babies during pregnancy, labor and post-delivery.

Certified nurse midwives are essential members of healthcare teams and, in some cases, operate independent practices. According to EMSI, jobs for nurse midwives are expected to grow by 11.2% by 2031. 

Aspiring nurse-midwives must also pass the national certification exam offered by the American Midwifery Certification Board (AMCB) .

Nurse Anesthetists | Average Salary (EMSI): $183,581

A nurse anesthetist is responsible for providing pain medication (anesthesia) for patients before, during, and after surgery. They administer medications that keep patients asleep or pain-free during their surgery and continuously monitor all biological functions of the patient's body. According to EMSI, by 2031, job growth for nurse anesthetists is expected to grow by 13.2%. 

To qualify for this career, a doctorate will soon be required. According to the Council on Accreditation (COA) of Nurse Anesthesia Educational Programs, all CRNA degree programs must include a doctoral degree by January 1, 2022. You will also need to pass the CRNA certification to become a nurse anesthetist.

Clinical Nurse Leader (CNL) | Average Salary ( Salary.com ): $91,715

Clinical nurse leaders are responsible for developing, administering and evaluating patient care at the clinical level, as opposed to the administrative level. These professionals coordinate, delegate and supervise the care provided by an interdisciplinary healthcare team—including physicians, pharmacists, social workers, nurse practitioners, and clinical nurse specialists.

A doctorate in nursing is ideal for clinical nurse leaders. DNP programs focus on teaching methods of evidence-based practice, which aligns with the primary role of CNLs—ensuring patients receive the best care by making full use of the latest innovations in care delivery.

Get a FREE guide to help you advance your career, featuring helpful advice and thoughtful insights from nursing experts.

Non-clinical career options for nurses with a doctorate in nursing.

Although nursing is a career where many job opportunities are in the clinical setting, there are many non-clinical options available to nurses with a doctorate in nursing degree. Let’s look at some of the top positions you can qualify for if you earn a DNP degree.

Chief Nursing Officer | Average Salary ( Payscale.com ): $133,623 

A chief nursing officer (CNO) is responsible for managing the overall operation of all aspects of a healthcare facility. This can include everything from hiring employees to managing budgets. 

The job outlook, according to Payscale, is strong. There are currently only 1,000 positions in the United States classified as CNOs, making it a competitive field. As a result, nurses with doctorates in nursing can find employment in hospitals and other such facilities as a CNO.

Nursing Informatics Manager | Average Salary ( Payscale.com ): $109,773

Nursing informatics managers work in the interdisciplinary area of healthcare information technology and focus on using technology to improve healthcare delivery. Nursing informatics managers organize patient care software and electronic medical records, using their clinical experience to optimize these systems. 

A doctorate in nursing with a concentration in leadership can provide the opportunity to gain cross-disciplinary skills in health informatics to prepare you for this thriving career.

Medical Policy Manager | Average Salary ( Salary.com ): $118,991

In a healthcare setting, a medical policy manager is responsible for formulating and implementing policies that meet the goals of health system administrators. This process usually begins with detailed research on current trends, regulations, and legislation. A medical policy manager then uses this information to develop a comprehensive plan of action that will enhance the quality of patient safety and care provided by nurses in the organization.

A doctorate in nursing will enable these professionals to understand how policies impact the health and effectiveness of an organization. They will also be able to analyze competing options with a comprehensive understanding of their consequences on patient outcomes.

Nurse Educator | Average Salary ( Payscale.com ): $77,303

Nurse educators are responsible for designing, implementing, and evaluating teaching strategies to prepare students for their roles as nurses in various healthcare settings. They must develop and implement learning objectives that meet the needs of students from a variety of backgrounds. 

A Doctor of Nursing Practice is ideal for nurse educators because it provides the advanced knowledge needed to develop an effective learning environment. A DNP program will provide nurses with the skills and resources needed to implement instructional strategies that are both evidence-based and focus on student and organizational outcomes.

Open Doors to New Opportunities With a DNP Degree

Many nurses see a doctorate as the next step in their nursing career. A Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) degree will allow you to become a nurse leader that is able to achieve new levels of understanding, expertise, and recognition. 

When you choose Franklin University for your DNP degree we provide two paths that prepare you for both clinical and nonclinical advanced nursing roles—one in family practice and one in leadership . Through our innovative curriculum and built-in practicum courses, you will gain both theoretical understanding and practical experience in advanced practice nursing.

See how our online Doctor of Nursing Practice degrees can help you advance your career to new heights.

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10 Doctorate in Nursing Jobs: Clinical and Non-Clinical Positions

Recent decades have brought increasing integration between health care and business, as well as health care and education. This growing collaboration creates an opportunity to explore what you can do with a doctorate in nursing beyond clinical care. 

Positions for a Doctor of Nursing (DNP) are expanding in areas ranging from education, business, health policy, and telemedicine. For those wondering about career options beyond clinical practice, opportunities abound.

The leadership, analytical and organizational skills of a DNP translate well into today’s demanding job field. Many business and government sectors are hiring DNPs to fill medically oriented roles.

DNPs may occasionally need additional on-the-job training or other classes. However, much of a DNP’s education covers policy and leadership support roles outside of direct patient care.

Benefits of a DNP

There are a number of benefits associated with earning a DNP . While nurse practitioners currently only need an MSN, some groups are advocating to make the DNP the minimum required degree for advanced practice nurses by 2025 . In addition, earning a DNP can potentially lead to a lucrative salary. The salary aggregate site Payscale reports that the median annual salary for those with a DNP degree was roughly $110,000 as of March 2023, compared to $100,000 for those with an MSN and $91,000 for those with a BSN . 

Many other professions, like physicians, physical therapists and pharmacists, use the doctorate as an entry to practice. The DNP provides the foundation for collaboration for nurses by making the educational preparation equal to those colleagues. A DNP degree gives nurses a voice in the boardroom as health care leaders with the knowledge and clinical expertise to make the health care system work for everyone.

4 Clinical Doctorate in Nursing Jobs

Graduates to a wide range of doctorate in nursing jobs that impact care delivery.

1. Nurse Practitioner

Nurse practitioners prescribe medications and diagnose patient conditions. Nurse practitioners have proven that they can improve patient outcomes such as surgical mortality while reducing health care costs and  improving patient satisfaction . Nurse practitioners can specialize in care suited to different patient populations, such as neonatal, acute care or mental health. They can also serve a broader population by serving as family practice NPs or working in a hospital. The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) reports that the job growth for nurse practitioners will be an impressive 46% between 2021 and 2031 . The BLS also states the median salary for NPs as of May 2021 was $120,680 per year.

2. Certified Nurse Anesthetists (CRNA)

CRNAs administer anesthesia in a surgical setting. They secure the patient’s airway, ensure the patient is adequately sedated and monitor the patient throughout the surgery for complications. CRNAs are the highest-paid APRNs. The BLS lists the median annual salary for CRNAs at $195,610 as of May 2021. Beginning in 2025 , a doctoral degree will be required to enter the field as a nurse anesthetist. 

3. Certified Nurse Midwife (CNM)

CNMs deliver babies and provide prenatal care in outpatient offices, hospitals and rural areas. Many areas of the country do not have enough OB/GYN physicians and need CNMs to provide additional resources to those needing care. CNMs also provide birth control and other aspects of reproductive health, such as gynecologic health and family planning services. CNMs earn a median of $112,830 annually as of May 2021, per the BLS.

4. Clinical Nurse Specialist (CNS)

The final APRN is the clinical nurse specialist (CNS) . CNSs have similar training to nurse practitioners — but instead of seeing one patient at a time, they create interventions to help entire populations through protocols and order sets. CNSs are experts in change management and can navigate a complicated system while staying clinically proficient. They work with all populations of patients in different capacities such as mental health, cardiovascular, critical care, emergency department, obstetrical and pediatrics. CNSs have  prescriptive authority in most states. 

According to Payscale, the median annual salary for a clinical nurse specialist as of March 2023 was approximately $96,700.

6 Nonclinical Doctorate in Nursing Jobs

Abundant options are available for those with a doctorate in nursing. You may be surprised by what you can do with a doctorate in nursing to impact academics, government or the business sector. A DNP is a practical degree if your passion expands beyond patient care to business leadership or education. While the following doctorate in nursing jobs may not directly correspond with caring for a patient, they can significantly impact a patient’s care.

1. Medical Services Manager

Also known as health care administrators or health care executives, medical services managers coordinate care delivery strategies for a health care facility. The facilities they can manage range from an entire clinical facility to a specific area within the facility, such as a clinical department or a group of doctors. Their work is responsible for keeping a facility running efficiently and legally compliant in accordance with shifting federal laws and regulations. According to the BLS, the median annual salary for medical services managers as of May 2021 is $101,340 . The BLS also projects a tremendous 28% job growth for these positions between 2021 and 2031.

2. Chief Nursing Officer (CNO)

CNOs develop and execute operational strategies for a health care facility’s nursing department. Their work can ensure cohesive, streamlined nursing processes occur in a manner that does not hinder the quality of patient care delivery. They also work with other C-suite executives to ensure their strategies effectively mesh with other departments to ensure optimized operational efficiency. Some of the duties of a CNO include:

• Overseeing budgets
• Resolving service problems
• Handling patient complaints
• Managing staff and their schedules and caseloads
• Consulting on complex cases
• Implementing policy
• Interviewing and hiring nurses
• Serving as a liaison between a board of directors or executives and nursing staff

According to Payscale, the median annual salary for CNOs as of March 2023 was around $138,600.

3. Public Health Nurses

Public health nurses educate communities on various short-term, long-term and ongoing health issues. They can develop care strategies designed to keep people healthy, from creating vaccination programs to mitigating the impact of misinformation that may crop up during a public health crisis. They may also conduct research to determine health patterns and concerns pertaining to a specific population group. Payscale lists the median annual salary for public health nurses at approximately $69,100 as of March 2023.

4. Postsecondary Teacher

A terminal degree opens the door to becoming a professor. Academia can be an excellent option for those drawn to preparing the next generation of nurses and interested in scholarly research and publishing. Some of the typical responsibilities of a postsecondary teacher concentrating on nursing include:

• Curriculum development
• Teaching in-person lectures
• Teaching online lectures
• Leading lab or clinical work
• Serving as a mentor or advisor

Most professor positions require a doctoral degree. Demand for nursing professors is extreme — U.S. nursing schools had to turn away more than 90,000 qualified applicants from baccalaureate and graduate nursing programs in 2021 due in part to faculty shortages. The BLS lists the median annual salary for postsecondary teachers at $79,640 as of May 2021.

5. Medical Writer

Medical writers produce written content regarding information, innovation and research results for the medical field. They typically work with health care professionals to properly research and obtain crucial medical findings to present information that is thorough and accurate. Those in the role must also ensure their work complies with various regulations. According to Payscale, the median annual salary of medical writers as of March 2023 was around $78,500.

6. Nurse Informaticist

Nurse informaticists concentrate on technologies such as electronic health records (EHRs) that allow for efficient analysis, storage and retrieval of patient records across multiple computer systems. This can help facilitate holistic, cohesive patient care strategies across different access points, such as separate clinics, which can boost care efficiency and potentially improve patient outcomes. The median annual salary for the role as of January 2023 was around $86,100, per Payscale.

Start Your Nursing Career at Marymount University

The entry-level option for students with non-nursing undergraduate degrees is the Online ABSN . In just 16 months, Online ABSN students complete the following requirements in preparation for RN careers:

• An on-campus residency
• Clinical placements in Virginia
• 100% online courses on topics like Research and Evidence-Based Practice

Marymount’s ABSN is accredited by the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE). Nursing courses at Marymount are taught by practicing APRNs who can speak with authority about the profession. The university’s stellar reputation is confirmed by top U.S. News & World Report rankings in its National Universities and Nursing categories. 

If you want to become an RN, contact one of our student advisors to discuss if this program is right for you.

Request My Free Marymount Accelerated BSN Program Guide

Recommended Readings

• The ABCs of Nursing Prioritization
• Top 10 Tips for Nurses to Maintain Work-Life Balance
• Why Is Specialization Important in Nursing?

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Clinical placement requirements are unique for each state. Please see our list of program offerings by state or contact us to determine whether our programs fulfill your state requirements.

CCNE Accreditation

The baccalaureate degree program in nursing at Marymount University is accredited by the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education, 655 K Street, NW, Suite 750, Washington, DC 20001, 202-887-6791.

Requirements Not Met

To proceed with either the BSN to MSN FNP or the BSN to DNP FNP or the BSN to DNP PMHNP or the MSN PMHNP, you are required to have a bachelor’s degree and hold your RN license.

To proceed with either the PMC-FNP or the PMC-DNP or the PMC-PMHNP, you are required to have a master's degree and hold your RN license.

To proceed with the ABSN, you are required to have a bachelor's degree.

If you don’t meet these requirements but would still like further information, please contact us .

To proceed with the EdD in Educational Leadership and Organizational Leadership degree, you are required to have a master’s degree.

If you don’t meet this requirement but would still like further information, please contact us .

To proceed with the Doctor of Business Administration - Business Intelligence degree, you are required to have a master’s degree.

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Home / Getting Your Ph.D. in Nursing

Getting Your Ph.D. in Nursing

Becoming a ph.d. nurse, what does a ph.d. nurse do, ph.d. nurse salary & employment, ph.d. vs. dnp in nursing, helpful organizations, societies, and agencies, what is a ph.d. nurse.

A Ph.D. nurse is one who has completed a Doctor of Philosophy in Nursing degree. A Ph.D., or doctoral degree, is the highest level of education a nurse can achieve. Different from a Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) degree, which focuses on advanced clinical practice, a Ph.D. in Nursing program is a research and science-focused degree that prepares nurses for careers conducting important medical research that will advance the entire nursing profession and for teaching nursing at the college level.

In order to become a Ph.D. nurse, of course, nurses must complete a Ph.D. in nursing program, which generally takes 4 to 6 years to finish. An aspiring Ph.D. nurse must have a strong interest in conducting medical research and/or teaching future nurses. Strong leadership skills are also important, as many Ph.D. nurses go on to supervise and mentor other nurses, whether they work in scientific research, management, or teaching capacity.

What Are the Educational Requirements For a Ph.D. Nurse Program?

A Ph.D. in Nursing program is known as a terminal degree, meaning it is the highest level of education for the nursing profession (in addition to the DNP degree, another separate nursing doctorate program track). Prior to entering a Ph.D. program, nurses must complete a Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) degree and pass the NCLEX-RN exam. In some cases, applicants to a Ph.D. in Nursing program must also complete a Master of Science in Nursing (MSN) degree, which provides advanced education in nursing practice with courses in pharmacology, pathophysiology, and clinical practice.

Educational Prerequisites

Specific requirements to complete a Ph.D. in Nursing program will vary slightly from school to school. Schools offer Ph.D. in Nursing programs in traditional classroom formats, as well as online and hybrid styles that combine in-person study with online coursework. In addition to a variety of formats for Ph.D. in Nursing programs, students can also sometimes opt to take these programs on a full-time or part-time basis to suit their personal schedules.

The curriculum for a Ph.D. in Nursing program is research-focused, with coursework in advanced scientific research principles, data analysis, and statistical measurement. Ph.D. programs generally culminate in a dissertation and original research project. As an example of Ph.D. curriculum, below is a selection of courses offered by the Medical University of South Carolina as part of their online Ph.D. in Nursing Science program:

• Advanced Quantitative Research Methods
• Qualitative Research Methods
• Advanced Statistical Methods for Nursing Research
• Advanced Study Design and Methods
• Advanced Health Policy & Advocacy
• Research Team Leadership

A Ph.D. nurse conducts scientific research that advances the nursing profession. The knowledge that Ph.D. nurses gather and present as a part of their scientific research powers positive change in the quality of patient care and outcomes in the entire nursing field. In addition to their role as nurse scientists, Ph.D. nurses also teach and mentor nurses at the college/university level, working to shape the next generation of nurses.

What Are the Roles and Duties of a Ph.D. Nurse?

The majority of Ph.D. nurses pursue careers in either the research or teaching fields, so their day-to-day duties will vary depending on which career track they have chosen.

For a nurse researcher , typical duties may include:

• Identify research questions, and design and conduct scientific research in partnership with other scientists from various fields
• Collect and analyze scientific data and publish reports detailing findings
• Write proposals and apply for grants to help fund their research
• Establish and maintain quality assurance programs to ensure the validity of their data findings
• Train and supervise laboratory staff and other nurses or scientists

For a Ph.D.  nurse educator who has chosen to pursue a faculty position, typical duties may include:

• Plan, prepare, and revise curriculum and study materials for nursing courses
• Deliver lectures to undergraduate and graduate level nursing students
• Supervise students' laboratory and clinical work
• Grade students' classwork, laboratory, and clinical performance
• Mentor and advise students regarding their future work in the nursing industry

For faculty members who pursue department chair or administration roles, additional duties may include:

• Hire, supervise and conduct performance reviews of faculty members
• Assist with the scheduling of classes and professors
• Oversee department curriculum and provide quality control as to the content and materials of given nursing courses

Workplace Settings

A Ph.D. nurse can work in a variety of settings, depending on the career path he or she has chosen. A Ph.D. nurse may find employment at a hospital, medical laboratory, research facility, or university as a research scientist, or may work at a nursing school, college, or university as a faculty member or department chair. In some cases, a Ph.D. nurse may also work as a public health nurse in a government setting, helping to develop research-based solutions to public health issues.

Salaries for Ph.D. nurses vary based on the type of employment a nurse seeks after graduation. Nurse researchers, a primary career path for Ph.D. nurses, can expect a median salary of $90,000 according to Payscale.com. For Ph.D. nurses who pursue a teaching position, the median annual wage for post-secondary nursing instructors is $77,440 according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics as of May 2021. Geographical location, career length, and experience level are all factors that can influence a Ph.D. nurse's annual salary.

The nursing profession as a whole has a particularly bright employment outlook, with the employment of registered nurses projected to grow 9 percent from 2020 to 2030 according to the BLS. In addition, a large number of healthcare facilities are looking for nursing professionals with higher degrees, which means the demand for Ph.D. and DNP level nurses will continue to grow. In fact, the Institute of Medicine 's 2015 "The Future of Nursing Report" emphasized the need for more Ph.D. level nurses.

As there are two doctorate-level nursing program types to choose from, there may be some confusion as to the differences between a Ph.D. nursing program and a Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) degree. The primary difference between the two programs relates to nurses' career aspirations. A DNP program trains nurses to perform the highest level of nursing practice and to translate research into high-quality patient care, while a Ph.D. program prepares nurses to conduct cutting-edge research that will advance the science of nursing and patient care. In addition to research positions, a Ph.D. program prepares nurses for leadership and teaching positions at hospitals and colleges/universities. To simplify, a DNP is a nursing practice doctorate degree, while a Ph.D. is a research and teaching doctorate.

Other key differences between DNP and Ph.D. programs are curriculum and program length. A typical DNP program includes courses on advanced nursing practice, leadership, and management topics and requires patient care clinical hours as well as a final capstone project. A Ph.D. program includes coursework on research methodologies, data analysis, and healthcare leadership and policy, and requires students to complete original research and a dissertation. In general, a Ph.D. program takes longer to complete than a DNP program, with Ph.D. programs taking an average of 4 to 6 years to complete and a DNP program taking 3 to 4 years, but can be completed in as little as 2 years depending on the school and program chosen.

• American Association of Colleges of Nursing
• American Nurses Association
• International Association of Clinical Research Nurses
• National Institute of Nursing Research

Top PhD in Nursing Programs

What is a ph.d. in nursing.

• Ph.D. in Nursing vs DNP
• Types of Programs
• Top Programs
• Program Overview
• Is a Nursing Ph.D. For Me?

The Ph.D. in Nursing degree opens career opportunities for nurses as researchers, forging new and cutting-edge nursing practices for future generations. This article explores this terminal nursing degree, how to get it, and the top Ph.D. in Nursing programs.

A Ph.D. in Nursing is the highest degree awarded to nurses and one of two terminal nursing degrees. Ph.D. stands for Doctor of Philosophy, and Ph.D. in Nursing programs focus on evidence-based research.

Throughout their 4-6 year study, nursing Ph.D. students learn how to conduct, analyze, and publish nursing research. The degree culminates in students conducting an independent research project and writing a dissertation on it.

Ph.D. in Nursing and DNP Differences

A Ph.D. in Nursing and a Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) are both terminal nursing degrees. However, comparing a  DNP vs. a Ph.D. in Nursing reveals distinct differences. Notably, the Ph.D. in Nursing prepares you for a science, academic, or research-focused career as opposed to a clinical one.

Key Ph.D. in Nursing vs. DNP Differences

>> Related:  Top Online DNP Programs

Types of Ph.D. in Nursing Programs

The United States is home to over 135 Ph.D. in Nursing programs, which you can attend in multiple formats at nearly every educational level. The types of Ph.D. in nursing programs include the following:

• BSN to Ph.D. in Nursing: These Ph.D. in nursing programs allow nurses with a Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) degree to pursue a career in nursing research without first attending an MSN program.
• MSN to Ph.D. in Nursing: Designed for Master of Science in Nursing (MSN) trained nurses, these programs typically include core courses for the doctoral program, electives, and dissertation study.
• DNP/Ph.D. Dual Degree: These rigorous programs allow students to concurrently attain expertise in scientific inquiry and faculty practice and hone the practical skills of expert nurse clinicians. 

>> Show Me DNP Programs

Online Ph.D. in Nursing Programs

Are Ph.D. in Nursing programs available online? The answer is yes; you can find several online options to pursue this degree. Since a Ph.D. in Nursing focuses on scientific inquiry, it doesn't have the same onsite practical hours as other nursing degrees. 

Program dependant, you may still need to show up on campus a few times each year. However, for the most part, all you need to earn a Ph.D. in nursing is Wi-Fi, good study habits, and determination.

Top Ph.D. in Nursing Programs

Each Ph.D. in Nursing program is unique, offering its own benefits and features. We assembled the top five Ph.D. in Nursing programs nationwide following Nurse.org's proprietary ranking algorithm , which considers and ranks schools based on factors like:

• Tuition costs
• Program length
• Nursing school accreditation
• Admission requirements
• The variety of available programs
• Additional program accolades

 1. University of Pennsylvania

• Program Cost:  $46,934 per academic year
• Program Length:  4-6 years
• Application Due Date: Dec. 1st

The University of Pennsylvania boasts one of the top Ph.D. in nursing programs nationwide. To offset the expensive tuition, the university offers full-time students stipends during their first four years. In exchange, students may work as Teaching Assistants within UPenn's School of Nursing for up to 16 hours a week. 

Contact UPenn about this program:

• Phone: (215) 898-4271
• Email: [email protected]

Source: University of Pennsylvania

2. Duke University

• Program Cost:  Fully funded (up to 5 years)
• Application Due Date: November 30th

In 2023, U.S. News & World Report named Duke University the second-best graduate school for nursing. Duke's Ph.D. in Nursing program prepares nurses to become stalwart scholars. Graduates will build nursing science by leading multidisciplinary research that determines the relationship between chronic illness and care systems.

Contact Duke University about this program:

• Phone: (919) 684-3786
• Email: Contact Request Form

Source: Duke University

3. Duquesne University

• Program Cost:  $1,765 per credit
• Program Length:  3-4 years
• Application Due Date:  February 1st

As the first fully online Ph.D. in Nursing program, Duquesne offers a highly flexible education option to many students nationwide. Additionally, students attending the program may get to study abroad at the Duquesne campus in Dublin, Ireland.  The 56-credit program culminates in a dissertation proposal and final defense in which students orally defend their research thesis to the dissertation committee.

Contact Duquesne University about this program:

• Phone: (412) 396-6219
• Email:  [email protected]

Source: Duquesne University

4. Columbia University

• Program Cost:  Fully funded (up to 3 years)
• Application Due Date:  November 15th

Ph.D. in Nursing student at Columbia choose one of three major areas to study, which include Theoretical Foundations of Nursing Science, Analytical Foundations of Nursing Science, and Electives and Applications. The programming heavily focuses on publication, grantsmanship, presentation, and networking. In addition to their coursework, students participate in research experience and training.

Contact Columbia University about this program:

• Phone: (212) 305-5756
• Email: [email protected]

Source: Columbia University

5. Rush University

• Program Cost:  $1,344 per credit hour
• Program Length:  3-5 years
• Application Due Date:  March 4th

Rush University's Ph.D. in Nursing is fully online except for an on-campus orientation and summer intensive learning sessions. The program focuses on preparing nurses and non-nurses with graduate degrees to become leaders in clinical research and educators who influence healthcare policy. While many students keep working throughout the program, they often must take fewer hours while completing their dissertation.

Contact Rush University about this program:

• Phone : (312) 942-7100
• Email: [email protected]

Source: Rush University

What to Expect in a Ph.D. in Nursing Program

Nursing Ph.D. degrees focus on scholarship and nursing research. By the end of the course, you'll be able to conduct and publish evidence-based research that can alter the face of nursing practice and healthcare policy for future generations. 

Generally, these educational pathways combine graduate study and research activities and do not include clinical rotations. Instead, you will be required to complete a long-form research paper called a dissertation. To write your dissertation, you'll complete independent research based on a significant and relevant scientific inquiry in the nursing field. 

>> Related: The Best Nursing Research Topics

What Can You Do With a Ph.D. in Nursing?

Ph.D. in Nursing programs prepare graduates to pursue careers in research and teaching, advanced clinical practice, health care administration, and policy.  Following graduation, your future may hold a career as a nurse scientist, as an administrator, as a nurse educator, or in establishing health policy.

Ph.D. in Nursing Salary

Healthcare workers who hold a Ph.D. in nursing earn an average annual salary of $100,00 or $60.45 per hour , according to Payscale . However, your nursing salary will vary depending on your career, employer, location, experience, and other relevant factors.

How Much Does a Ph.D. in Nursing Degree Cost?

Ph.D. in nursing programs range from $400 to over $2,300 per credit hour at more distinguished institutions. However, several universities will fund your Ph.D. tuition itself or through a federal research grant. Most often, these funding opportunities are only available to full-time students, while part-timers must pay the full tuition costs.

How Long Do PhD in Nursing Programs Take?

Most Ph.D. in nursing programs take between 4-6 years to complete. Your educational timeline will vary based on your previous education and whether you attend full or part-time.

What Will You Learn in a PhD in Nursing Program?

Since all Ph.D. degrees in nursing emphasize healthcare research, their curriculums will all share certain core elements, which include:

• The philosophical and historical foundations of nursing knowledge
• Review of existing and evolving nursing theory
• Methods and process of developing theory
• Research methodology and data management
• Academic, research, practice, and policy development

Your graduate nursing program will consist of several key milestones to reinforce your education. These include:

• Leadership strategies related to nursing, healthcare, and research
• Mentorship and working alongside faculty on their individual research programs
• Immersion experiences are designed to encourage leadership and scholarship.
• Each student will be required to complete a dissertation.

Ph.D. in Nursing Program Requirements

Each university sets its own entry standards, which vary based on the type of program . However, general Ph.D. in nursing admission requirements include the following:

• BSN, MSN, or non-nursing graduate degree
• Personal research statement
• A minimum GPA of 3.0
• Admissions interview
• Writing sample
• Resume or curriculum vitae
• Letters of recommendation
• Unencumbered RN license
• Official post-secondary school transcripts
• TOEFL or IELTS scores

Is a Ph.D. in Nursing Degree Right for Me?

Your professional goals play a massive role in deciding whether to pursue a Ph.D. in nursing. If you're interested in scientific and academic nursing research, healthcare policy, or becoming a nurse educator, a Ph.D. in nursing is an excellent option. Remember, it will not qualify you for APRN positions, so if you have clinical aspirations, a DNP is the right doctoral nursing option.

Next Steps to Enroll in a PhD in Nursing Degree Program

Ready to start your educational journey toward earning a Ph.D. in Nursing? You can start working toward those goals today with these simple steps:

• Research Universities: Find a program that suits you based on your budget, attendance needs (e.g., part vs. full-time and in-person vs. online), and interests.
• Plan Applications: Understand the program requirements and application deadlines for each school you're applying to. Then, make a plan to collect and submit all the necessary materials and documentation on time.
• Prepare Properly: If a university considers you for Ph.D. candidacy, you'll attend an admissions interview. Planning and practicing this interview and paying close attention to why you chose the program and your research interests will optimize your chances of admission.

Plus, get exclusive access to discounts for nurses, stay informed on the latest nurse news, and learn how to take the next steps in your career.

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A world-class city filled with art and culture and an incredible campus that offers cutting edge resources–that’s what students receive at Penn Nursing. And that’s just the start. Penn Nursing and the wider university offer something for everyone, as well as a lifelong community.

Penn Nursing is globally known for educating dynamic nurses—because our School values evidence-based science and health equity. That’s where our expertise lies, whether in research, practice, community health, or beyond. Everything we do upholds a through-line of innovation, encouraging our exceptional students, alumni, and faculty share their knowledge and skills to reshape health care.

Penn Nursing students are bold and unafraid, ready to embrace any challenge that comes their way. Whether you are exploring a career in nursing or interested in advancing your nursing career, a Penn Nursing education will help you meet your goals and become an innovative leader, prepared to change the face of health and wellness.

Penn Nursing is the #1-ranked nursing school in the world. Its highly-ranked programs help develop highly-skilled leaders in health care who are prepared to work alongside communities to tackle issues of health equity and social justice to improve health and wellness for everyone.

Penn Nursing’s rigorous academic curricula are taught by world renowned experts, ensuring that students at every level receive an exceptional Ivy League education . From augmented reality classrooms and clinical simulations to coursework that includes experiential global travel to clinical placements in top notch facilities, a Penn Nursing education prepares our graduates to lead.

Doctor of Philosophy in Nursing (PhD)

Our goal is to develop scholars of the discipline of nursing capable of building a program of research that advances nursing knowledge and contributes to the health of individuals, families, and communities.

About the Program

The penn advantage.

Home to some of the most forward-thinking scholars and researchers in the world, Penn offers the opportunity to work alongside faculty who are actively shaping the future of nursing science and healthcare. Our networks and longstanding clinical and community partnerships throughout greater Philadelphia and beyond provide uncommon access to research and practice resources.

Program Information

Program Length

Financial aid available?

Start Semester

Learning Format

Program Details

The program consists of seven core courses, two statistics sequence courses, and five concentration courses; each course is worth one course unit, or CU. Students will take three to four courses each fall and spring semester. Most students complete their coursework within three to four years and then will be on dissertation status until the final dissertation defense.

Click the link below to view the curriculum for this program in the University catalog or download a sample plan of study .

View the curriculum

Requirements

Minimum qualifications for the program.

BSN and MSN or Master’s degree in the field of Nursing.

Application Deadlines

Fall 2024 enrollment.

Deadline: December 1, 2023 Latest Decision Notification: mid-February

*Dates subject to change without notice.

Costs & Tuition

We are committed to assisting all full-time PhD students for four years of tuition, fees, living stipend, and health insurance. You may be funded internally or externally, depending on the options available. The doctoral program leadership will determine which funding is most appropriate for all incoming students. Students who choose part-time enrollment are responsible for paying for their own tuition, fees, and health insurance. Learn more about financial aid for PhD students .

The charts below outline costs based on the school year. For full-time doctoral students, after the first five years the reduced rate is charged until the Doctorate degree is awarded, or for a maximum of five additional years.

Full-Time: Fall 2023 & Spring 2024

Part-time per cu: fall 2023 & spring 2024, doctoral reduced rate: fall 2023 & spring 2024, program outcomes.

Our doctoral graduates go on to take coveted leadership roles in academia, healthcare, government, and related fields, and are integral to the growth of our profession.

Related Links

May 7 | 6:00pm

Spring 2024 Graduate Programs Info Session

May 22 | 6:00pm

June 14 | 12:00pm

Program Activities

Future-proofing healthcare.

How Penn Nursing’s PhD program is the key to unlocking innovative and equity-focused care and policy.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the difference between a phd and a dnp.

• Prepares nurse scientists to conduct research, develop the scholarship needed to advance the body of nursing knowledge, guide the practice of nursing, assume leadership in nursing and health care organizations, and participate in the development of social and health policy
• Methods and theories used to guide research
• Grant writing skills
• Technology used in research
• Statistical & other analytical methods
• Research traditions & methodologies
• Faculty role development
• Cognate areas of interest to guide research
• Clinical Requirements – No
• Research Requirements - Faculty guided research residency hours working on an established research project(s) to hone selected research skills
• Final Product - Original research project that makes a significant contribution to the science of nursing
• Academic faculty position which includes research, education, and service roles
• Research Scientist for healthcare organizations, industry or government agencies
• Principal Investigator on extramural research grants
• Leadership positions in health organizations, industry and government agencies
• Government advisor on health policy
• Purpose - Prepares expert clinical scholars to perform direct clinical practice, translate, disseminate and integrate evidence-based research into clinical practice and improve quality of health outcomes for individuals, populations and systems.
• Advanced clinical practice
• Clinical scholarship skills
• Technology used in practice
• Analysis of clinical outcomes
• Evidence-based practice
• Leadership role development
• Rural and underserved populations
• Clinical Requirements - No
• Research Requirements – No
• Final Product – Project based
• APRN in a variety of healthcare settings
• Academic faculty position which includes practice, education, and service roles
• Leadership positions in health care organizations, industry, government agencies
• Evidence-based Practice Coordinator
• Outcomes Manager
• Magnet Coordinator
• Quality Improvement Director

How many are accepted to the PhD program at Penn Nursing?

Approximately 6-12 applicants are accepted each year.

How can I get more information on the research faculty are doing for my application?

Please find our faculty’s research interests here .

Can I reach out to faculty for more information?

Yes, you are encouraged to reach out to faculty who align with your research interests and may be a good mentor during your PhD program. The PhD application is about looking at faculty’s research interests and how they align with yours. In your application, you should highlight these connections.

Is there a clinical component?

Is there an admissions interview.

Competitive applicants will be invited to interview.

When does the PhD program start?

The PhD program starts in the fall semester, and it typically takes 3-5 years to complete the program.

If I am an international applicant with an international RN license, can I still apply to the PhD program?

Yes, you may apply to the PhD program with an international RN license. The license must be valid at time of application.

Ready to take the next step?

See yourself here.

DNP vs. Ph.D. in Nursing: What’s the Difference?

• DNP vs. PH.D. Nursing Compared

Duties and Responsibilities

• Education and Certification

Salary and Career Outlook

• Which Is Best?

Are you ready to earn your online nursing degree?

Nurses who have already earned a masters degree and are looking to pursue the next step in their education have two options: doctor of nursing practice (DNP) and doctor of philosophy (Ph.D.) in nursing.

Both degrees offer nurses a variety of professional opportunities, allowing them to utilize their expertise to benefit the field of nursing.

This guide outlines the differences in earning a DNP vs. a Ph.D. in nursing, and what opportunities lay ahead for graduates of either program. In understanding the roles and responsibilities of each, nurses can determine which degree is right for them.

DNP and Ph.D. in Nursing Key Similarities and Differences

A DNP and Ph.D. are both terminal degrees, meaning they are the highest degree a nurse can earn. Regardless of their choice of program, interested nurses need a bachelor of science (BSN) degree in nursing, an active and unencumbered registered nurse (RN) license, and clinical experience before gaining admittance to either doctorate program.

While a DNP and Ph.D. are both advanced degrees, they prepare nurses for different roles within the nursing field. DNP programs focus on educating nurses who want to pursue leadership roles in a clinical setting. Ph.D. programs provide nurses with an education to pursue academic or research-based positions.

What is a DNP?

A DNP is an advanced degree for nurses who want to become experts in clinical nursing. The degree is an alternative to research-centric doctoral programs, and provides nurses with skills and training to work at an advanced level in the nursing field.

What is a Ph.D. in Nursing?

Earning a Ph.D. in nursing prepares graduates for work either in academia or research settings. Graduates often pursue faculty positions with academic institutions or in a career that involves performing research in a medical laboratory.

Source: Payscale

Popular DNP Programs

Learn about start dates, transferring credits, availability of financial aid, and more by contacting the universities below.

The roles of a nurse with a DNP vs. a Ph.D. in nursing are fundamentally different. The former focuses on clinical work, whereas the latter is geared more toward research and education.

Their duties revolve around those two major areas. As such, DNPs are more likely to work with patients, while Ph.D graduates focus on educating nurses and analyzing medical practices.

What Can You Do With a DNP?

Nurses with a DNP are considered expert clinicians who are prepared for the highest level of nursing practice.

Upon earning the degree, nurses can choose to focus on leadership and administrative roles (e.g., nurse administrator, public health, healthcare policy, informatics) nursing education (e.g.,clinical nurse specialist, nurse educator), or clinical care (e.g.,certified registered nurse anesthetist, nurse practitioner).

After earning a DNP, nurses’ responsibilities may include:

• Diagnose and treat patients
• Prescribe medications
• Order various diagnostic tests
• Handle patient complains
• Consult on complex cases
• Implement policy changes

Keep in mind that some DNP programs are for roles (clinical nurse specialist, nurse educator) that will not have authorization to perform some of the above responsibilities.

What Can You Do With a Ph.D. in Nursing?

Nurses with a Ph.D. often focus on the areas of education and research. They may design studies and conduct research on clinical practices, nursing education, health systems, and public policy.

People with a Ph.D. in nursing often find employment in academic, business, or governmental settings. Overall, nurses with a Ph.D.can:

• Design, conduct, and publish research
• Develop new nursing knowledge and methods
• Utilize research results to improve nursing outcomes
• Write proposals and apply for grants to fund research
• Mentor and advise students
• Compose curriculum for nursing courses

Education Prerequisites

When looking to earn either a DNP or Ph.D., most programs require applicants to have similar prerequisites. Institutions often look for candidates who have attained an undergraduate degree, are actively able to practice nursing, and can meet certain academic requirements.

How to Earn a DNP

To apply for a DNP degree program, candidates need a BSN or master of science in nursing (MSN) from an accredited institution, a GPA of at least 3.0, and an active nursing license.

Once enrolled, students can choose an advanced practice registered nurse (APRN) role such as clinical nurse practitioner (CNP), clinical nurse specialist (CNS), certified nurse-midwife (CNM), or certified registered nurse anesthetist (CRNA).

CNPs and CNSs then choose a population focus (i.e., neonatal, pediatrics, womens health, psychiatric-mental health). DNP candidates often focus on a research or capstone project throughout their entire program.

The program can last 2-4 years, and full-time students are able to earn their degree faster than their part-time counterparts. Students participate in courses on informatics, health policy, healthcare delivery systems, evidence-based practice, and project management.

Learners must also complete a total of 1,000 clinical hours, 500 of which can stem from a previous masters program that resulted in national certification. Learners with previous hours may become more common as some programs, like CRNA, transition from MSN to DNP-only.

How to Earn a Ph.D. in Nursing

To get accepted to a Ph.D. program, candidates need a BSN or MSN from an accredited program, a 3.0 to 3.5 minimum GPA, and an active nursing license. Applicants must also provide a CV or resume, professional references, and a personal statement.

The length of a Ph.D. program ranges from 4-6 years depending on the status of the student (full-time vs. part-time). The curriculum revolves around theory, analysis, and statistics, with students taking classes in grant writing, research design, and research methods. Since their work takes place within education and research, Ph.D. candidates are not required to complete clinical hours.

Upon program completion, DNP and Ph.D. graduates may benefit from a higher earning potential. The Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) projects a steady need over the next decade for nurses with advanced training.

Ultimately, degree type, specialization, and population focus dictate the average annual salary and the type of demand nurses should anticipate.

$107,000 Average Annual DNP Salary

$99,000 Average Annual Ph.D. in Nursing Salary

DNP in Nursing Salary and Career Outlook

While the average salary of nurses with DNPs is approximately $107,000, their chosen specialization impacts their earning potential and demand. DNP-holders working a CRNAs average $164,340 per year, according to July 2022 Payscale data, while those who work in pediatrics earn $92,030 .

Not only do CRNAs earn the highest average salary, but they are also one of the most in-demand specializations; the BLS projects a job growth rate of 45%, significantly higher than the 9% average for all other professions.

Another main factor that influences DNP earning potential is years of experience. Entry-level nurses earn an average annual salary of approximately $87,000 , according to July 2022 Payscale data. Whereas those with more than 20 years of experience can earn upwards of $187,000 depending upon the specialization.

Ph.D. in Nursing Salary and Career Outlook

Much like nurses with a DNP, the salary of one with a Ph.D. varies based on focus. According to the BLS , nurse educators with a Ph.D. can receive upwards of $125,930 annually.

While all nurses with advanced degrees continue to be in demand, Ph.D. graduates who choose to become educators can especially benefit from this need. According to the American Association of Colleges of Nursing , nursing schools had to turn away over 80,000 qualified applicants in 2019 due to the shortage of educators.

Many states are looking to provide incentives to nurses who choose to become educators, thereby increasing the benefit of selecting this role.

DNP vs. Ph.D. in Nursing: Which Degree is Right For Me?

Deciding which degree works best depends upon a nurse’s personal and professional goals. The degrees lead nurses down two fairly distinct paths – one clinical and one research-oriented.

DNP and Ph.D. graduates are both in high demand and have above-average earning potential. The degrees differ in time commitment and responsibilities.

Nurses who prefer to work in a clinical capacity either directly with patients or in a nursing leadership role should pursue a DNP. Graduates often find themselves in a variety of clinical settings, such as hospitals, specialty practices, or public health offices.

Learners more interested in preparing future nurses or conducting research that aids in the development of new and effective nursing methods should pursue a Ph.D. Nurse Ph.D. graduates often use their expertise in settings such as colleges and universities, research facilities, medical laboratories, and government agencies.

Related Pages

Why Get a Doctorate in Nursing (DNP)?

Graduating with a doctoral degree in nursing can advance careers, increase salaries, and lead to rewarding jobs. Learn why and how to become a DNP.

Online DNP Programs of 2024

Explore the top online DNP programs. Learn about on-campus requirements, accreditation, cost, and program length while choosing your next career step.

Types of Nursing Degrees and Levels

Learn about the types of nursing degrees available and how to launch your career in this field. Explore in-demand job opportunities and earning potential.

Page last reviewed: May 6, 2022

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Is earning a Ph.D. in nursing worth it? MCN faculty say yes.

• Author By Bryanna Tidmarsh
• March 26, 2021

It’s a story every nurse knows: the need for nurses is growing. Worldwide, health care faces growing nursing provider and educator shortages. One of the most important ways nurses can address this dire need is by earning a Ph.D. in nursing. 

Only 13% of nurses in the United States currently hold a graduate degree. Fewer than 1 percent hold a doctorate. That means that just 13 percent of the nursing workforce is eligible to become nursing faculty at all, and less than 1 percent is eligible to teach at the highest level.

A Ph.D. prepares nurses to be experts in their field and to pursue a research-focused career. We need more PhD-prepared nurses now more than ever: to educate future nurses, to lead nursing teams, and to develop research that improves best practices. MCN’s Ph.D. in nursing aims to uplift nurses in their profession, preparing them to take on leadership roles and perform cutting edge research that shapes the health care landscape. 

Who should consider a Ph.D. in nursing?

In short: everyone. Nursing is one of many fields in health care that are moving towards requiring masters and doctorate-level education. 

Designed for those who want to focus on education and research, the doctorate of philosophy degree prepares nurse researchers with expertise in vulnerable populations. Many graduates of MCN’s Ph.D. program return to teach and conduct research, such as Dr. John Blakeman ‘20. 

Take it from Blakeman: “With a PhD, we are expected to affect the whole nursing profession: how we shape practice and policy and education.”

Is research not for you? Consider earning a doctorate in nursing practice via MCN’s DNP program .

What can I do with a Ph.D. in nursing?

The PhD-prepared nurse serves the public by designing and conducting research on relevant clinical, educational, health systems, and/or health policy topics. Following graduation, a nurse with a PhD may pursue a research career in the academic, business, government, or industrial setting. Nurses with a PhD may also serve as educators and/or administrators and develop or consult on health care policy in a variety of settings.

Become a nurse educator —in a university or on the hospital floor.

As the field works to usher in more nurses, it lacks sufficient nurses who are trained to teach them. With a Ph.D. in nursing, you will be prepared to educate nursing students or take on an education role within a health care setting, helping to train current nurses in new research and best practices. with the latest research in best practices.

With a Ph.D. in nursing, you will be prepared to review health care policy, test it, and make recommendations for federal or state regulations. An example would be to study the need for annual flu vaccinations for health care staff and whether or not requirements are evidence-based. With a Ph.D. in nursing, you will be prepared to evaluate symptoms of health issues, such as: fatigue prior to heart attacks, exercise needs of rural post-menopausal women, or pain assessment of older adults. A PhD-prepared nurse could also work with a coroner to analyze older adult falls and community recommendations to prevent future falls.

Become a nurse researcher —a critical role to keeping health care facilities up-to-date with the latest research in best practices.

Advance your career. The Ph.D. opens up career opportunities such as serving as a nurse researcher, administrator, policymaker, leader, or educator.

“With a PhD in nursing, you are better positioned to be a leader in the area of nursing education or be hired as a full-time faculty member,” says Dr. Seon Yoon Chung, Associate Dean for Academics. “The Ph.D. allows one to be part of advancing the science of nursing education by generating and applying evidence and promoting evidence-based teaching.”

In what settings will a Ph.D. in nursing be applicable?

No matter what nursing role you’re in, the knowledge and skills you gain in the Ph.D. program is applicable, including in practice, in teaching, in your research, and in administrative roles. Nurses often encounter tough questions, whether from patients, our community members, our families, or even our own interests in learning how to improve nursing practice. A Ph.D. program gives you the space to pursue topics that interest you, and it provides you with the knowledge and skills necessary to answer these questions in ways that are systematic, valid, and reliable.

One growing need for Ph.D.-prepared nurses is the rising impact big data has in health care practice. “We are now living in the era of artificial intelligence and big data. Soon, it will be necessary to know how to deal with data—that is, generate and/or use existing data to inform your practice, teaching, research, administration,” says Chung.

She emphasizes the ways in which core competencies gained from MCN’s Ph.D. program are transferable to the real world.  “The Ph.D. prepares you to be friends with data and information and understand how data-driven decisions are made. To be a leader who transforms health care and improves individual and population health, knowledge and skills acquired in a rigorous PhD program will be critical.”

How can I balance a Ph.D. program while working full-time and/or honoring my commitments to my family?

MCN’s Ph.D. program can be completed part-time, making it conducive for those balancing work, family, research, and education.

“The faculty all understood that we had full-time jobs. Most of us were either teaching, working as a nurse on the floor, or working as a clinical nurse. The faculty were able to maintain the appropriate amount of rigor and expectations while also granting students grace,” says Blakeman.

“The decision to complete a Ph.D. program is a commitment to yourself and your discipline,” affirms Melissa Moody, MCN’s academic advisor for post-licensure programs. “You may be balancing this new and exciting endeavor among many other obligations.  The key to your success will be early planning, staying organized, managing your time well, maintaining open communication with faculty and staff, and staying the course—one day at a time.”

She adds, “MCN faculty and staff are here to guide and support you on the path. We share a common goal: we want to see you succeed.”

MCN’s PhD program offers a professional, efficient, supportive environment. With both online and in-person requirements, the coursework is designed to work around nurses’ busy schedules with work and family. In MCN’s program, the coursework and research projects are customized around the needs and interests of our Ph.D. students.

Students also benefit from the expertise of MCN’s faculty. From advisement to knowledge of current research in the field, our faculty provides individualized attention for each student in the program.

Dr. Kim Astroth notes how important it is to MCN faculty that they give their students the time and attention. “It’s what sets MCN apart,” says Astroth. “Our faculty are attentive, flexible, and giving, working to empower our students. And our students are prepared to create high quality work as a result.”

Blakeman agrees. “I wasn’t just one number in a large group of people,” he says. “The faculty really knew us and cared about our personal lives—and so did our classmates. There was a close sense of community.”

So, is the Ph.D. in nursing worth it?

A Ph.D. program gives nurses the opportunity to pursue their research and make a difference in the health care landscape. MCN’s Ph.D. program is flexible in order to serve the needs of working nurses with busy lives while still providing the rigorous training necessary to becoming an expert. Nurses with Ph.D.s are prepared to make a huge difference in their communities, in their workplaces, and in the larger landscape of health care.

“A Ph.D. opens doors to a wide variety of practice areas,” says Associate Dean of Research Mary Dyck. “I’ve had the opportunity to chair a board of directors at a retirement community where I impacted the care for all of the residents. I’ve testified as a legal expert on quality of care. And I’ve worked with students as they’ve implemented major projects in health care institutions in the area. The Ph.D. allows nurses to have a much broader impact on the quality of care.”

Ph.D.-prepared nurses help shape health care policy and practice, and they are crucial to addressing the nursing shortage. We need nurse leaders to rise to the challenge and meet this call. 

At MCN, we ask: why not you?

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The Research Doctorate in Nursing: The PhD

When nurses are considering an advanced degree beyond the master’s level of educational preparation, a number of considerations may direct the decision-making process. The doctorate of philosophy (PhD) in nursing is a research degree that will well serve nurses who have the desire to apply theory and develop formal programs of research, become faculty of nursing, combine clinical practice with formal research, and advance through professional leadership in the ranks of hospitals and health systems organizations.

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Empowering oncology nurses to lead change through a shared governance project, a clinical librarian–nursing partnership to bridge clinical practice and research in an oncology setting, the value of mentoring in nursing: an honor and a gift.

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What Can You Do with a Doctorate in Nursing?

October 29, 2021

View all blog posts under Articles | View all blog posts under Doctor of Nursing Practice

Nursing is a diverse field, with occupations ranging from clinical roles to more management-oriented positions, to education and research. With so many different opportunities for employment, there is also an array of different avenues for skill development and higher education. After completing their Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) degree, some students may be wondering where their educational path should end. They may even ponder the question, “What can you do with a doctorate in nursing?” Earning either a PhD in nursing or a Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) through a BSN to Doctor of Nursing Practice program can open the door to very different career advancement opportunities.

What Is a Doctor of Nursing Practice?

BSN graduates are usually licensed as registered nurses after earning their degrees. After amassing several years of experience and possibly even a few professional certifications, they may notice the rate of their career progression has slowed. The DNP is a degree designed to close the gap between the patients’ needs and the nurses’ capacity to sufficiently tend to those needs. In that sense, the degree is best suited for nurses who wish to advance their clinical skill set.

What Skills Can Be Learned Through Earning a Doctor of Nursing Practice?

Prospective students often wonder what you can do with a doctorate in nursing and what DNP programs entail. DNP programs expose students to a multitude of advanced concepts in the nursing field. The following are a few key areas of study for DNP students:

Advanced Clinical Skills

DNP students hone their general clinical skills through courses such as advanced health assessment and advanced clinical pharmacology. Through the health assessment coursework, they learn how to better evaluate patients’ states of health using diagnostic tools and techniques. Pharmacology classes teach students how to prescribe medications and then educate patients on how to use them safely. Beyond these general skills, DNP programs also offer students the opportunity to concentrate their studies in a specialized field of practice. Some options include:

• Pediatric Nurse Practitioner—Treating babies, children, adolescents, and young adults
• Family Nurse Practitioner—Teaching families how to live healthier lives and administering advanced health care treatments when necessary
• Women’s Health Nurse Practitioner—Providing health care services to women of all ages, including pre-, post-, and perinatal care
• Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner—Counseling those who suffer from mental illness and prescribing medications or other treatments when necessary
• Adult Gerontology—Caring for adult patients, especially senior citizens

Nursing Informatics

Patient data is an essential asset to health care institutions, and nurses play a central role in ensuring this data is properly recorded, analyzed, and shared. Through doctorate-level nursing informatics coursework, student nurses learn what types of information are the most important to improving patient health outcomes, as well as how to communicate that data in the most efficient way possible. They also learn how technology can be used to save lives, to educate patients or other providers, and to increase the overall operating efficiency of a health care institution.

Health Promotion

Nurses are also responsible for helping reduce the number of people who need health services by promoting health education in their communities. The DNP program shows students how to interact with patients and general community members to teach both populations about healthy behaviors, disease prevention, wellness, and management of chronic conditions. Health promotion coursework positions students to help increase the general public’s control over their own health, thereby reducing the number of people who may become dependent on the health care system.

Health Policy

Health policy determines how health care institutions are run at the local, state, and national levels. By gaining knowledge of how health policy is created, implemented, and managed over time, students can learn how to contribute to these processes. This could entail consulting government officials to amend a current national health policy, or working with colleagues to determine the best way to adhere to current health policies and regulations.

What Is a PhD in Nursing?

Nurses who want to know what you can do with a doctorate in nursing may also consider comparing the benefits of a DNP and a PhD in nursing. While the Doctor of Nursing Practice is primarily a clinical practice degree, the PhD in nursing emphasizes scientific research.

PhD programs are meant to prepare students to develop new innovations in nursing science rather than focus on patient care. The curriculum will vary slightly, but PhD in nursing programs often enable students to study advanced research methods that can be used to tackle pressing issues in the modern health care environment. The coursework highlights the importance of utilizing hard evidence when performing health research, then explains how to find that evidence and translate it into actionable knowledge. The PhD in nursing offers a unique means to contribute to the advancement of nursing practice.

What Can a Doctorate in Nursing Do for Your Career?

Nurse scientists apply research and data to learn how nurses can more effectively manage patients in various situations, ranging from patients who cope with chronic pain, to populations who struggle with substance abuse issues, to young women who want to break the cycle of domestic violence. Graduates with a PhD in nursing often go on to make breakthroughs in disease management, patient care, and health care policy. They are likely to lead health care organizations and create the clinical treatment methods that thousands of nurses and nurse practitioners use to treat patients every day.

DNP Salaries

Nurses pursuing a doctorate may wonder what a DNP graduate’s earning potential is. The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) provides the annual median salaries for advanced practice registered nurses (APRNs) with terminal degrees, such as a Doctor of Nursing Practice. According to the BLS, APRNs across the United States earn an annual median salary of $115,800. This amount can change based on experience, job facility, nurse practitioner specialty, and state. The BLS notes that the lowest 10% of nurse practitioners earn an annual median salary of $82,460, while the top 10% earn $184,180.

Which Option Is Best for You?

What can you do with a doctorate in nursing? The answer includes a wide variety of career options. For passionate, career-driven nurses, earning a doctoral degree has a high potential to advance their skills and expand their career opportunities. The outcome, however, depends entirely on the degree path they choose: PhD or DNP.

Creating new knowledge as a nurse researcher helps keep the discipline moving forward, but some nurses crave a more hands-on role in the health care process. For student nurses who prefer work that is centered on actively delivering health care services to patients, the DNP is the most fitting terminal degree to pursue.

Nurses who are passionate about nursing and want to know what you can do with a doctorate in nursing can explore BSN to DNP programs. Regis College prepares nurse practitioners to take the next step in their careers with the online BSN to Doctor of Nursing Practice . RNs with a bachelor’s degree who enroll in the program complete the same rigorous courses as traditional students, but the online course delivery offers greater flexibility.

Recommended Reading: FNP vs. PNP Careers: What’s the Difference? Pediatric Nurse Practitioner: Exploring the Field of Pediatric Nursing What Is a Family Nurse Practitioner?

Sources: American Association of Colleges of Nursing, DNP Education American Association of Colleges of Nursing, PhD Education Career Cast Nursing, “5 Career Benefits of a PhD in Nursing” Online Journal of Issues in Nursing, “Advancing Scholarship Through Translational Research: The Role of PhD and DNP Prepared Nurses” U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Nurse Anesthetists, Nurse Midwives, and Nurse Practitioners

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Wherever you are in your career and wherever you want to be, look to Regis for a direct path, no matter your education level. Fill out the form to learn more about our program options or get started on your application today.

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• v.30(2); 2022 Jun

Expected Roles of PhD Graduated Nurses: A Scoping Review

Reza negarandeh.

1 Nursing and Midwifery Care Research Center, School of Nursing and Midwifery, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran

Sahar Khoshkesht

2 Department of Medical-Surgical Nursing, School of Nursing & Midwifery, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran

The aim of this study was to investigate the expected roles of the Doctor of Philosophy graduated nurses and their challenges. This study was conducted as a scoping review based on Arksey and O'Malley’s approach. After a search in valid databases such as Google Scholar, Information Sciences Institute, Science Direct, Ovid, PubMed, and Scientific Information Database between 2000 and 2019 and review the websites of some well-known universities and the contents of some of the global nursing websites such as the American Association of Colleges of Nursing, National League for Nursing (NLN), International Network for Doctoral Education in Nursing (IDEN), as well as reports such as Institute of Medicine. All data were collected, summarized, and then described narratively. There was much evidence that the Doctor of Philosophy programs had failed to prepare graduated nurses for the related roles and responsibilities. The expected roles of the Doctor of Philosophy graduated nurses in this study summarized in five domains of education, clinical practice, research, leadership and management, and policy-making along with worldwide challenges, especially those highlighted in Iran. It seems that besides clarifications of the expected roles of the Doctor of Philosophy graduated nurses, there should be more thought about the contents of the programs along with roles responsibilities, as well as the establishment of better communications between universities and workplaces.

Introduction

The Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) refers to the philosophy and scientific diligence in knowledge which is also regarded as the highest academic degree in all disciplines. The term “doctorate” is rooted in the Latin word “docere” which means teaching ( Winter et al., 2000 ) and it is also characterized by an advanced level of education and research that is employed to create new knowledge ( Ellis, 2005 ). The graduates of disciplines such as medicine labeled as “MD,” pharmacy called “Pharm.D,” veterinary named as “DVSc,” and dentistry termed as “DT” are also mentioned as doctorate which is a degree equivalent to a bachelor’s and master’s in other sciences.

History showed that PhD education was established in Europe and Germany. Then, it was brought to the United States in the 1860s. Yale University was the first academic center to award a PhD degree in 1861. Then, Oxford University in the United Kingdom began to accept students in PhD programs in 1920 ( Carpenter & Hudacek, 1996 ).

In general, the goal of a PhD program is to educate scholars and scientists to develop disciplines and to create new knowledge in which there is an emphasis on preparing students to assume expected roles after completion of the courses ( Fiedler et al., 2015 ). The global competition for doctoral study is growing. Moreover, PhD graduates play an important role in the development of communities because of having specific skills in research methods and abilities to create, implement, and publish knowledge and innovation ( Auriol, 2010 ).

The concept of PhD in nursing is not new. In the past, most nurses could also obtain their doctoral degrees in disciplines such as physiology, education, or social sciences. Doctorate of Education (EdD) was created between 1900 and 1940 and the first EdD in nursing was awarded in 1933 at Columbia University. In the 1950s, the University of Pittsburgh emphasized the importance of clinical research for the development of a body of knowledge and nursing profession in the PhD program. Then Boston University launched the Doctorate of Nursing Science (DNSc) ( Robb, 2005 ). Later, different types of nursing doctorates were developed including Doctorate of Science in Nursing, Nursing Doctorate, Doctor of Philosophy in Nursing (PhD), and Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) ( Meleis, 1988 ; Rosseter, 2017 ). The history of PhD degrees development in nursing in some countries across the world such as the United States (1933), the United Kingdom (1970), Sweden (1986), Australia (1987), South Korea (1988), Brazil (1990), Canada (1991), Venezuela (1998), and China (2003) is reflecting the historical record and the importance of developing PhD studies in nursing worldwide.

Historically, the first PhD program in nursing in Iran was held by Tabriz University of Medical Sciences in 1995. Then, Iran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, and Isfahan University of Medical Sciences started accepting PhD students in nursing. Currently, a total number of 17 universities of medical sciences in Iran have permission to train PhD students in this domain.

In general, two models of PhD programs in nursing are known worldwide. In the research-based/oriented European model, students only focus on the implementation of research projects. This model is being used in European countries, North Africa, Egypt, Japan, Australia, and New Zealand. But in the North American model or the Pan-American model, students first take courses that are related to the subject of the dissertation and, after successfully passing the relevant exams; they concentrate on doing their dissertations. This model is being implemented in countries such as Brazil, Canada, the United States, Venezuela, South Korea, the Philippines, Taiwan, Thailand, and Iran ( Ketefian et al., 2001 ).

In recent years, scientific research studies have put more stress on the professional development of nursing and they have particularly focused on the unique characteristics of nursing. Unlike other disciplines that start with general studies and then make progress toward specializations in the postgraduate programs, nursing is a profession that requires a general perspective in the PhD program ( Rosseter, 2017 ). Nursing programs traditionally present courses in the fields of nursing history and philosophy and development of healthcare techniques as well as socio-economic, political, and ethical issues. Data management and research methods are also included as the most important areas in doctoral education in nursing ( American Association of Colleges of Nursing [AACN], 2018 ).

Undoubtedly, the purpose of PhD programs in the development of nursing sciences is through research. In this respect, graduates are trained in research-based disciplines to contribute to a collection of unique knowledge in nursing and they are expected to accept leadership positions in their fields. As noted, the nursing process has been toward increasing PhD programs. Having doctoral degrees, as the most known and highest degree of science, has also clarified the value of PhD in nursing. Although the American Association of Colleges of Nursing (AACN) announced in 2004, there are mainly two types of nursing doctorate including PhD and DNP in Nursing; but most of the nursing leaders who recognize and accept PhD as a degree at the postgraduate level are strongly advocating the removal of other specialized programs such as DNP named as PhD in Nursing. Moreover, the AACN has differentiated PhD graduates as knowledge developers and DNP and DNSc ones as experts in using the new knowledge ( AACN, 2002 ; Rosseter, 2017 ).

Growing knowledge and increasing complexity of health systems increase the need for advanced and qualified nursing. Therefore, nursing education and the training of Ph.D. students are very important ( Patelarou et al., 2009 ). According to the Institute of Medicine (2011) , “The Future of Nursing: Leading Change, Advancing Health,” nurses could play a very important role in reforming and redesigning health systems that need improving the levels of knowledge and attitudes. Based on the recommendations in this report, there is an emphasis on increasing levels of nursing education, doubling the number of PhD graduates in nursing by 2020, and using the full extent of nurse education and training; therefore, nurses should be responsive to changing needs of health care systems. However; there is much more evidence that PhD programs in nursing have failed to prepare graduates for relevant roles and responsibilities ( Booth et al., 2016 ). Generally, the relationship between doctoral education and expectations and roles is vague and there are sometimes no defined roles and responsibilities for nursing graduates in health systems ( Agger et al., 2014 ; Bullin, 2018 ). Even if the roles and responsibilities have been defined, they have not been properly addressed in practice. Considering the increasing importance and the need for training nurses with PhD degrees as the source of changes in healthcare systems, as well as the controversies in preparation of graduates that exposed them to the confusion of their roles, there is the need to discuss the role of PhD graduate students. Therefore, this study aimed to investigate the expected role of PhD graduate nurses.

Research Questions

1. What are the roles and responsibilities of PhD graduate nurses? 2. Is there compatibility between the expected roles, curriculum, clinical environment, and organizations that provide job opportunities? 3. What are the worldwide PhD graduate nurses challenges; especially those highlighted in Iran?

Study Design

This study was a scoping review based on Arksey and O’Malley approach (2005).

Study Process

The five-stage approach of Arksey and O’Malley (2005) includes identifying the research question, identifying relevant studies, study selection, charting the data, collating, summarizing, and reporting. A summary of the stages is shown in the below flowchart ( Figure 1 ).

Flowchart of the Process of Study Based on Arksey and O’Malley’s Five-Stage Approach.

Search Process and Study Identification

Regarding the importance of the subject in the field of nursing and the lack of sufficient evidence in this domain, the main research question was about the expected roles of PhD graduated nurses and their challenges. Accordingly, various keywords such as doctorate in nursing OR PhD in nursing AND roles of PhD nurses AND scope of practice of PhD nurses were searched in valid databases such as Google Scholar, Information Sciences Institute, Ovid, PubMed, and Scientific Information Database in the related studies published between 2000 and 2019.

Eligibility of Resources

More than 414 articles were extracted. After removing duplicate items, examining the relevancy of titles, and reviewing the relevance of the subject, the validity of the source, and accessibility to the article, finally, the 23 articles were examined. Also, seven articles and two books were added after reference lists review. Since the purpose of a scoping review is a brief analysis around key concepts in the research subject and finding main sources and types of evidence without considering the quality of the studies ( Tricco et al., 2016 ), the studies were selected only based on the proximity to the subject and scope of the investigation. Exclusion criteria included irrelevant, duplicate, and non-English articles. However, lectures, summaries, studies related to other disciplines, and studies just related to DNP were excluded from the final review. In addition, the websites of some well-known universities and the contents of some of the global nursing websites such as AACN, NLN, IDEN, as well as reports such as IOM were reviewed. All data were collected, summarized, and then described narratively and discussed.

Goals of PhD in Nursing

By exploring PhD programs in nursing across the world, it becomes clear that the educational goals of training PhD graduates are different due to discrepancies in defined roles and responsibilities. The following cases are examples of such differences.

The University of Virginia in the United States which accepts students through two PhD and DNP programs aims to educate clinical professionals, nursing scholars, and researchers to develop nursing knowledge in the 21 century ( The University of Virginia, 2018 ), while the John Hopkins University, in the United States, emphasized the empowerment of students in development and direction of research toward improving provision of healthcare services ( The Johns Hopkins University School of Nursing, 2018 ). Accordingly, the general purpose of this university is to educate nursing scholars to develop and conduct research studies and finally progress the nursing discipline and deliver better healthcare services ( The Johns Hopkins University School of Nursing, 2018 )

The University of Alberta in Canada also expects the following roles from nursing graduates including nursing progress, knowledge mobilization, research development, and change in leadership ( The University of Alberta, 2018 ). Also, the objective of nursing education in China, which has been working on nursing education since 2003, is to educate future nurses in the domains of research and management ( Wang et al., 2016 ).

In general, the major objectives of establishing the nursing discipline in Iran include training specialized staff to provide the required workforce in the areas of research, education, technology, management, and services. Therefore, graduates can play roles in the domains of education, research, care, counseling, management, and prevention in communities. Accordingly, the positions considered for nurses can extend from hospitals to private centers, welfare and rehabilitation centers, research centers and institutes, planning centers related to nursing, growth centers, and knowledge-based companies as well as the community. However; the goals, visions, roles, and responsibilities of PhD graduated nurses in Iran have undergone changes in three periods since 1994. The focus of the first PhD programs in nursing was on improving the quality of education and research in order to achieve professional independence to supply the required human resource and also to promote nursing ( The Iranian Curriculum of PhD in Nursing, 1995 ). In 2003, following the graduation of only ten students, the curriculum of PhD programs in nursing was revised and training of high-quality students in terms of research gained more weight ( The Iranian Curriculum of PhD in Nursing, 2005 ). In the last period and following the approval of the curriculum for PhD programs in nursing which had been implemented since 2017, the main goal was training specialized nursing staff to provide the required human resources in the field of research, education, technology, management, and nursing services as well as participation in policy-making in the health system. By adding six non-core units to the curriculum, a clinical perspective was formed ( The Iranian Curriculum of PhD in Nursing, 2017 ). Moreover, 24 professional responsibilities were considered for graduates. But there are not enough infrastructures to prepare nurses for gaining enough knowledge and skills during the years of education.

It seems that the shift in the locus of attention to the nursing PhD programs in Iran and some other countries from education to research and then clinical practice, as evident in curriculum changes, along with inappropriate consideration of specialized roles and responsibilities in PhD programs that distinguish graduates of PhD nursing from other nursing groups can be a reason for the role confusion among PhD graduates.

PhD in Nursing Careers

Based on the IOM (2011) reports as well as AACN (2018) , the nursing profession requires much more nurses at the doctoral level to deal with the difficulty of the lack of nursing faculty members and scholars. The Doctor of Philosophy programs in nursing is held with the purpose of preparing graduates to accept careers in health, education, research, and clinical practice.

Most nurses with PhD degrees have a normal transition to achieve an academic career; however, there are other alternatives for nurses at this level. For example, PhD graduated nurses are often recruited by large consulting companies to work with other individuals in terms of designing solutions related to problems in providing healthcare services. Some other nurses are employed by big hospitals to manage different wards. Moreover, a group of such nurses is hired for the management of complicated healthcare systems at an executive level. In other places, these nurses could carry out research and also formulate and develop national and international healthcare policies. No need to say that PhD studies can meet individuals with a wide range of appropriate job opportunities.

Roles, Expectations, and Challenges

Within the nursing profession, graduate students are trained to develop new nursing knowledge and to prepare future nurses in the fields of research, education, clinical practice, leadership, and health-related policies. However, one of the major challenges of nursing education is the lack of clarity in the roles and responsibilities of graduated nurses, especially those involved in PhD programs ( Bunkers, 2002 ).

In the study by Cheraghi et al. (2014) , clinical nurses’ perceptions and expectations about the roles and responsibilities of nursing doctorates were addressed. This study suggested that although nurses were good perceptions of PhD in nursing and believed that PhD nurses had been prepared to do research and to utilize theoretical knowledge in practice and they could also make use of their own specific conditions to improve current nursing status, PhD nurses, in reality, in the clinical setting cannot analyze issues related to healthcare systems and establish strategies to address nursing challenges.

Also, McKenna et al. (2014) highlighted the inadequate competency of PhD graduated nurses in confronting existing challenges in health systems. They acknowledged that although PhD graduates were expected to deal with nursing problems via knowledge and in-depth insights, in practice, such individuals had failed to play their roles in reforming the health system.

On the other hand, Sahebi et al. (2017) reviewing the challenges of the nursing doctoral curriculum in Iran conceded that with regard to the dynamism nature of needs of the health system and the development of nursing education, the nursing curriculum was faced with challenges and needed some changes. One of the most important findings of this study was that the nursing doctoral curriculum could not meet the needs of the community, health care system, the nursing profession, and even faculty members and PhD students. In the study by Zamanzadeh et al. (2014) investigating students’ attitudes toward the quality of PhD programs in nursing, the lowest score was associated with “no consistency between the curriculum of PhD programs and the nursing profession as well as its missions and obligations.”

Following the changes that occurred in the curriculum approved by the Ministry of Health and Medical Education in 2017, it seemed that no adaptation was expected in this domain via adding six non-core units whose method of implementation was not defined clearly. The confusion and challenges faced by PhD students in relation to the expected roles of passing these six units also increased. In a study by Feizalahzadeh and Hassani (2012) , the participants showed that if nurses with PhD degrees were to be employed in clinical practice, necessary and sufficient infrastructure and organizational positions, as well as salaries, are required.

Expectations from PhD graduated nurses are miscellaneous and multifaceted. So, it is expected that individuals demonstrate their best performance in different domains and positions; while there is no proper and practical preparation in the clinical, care, decision-making, policy-making, and education fields. There actually seems to be a contradiction in what universities are producing and what employers expect from the graduated nurses. The following is a summary of the expected roles of PhD graduated nurses in five domains of education, clinical practice, research, leadership and management, and policy-making along with worldwide challenges, especially those highlighted in Iran.

Before the mid-19th century, the main focus of PhD programs was on teaching and higher education, aimed at training faculty members ( Glanville & Houde, 2004 ). Nonetheless, with the expansion of PhD programs in nursing and admitting more students, teaching became a secondary activity and concentration was directed to research programs ( AACN, 2016 ). One of the tasks of schools in this domain is to train experts, that is, future students and nurses, in terms of theoretical and clinical education ( Oermann et al., 2016 ). It is also one of the professional responsibilities and roles of PhD graduated nurses in Iran. Thus, nursing education has great importance in the development of the nursing profession and preparation of future nurses to accept today’s advanced roles and to take on responsibilities for providing safe and high-quality nursing services ( Burton et al., 2009 ).

Nursing graduates are expected to be able to prepare for the quality training of future nurses, but this readiness is low or not at all ( Bullin, 2018 ). Previous studies have shown that insufficient preparation among graduates to assume the role of lecturers and faculty members could reduce job satisfaction and have a negative impact on their performance in the educational role ( Whitehead, 2015 ). In the study by Moghadam et al. (2017) , it has been reported that PhD nursing students and graduates were not ready for nursing education. PhD graduated nurses further acknowledged that organizational expectations were much beyond their abilities, clinical competencies were low, and uncertainties and obligations could lead to identity threats in PhD students. Also, McNelis et al. (2019) showed that there is a vague process for preparing graduates for teaching in both PhD and DNP curricula. so, should prepare graduates for faculty roles by including coursework on teaching.

Currently, the presence of Iranian PhD graduated nurses in clinical practice is defined as lecturers in undergraduate and postgraduate courses in clinical settings ( Cheraghi, et al., 2014 ). But based on the contents of the PhD programs, students are not completely prepared for clinical education. So, assuming the role of clinical instructors by PhD graduated nurses is neither acceptable nor cost-effective. Perhaps, teaching-specialized clinical education can be assigned to experts of the related field and the educational role of nursing doctorates can be limited to teaching how to acquire knowledge and research and how to enhance the body of nursing knowledge. It has been highlighted in most PhD programs worldwide, and PhD nursing students are prepared in that domain.

Clinical Practice

As stated, the nursing discipline is inherently clinical and one of the goals to train future nurses is helping in terms of provision of safe and high-quality services and consequently improvement of community health ( Edwards et al., 2018 ). By assessing the roles for PhD graduates in clinical practice, it can be realized that the expected clinical role is promoting health in communities at higher executive and managerial levels, and no direct clinical role for such graduates in the care domain has been taken into consideration. In contrast, in Iran, planning, implementation, and evaluation of nursing services, working with healthcare teams, as well as patient follow-up after discharge, have been considered as responsibilities of PhD graduated nurses, while the defined positions for playing these roles have been not considered ( The Iranian Curriculum of PhD in Nursing, 2017 ). Additionally, the lack of well-defined and purposeful program have faced students with more confusion. There is no doubt about the role that nurses can play in clinical practice, but if nurses with PhD degrees have the same responsibilities assumed by other nursing groups, what is the need to spend money, time, and manpower to train nursing doctorates.

Certainly, DNP has a different definition of PhD. Accordingly, there are different programs, goals, missions, and job positions ( Oermann et al., 2016 ). The launch of the DNP program alongside PhD in nursing as a separate discipline considering educational infrastructure, manpower, working environment, community acceptance, and … can be debated; however, the problem is to what extent the integration of these two programs will be practical.

Research and Investigation

The goal of the PhD programs is to prepare nursing students to produce new knowledge, develop the profession, and improve the quality of healthcare and health policies that are possible in the light of research studies. Therefore, one of the expected roles of PhD students in nursing is the ability to carry out applied research ( Henly et al., 2015 ). Now, in the PhD Programs in Nursing in Iran (2017), students are required to fulfill a final research dissertation. In fact, one of the prominent roles of PhD graduated nurses is setting up and conducting proper and high-quality research. Thus, PhD students can identify concepts and structures of their interest, study their relationships, develop predicted models, and finally test them. The result can be the production of new knowledge for the nursing profession. However, AACN (2013) and Quality Assurance Agency for Higher Education ( The Quality Assurance Agency for Higher Education [QAAHE], 2011 ) in the United Kingdom have expressed concerns about the quality of PhD theses.

It seems that attention to the quantity of the dissertations, limited research areas, and lack of interest in fundamental subjects, along with the prolongation of the research period, can all reduce the quality of research in PhD programs in nursing.

Leadership and Policy-Making

Although the tasks of governments or nursing leaders appointed to state affairs are policy-making, the presence of nurses in policy-making can improve nursing performance and consequently increase the quality of care services ( Sullivan & Garland, 2010 ).

More than any other efforts up to the present, the IOM report (2011) has encouraged nurses to make changes in policies. According to this report, nurses have been called on to enhance their leadership capacities in order to design, implement, and support health policies that affect community health.

In recent years, Iranian nurses have tried to increase their participation in policy-making in nursing affairs although the status of nurses in the domain of policy-making is not still clear enough ( Ministry of Health Policy Making Council, 2014 ).

It is also obvious that PhD graduated nurses have the most important role in shaping leadership. In the curriculum ( The Iranian Curriculum of PhD in Nursing, 2017 ), there are at least eight to ten leadership responsibilities that have been listed for PhD graduated nurses. It is also believed that the endpoint of the nursing profession is a leadership position to provide nursing services or train nurses. Accordingly, the PhD degree puts more emphasis on the leadership position of nurses, particularly in clinical practice. Moreover, it is claimed that nursing managers should benefit from the cooperation of PhD nurses in decision-making processes ( Brar et al., 2010 ).

In regard to the preparation of PhD graduated nurses to assume leadership and policy-making roles, there are still ambiguities. Recently, two units of policy-making have been included in the nursing syllabus, but they have not been enough and also failed to prepare nurses for such situations. Therefore, it seems necessary to change the goals and the plans of PhD programs in nursing in order to prepare nurses to take on leadership and policy-making roles in the future.

On the other hand, due to the lack of a precise definition for organizational positions in leadership and policy-making groups in the Ministry of Health or at hospitals, graduates have no idea of employment in such organizations. Moreover, the terms “cooperation” or “participation” have been used in the responsibilities listed in the curriculum and independent roles have not been considered for PhD graduated nurses.

Study Limitations

One of the limitations of this study was the difficulty of fully accessing up-to-date and reliable sources. However, the best and most reliable sources were selected and retrieved according to the situation and needs.

Conclusion and Recommendations

The Doctor of Philosophy graduated nurses are expected to play the roles of agents for the development of the body of knowledge and nursing profession, as well as for educators, researchers, leaders, policy-makers, and professional consultants. Nevertheless, one of the major challenges facing nursing education is ambiguity in defining the roles of nursing graduates particularly those with PhD degrees (Bunkers, 2001). The definition of nursing roles can be challenging because studies in many countries have indicated disruptions in roles as well as overlaps ( Chiarella & McInnes, 2010 )

There is much evidence that PhD programs in nursing do not prepare graduates for their roles and responsibilities ( Booth et al., 2016 ). In general, the relationships between doctoral education, expectations, and career roles for PhD graduated nurses have not been well defined ( Agger et al., 2014 ; Bullin, 2018 ). Therefore, for possessing graduates with multiple abilities and multiple tasks, there is a need for the enrichment of the curriculum, defining clear roles, and proper preparation to achieve these roles ( Adib-Hajbaghery & Hosieni, 2018 ).

It seems that PhD programs lasting for 4–5 years have failed to create the competency required to provide these complex, broad, and sometimes cooperating roles with other medical and nursing staff. On the other hand, the working environment is not ready to accept these graduates.

As a whole, all the expected roles of PhD graduated nurses need further clarifications and there is a need to think about the consistency between curriculums and roles, as well as the establishment of better relationships between academic settings and educational programs and organizations providing job opportunities.

Educational planning to achieve the competency to accept the roles needed for the market in order to meet the needs of communities and the nursing profession is worthwhile because the type of investments in an educational system will be equal to its outputs. Therefore, the type of perspectives to educational programs can direct human resource policy. Therefore, the results of this study, while reporting the situation in Iran, should be considered as a basis for expanding awareness of the challenges in this field, and the authorities should find a solution in the field with proper planning.

This article provides an overview of the expected role of nursing PhD graduates around the world with a special focus on nursing PhD graduates in Iran and discusses its challenges. Obviously, because of cultural differences and the educational and care structure of each country, roles and expectations will be different. Therefore, it is suggested that this issue be discussed in several countries and a solution be found to its challenges.

Peer Review: Externally peer-reviewed.

Author Contributions: Concept – S.K., R.N.; Design S.K., R.N.; Supervision – R.N.; Resources – S.K., R.N.; Materials – S.K., R.N.; Data Collection and/or Processing – S.K.; Analysis and/or Interpretation – S.K., R.N.; Literature Search – S.K., R.N.; Writing Manuscript – S.K.; Critical Review – R.N.

Declaration of Interests: The authors have no conflicts of interest to declare.

Funding: The authors declared that this study has received no financial support.

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Doctoral Degrees in Nursing

Table of contents.

What is a Doctoral Degree in Nursing?

A doctoral degree in any field is what we consider to be the terminal or final degree for that field. A doctorate is the highest degree you can possibly earn. When it comes to nursing, there are a couple of options to consider if you’re thinking about getting your Doctorate. Each has a different focus and specialization that uniquely supports the profession of nursing.

Doctor of Philosophy, PhD

The PhD is probably most likely what people think of when it comes to Doctoral degrees that are outside what a physician would have. There are numerous PhD focuses out there across many disciplines and professions, and they all focus on research within their field or specialty. 

The PhD in nursing is a research-focused degree with an emphasis on creating new knowledge as it relates to things like nursing practices, healthcare, patient outcomes, and education. These nurse scientists identify a problem, create a hypothesis, develop a way to evaluate that hypothesis through statistical analysis, and synthesize new evidence and knowledge based on their findings.

The PhD project has some great resources you can check out for more insight into what the Doctor of Philosophy is all about. 

Doctor of Nursing Practice, DNP

The DNP degree could be the doctoral degree most directly relatable to the practice of nursing at the bedside. Throughout the DNP academic program, the focus is on evidence-based practice and how to bring that practice to the patients. As a DNP, you are prepared to view potential problems in practice, identify the solution to that problem by investigating and reinforcing best practices, and assist in putting those best practices into action.

Another way to think of this is that the DNP can pick up where the PhD left off, because one complements the other.

A PhD-prepared nurse scientist conducts research and produces evidence from that research. The DNP-prepared nurse focuses on translating that evidence into practice to support optimal patient outcomes.

To learn more about the possibilities in achieving your Doctor of Nursing Practice Degree, check out Doctors of Nursing Practice .

Doctorate in Education, EdD

The EdD is, as you may have guessed, all about education. This is another degree that touches many different disciplines of education outside of nursing, such as those professionals directing school systems who seek to advance scholarly practices. 

The EdD is available with a focus on nursing education through some universities and colleges. Those pursuing their EdD with a focus on nursing will be prepared to be leaders and innovators in the academic preparation of future nurses.

If you’re interested, a great resource to check out the EdD options out there is EdD Programs .

What Can You Do With a Doctoral Degree in Nursing?

Any of the Doctoral degrees mentioned here likely have some elements to set you up for success as a leader in your field. Depending on what you want to do with your professional life, or what your current professional role includes, one of the Doctoral pathways could be better suited than the others.

Nurses with Doctoral degrees have knowledge and skills that support roles outside of what many might consider traditional and can include roles like

• Academic faculty
• Advanced Practice Nurse (APRN)
• Nursing science and research
• Clinical leadership
• Health executive 
• Health policy analyst
• Healthcare lobbyist
• Healthcare data analyst
• Health Writer
• Nurse consultant
• Health Program Director

Which Doctoral Degree is Right for Me?

Which Doctoral degree is right for you depends on you as a person, and the reasons you are considering it in the first place. The decision to pursue a Doctoral degree and the pathway to getting there should be guided by what you want to do with your degree when you’re done.

You don’t want to decide you’re going to get your PhD and then try and figure out what you’re going to do with it. You should be thinking in the reverse. Think about what roles you could see yourself in and make your decisions about which Doctoral pathway to pursue based on that. The last thing you want to do is labor through a PhD program geared toward research and academia when your true heart’s desire is to be a clinical leader.

If you think you want to be a member of the nursing faculty, then any of the three mentioned Doctoral programs will likely serve you well. If you want to be a nurse scientist focused on research, you would want to stick with a PhD. The end goal needs to justify the means.

Is a Doctoral Degree The Right Choice For Me?

If you’re thinking about someday pursuing a Doctoral degree you really need to make sure you want it badly enough to put in the work. Sometimes nurses like the sound of completing their Doctoral degree, but when it comes down to the work they run out of steam or they find it’s just too much with everything else in life they need to manage.

Completing a terminal degree is a tremendous amount of work. You will eat, breathe, and sleep school for a period of time, and it does get tiresome. By the time I finished my own DNP degree program I didn’t want to think about or speak about my chosen area of research at all. I was just plain sick of it for a while.

Trust me, there were many times throughout the program that I wanted to throw in the towel, but I’m very happy I didn’t. This is not meant to scare people, it is meant to make sure you have a realistic idea of what the expectations are. Ask around, and talk to some people you know who have been through it. See what their opinion on the workload is.

How Do I Get Started and When?

When and where you get started depends mostly on where you are now. Most Doctoral programs will require at least a Bachelor’s degree and Master’s level coursework to be completed as a component of their admission requirements.

There are some exceptions to this, especially with many of the APRN programs that have transitioned to DNP programs. For these programs, you can be accepted into the program with a Bachelor’s degree and work through the Master’s level coursework as a matriculated DNP student.

The timing of when to start depends a lot on what your life is like and what responsibilities you may be managing while also in school. Some people prefer to delay until their kids are in school or until some other major life event has passed. That is totally okay, and nobody is going to be able to make that decision better than you.

I will also say it’s never too soon or too late to start at least thinking about Doctoral programs if you’re interested, but you need to do your research.

You do not want to apply to and enroll in the first Doctoral program that shows up in your Google search. You need to research the program and think about its unique requirements and how they fit your needs.

Here are some things to consider when looking at programs:

• Does this program fit my future career goals?
• Does the enrollment timing of this program match the needs of me and my family?
• Do I need a program that is online, in-person, or a combination of both?
• Does the program have on-site residency requirements I might need to satisfy?
• How long is the program?
• How much is the program?
• What is the program’s reputation?
• Check out the faculty; are there any faculty members that have research interests that align with yours?
• What are the clinical or research requirements?
• Are you allowed to take any semesters off if needed?

Matt is a registered nurse currently working in nursing professional development specializing in supporting the development of current and future nurses. He obtained his Bachelors in Nursing from Utica College and both his Doctor of Nursing Practice degree and Master’s degree in Nursing Education from Sacred Heart University.  Matt maintains two national board certifications as a Certified Emergency Nurse and a Trauma Certified Registered Nurse. Matt’s free time is mainly spent with his three children as they are always reliable in keeping him active.

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Seven Things You Can Do With a Bachelor's in Nursing

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The nursing field has no shortage of opportunities for professionals who want a flexible career with wide-ranging options for advancement. However, as a registered nurse with an associate degree, you may find it challenging to pursue leadership or specialty roles that require additional education

Not only that, more hospitals are requiring bachelor’s-level degree nurses in their facilities. According to the latest AACN survey on the Employment of New Nurse Graduates , 28 percent of employers require a bachelor's degree among new hires, while 72 percent strongly prefer it.

But what can you do with a bachelor's in nursing, and will the investment offer professional benefits? Here’s an overview of rewarding career paths you can pursue with a bachelor’s degree in nursing and the impact of this education.

Download our guide to discover which nursing degree is right for you.

What Is a Bachelor’s Degree in Nursing?

A bachelor’s (BS) degree in nursing is a four-year undergraduate degree that provides the skills and knowledge to work as a registered nurse (RN).

“A bachelor's degree in nursing gives nurses a more well-rounded education as they move forward in their career,” says Deborah Roy, Director of Regis College’s RN-to-BS in Nursing degree program.

Students can pursue this degree after earning a high school diploma or through a bridge program after obtaining a two-year Associate Degree in Nursing (ADN).

While an associate degree is the minimum requirement to become a licensed RN, a bachelor's degree program develops clinical skills with a focus on:

• Critical thinking
• Public health

“This allows them to address more complex issues within the healthcare arena,” Roy continues.

A BS in nursing also makes nurses eligible for more career advancement opportunities down the line. This is because healthcare facilities require staff to hold a four-year degree for nursing leadership positions and specialized fields.

If you’re committed to the nursing field and want to continue growing in your career, consider these seven advanced nursing roles that are available to professionals with a BS in nursing degree.

What Can You Do With a Bachelor's in Nursing?

1. nurse manager.

Nurse managers coordinate the nursing operations of a healthcare facility.

This can include:

• Staff management
• Resource allocation
• Regulatory compliance

Nurse managers are an integral part of the leadership team at a healthcare facility, responsible for implementing policies that improve patient care and create a safe environment. As a result, nurse managers earn an average annual salary of $104,830 .

Nurse managers need a BS in nursing to develop the leadership skills needed to effectively manage nursing teams. The curriculum covers critical areas of healthcare management that are essential for this role.

2. Nursing Research

Nurse research is an exciting field that offers many career opportunities. For example, a nurse researcher conducts studies, collects data, and investigates healthcare issues to continually improve and optimize best practices in nursing. These findings are published in scholarly journals and academic publications like the Journal of Advanced Nursing and the American Journal of Nursing .

This particular role requires extensive education though. Nurse researchers often hold a doctoral degree—either a PhD or DNP. However, if you’re interested in entering the research field, you will need to gain additional education with at least a bachelor’s degree.

Research topics can cover a variety of topics in nursing care, such as:

• Clinical interventions
• Patient outcomes
• Aging populations
• Nursing education

Nurse researchers can expect to earn a rewarding annual average salary of $97,088 , while assistant positions earn an average wage of $70,000 per year.

3. Telemedicine Nurse

With such a steep rise in telehealth visits , there’s a greater need for more effective coordinated virtual care. As a result, telemedicine nurses are becoming more in-demand over the years .

A telemedicine nurse collaborates with healthcare providers to deliver remote patient care. By communicating with patients online and by phone, nurses can assess symptoms, provide treatment recommendations, and offer assistance with tasks like managing medication and accessing medical services.

The average salary of a telemedicine nurse is $93,248 a year, but this often depends on your work experience.

Telemedicine nurses need a BS in nursing to navigate the complexities of delivering healthcare remotely. The curriculum ensures nurses are comfortable working with digital health tools and methods in providing high-quality, virtual care.

4. Quality Assurance Manager

Hospitals are increasingly adopting quality assurance methods focused on improving patient safety. This is why quality assurance managers are becoming a common role among nursing staff.

A quality assurance manager helps to maintain optimal patient care in a healthcare facility. They monitor the quality standards and adherence to safety protocols in the healthcare environment. The goal of quality assurance is to address care deficiencies, performance issues, and regulatory risks in a timely manner.

As a result, the role offers a competitive average annual salary of $88,469 .

Nurses aspiring to become quality assurance managers need a BS in nursing to understand the various healthcare policies, standards, and practices essential to the role. This is because BS in nursing coursework explores evidence-based practices and patient safety protocols, which are essential to effectively leading quality improvement initiatives.

5. Nurse Educator

Nurse educators provide training and mentorship for prospective nurses and continuing education for experienced professionals. After working in hands-on roles in clinical settings, nurse educators have the insight to develop curriculum, monitor student progress, and give lectures that encourage other nurses to think critically about best practices in patient care.

Professionals in nursing education careers typically earn an average salary of $84,180 a year.

Since many seasoned nurses transition into this role, it might be puzzling why a BS in nursing degree is needed. However, nurse educators need at least a BS in nursing to gain the academic knowledge and methodologies needed to effectively teach nursing. In addition, nurses need to earn a BS in nursing before enrolling in an MSN program—the educational requirement for most nurse educator positions.

6. Clinic Manager

A clinic manager is in charge of a healthcare facility’s daily operations, such as patient appointments, staff schedules, and budgeting. They also make sure the facility meets all required standards of cleanliness and safety and oversee administrative tasks, such as communicating with other healthcare providers.

A clinic manager’s average salary is $80,442 per year, depending on factors like the size, location, and specialization of the facility.

Clinic managers need a bachelor’s degree in nursing to acquire the comprehensive healthcare management skills and in-depth knowledge of nursing practice required to efficiently oversee clinic operations and ensure high-quality patient care.

7. Nurse Informaticist

Nurse informaticist roles combine health science with information technology and data analytics. Using a variety of software and databases, they design efficient systems for managing health records, create tools to support decision-making, and analyze data sets to identify trends or areas of improvement.

As gatekeepers of patient data, these skilled professionals are also responsible for protecting sensitive health data security, which earns them an average annual salary of $58,250 .

Since this role moves away from clinical work, it isn’t surprising that nurses need a BS in nursing to obtain this position. As a result, the BS in nursing curriculum aims to help students understand the integration of nursing science with information management and analytical sciences.

The Impact of a Bachelor’s Degree on Career Advancement

Working as an RN can be an incredibly satisfying career that never runs out of opportunities to make a difference in the lives of patients. However, associate-level nurses are often barred from exciting opportunities to take their careers to the next level.

Earning a bachelor's degree, on the other hand, can increase your earning potential and open up a world of new career pathways that allow you to combine nursing experience with other professional interests. Even if you’re unsure what specialization interests you, this degree program can help you discover subject areas you’re passionate about.

“In a bachelor's degree program, we go into more detail as to, what are we doing this for?” Roy continues. “How do we interpret this data? How do we apply that to how we're going to care for our patients? Nurses learn critical leadership behaviors on how to build teams, how to communicate, and how to deal with things like instability in the workplace.”

No matter what roles interest you, getting an advanced education makes it possible to compete for jobs in specialized departments and at top-tier, magnet-status healthcare facilities.

Choosing the Right Bachelor’s in Nursing Program

Choosing the right bachelor’s degree in nursing program ensures you develop the right skills for your professional goals. As you compare programs, consider factors like student services, job placement rates, and opportunities for internships or research experience since these directly impact your ability to succeed both in and outside the classroom.

The online RN-to-BS program at Regis College is designed for current RNs with an associate degree who want to develop their existing knowledge and skills. The curriculum emphasizes emerging trends in healthcare, leadership, and advanced health assessment methods to equip you for the next phase of your nursing career.

To learn more about what you can do with a bachelor's in nursing, consult an admissions counselor and find out how Regis faculty members work with students to create a personalized curriculum plan.

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