According to the Alabama Health Coalition—an organization comprised of healthcare leaders like the Alabama Hospital Association, Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Alabama, and the Alabama Nurse Leaders in Education and Practice, the number of doctorate nurses in Alabama continues to rise, with 7,111 holding this advanced degree in 2016.
Sponsored School(s)
This is good news in a state that has been plagued by primary care practitioner shortages in recent years. The federal Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA), which identifies health shortage areas in the U.S., found that in 2017, Alabama showed a shortage of 157 primary care providers throughout the state. Advanced practice registered nurses (APRNs) can and do provide primary care health services to the citizens of Alabama, particularly throughout the state’s rural regions.
Although the minimum educational requirement for advanced practice registered nurses (APRNs) in Alabama is the MSN, many have chosen to pursue a DNP to broaden their professional opportunities and boost their earning potential.
In fact, according to an Advance Healthcare Network 2018 survey, nurse practitioners throughout the U.S. who held a DNP earned 7% more than their peers who held an MSN as their highest degree ($113,347 vs. $105,664).
Statewide Salary Data for DNP-Educated APNs and More in Alabama
DNP-educated nurses in all their various roles are consistently recognized for earning top salaries (Alabama Department of Labor, 2018):
- Nurse Anesthetists: $189,870
- Nurse Administrators and Executives: $119,740-$157,040
- Nurse Practitioners: $110,130-$128,480
Salaries for DNP Nurses in Alabama’s Largest Cities
The Alabama Department of Labor provides salary information for DNP-educated advanced nursing professionals in the state’s most populated cities (2018):
Nurse Anesthetists:
- Birmingham-Hoover: $175,540-$203,640
- Huntsville: $200,850+
- Mobile: $186,110-$207,620
Nurse Administrators and Executives:
- Birmingham-Hoover: $133,810-$189,890
- Montgomery: $121,950-$145,700
- Mobile: $121,170-$160,380
- Huntsville: $121,310-$160,730
Nurse Practitioners:
- Montgomery: $121,060-$127,890
- Birmingham-Hoover: $117,860-$144,570
- Huntsville: $102,780-$119,520
- Mobile: $98,100-$104,730
Nurse Educators:
- Birmingham-Hoover: $95,480-$105,470
- Huntsville: $75,440-$82,460
- Mobile: $99,040-$112,580
An Overview of Hourly Wages for Alabama’s DNP-Educated Nurses
According to a 2019 Medscape Compensation Report, 78% of APRNs earn overtime, revealing that many earn hourly wages that are supplemented by often-impressive overtime wages. The Alabama Department of Labor provides hourly wages for DPN-educated nursing professionals, as of 2018:
- Nurse Administrators and Executives: $57.57-$75.50
- Nurse Practitioners: $52.95-$61.77
- Nurse Anesthetists: $91.28+
Salary and employment data compiled by the Alabama Department of Labor in May of 2018 – (http://www2.labor.alabama.gov/). Salary data represents state and MSA (Metropolitan Statistical Area) average and median earnings for the occupations listed and includes workers at all levels of education and experience. This data does not represent starting salaries. Employment conditions in your area may vary.
All salary and job growth data accessed in December 2019.
This page includes salaries that fall within the 75th and 90th percentiles for each nursing role to account for the fact that DNP-educated nurses are recognized as earning more than master’s-prepared nurses in the same roles.