Clinical Nurse Specialists: Career Profile
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.
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What Tasks Do Clinical Nurse Specialists Perform?
The day-to-day responsibilities of clinical nurse specialists span:
- 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.
Skills and Knowledge
Effective clinical nurse specialists combine a mix of skills and domain knowledge.
Key Skills
The abilities most central to this role, rated on an importance scale of 0 to 5:
Knowledge Areas
Related Job Titles
People in this occupation may also be known by titles such as:
- APN (Advanced Practice Nurse)
- Adult Health Clinical Nurse Specialist (Adult Health CNS)
- Board Certified Clinical Nurse Specialist (CNS-BC)
- CNS (Clinical Nurse Specialist)
- Clinical Ambulatory Nurse
- Clinical Medical Surgical Nurse
- Clinical Nurse
- Clinical Nurse Manager
Employment and Demand
The U.S. employs around 1,725,233 clinical nurse specialists working in the United States today. Demand is forecast to grow by +12.3% over the projection horizon.
Clinical Nurse Specialists Pay
| Statistic | Value |
|---|---|
| Annual median | $52,889 |
| Hourly median | $25.43 |
| 10th percentile | $34,219 |
| 25th percentile | $43,554 |
| 75th percentile | $62,224 |
| 90th percentile | $71,560 |
Pay can vary substantially based on experience, location, and industry.
Clinical Nurse Specialists Salary by State
| State | Annual median salary |
|---|---|
| California | $140,330 |
| Hawaii | $136,320 |
| Oregon | $123,990 |
| Washington | $112,180 |
| Alaska | $110,690 |
| New York | $105,600 |
| District of Columbia | $104,550 |
| New Jersey | $102,730 |
| Nevada | $101,990 |
| Massachusetts | $101,970 |
| Connecticut | $101,590 |
| Minnesota | $100,870 |
| Rhode Island | $99,960 |
| Arizona | $96,890 |
| Maryland | $96,830 |
| New Hampshire | $96,830 |
| Colorado | $96,520 |
| Delaware | $92,610 |
| Texas | $90,010 |
| Virginia | $88,820 |
| New Mexico | $88,260 |
| Pennsylvania | $87,610 |
| Georgia | $86,560 |
| Illinois | $86,410 |
| Idaho | $86,100 |
| Wisconsin | $86,070 |
| Michigan | $85,670 |
| Vermont | $85,150 |
| Maine | $82,860 |
| Florida | $82,850 |
| Utah | $82,270 |
| North Carolina | $81,860 |
| Wyoming | $81,790 |
| Montana | $81,560 |
| Ohio | $81,250 |
| Oklahoma | $81,160 |
| Nebraska | $81,020 |
| Indiana | $80,740 |
| West Virginia | $79,990 |
| Kentucky | $79,910 |
| South Carolina | $79,900 |
| Missouri | $79,770 |
| Tennessee | $79,030 |
| Louisiana | $78,880 |
| North Dakota | $78,260 |
| Kansas | $78,060 |
| Arkansas | $77,130 |
| Iowa | $76,960 |
| Mississippi | $74,470 |
| Virgin Islands | $73,890 |
| Alabama | $71,040 |
| South Dakota | $69,510 |
| Puerto Rico | $37,780 |
Where Clinical Nurse Specialists Earn the Most
Compensation for clinical nurse specialists vary by region. Top regions by median wage:
| Region | Median annual wage | Share of U.S. jobs | Location quotient |
|---|---|---|---|
| Far Western US | $132,415 | 14.5% | 0.87 |
| New England | $98,890 | 5.4% | 1.14 |
| Middle Atlantic | $98,793 | 15.7% | 1.04 |
| Southwest | $90,333 | 11.4% | 0.91 |
| Rocky Mountains | $89,709 | 3.3% | 0.84 |
| Great Lakes | $84,078 | 15.6% | 1.10 |
| Plains States | $84,012 | 7.7% | 1.13 |
| Southeast | $81,528 | 25.6% | 1.05 |
Top Metro Areas
| Metro area | State | Median annual wage | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA | CA | $208,940 | 21,460 |
| Vallejo, CA | CA | $192,470 | 4,410 |
| San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA | CA | $188,020 | 40,750 |
| Santa Cruz-Watsonville, CA | CA | $178,900 | 1,610 |
| Santa Rosa-Petaluma, CA | CA | $172,390 | 3,770 |
| Modesto, CA | CA | $169,460 | 5,260 |
| Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom, CA | CA | $169,210 | 23,400 |
| Yuba City, CA | CA | $144,220 | 1,070 |
Industry Breakdown
The bulk of clinical nurse specialists are concentrated in the following sectors:
| Industry | Employment | Median annual wage |
|---|---|---|
| Health Care and Social Assistance | 2,790,380 | $93,170 |
| Administrative and Support and Waste Management and Remediation Services | 134,180 | $95,870 |
| Educational Services | 89,070 | $74,360 |
| Finance and Insurance | 48,100 | $89,650 |
| Management of Companies and Enterprises | 21,530 | $95,070 |
| Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services | 14,310 | $96,360 |
| Other Services (except Public Administration) | 4,750 | $80,060 |
| Retail Trade | 4,500 | $94,880 |
The table below shows some of the most common industries where those employed in this career field work.
Tech Stack
- Medical software: eClinicalWorks EHR software (hot technology)
- Spreadsheet software: Microsoft Excel (hot technology)
- Office suite software: Microsoft Office software (hot technology)
- Electronic mail software: Microsoft Outlook (hot technology)
- Presentation software: Microsoft PowerPoint (hot technology)
- Word processing software: Microsoft Word (hot technology)
What the Workplace Is Like
The work environment for clinical nurse specialists is shaped by the following characteristics:
- Telephone Conversations
- Face-to-Face Discussions with Individuals and Within Teams
- Indoors, Environmentally Controlled
- Work With or Contribute to a Work Group or Team
Getting Started in This Career
Typical clinical nurse specialists positions require a doctoral or professional degree as the typical entry-level education. This career aligns with Extensive Preparation Needed (Job Zone 5), reflecting the level of preparation typically expected.
Other Careers to Consider
Similar Occupations
- Health Informatics Specialists (Primary-Long)
- Physician Assistants (Primary-Long)
- Registered Nurses (Primary-Short)
- Acute Care Nurses (Primary-Short)
- Advanced Practice Psychiatric Nurses (Primary-Short)
- Critical Care Nurses (Primary-Short)
- Nurse Midwives (Primary-Long)
- Nurse Practitioners (Primary-Short)
Top Programs to Study For This Career
Students preparing for clinical nurse specialists typically earn programs in:
Health Professions and Related Programs
21 programs across 1 majors
References
Data on this page comes from the following authoritative sources:
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics — Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) for employment and wage data by state and industry.
- BLS Employment Projections for total employment and growth forecasts.
- O*NET (Occupational Information Network) for skills, knowledge, tasks, work activities, work context, technology, and education-zone data.
SOC code: 29-1141.04 (Registered Nurses).
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