The nursing field is chock-full of both personal and professional reward. On top of high salary potential, the nursing profession offers a high ceiling for upward mobility and growth. When you become a nurse, it doesn’t end there. The levels of nurses reach far and wide, and you can quickly climb the ranks!
If you’re curious to see which levels of nurses exist, we’ve got you covered. Below we break down the different ranks of nurses, as well as the job duties, requirements, and pay potential associated with each.
The different ranks of nurses, in order:
1. Certified Nursing Assistant (CNA)
Certified Nursing Assistants, more commonly known as CNAs, are not technically nurses. However, they do play an important role in helping patients and work hard to support nurses on the frontlines of bedside care. Specifically, CNAs can be found assisting with patients’ daily activities (such as bathing, eating, and dressing) and ensuring patients are comfortable during their stay. CNAs predominantly handle bedside manner and often act as liaisons between patients and their care team, ensuring patients’ needs are tended to and heard by their providers.
Because CNAs sit at the most basic and entry-level of nursing, the requirements to achieve this position are minimal. Certified Nursing Assistants must complete a state-approved program, covering the basic principles of patient care, and pass a competency exam. The entire process takes a matter of months.
2. Licensed Practical Nurse (LPN)
Licensed Practical Nurses (LPNs) are the first, true level of nurse, in that they are licensed to deliver patient care. Licensed Practical Nurses are specifically responsible for providing basic care to patients in need while supporting upper-level nursing staff. Their job duties typically involve monitoring patients’ health, taking vital signs, dressing wounds, documenting symptoms and services, discussing care with patients and families, and reporting any concerns to doctors and RNs. In some states, LPNs may also start IV drips and administer medications.
Licensed Practical Nurses sometimes direct and manage CNAs. However, because they hold an entry-level nursing rank, LPNs typically require supervision, too. LPNs work alongside, take direction from and, report back to Registered Nurses (RNs) and other medical providers.
To become a Licensed Practical Nurse, the educational requirements are relatively straightforward. You do not need a nursing degree to become an LPN, but you do need to complete a state-approved practical nursing program. Following graduation, you must also complete and pass the licensing exam to practice. Becoming an LPN typically takes one to two years to accomplish.
3. Registered Nurse (RN)
When you think of nurses, you’re most likely thinking of the Registered Nurse. Registered Nurses, also known as RNs, provide and coordinate care to patients who are sick, injured, and disabled. Unlike the first two levels of nurses discussed, Registered Nurses have a lot of autonomy in their careers. Registered Nurses see their patients all the way through the care continuum: completing the exam, assessing symptoms, running diagnostic tests, coordinating treatment plans, administering medications, and educating patients and families. Registered Nurses set up care plans in collaboration with doctors and nurse practitioners/APRNs.
Due to the level of responsibility in this field, Registered Nurses need to complete several years in nursing school. They may choose to earn their associate degree in Nursing or complete a longer stretch of education through a Bachelor’s in Nursing (BSN) degree. Both levels of nursing education prepare RNs to take the NCLEX-RN examination, which is required for licensure.
4. Advanced Practice Registered Nurse (APRN)
Advanced Practice Registered Nurses (APRNs) are exactly what their name implies: upper-level nursing professionals who can deliver an advanced level of care to patients in need. Also known as nurse practitioners, APRNs will typically specialize and become certified in a certain area of nursing. For example, an APRN might specialize in primary care and become a Family Nurse Practitioner (FNP). An APRN interested in mental health might also become a Psychiatric Nurse Practitioner or PMHNP.
No matter the specific title, APRNs have the highest level of autonomy and responsibility in the delivery of patient care. In most states, at this level of nursing, APRNs can act independently as the primary provider on a patient’s care team. They can provide official diagnoses for health problems, administer a large variety of treatments, prescribe medications, conduct research, and create care plans for all types of patients in need.
The key difference between RNs and APRNs is that APRNs are trained to do more advanced tasks and spend more time in nursing school as a result. APRNs require a graduate-level nursing degree and specific licensing in their chosen concentration.
Learn about Goodwin’s APRN programs here!
5. Nurse Leaders
We’ve covered the primary ranks of nurses who deliver patient care, but we cannot forget those nurses who have worked extra hard to become leaders in their field. Nurse leaders—who might assume the title of Nurse Manager or Nurse Administrator—are professionals who have a background in nursing but who also invested in graduate or postgraduate studies, to lean into managerial and business-focused roles.
In leadership roles, these professionals assume the highest level of a nursing department or healthcare facility, handling the day-to-day responsibilities that go into running it right. They may oversee nursing staff, recruit and train new hires, develop goals for the nursing department, ensure compliance in patient care delivery, and manage the facility’s finances or budget. These leaders may also act on governing boards.
Advanced-level nursing titles you might also come across:
The above list unpacks the ranks of nurses at a high-level, but it is not all-encompassing. This is because there are other types of nursing professionals you might come across in your educational or career path, such as:
- Nurse anesthetist: Administers anesthesia and related care before, during, and after procedures
- Nurse educator: Teaches the next generation of nurses how to deliver patient care
- Nurse midwife: Delivers gynecological and prenatal care to women during pregnancy and postpartum, as well as handles labor and delivery
Typically, the levels of nurses above are highly advanced, requiring a master’s level education or more to achieve these titles. But that’s a wrap on the nursing ranks and their job descriptions. If you’re still curious, explore the different levels of nursing degree options here!
A breakdown of nursing ranks and pay
According to the latest data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics, in May 2023, the median salary for each of the nurse rankings, nationwide, was as follows:
- Certified Nursing Assistants: $38,200 annually
- Licensed Practical Nurses: $59,730 per year
- Registered Nurses: $86,070 per year
- Advanced Practice Registered Nurses/Nurse Practitioners: $126,260 annually
- Nurse Managers and Administrators: $110,680 per year
While the pay will directionally follow in the same order of nursing ranks, your salary potential can fluctuate depending on the state in which you work. For example, across the various levels of nurses, the pay potential is often higher in Connecticut:
- Certified Nursing Assistants: $43,050 annually
- Licensed Practical Nurses: $68,150 per year
- Registered Nurses: $101,840 per year
- Advanced Practice Registered Nurses/Nurse Practitioners: $136,980 annually
- Nurse Managers and Administrators: $148,370 per year
Level up your nursing career today
If you are chasing a rewarding career with high potential for a great salary, upward mobility, and career growth, nursing is an excellent choice. And Goodwin can help you launch your career trajectory. Goodwin University is a leading nursing school in Connecticut with a variety of nursing programs available. We also have several online nursing programs available to nurses residing in SARA states.