Advanced practice nurses (APNs) in Washington have comparable salaries to their peers nationwide. A study published in the 2009 Journal of Nurse Practitioners reported that APNs' (excluding CRNAs) earn average salaries of about $80,000. The highest salaries are earned by hospital-based NPs. More APNs are required to fill needs created by the state's aging population and aging nursing workforce. Additional needs will be created as healthcare reforms are enacted.
According to the California HealthCare Foundation, Washington is one of about half a dozen states that allow for the most comprehensive scope of practice for NPs. Many NPs in the state are branching out into specialties such as cardiology, critical care and pain management.
A need persists for NPs to work in primary care roles in rural areas. Getting nurses into the workforce is a priority in Washington. The Rural Outreach Nursing Education program has been working to help students living in rural areas pursue nursing education using distance learning. For more information, check out the Washington Board of Nursing and Washington State Nurses Association.
Programs to consider:
Seattle Pacific University (Seattle, WA). SPU offers advanced practice MSNs and other leadership tracks such as education and administration. They also have a clinical nurse specialist track that you can tailor to your preferred focus.
Washington State University (Spokane, WA). WSU offers several MSN tracks in advanced population health with a focus on roles in community-based settings. Advanced practice MSNs are available.
Below is a list of all the accredited schools with campus locations in Washington that offer MSN programs.
 Gonzaga University
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 WGU Washington
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Pacific Lutheran University (Tacoma, WA)
Matching Program Tracks: Care and Outcomes Manager (COM), Family Nurse Practitioner (FNP)
Accreditation: CCNE accredited
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Seattle Pacific University (Seattle, WA)
Matching Program Tracks: Adult/Gerontological Nurse Practitioner, Clinical Nurse Specialist, Family Nurse Practitioner, Informatics, Nurse Educator, Nursing Administration
Accreditation: CCNE accredited
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Seattle University (Seattle, WA)
Matching Program Tracks: Leadership in Community Nursing, Nurse-Midwifery, Primary Care Nurse Practitioner - Family, Primary Care Nurse Practitioner - Gerontological, Primary Care Nurse Practitioner - Psychiatric (Addictions Focus), Spirituality & Health
Accreditation: CCNE accredited
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University of Washington (Seattle, WA)
Matching Program Tracks: Advanced Practice Forensic Nurse Specialist (APFNS), Certified Nurse Midwifery (CNM), Clinical Informatics and Patient-Centered Technologies (CIPCT), Clinical Nurse Leader, Clinical Nurse Specialist (Neonatal or Perinatal), Family and Child Nursing (FCN), Independent Master of Nursing (IMN), Master of Nursing/Master of Public Health (MN/MPH), Master of Science (General), Neonatal Nurse Practitioner (NNP), Occupational & Environmental Health Nursing (OEHN)
Accreditation: CCNE accredited
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University of Washington-Bothell (Bothell, WA)
Matching Program Tracks: Master of Nursing
Accreditation: CCNE accredited
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University of Washington-Tacoma (Tacoma, WA)
Matching Program Tracks: Communities, Populations and Health, Healthcare Leadership, Independent Option, Nurse Educator
Accreditation: CCNE accredited
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Washington State University (Spokane, WA)
Matching Program Tracks: Community-Based/Population-Focused Nursing, Family Nurse Practitioner (FNP), Psychiatric/Mental Health Nurse Practitioner (PMHNP)
Accreditation: CCNE accredited
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