Doctor of Nursing Practice Salary in West Virginia

West Virginia faces a shortage of both RNs and advanced practice nurses (APNs). More than 20% of the hospitals surveyed as part of the West Virginia Center for Nursing’s 2010 Workforce Demand in Nursing Survey Reports and Recommendations reported difficulty in recruiting APNs. Particular specialties in short supply included:

• Nurse Anesthetists
• Nurse Midwives
• Clinical Nurse Specialists
• Nurse Practitioners:
  • Family
  • Psychiatric
  • Acute Care

Stakeholders increasingly suggest that APNs obtain a Doctor of Nursing Practice (DPN), since it offers the highest level of practical training to nurses and enables them to provide the highest quality care for patients.

According to the American Association of Colleges of Nursing, 29 of West Virginia’s nurses were enrolled in DNP programs in 2015. More than twice as many students sought a DNP as a PhD that year, thus reinforcing the value of this practice-based doctorate.

Earning a DNP offers an assurance of high salaries according to a 2014 survey of nurse practitioners by the Advance Healthcare Network. This survey identified that nurse practitioners with a DNP average 13% more a year compared to NPs whose highest degree was a master’s.

Statewide Salary Data for DNP-Educated APNs and More in West Virginia

DNP-educated nurses in all their various roles are consistently recognized for earning top salaries (West Virginia Department of Commerce, 2016):

• Nurse Anesthetists – $196,150
• Nurse Administrators and Executives – $121,695
• Nurse-Midwives – $121,534
• Nurse Practitioners – $103,027
• Other Health Diagnosing and Treating Practitioners – $97,046
• Nurse Educators – $76,588

Shown here is the average salary for experienced professionals for each role. This best represents the average earnings for DNP-educated nurses, giving consideration to the fact that DNPs earn more than master’s-prepared nurses in the same roles.

Salaries for DNP Nurses in the Major Regions of West Virginia

The West Virginia Department of Commerce provides salary information for DNP-educated advanced nursing professionals in the major regions of the state (2016):

Nurse Anesthetists:

• Kanawha County – $189,596
• North Central – $178,634
• Northwestern – $188,343
• Southeastern – $196,150
• Southwestern – $187,143

Nurse Administrators and Executives:

• Kanawha County – $134,800
• North Central – $130,985
• Northeastern – $140,137
• Northwestern – $104,781
• Panhandle – $97,386
• Southeastern – $126,296
• Southwestern – $126,922

Nurse Practitioners:

• Kanawha County – $97,658
• North Central – $102,804
• Northeastern – $93,302
• Northwestern – $110,556
• Panhandle – $115,385
• Southeastern – $103,027
• Southwestern – $107,321

Nurse-Midwives:

• Southeastern – $121,534

Health Diagnosing and Treating Practitioners:

• Southeastern – $97,048

Nurse Educators:

• Southeastern – $76,588

Shown here is the average salary for experienced professionals for each role. This best represents the average earnings for DNP-educated nurses, giving consideration to the fact that DNPs earn more than master’s-prepared nurses in the same roles.

An Overview of Salaries for DNP-Educated Nurses in West Virginia as Published by the US Department of Labor

The US Department of Labor, Bureau of Labor Statistics provides an overview of the annual and hourly salaries for nurses in West Virginia earning within the 75^th and 90^th percentiles to best represent earnings for DNP nurses (2014):

*These values are equal to or greater than $90 an hour and $187,199 per year. The US Department of Labor, Bureau of Labor Statistics does not report salary data higher than these values.

This page includes salaries that fall within the 75^th and 90^th 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.

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