Reasons to Pursue a Master’s in Nursing Degree

There’s no question that it’s a big decision: Should you pursue a master’s degree in nursing? The arguments can be compelling. On one hand, it could be your key to advanced nursing work, leadership potential, higher salary and more job opportunities. On the other hand, if you’re already a nurse, you’re wondering about the cost of earning a master’s degree, whether you’d attend school full- or part-time, and how you’d even go about getting more information.

Benefits of a Master’s Degree in Nursing (MSN)

If you are wondering, “why should I get a master’s in nursing degree?”, there are a few things to consider. A traditional, post-baccalaureate MSN typically takes about 18 to 24 months of full-time study, while an RN-to-MSN pathway for nurses with an associate degree generally takes about two to three years, according to the American Association of Colleges of Nursing (AACN). Many programs are delivered fully online or in a blended format, which may allow you to continue working while you study. There are many positive reasons to consider an advanced degree, whether you’re in nursing school now or are mid-career and thinking of returning to school.

Here are some potential benefits of a master’s degree in nursing:

  • Positions of higher responsibility and authority: With a master’s degree (or higher) — plus the certification, licensure or other credentialing each role requires — you may be qualified to pursue a variety of nursing career paths, including these graduate-prepared roles described by the American Association of Colleges of Nursing (AACN) and the National Council of State Boards of Nursing (NCSBN):
    • Nurse practitioner: Providing health care to clients one-on-one, ordering diagnostic tests and treatments, and — depending on the state and its specific licensing requirements — prescribing medications, in some cases without physician oversight. Nurse practitioners are qualified to do many things that registered nurses are not.
    • Nurse midwife: Specializing in women’s reproductive health during pregnancy and childbirth.
    • Nurse anesthetist: Administering and/or monitoring anesthesia during surgery or diagnostic procedures. Since January 1, 2022, accredited nurse anesthesia programs have enrolled new students only at the doctoral level, though nurses who completed the earlier master’s-level pathway remain part of the current CRNA workforce, per the Council on Accreditation of Nurse Anesthesia Educational Programs (COA).
    • Nurse administrator: Representing, scheduling, hiring and supervising other nurses.
    • Clinical nurse specialist: Working with doctors and patients within a specialty.
    • Nurse educator: Teaching courses at universities, hospitals, medical centers and corporations.
    • Research nurse: Focusing on research-oriented tasks as part of a team.
    • Nursing consultant: Providing advice to companies, legal firms or community organizations.
    • Clinical nurse leader: Overseeing care coordination and outcomes for a group of patients within a unit or care setting, a role defined by the AACN.
    • Public health nurse: Promoting health and preventing disease at the community or population level, per the American Nurses Association (ANA).
    • Nurse informaticist: Combining nursing expertise with health information technology and data systems to improve patient care and recordkeeping, a specialty formally recognized in the ANA’s Nursing Informatics: Scope and Standards of Practice.
  • Job opportunities: The United States is contending with a significant physician shortage. The AAMC has called for the improved, efficient use of all health care professionals on the care team to help address it — including advanced practice registered nurses such as nurse practitioners, nurse midwives and nurse anesthetists.
  • Higher salary potential: As of May 2025, the median annual wage for registered nurses was $97,550, according to the BLS. Nurses in these advanced practice roles earn national occupational medians well above that baseline:
    • Nurse anesthetist: $236,590 median annual wage
    • Nurse midwife: $134,040 median annual wage
    • Nurse practitioner: $132,300 median annual wage

(Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025. These are national wage medians for the occupation as a whole, not earnings tied to any specific degree level.)

  • Possible Career Autonomy: In some states, advanced practice registered nurses (APRNs) are qualified to provide health care in more ways—including the authority to write prescriptions—without the supervision and/or collaboration with a physician, consistent with the independent-practice and prescriptive-authority provisions described in the NCSBN APRN Consensus Model. Requirements vary significantly by state. Be sure to check your state’s Nursing Practice Act for more information.
  • Expand your education: All nursing skills are valuable. That said, it’s possible that providing the same level of nursing care for 10, 20 or 30 years could make you feel stuck (especially if you max out at a hospital’s pay level). An advanced practice nursing degree may open up new challenges and opportunities by way of exposure to advanced courses and clinical hour experience in different practices.
  • The ability to choose a specialty: With a master’s degree in nursing, you can choose an area of medicine that you’re truly passionate about. These possibilities include family care, adult-gerontology primary care, adult-gerontology acute care, neonatal care, pediatrics and psychiatry — population foci recognized under the NCSBN APRN Consensus Model. Completing the appropriate population-focused program and passing a national certification exam are both required for APRN certification in these areas.
  • Potential for leadership: With an advanced degree and the work experience it makes possible, you may choose to follow an administrative, leadership or management track in the healthcare field.
  • The possibility of earning a doctorate: We know, you’re just now considering a master’s degree. But should you find that a certain specialty has become your passion, you can pursue it at an even higher level after a master’s degree.

How to Earn a Master’s in Nursing

If you’re already a licensed registered nurse (or are in the process of becoming one), you’ve taken the first step. You’ll want to think about your possible future degree pathways, depending on where your primary interests lie. Some things to consider when making this decision:

  • Are there jobs that match up well with your personality? Some people thrive on adrenaline; others prefer the calmer pace of research.
  • Are you a people person? Introverts might be happier in consultant, research, education or case-management roles; extroverts might prefer the role of family nurse practitioner, intensive care or pediatrics.
  • Is there a job setting that most appeals to you? In addition to hospital jobs, nurses are employed in public health departments, schools and universities, physicians’ offices, corrections facilities and research labs.
  • What level of stress are you comfortable with? Is the specialty or position you’re considering compatible with a level of stress you are able to handle?
  • What is the salary potential for the specialty or position you’re considering?
  • Will you need additional certifications? Some specialties require certifications and specific training in addition to a degree.

The basic steps of earning a master’s degree in nursing to consider are:

  1. Research schools and programs you are interested in. Focus on areas of study, program format, program length and financial aid.
  2. Prepare application materials. Some schools will require undergraduate transcripts, essays, letters of recommendation and test scores. Know what the program you are applying to requires. Many MSN programs — particularly those designed for practicing registered nurses, such as RN-to-MSN pathways — require applicants to hold an active, unencumbered RN license, per the AACN.
  3. Apply to programs. Choose the programs that best fit your career goals.

There’s no question that graduate school is expensive. But financial aid may be available.

In addition to financial aid that might be available to you from the school you choose, nursing scholarships are available. Some are sponsored by professional nursing organizations — for example, the Society of Gastroenterology Nurses and Associates (SGNA) offers an RN Advancing Education Scholarship for registered nurses pursuing a BSN, MSN or PhD.

Scholarship amounts vary and some are state-specific. There are scholarships available to undergraduate students, graduate students, minority students and those studying certain specialties. There also are a number of grants and fellowships available. Additionally, some employers offer tuition assistance or loan repayment benefits, and federal programs such as the HRSA Nurse Corps Loan Repayment Program can help eligible nurses working in underserved communities repay their nursing education loans.

Information last updated: October 2026