Clinical Nurse Specialists
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.
Also called: APN (Advanced Practice Nurse) · Board Certified Clinical Nurse Specialist (CNS-BC) · CNS (Clinical Nurse Specialist) · Critical Care CNS (Critical Care Clinical Nurse Specialist) · Emergency Clinical Nurse Specialist (Emergency CNS) · ICU CNS (Intensive Care Unit Clinical Nurse Specialist)
Median pay (national)
$93,600
$66,030–$135,320 (10th–90th)
Employed (US)
3,282,010
BLS OEWS, May 2024
Outlook 2024–34
+4.9%
~189,100 openings/yr
Typical entry
Bachelor's degree
What the numbers say
Refit analysis ·Pay for clinical nurse specialists shows a broad range: the top 10% earn $135,320 versus $66,030 at the bottom 10% — 2.0x. The median of $93,600 leaves roughly 45% of headroom to the 90th percentile, which is where seniority, specialization, and the skills below tend to pay off.
Refit analysis ·Employment is projected to change +4.9% from 2024 to 2034 — faster than the 3% all-occupation average. Even so, BLS projects about 189,100 openings a year, mostly to replace workers who retire or change careers.
Refit analysis ·Where you work moves the number a lot. Across the 53 states with released data, California pays the most for this role (median $140,330, +50% vs the national median), while Puerto Rico sits lowest at $37,780 — a 271% spread for the same job title.
Refit analysis ·O*NET rates Speaking, Reading Comprehension, Critical Thinking as the highest-importance skills here — so a resume aimed at this role should lead with evidence of those, not a generic skills list.
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Top skills employers ask for
Ranked by O*NET importance for this occupation.
- Speaking
- Reading Comprehension
- Critical Thinking
- Active Learning
- Monitoring
- Active Listening
- Writing
- Learning Strategies
- Science
- Mathematics
What they actually do
Core O*NET tasks for this role.
- Provide specialized direct and indirect care to inpatients and outpatients within a designated specialty, such as obstetrics, neurology, oncology, or neonatal care.
- 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.
- Observe, interview, and assess patients to identify care needs.
- Provide coaching and mentoring to other caregivers to help facilitate their professional growth and development.
Tools & technology
- eClinicalWorks EHR software
- Allscripts Professional EHR
- Amkai AmkaiCharts
- Bizmatics PrognoCIS EMR
- Cerner Millennium
- ChartWare EMR
- e-MDs software
- GE Healthcare Centricity EMR
- Medscribbler Enterprise
- MicroFour PracticeStudio.NET EMR
- NextGen Healthcare Information Systems EMR
- Online medical databases
- SOAPware EMR
- StatCom Patient Flow Logistics Enterprise Suite
- SynaMed EMR
- Texas Medical Software SpringCharts EMR
Knowledge areas
- Medicine and Dentistry
- Education and Training
- Psychology
- English Language
- Biology
- Therapy and Counseling
- Customer and Personal Service
- Sociology and Anthropology