by our College Data Analytics TeamA major in Clinical Nurse Leader involves the study of Clinical Nurse Leader. A Program That Prepares Registered Nurses For Careers As Clinical Nurse Leaders In Which They Work As Part Of An Interdisciplinary Team That Provides Direct Medical Care For Patients Based On Evidence-Based Practice And Research. Includes Instruction In Pharmacology, Pathophysiology, Epidemiology, Research In Nursing Methods, Advanced Health Assessment, Statistics, And Clinical Practice Management. Continue reading for the essential details every clinical nurse leader major should know — including career paths, salary data, the skills you will develop, and the best colleges offering clinical nurse leader programs.
Across the country, clinical nurse leader is a widely-pursued major, with 434 degrees awarded annually.
Our 2026 Best Clinical Nurse Leader Schools ranking analyzes these 24 schools to determine the best overall colleges for clinical nurse leader students. Continue reading to check out one of our many unbiased rankings of clinical nurse leader programs later in this article.
Studies in Clinical Nurse Leader build a specific mix of skills, knowledge, and abilities — derived from O*NET surveys of workers in the occupations clinical nurse leader graduates commonly enter.
The skill set built by a clinical nurse leader program reflects the day-to-day work of related occupations:
Per O*NET surveys, a clinical nurse leader major emphasizes the following knowledge areas:
There are several clinical nurse leader degree levels. The table below shows the typical length of the most common levels, and how many graduates earn each one.
| Degree | Typical Program Length | Graduates Annually |
|---|---|---|
| Bachelor’s Degree | 4 years | 9 |
| Master’s Degree | 1-3 years | 421 |
| Doctorate | At least 4 years | 4 |
People currently working in careers related to clinical nurse leader tend to have obtained the following education levels.
| Level of Education | Percentage of Workers |
|---|---|
| Master’s degree | 43.7% |
| Bachelor’s degree | 25.1% |
| Doctoral degree | 9.6% |
| Associate’s degree (or other 2-year) | 9.0% |
| Postsecondary certificate | 7.8% |
| First professional degree | 1.5% |
| Post-doctoral training | 1.5% |
| Post-master’s certificate | 1.2% |
| High school diploma or equivalent | 0.4% |
| Post-baccalaureate certificate | 0.2% |
| Some college courses | 0.1% |
See the chart below to get an idea of what level of education most of those in clinical nurse leader careers hold.
Source: ONET Online education / training / experience requirements.*
A degree in clinical nurse leader prepares you for numerous career paths. Below are some of the most common occupations related to clinical nurse leader.
The following options are some of the most in-demand careers related to clinical nurse leader.
| Occupation | Projected Jobs | Expected Growth |
|---|---|---|
| Registered Nurses | 3,793,806 | 10.2% |
| Nurse Practitioners | 2,031,912 | 3.3% |
| Clinical Nurse Specialists | 1,937,405 | 12.3% |
| Advanced Practice Psychiatric Nurses | 1,349,827 | 0.0% |
| Nursing Instructors and Teachers, Postsecondary | 790,445 | 5.7% |
| Critical Care Nurses | 590,563 | 14.4% |
| Medical and Health Services Managers | 419,330 | 8.8% |
| Acute Care Nurses | 191,452 | 4.1% |
Federal data tracks median earnings of clinical nurse leader graduates 1, 4, and 5 years after completion. These numbers tend to grow as graduates gain experience.
| Years Out | Median Earnings |
|---|---|
| 1 year | $83,453 |
| 4 years | $80,149 |
| 5 years | $90,156 |
Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard, field-of-study earnings tracker.
Salaries for clinical nurse leader graduates vary widely by occupation. The following table shows the top highest-paying careers clinical nurse leader grads often go into.
| Occupation | Median Annual Salary |
|---|---|
| Nurse Practitioners | $147,651 |
| Advanced Practice Psychiatric Nurses | $143,854 |
| Medical and Health Services Managers | $129,557 |
| Registered Nurses | $105,741 |
| Nursing Instructors and Teachers, Postsecondary | $69,718 |
| Critical Care Nurses | $65,103 |
| Acute Care Nurses | $56,247 |
| Clinical Nurse Specialists | $52,889 |
With 24 different clinical nurse leader programs to choose from, finding the best fit can be a challenge. We have analyzed these schools to produce unbiased clinical nurse leader school rankings to help you.
Those considering clinical nurse leader, you may also want to explore other closely related fields of study within the same broad area.
| Related Major | Annual Graduates |
|---|---|
| Registered Nursing/Registered Nurse | 256,965 |
| Family Practice Nurse/Nursing | 14,847 |
| Nursing Practice | 9,206 |
| Nursing Administration | 7,911 |
| Psychiatric/Mental Health Nurse/Nursing | 4,379 |
| Nursing Science | 4,245 |
| Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing, Other | 4,125 |
| Adult Health Nurse/Nursing | 2,457 |
| Nurse Anesthetist | 1,960 |
| Public Health/Community Nurse/Nursing | 1,505 |
More about our data sources and methodologies.
