The Nebraska Center for Nursing is taking the steps necessary to ensure that the impending nursing shortage doesn’t cripple the state. In 2019, they developed a workforce supply and demand model to better understand where the greatest needs lie.
According to the Center, the state’s current shortage of nurses stands at 4,062; by 2025, this number is projected to grow to 5,436 – an increase of about 34%. To put the shortage into perspective, 84 of the state’s 93 counties have fewer RNs than the state’s average of 1,300 per 100,000 residents. Five Nebraska counties had zero RNs.
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And while new nursing grads are valuable assets to the state, one of the biggest challenges, according to the Center, is finding experienced nurses with the advanced training and education necessary to tackle high-need areas like critical care.
In other words, it’s nursing professionals holding advanced degrees who are most needed. As a result, many RNs are turning to the Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) to advance their careers and meet the needs of the state. The DNP remains the highest educational nursing degree for clinical practice.
A DNP not only opens up professional doors for Nebraska’s RNs, it also comes with an assurance of higher salaries, according to a 2018 Advance Healthcare Network national survey of nurse practitioners. This survey identified a 7% increase in salaries for NPs who had a DNP compared to those who had a master’s as their highest degree.
Statewide Salary Data for DNP-Educated APRNs and More in Nebraska
DNP-educated nurses in all their various roles are consistently recognized for earning top salaries (Nebraska Department of Labor, 2018):
- Nurse Administrators and Executives: $122,430-$164,860
- Nurse Practitioners: $119,580-$130,880
- Nurse Educators: $80,100-$101,950
Salaries for DNP Nurses in the Major Cities of Nebraska
The Nebraska Department of Labor provides salary information for DNP-educated advanced nursing professionals in the major cities of the state (2018):
Nurse Administrators and Executives:
- Grand Island: $117,260-$140,740
- Lincoln: $121,010-$160,730
- Omaha: $121,760-$163,130
Nurse Educators:
- Lincoln: $79,630-$97,990
- Omaha: $83,070-$107,470
Nurse Practitioners:
- Grand Island: $114,680-$126,680
- Lincoln: $109,000
- Omaha: $119,760-$131,580
Nurse Anesthetists:
- Omaha: $204,300+
An Overview of Hourly Wages for Nebraska’s DNP-Educated Nurses
A 2019 Medscape Compensation Report found that 78% of APRNs are paid overtime for their work, which reveals that they are paid on an hourly basis, not annually. Hourly wages present opportunities to earn significantly higher wages due to overtime pay.
The Nebraska Department of Labor provides hourly wages for DPN-educated nursing professionals, as of 2018:
- Nurse Practitioners: $57.49-$62.93
- Nurse Administrators: $58.86-$79.26
Salary and employment data compiled by the Nebraska Department of Labor in May of 2018 – (https://neworks.nebraska.gov/). Salary data represents state and MSA (Metropolitan Statistical Area) average and median earnings for the occupations listed and includes workers at all levels of education and experience. This data does not represent starting salaries. Employment conditions in your area may vary.
All salary and job growth data accessed in December 2019.
This page includes salaries that fall within the 75th and 90th percentiles for each nursing role to account for the fact that DNP-educated nurses are recognized as earning more than master’s-prepared nurses in the same roles.