Clinical Nurse Specialists Career, Salary and Skills
Clinical Nurse Specialists have a BLS-reported national median annual wage of $97,550 based on the 2025 OEWS dataset, with reported national employment of 3,379,720. Wage data is published for 433 locations.
Occupation description
Direct nursing staff in the provision of patient care in a clinical practice setting, such as a hospital, hospice, clinic, or home. Ensure adherence to established clinical policies, protocols, regulations, and standards.
O*NET code
29-1141.04
Job zone
5
Typical education
Master's Degree
Experience
Over 4 years, up to and including 6 years
National salary and employment
Median annual
$97,550
Hourly median
$46.90
Employment
3,379,720
Data year
2025
National salary distribution
Top skills
| Skill | Importance | Level |
|---|---|---|
| Speaking | 4.12 | 4.12 |
| Monitoring | 4.00 | 4.00 |
| Service Orientation | 4.00 | 4.00 |
| Reading Comprehension | 4.00 | 4.38 |
| Social Perceptiveness | 4.00 | 4.25 |
| Critical Thinking | 4.00 | 4.25 |
| Judgment and Decision Making | 4.00 | 4.25 |
| Active Learning | 4.00 | 4.25 |
| Writing | 3.88 | 4.00 |
| Active Listening | 3.88 | 4.12 |
Typical tasks
- Collaborate with other health care professionals and service providers to ensure optimal patient care.
- Read current literature, talk with colleagues, or participate in professional organizations or conferences to keep abreast of developments in nursing.
- Develop, implement, or evaluate standards of nursing practice in specialty area, such as pediatrics, acute care, and geriatrics.
- Maintain departmental policies, procedures, objectives, or infection control standards.
- Instruct nursing staff in areas such as the assessment, development, implementation, and evaluation of disability, illness, management, technology, or resources.
- Develop and maintain departmental policies, procedures, objectives, or patient care standards, based on evidence-based practice guidelines or expert opinion.
- Evaluate the quality and effectiveness of nursing practice or organizational systems.
- Provide specialized direct and indirect care to inpatients and outpatients within a designated specialty, such as obstetrics, neurology, oncology, or neonatal care.
Technology
- Allscripts Professional EHR
- Amkai AmkaiCharts
- Bizmatics PrognoCIS EMR
- Cerner Millennium
- ChartWare EMR
- e-MDs software
- eClinicalWorks EHR software
- Email software
- GE Healthcare Centricity EMR
- Medscribbler Enterprise
- MicroFour PracticeStudio.NET EMR
- Microsoft Excel
- Microsoft Office software
- Microsoft Outlook
Clinical Nurse Specialists salary by location
Areas with the highest reported employment for this occupation.
- Clinical Nurse Specialists Salary in CAMedian $140,270 · Employment 338,940
- Clinical Nurse Specialists Salary in TXMedian $95,970 · Employment 271,380
- Clinical Nurse Specialists Salary in FLMedian $84,190 · Employment 229,940
- Clinical Nurse Specialists Salary in NYMedian $109,440 · Employment 205,810
- Clinical Nurse Specialists Salary in New York, NYMedian $119,720 · Employment 197,740
- Clinical Nurse Specialists Salary in PAMedian $96,430 · Employment 146,520
- Clinical Nurse Specialists Salary in OHMedian $82,510 · Employment 143,730
- Clinical Nurse Specialists Salary in ILMedian $95,990 · Employment 138,910
- Clinical Nurse Specialists Salary in NCMedian $84,350 · Employment 111,120
- Clinical Nurse Specialists Salary in Los Angeles, CAMedian $135,560 · Employment 109,360
- Clinical Nurse Specialists Salary in MIMedian $94,300 · Employment 104,950
- Clinical Nurse Specialists Salary in GAMedian $93,550 · Employment 100,950
Related careers
- NeurologistsNational median $248,560
- CardiologistsNational median $496,010
- ParamedicsNational median $60,600
- PsychiatristsNational median $281,870
- Pediatricians, GeneralNational median $210,040
- Psychiatric TechniciansNational median $45,130
- Pediatric SurgeonsNational median $559,030
- Family Medicine PhysiciansNational median $244,180
Career and skills data: O*NET 31.0 (onetcenter.org). Salary and employment data: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS, 2025 (bls.gov/oes). Figures are published survey estimates, not real-time market data.