As a nurse, you provide critical frontline care in the healthcare system.
However, you may find that your pay does not always match the demands of the job.
With the rising inflation and cost of living, it’s not surprising you are looking for ways you can make more money as a nurse.
Ways to Make More Money as a Nurse
Even though nurses make (yearly) on average $70,000 as an RN, $45,000 as an LPN, and over $110,000 as an APRN, some of us could always use some extra money.
The beautiful thing about the nursing profession is that there’s always something you can do to make more money as a nurse.
Below are just a few of the ways you can start earning more money as a nurse.
1. Work Over-time/ Pick up Extra Shifts
One of the quickest ways to start earning extra as a nurse is, of course, to pick up extra shifts.
Working 40+ hours a week and getting that over-time can be very lucrative in many nursing fields.
Your facility might even be one of those that offers incentives to get their nurses to work extra.
I’ve either worked at a facility or have heard of facilities offering critical bonuses such as $220 plus on top of your hourly pay just to come in.
How to do this?
Talk to your manager and see if overtime is available.
Even when you don’t think it’s an option. I’ve seen nurses get approved to come in for overtime to help with chart audits.
Be mindful of not working too much overtime to avoid nurse fatigue and nurse burnout.
2. Ask for a Raise
If you’re underpaid for your position and you enjoy the company that you work for, asking for a raise could be a great win-win for everybody.
Keep in mind that there’s a right and a wrong way to do this, and the conversation for an increase in pay starts long before you ever ask.
Your nursing experience is, of course, a factor, but so is your personal brand as a nurse and the qualities of a nurse that you have.
In general, what you bring to the table.
How to ask for a raise?
Make sure you do your research. Find out the salary of nurses working in your area doing similar jobs.
Finding out where your pay ranks among your peers will tell you if you’re underpaid or overpaid based on the market.
Use that information to guide your next steps.
3. Get a Per-diem or OPT Gig
Random fact: I was unaware that “per diem” means “per day” in Latin.
Nevertheless, taking up per diem nursing jobs is an excellent way to earn some extra cash. It’s like having a part-time nursing job at a different location.
How to do this?
There are a couple of ways you can go about doing this:
You can look at nurse job boards such as the NurseMoneyTalk.com job board to see what’s posted.
You can also see if your current employer has a per diem slot available.
If you don’t need the benefits, you might be able to earn more going per diem with them.
Find OPT or Per-diem nursing jobs available in your area.
4. Get a Better Paying Job
Some questions to think about:
- Are you being underpaid?
- Do you work in a hospital system that pays less than the others?
- Do you work with difficult nurses? And difficult patients? What about difficult doctors?
- Do you just want to do something different?
If so, you might want to apply for other nursing jobs and see what’s available.
How to find a better-paying nursing job?
You can use sites like payscale.com to see what nurses in your area are making for jobs similar to yours or for jobs related to the new one you want to apply for.
This way, you can get a better idea of where you are on that scale.
Use those results to decide if you’re going to quit your current nursing job for another.
There are a couple of things you want to keep in mind.
- Make sure to polish your resume
- Make sure to give a resignation letter to your future former employer
- Make sure to avoid burning bridges or tearing down your personal nurse brand
- Make sure to remain a hard worker till your last day on that job.
- Make sure not to bad mouth your old employer after starting your new nursing job.
To start applying for nurse jobs, check out our nursing job board.
5. Become a Travel Nurse
I’ve met a lot of travel nurses over the years, and one of the top two reasons they started working as a travel nurse is because of the money.
You can generally make more money as a travel nurse than as a staff nurse.
Between the hourly pay, the non-taxed stipends, and the travel reimbursements, you can earn a lot of money while traveling.
How do I start travel nursing?
To start a career in travel nursing, you need to contact a nurse travel agency.
They usually require one to two years of experience in the specialty area you’ll be traveling to.
6. Get your Advanced Degree
Getting an advanced degree can be a great way to make more money as a nurse in the long run.
Most nurses can benefit from pursuing an advanced degree, regardless of their current level of licensure.
This includes licensed practical nurses (LPNs), licensed vocational nurses (LVNs), associate-prepared registered nurses (ADNs), and bachelor’s-prepared registered nurses (BSNs).
Even BSN nurses can benefit from continuing their education and earning an advanced degree.
Pursuing higher education can help nurses enhance their knowledge and skills, keeping them up-to-date with the latest developments in the field, while commanding a higher wage.
How do I get my advanced degree?
First of all, you need to determine the type of degree you want to pursue. Are you interested in becoming an advanced practice nurse?
If so, which specialty are you considering – nurse practitioner, nurse midwife, CRNA, or something else?
Once you have made this decision, start researching and find nursing programs that you would be interested in attending and submit your applications.
7. Change Locations
Where you live can significantly affect how much money you earn as a nurse.
Sometimes, making more money as a nurse can be as simple as moving.
Moving to a different area within your state can have an effect, but for more drastic changes, you may need to consider changing states.
How do I do this?
When moving to a new state for a nursing job, it’s important to research the area and salaries.
It’s crucial to keep in mind the differences in the cost of living. Some areas that offer high salaries may also have high costs of living.
In these situations, the increased pay may not make up for the high living expenses.
8. Networking
This is often an overlooked aspect of making more money, but it can be argued that it is one of the most important.
Your ability to network can open many doors for you. I have known many people who have obtained jobs not necessarily because of their qualifications, but because they knew the hiring manager.
Or they had a friend who knew the hiring manager and was able to vouch for their character and ability to do the job.
Do not underestimate the power of networking.
How do start networking?
The primary way of doing this is reaching out to other people.
Get involved in professional organizations such as your local nursing organization.
The other thing is to make sure your character and your personal branding is pristine.
Nobody wants to recommend or vouch for someone who’s going to make them look bad in the end.
9. Start a Nursing Blog
One way to potentially earn money and build your writing portfolio is by starting a nursing blog.
With your expertise as a nurse, there are many topics you could write about.
If you’re not interested in writing about nursing, you can write about other topics or hobbies you have.
How do I become a nurse blogger?
There are many ways to get started with blogging, and there are different platforms you can use.
Start by researching what kind of blog you want and what your goals will be.
Educate yourself on the technical aspects of the platforms because some are easier to use than others.
The quickest and easiest way to get started is to use a free website platform like Blogger.
Once you get the hang of it or decide to monetize your site, you can transfer to a paid platform like Squarespace or WordPress.
10. Make and Sell Your Craft
This is honestly a little weird for me to write because I’ve never considered myself very “crafty.”
Even though I’m not, I know many of you are.
If you’re artsy, crafty, like to bake or anything of that nature, there is a market for you.
How do I get started making and selling crafts?
There are so many opportunities to make and sell things.
Platforms like Etsy.com are a great avenue to start selling your homemade product.
This could include nursing-related products, or not! The possibilities are virtually endless.
Find out how you can start selling on Etsy.com.
11. Buy and Resell Products
I know someone who works full-time buying and reselling products. Over the years, I’ve met others who do the same thing.
It’s a great way for nurses to earn some extra money online.
If you want to give it a try, there are several online courses available to teach you the ropes.
In my experience, you can choose how involved you want to be with this work. There is definitely an art to it, and there is a steep learning curve.
However, the upside is that you can resell products online at your own pace and on your own time.
How to Get Started
If you’re interested in selling on Amazon, you can check out Amazon Services to learn more and get started.
There are also some great books available on selling products using the Amazon.com platform. Just make sure to do your research and start slowly.
12. Start Your Own Side Business
Have you ever wanted to be a nursepreneur?
Honestly, I didn’t know what a nursepreneur was a couple of years ago, but it’s a big deal.
Nurse + entrepreneur = nursepreneur.
You’ll notice a pattern with a lot of the options that we give you.
Many of them require a bit of some entrepreneurial spirit.
I recently met a nurse who worked on the side as a nurse, but her full-time work was running her very own dessert shop.
When she first told me she was selling desserts, I thought it was a hobby.
Little did I know it was a big deal and she had employees, her product was on the shelves of gift shops, and people had approached her about franchising.
This could be you.
Do you have an idea you’ve wanted to start?
How do I become a nursepreneur?
A good start is to figure out what you have a passion for. Then try to figure out how you can make money from that passion.
After that, you will need to figure out a business plan and a course of action.
13. Writing Nurse Related Content
Freelance writing gigs are becoming more prevalent.
As a nurse, you have a specific set of skills and knowledge that most people don’t have.
Combine that knowledge with an ability to write, and you can charge a premium for such work.
It doesn’t even have to be nurse or healthcare-related.
How do I get started writing?
It helps if you have a portfolio built.
You might try writing for free on some popular online blogs or platforms to build a portfolio and possibly a following.
Afterward, you can try some sites like Upworks, Peopleperhour, or Freelancer to market yourself.
Starting your own blog would also be a great way to build your portfolio and market your work.
14. Start a Nursing Agency
A nurse staffing agency is an organization that helps hospitals and facilities find and hire qualified nurses.
Who knows more about the qualities of a good nurse than another nurse?
How do I start my own nurse staffing agency?
Knowing what to look for in a future nurse hire is very different than setting up a business to do all of that.
This requires a lot of research and setting up a quality business plan to execute and get it done.
This is not an option you take unless you’re in it for the long haul.
15. Start a Lawn Service
This idea came to me from one of my previous coworkers.
According to him, there’s some good money that can be made doing lawn service if you know what you’re doing.
Investment can be minimal depending on what level you want to take the business.
How do I start my own lawn service?
Make sure to do your research to learn more about the technical side of the business.
For example, even if you’re a lawn care pro, you might not know how to bill for your time and service.
You don’t want to rip people off, but you also want to make sure that you’re adequately compensated for your time.
16. Paid Online Surveys
One of the quickest and easiest ways I’ve made money in the past is by using online survey sites.
It’s as simple as signing up for the survey site and receiving surveys to fill out.
You will earn money/credit to later redeem as money, depending on the survey site.
How do I get started filling out surveys?
To get started, we have a couple of different survey sites you can sign up for. You can sign up for one or all of them.
- PanelPlace
- Swagbucks
- Survey Junkie
- Opinion Inn
- Life Points
- Inbox Dollars
- My Points
- Vindale Research
17. Flu Nurse
I remember a while back, one of my nursing coworkers told me she was making extra money for the holidays by picking up work as an immunization nurse.
She signed up with an agency.
The agency then sends her a list of assignment openings, and she picks the ones she wants.
She said she was making anywhere between $25-$40 an hour depending on the assignment.
How to become a flu nurse
This is another great position that you can find either through a staffing agency or our online job boards.
Find flu nurse jobs in your area.
18. Clinical Instructor
Is there a nursing school that’s in your area? If so, they could be looking for clinical instructors.
Being a clinical instructor is a great way to mold future minds while making a reasonably competitive wage.
How do I become a clinical instructor?
You can check out nursing job boards to see what’s been posted.
When I was trying to figure out if I wanted to be a clinical instructor, I looked up all the nursing schools in my area and called them.
Better yet, if the nursing school you graduated from is near you, give them a call and see if they have an opening.
They would probably be very willing to have one of their former students come back as a clinical instructor. This is assuming you had a good reputation with them.
Find clinical instructor positions on the nursing job board.
19. Call Center Nursing
This is another side hustle option that might even let you work from home. Much of the job is phone triage-related to medical situations.
How do I get started as a call center nurse?
Check out job boards and job listings to see what’s available.
Try checking out the job listings for one of the local healthcare companies to see if it’s listed.
Find call center nursing jobs in your area.
20. Legal Nurse Consulting
I remember one of my nursing school professors said they did nurse consulting for a lawyer on the side.
Of course, I did some extra digging and found out that as a nurse consultant, you provide medical expertise and opinion to lawyers and other legal professionals.
How do I get started as a legal nurse consultant?
It usually requires someone with several years of experience, and the job description can vary greatly.
Try calling a law firm that does health-related legal work like malpractice lawsuits to see if there is an opening. Or an option to work on an as-needed basis.
Find legal nurse consultant jobs available in your area.
21. Insurance Claims Specialist
Who do you think helps insurance companies decide what insurance claims to accept or decline? It’s typically healthcare professionals.
Healthcare experience is typically ideal.
How do I get started?
Check out job boards and check the website of an insurance company to see if there are any openings.
Find insurance claims specialist jobs on the nurse job board.
22. Home Health Nursing
There was a time when I considered doing home health nursing as a full-time job and again later as part-time.
Home health nurses, as the name implies, are nurses who provide nursing care to patients in their homes.
There are both full-time and part-time opportunities for this job.
Depending on your employer, you might have the freedom to see your patients in a less structured manner.
Different areas of Healthcare have opportunities for home health nursing.
I was surprised to learn that there are home health nursing opportunities for psychiatric/behavioral health nurses.
How do I become a home health nurse?
A staffing agency or a nurse job board is a good start.
Find home health nurse jobs in your area.
23. CPR Instructor (+ others)
As nurses, we’re taught CPR, and many of us are certified in First Aid, ACLS, and so on.
Have you ever thought about getting certified to be an instructor yourself for the class?
How do I become a certified teacher?
You have to be certified by one of the recognized certifying body.
For example, if you wanted to teach basic life support, you would need to be certified by an organization like the American Heart Association.
Find CPR instructor jobs in your area.
Before Picking a Way to Make More Money as a Nurse
The options you pick to start earning extra money will depend on a couple of factors.
1. Your Skill Sets
Your skill sets will make a difference in what you’re going to do.
For example, you’ll notice some of the options we give might involve writing.
If you’re not a strong writer, you might decide to pick something else.
2. Time
You know the slogan time is money. Well, this is going to hold true for this list.
Some of the options we include with the highest earning potential can also be the ones requiring the most significant amount of time on your part.
Maybe not indefinitely, but at least initially.
For example, some of the options we give involve getting an extra certification.
It takes time to get those additional certifications. If that’s not feasible for you right now, go ahead and skip that one and keep going.
You have plenty of other options on this list to pick from.
3. Level of Effort
Level of Effort makes a difference.
Some of the options require little effort, and some require a lot more effort to start earning extra.
Keep that in mind as you scan through this list. You don’t want to start investing time and energy in something only to realize you don’t want to put in that much effort.
For example, one of the side hustles we listed with the least amount of time needed to get going is picking up extra shifts with your current employer.
4. Monetary Goals
Are you looking to add a couple thousand dollars a month?
A couple hundred?
Or maybe just a few bucks?
Either way, there are options on this list with those potentials. Keep in mind, there is no get rich quick without effort on this list.
The ones with the highest earning potential on this list tend to require more time and effort on your part.
5. Your Preferences
Your Preferences are going to make a difference in which avenue you decide on to earn more money.
There are options listed that you might have a skill set for and be easy for you that you’ll want nothing to do with.
For example, you might be an excellent writer, but it doesn’t necessarily mean you want to spend more time writing.
Key Takeaways
This is a comprehensive list that offers a wide range of options based on your needs.
While some options are easy to implement right away, others require more time and careful consideration.
Nonetheless, there’s something for everyone. If your objective is to increase your income due to financial difficulties, it may be a matter of budgeting.
To assist you with that, you can refer to our personal finance budgeting article for nurses titled “How to Successfully Budget Your Money.“
