What can you do with a Doctor of Nursing Practice degree?
As a nursing professional, you’ve been changing lives one patient at a time. Now you’re ready to continue in your education and gain the credentials to become a transformational leader in your field. Maybe it’s through providing higher levels of advanced care to the patients you’re already treating. Or perhaps you aspire to transition to a new role, such as manager, instructor, or lobbyist.
Whatever your goal, earning an online Doctor of Nursing Practice from Bradley University can get you one step closer to achieving it. Our innovative program is designed for nurses like you who aspire to grow in their careers and make a greater impact in their communities. We can help prepare you to:
- Qualify for advanced roles as a leader in health care administration, education, or policy
- Serve as an advocate and mentor for other nurses
- Work as an educator to teach the nurses of tomorrow
- Fill a void in health care for doctorate-prepared nurse leaders to help advance nursing as a profession
Bradley’s DNP program offers three tracks — Leadership, Family Nurse Practitioner, and Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner — which means you can focus your studies in the area where you hope to make the biggest difference.
Continue reading to learn more about the industry outlook and some of the opportunities you can pursue when you earn your Bradley degree.
Have questions about our curriculum?What’s your growth potential?
One of the primary benefits of earning your online DNP is the diversity of career options you’ll be able to pursue. Professionals with this degree work in a wide range of environments, including health care organizations, academic entities, government agencies, and private corporations.
Regardless of what path you choose, holding the terminal degree in your field can qualify you for higher earning potential. According to PayScale, the average salary for people holding a DNP is $103,713, compared to an average salary of $95,922 for individuals with an MSN and $86,524 for those with a BSN.
And if you choose to focus on the managerial side of health care, you might also qualify for roles with a higher salary. The median pay for medical and health services managers is $104,280, per the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.
Let’s take an in-depth look at a few of your career options:
Family Nurse Practitioner (DNP-FNP) related careers
Where can you work?
- Primary care
- Private homes
- Community clinics
- Health departments
- Schools
- Hospitals
- Long-term and short-term-care facilities
- Urgent care facilities
- Hospitals and medical clinics
Family Nurse Practitioner
Median salary: $96,478*
Family nurse practitioners (FNPs) are advanced practice nurses who perform many of the same functions as physicians. These practitioners can treat, diagnose, prescribe medicines, and serve as primary care providers. They can also be employed by insurance companies in roles that include reviewing claims and consulting with patients. Family nurse practitioners work with patients of all ages, from young children to older adults.
Director of Clinical Services
Median salary: $89,570**
Director of clinical services is a managerial position, overseeing teams of nurses, as well as other clinical professionals, and support staff. Typically, individuals in this role are responsible for hiring, training, supervising, and providing for the continued professional development of staff. They may also manage budgets, ensure compliance with regulations, and oversee specific departments.
Nursing Director
Median salary: $152,212*
Directors of nursing oversee groups of nurses in hospitals, long-term care facilities, clinics, and other medical institutions. These directors are responsible for ensuring that all administered care adheres to all laws and regulations and is provided in a caring and professional manner.
Leadership (DNP-Leadership) related careers
Where can you work?
- Acute care hospitals
- Long-term care facilities
- Home health care agencies
- Academic institutions
- Advocacy groups
Chief Nursing Officer
Median salary: $133,499**
Chief nursing officers (CNOs) direct nursing services at a health care facility, monitor the quality of service, and supervise nursing managers. They follow strict safety policies to ensure adequate patient care and collaborate with hospital leadership to design innovative patient care strategies.
Nursing Professor
Median salary $97,344*
Nursing professors teach courses in nursing and other health care-related disciplines at institutions of higher learning. Their duties typically include classroom or online instruction, developing curricula and lesson plans, mentoring students, conducting research, and presenting at academic conferences.
Nurse Administrator
Median salary: $88,876**
Nurse administrators provide strategic leadership to nursing staff and drive operations in a health care organization or facility. Responsibilities may include hiring and managing nurses, working to enhance the quality of patient care, ensuring compliance with regulations, and coordinating with other medical professionals.
Nurse Lobbyist
Median salary (for all lobbyists): $115,911*
Nurse lobbyists play a vital role in helping to shape health care policy and legislation. They frequently work on behalf of health care organizations, professional associations, pharmaceutical companies, or advocacy groups, building relationships with lawmakers on the national, state, or local level.
Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner (DNP-PMHNP) related careers
Where can you work?
- Hospitals
- Private practice
- Psychiatric and behavioral treatment clinics
- Corporations
- Residential treatment facilities
- Public health agencies
- Correctional facilities
Psychiatric-Mental Health Nurse Practitioner
Median salary: $109,410*
Psychiatric-Mental Health Nurse Practitioners are advanced practice registered nurses who focus on delivering mental health care to all ages. Responsibilities typically include assessing, diagnosing and treating patients using a full range of therapeutic skills.
Substance Abuse Director
Median salary: $125,000*
These individuals oversee the operations of treatment centers and hospitals that specialize in treating patients who are struggling with issues such as drug and alcohol addiction. Their responsibilities can include ensuring compliance with laws and regulations, securing funding, and hiring and managing staff, as well as clinical supervision of substance abuse professionals.
*Salary.com
**PayScale
***Indeed.com