by our College Data Analytics TeamStudying Critical Care Nursing involves the study of Critical Care Nursing. A Program That Prepares Registered Nurses To Provide Specialized Care To Patients With Life-Threatening Problems, Including Those In Intensive Care Facilities And On Life Support. Includes Instruction In Adult, Neonatal, And Pediatric Critical Care; Technical Skills; Patient Monitoring And Assessment; Normal And Abnormal Readings; And Troubleshooting. Examples: [Acute Care Nursing], [Acute Care Nurse Practitioner]. Read on to learn the key facts every critical care nursing major should know — including career paths, salary data, the skills you will develop, and the best colleges offering critical care nursing programs.
In the U.S., critical care nursing is a popular field of study, with 596 degrees awarded annually.
Our 2026 Best Critical Care Nursing Schools ranking analyzes these 40 schools to determine the best overall colleges for critical care nursing students. Continue reading to check out one of our many unbiased rankings of critical care nursing programs later in this article.
Coursework for Critical Care Nursing emphasize a specific mix of skills, knowledge, and abilities — derived from O*NET surveys of workers in the occupations critical care nursing graduates commonly enter.
Skills emphasized by a critical care nursing program reflects the day-to-day work of related occupations:
Based on O*NET data, a critical care nursing major emphasizes the following knowledge areas:
There are several critical care nursing 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 |
|---|---|---|
| Master’s Degree | 1-3 years | 548 |
| Doctorate | At least 4 years | 48 |
People currently working in careers related to critical care nursing tend to have obtained the following education levels.
| Level of Education | Percentage of Workers |
|---|---|
| Master’s degree | 44.5% |
| Bachelor’s degree | 24.3% |
| Doctoral degree | 10.0% |
| Associate’s degree (or other 2-year) | 8.9% |
| Postsecondary certificate | 7.8% |
| First professional degree | 1.4% |
| Post-doctoral training | 1.4% |
| Post-master’s certificate | 1.3% |
| High school diploma or equivalent | 0.3% |
| Post-baccalaureate certificate | 0.2% |
View the chart below to get an idea of what level of education most of those in critical care nursing careers hold.
Source: ONET Online education / training / experience requirements.*
Majoring in critical care nursing prepares you for many career paths. These are some of the most common occupations related to critical care nursing.
The following options are some of the most in-demand careers related to critical care nursing.
| 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% |
| Acute Care Nurses | 191,452 | 4.1% |
College Scorecard reports median earnings of critical care nursing graduates 1, 4, and 5 years after completion. Wages typically rise 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 critical care nursing graduates vary widely by occupation. The following table shows the top highest-paying careers critical care nursing grads often go into.
| Occupation | Median Annual Salary |
|---|---|
| Nurse Practitioners | $147,651 |
| Advanced Practice Psychiatric Nurses | $143,854 |
| 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 40 different critical care nursing programs to choose from, finding the best fit can be a challenge. We have analyzed these schools to produce unbiased critical care nursing school rankings to help you.
Students interested in critical care nursing, 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.
