How Much Do Nursing Informaticists Make?
Nursing informaticists use patients’ electronic documentation to identify trends, establish new policies, and improve healthcare quality and patient outcomes. Registered nurses (RNs) and advanced practice nurses can pursue this specialty, and education level may impact salary.
Salaries earned by nursing informaticists vary depending on location and education level. With the rising use of technology in healthcare, nursing informaticists have an optimistic job outlook with a 28% estimated growth through 2032, which is much higher than average. This guide can assist any prospective nursing informaticist through the details of salary expectations in the nursing informatics field.
Just the Highlights: Nursing Informaticist Salaries
Nursing informaticists can earn the highest average annual salaries in these roles and locations:
State: Washington, D.C.
$104,748
City: San Jose, CA
$126,142
Colleges, Universities, and Professional Schools
$122,500
How Much Do Nursing Informaticists Make?
In the U.S., nursing informaticists make an average of $47.31 per hour, according to ZipRecruiter.
Nursing informaticist compensation depends on several variables, which will be detailed below.
Nursing Informaticists average annual salary
$98,409
Nursing Informaticists average hourly wage
$47.31
In the lower salary range, nursing informaticists can make an average of $42,500, while the higher end averages closer to $166,500, according to ZipRecruiter.
BLS Nursing Informaticist Salary Range:
Source: ZipRecruiter
How Education Affects Nursing Informaticist Salaries
All nursing informaticists must first become registered nurses (RNs) by earning a Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN), which takes four years. Some nursing programs can be completed in as little as 12 months through an accelerated option, which requires previously-earned prerequisites.
Nursing informaticists can also find work with a two-year Associate Degree in Nursing (ADN), but many employers prefer a BSN or higher. With either degree, nurses must pass their National Council Licensure Examination (NCLEX), after which they become RNs.
After obtaining an RN license and gaining some experience as a nurse, hopeful nursing informaticists may choose a higher education path, although this is not required for this specialty. Nursing informaticists can choose to earn a Master of Science in Nursing (MSN), which takes about two years to complete. Others graduate with a Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP nursing informaticist), which takes longer, but may offer higher salaries.
| Degree | Annual Average Salary |
| DNP | $225,000 |
| MSN | $124,680 |
Source: Maryville University, Northeastern University
How Specialty Certification Affects Nursing Informaticist Salaries
Nursing informaticists can earn specialty certification through the American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC). Their Informatics Nursing Certification bestows the title NI-BC, and may give an applicant a leg-up on their competition. This certification is not required for employment as a nurse informaticist, but it offers a mark of expertise. As such, the designation may offer higher salaries for those who hold it.
Location and Nursing Informaticist Salaries
As with most professional salaries, cost of living differences can make employment location a major factor in pay expectations.
Top-Paying Nursing Informaticist Salaries by State
In general, the coasts offer nursing informaticists the highest pay, while the southeastern states offer the lowest.
| Washington, D.C. | $104,748 |
| New Jersey | $104,615 |
| Wyoming | $103,856 |
| Wisconsin | $102,486 |
| Massachusetts | $101,772 |
| Alaska | $101,612 |
| Washington | $101,327 |
| Oregon | $100,882 |
| North Dakota | $100,674 |
| Arizona | $99,515 |
| New Mexico | $98,526 |
| Montana | $98,015 |
| Colorado | $97,111 |
| New York | $96,965 |
| Alabama | $96,790 |
| Nevada | $96,076 |
| Vermont | $94,437 |
| Rhode Island | $93,442 |
| Iowa | $92,564 |
| Connecticut | $92,139 |
| South Dakota | $92,126 |
| North Carolina | $92,118 |
| Delaware | $91,899 |
| Hawaii | $91,529 |
| Tennessee | $91,033 |
| Virginia | $90,818 |
| Minnesota | $90,792 |
| Mississippi | $90,792 |
| Utah | $90,501 |
| Georgia | $90,167 |
| Missouri | $89,998 |
| Illinois | $89,701 |
| Maryland | $89,063 |
| Pennsylvania | $88,837 |
| California | $88,628 |
| Kansas | $87,417 |
| Nebraska | $87,340 |
| Maine | $86,772 |
| Ohio | $86,436 |
| New Hampshire | $86,277 |
| Florida | $85,840 |
| South Carolina | $85,488 |
| Louisiana | $85,303 |
| Indiana | $85,109 |
| Idaho | $84,625 |
| Oklahoma | $84,582 |
| Texas | $83,912 |
| Kentucky | $80,679 |
| Michigan | $80,447 |
| Arkansas | $76,545 |
| West Virginia | $68,610 |
Source: BLS
Top-Paying Nursing Informaticist Salaries by City
Cost of living doesn’t just differ by state, but by population density. Cities house many more people, and their cost of living and salaries tend to be higher than rural areas. This may be less true for nurse informaticists, who can work from anywhere. But if they work for a large teaching hospital in a city of millions, they will likely earn more than nursing informaticists in a small community hospital in a town of 20,000.
No Record Found
Source: BLS
Workplace Type and Nursing Informaticist Salaries
Nursing informaticist compensation can also vary based on work environment.
| Industry | Hourly mean wage | Annual mean wage |
| Colleges, Universities, and Professional Schools | $58.89 | $122,500 |
| Hospitals/Health Systems | $47.31 | $98,409 |
| Ambulatory Care | $33.65 | $70,000 |
Source: BLS
How to Increase Your Earnings as a Nursing Informaticist
Nursing informaticists can increase their salary via many paths. As discussed above, compensation directly correlates to location, workplace type, and level of education, and these factors pave the way to a higher nursing informatics salary.
1. Earn a Higher Degree
Nursing informaticists with a postgraduate degree like an MSN or a DNP may earn more than those with an ADN or BSN.
2. Try a New Location
Compensation for nursing informaticists often depends largely on location, and a move to a new city can come with a higher salary. Keep in mind, though, that with a higher salary may also come a higher cost of living.
3. Advance to Management
Management often offers a path to higher pay, and the nursing informatics world is no different. Once a nurse informaticist has some experience behind them, they can begin to pursue managing roles in their organization.
4. Transfer to a New Work Setting
Nursing informaticists can transfer to another facility or department at any point in their career. If they are unsatisfied with their earnings in their current position, they can pursue higher-paying work settings.
Nursing Informaticist Salaries FAQs
1. What is the highest paid role in nursing informatics?
According to ZipRecruiter, the highest paid nurse informatics role is a Clinical Informatics Director, who can make $109,000 to $180,500 per year.
2. Are informatics nurses in demand?
Yes – as more and more health systems turn to electronic documentation, the demand for health technology experts is projected to grow.
3. What do nursing informaticists make per hour?
On average, nursing informaticists earn $47.31 an hour, which is about $98,409 per year. These numbers can vary based on experience, location, and role.
