BSN Salaries in Massachusetts

In 2013, the United States Department of Labor reported that Massachusetts is the third highest paying state for registered nurses in the country. Today, Massachusetts’ nursing students and licensed RNs alike are quickly learning that a BSN degree is the key to increasing their earning potential even further.

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In 2013, the American Association of Colleges of Nurses reported that 8,643 nursing students enrolled in pre-licensure and RN-BSN completion programs in Massachusetts. That same year, the state saw 3,261 students successfully graduate from baccalaureate and graduate-level nursing programs in the state.

Right now, the Massachusetts Board of Nursing is proud to endorse approximately twenty different pre-licensure baccalaureate-level nursing programs and RN-BSN completion programs.

ADN Versus BSN Salary Averages in Massachusetts

According to the Massachusetts Coalition for Action, there is currently a statewide effort to raise the percentage of baccalaureate-educated nurses from where it currently stands at 55% in 2014 to 66% by 2020.

This goal results from research that indicates BSN-educated nurses possess greater critical thinking, decision-making, and evaluation skills than ADN-educated nurses. These remarkable attributes also continue to drive BSN salaries higher than ADN salaries in Massachusetts.

In 2013, the United States Bureau of Labor Statistics found that ADN nurses in Massachusetts earned an average annual salary of $64,400 and an average hourly wage of $30.98.

On the other hand, that same year BSN-educated nurses working throughout the state earned a staggering average annual salary of $100,900 and an average hourly wage $48.53.

Regional Pay Averages for BSN-Educated Nurses in Massachusetts

Registered nurses in Massachusetts that hold a BSN degree generally earn within the 75th and 90th salary percentiles in their field, representing the top 25% among all non-advanced practice RNs. However, when looking for job placement, BSN nurses should understand that salary averages typically vary depending upon their location of employment.

In 2013, the United States Bureau of Labor Statistics published the data presented below to show what BSN-educated nurses typically earn in several metropolitan and nonmetropolitan areas in Massachusetts:

Area name
Employment
Hourly 90th percentile wage
Barnstable Town MA
2360
54.01
Boston-Cambridge-Quincy MA-NH
Estimate not released
61.69
Boston-Cambridge-Quincy MA NECTA Division
42690
65.00
Brockton-Bridgewater-Easton MA NECTA Division
2370
54.34
Framingham MA NECTA Division
3020
54.58
Haverhill-North Andover-Amesbury MA-NH NECTA Division
1460
45.14
Lawrence-Methuen-Salem MA-NH NECTA Division
2240
45.86
Leominster-Fitchburg-Gardner MA
1090
54.87
Lowell-Billerica-Chelmsford MA-NH NECTA Division
2160
46.56
Nashua NH-MA NECTA Division
1690
41.80
New Bedford MA
1830
49.06
Peabody MA NECTA Division
2980
44.34
Pittsfield MA
1110
Estimate not released
Providence-Fall River-Warwick RI-MA
13600
45.54
Springfield MA-CT
6670
48.27
Worcester MA-CT
6530
66.32
Nantucket Island and Marthas Vineyard nonmetropolitan area
210
53.19
Southwest Massachusetts nonmetropolitan area
180
35.98
Northwest Massachusetts nonmetropolitan area
590
45.46
North Central Massachusetts nonmetropolitan area
190
43.22

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