Registered Nurse Salary Guide: Washington, DC

If you went straight into nursing without obtaining a Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN), consider going back to school to increase your earnings. The New England Institute of Technology reported that BSN-prepared nurses earn more, citing Payscale’s average of $32.41 per hour for RNs with BSNs and $29.83 for those with only an associate degree. With a difference of $2.58 per hour, you potentially earn $5,366.40 more per year with your BSN, assuming you work 40 hours per week.

Earning a professional certification in a specialty area may help you qualify for higher-paying jobs. For example, nurses with the Critical Care Registered Nurse (CCRN) credential have a competitive edge when seeking jobs in ICUs, PICUs and NICUs. As previously noted, critical care roles typically pay more than general nursing roles. The demand for nurses with critical
care experience is high. As a result, you may increase your earnings just by obtaining the CCRN or similar professional certifications.

Many healthcare employers in Washington, D.C., offer pay differentials to persuade RNs and other staff members to work unpopular shifts, such as nights from 11 p.m. to 7 a.m. If one of your preferred employers offers these differentials, consider working the night shift, even if it’s only for a year or two. A shift differential of $1.50 per hour increases your earnings by $3,120 annually if you work 40 hours a week.

If your current employer doesn’t offer shift differentials or other incentives, consider getting a per diem job with another healthcare organization. Many employers changed their policies during the COVID-19 pandemic, making per diem work more flexible. You can capitalize on that flexibility by getting a per diem job that may only require you to work one day per week.