What Can You Do With a Doctorate in Nursing?

Written by: University of Tulsa • Aug 24, 2026

Infographic explaining what DNP graduates can do with their degrees, including career outcomes. Detailed career descriptions and statistics are provided in the text

The United States is experiencing a serious shortage of health care workers. For students interested in advanced clinical positions without the time and expense of medical school, a Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) can be an ideal option.

To learn more, check out the infographic created by The University of Tulsa’s DNP.

What Is a Doctorate in Nursing Practice?

A Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) is the terminal clinical nursing degree. DNP-prepared nurses help administer health care systems, improve patient advocacy, and provide direct care.

DNP programs teach leadership, health care regulatory practices and policy, and advanced clinical practice, preparing students for leadership, education, and clinical roles. DNP courses often include:

Advanced pharmacology
Advanced physiology and pathophysiology
Biostatistics
Diagnosis and management
Epidemiology
Health care policy
Health informatics

The American Association of Colleges of Nursing (AACN) requires DNP programs to prepare students to do the following:

Apply culturally appropriate methods to evaluate illnesses
Create science-based treatment plans
Establish connections with patients and other providers to improve outcomes
Evaluate links between clinical, fiscal, operational, demographic, and policy concerns
Help fellow nurses excel
Promote prevention and population health
Use systems thinking to provide and improve patient care

What Can You Do With a Doctorate in Nursing Practice?

A DNP degree prepares students for advanced nursing practice and offers additional benefits:

Expert-level credibility
Improved career opportunities
Specialized studies
Fluency with emerging nursing and health care innovations
Opportunities for more in-depth study of complex topics

A DNP opens a range of administrative, policy-related, and clinical career possibilities. Here are a few of the jobs nurses pursue with a doctorate in nursing practice.

Administrative

The following are some administrative positions DNP graduates can pursue:

Program director: Manages programs or initiatives, develops goals, sets budgets, manages staff, and oversees program procedures; may also handle outreach and regulatory compliance
Chief nursing officer (CNO): Manages all nursing operations as the top nursing position in an organization, including establishing and implementing nursing policy, maintaining competitive compensation packages, evaluating nursing care, overseeing equipment purchases, and improving patient care
CEO: Oversees all departments as the head of an organization, including creating and implementing policies, setting goals, and often serving as the organization’s public face; may serve as CEO of pharmaceutical and medical technology firms, health care charities, and medical facilities

Explore some policy positions DNP graduates can pursue.

Health policy analyst: Assesses community health policies to gauge potential effects; interprets data, develops projections, and shares findings with policymakers, stakeholders, and the public
Public health nurse: Works to improve community health by focusing on policy advocacy, health education, and disease prevention
Health care lobbyist: Works on behalf of nurses, insurance companies, or health care providers to analyze health care issues, develop policy proposals, and communicate with lawmakers and organizers

Clinical

Earning a DNP can lead to Advanced practice registered nurse (APRN) roles, such as:

Nurse practitioner (NP): Provides comprehensive patient care in specialties such as family nurse practitioner (FNP) and pediatric nurse practitioner (PNP); depending on state regulations, may diagnose illnesses and prescribe medication
Certified registered nurse anesthetist (CRNA): Administers anesthesia and oversees pain management
Certified nurse-midwife (CNM): Specializes in women’s health, pregnancy, and childbirth
Clinical nurse specialist (CNS): Works in direct patient care, specializing in a specific illness or population; may also lead nursing staff and oversee systems

DNP graduates can also pursue the following roles:

Nurse educator: Teaches and mentors student nurses, creates curriculum and course materials, develops continuing education classes for nurses, and manages nursing residencies
Nurse manager: Acts as a liaison between management and nurses; trains and oversees nurses, ensures regulatory and policy compliance, performs administrative tasks, and communicates nurses’ needs to senior management

Salary and Job Outlook for DNPs

The approximate median annual salaries for selected careers available to DNP holders are as follows, according to 2026 Payscale data:

Program director: $95,000
CNO: $160,000
CEO: $177,000
Health policy analyst: $73,000
Public health nurse: $74,000
Lobbyist: $89,600
NP: $113,000
FNP: $110,000
PNP: $107,000
CRNA: $196,000
CNM: $115,000
CNS: $108,000
Nurse educator: $89,000
Nurse manager: $101,500

The job outlook is strong for health care positions in general, with 1.9 million job openings projected each year between 2024 and 2034, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS). The BLS doesn’t track all occupations, but it does include 10-year growth forecasts through 2034 for the following occupations:

CNO, CEO (classified as top executive): 4%
Lobbyist (classified as public relations specialist): 5%
NP: 40%
CRNA: 9%
CNM: 11%
Nurse manager (classified as medical and health services manager): 23%

Learn More About DNP Programs

A DNP degree can pay off in many ways, potentially leading to a range of opportunities with good pay and strong job prospects. Students interested in these career outcomes should consider pursuing a DNP.

Sources:

American Association of Colleges of Nursing, About AACN

American Association of Colleges of Nursing, The Essentials of Doctoral Education for Advanced Nursing Practice

American Association of Nurse Anesthesiology, About CRNAs

American Association of Nurse Practitioners, What’s a Nurse Practitioner (NP)?

Association of Public Health Nurses, What Is a PHN?

Cleveland Clinic, Clinical Nurse Specialist

Cleveland Clinic, Midwife?

Docthub, Healthcare Lobbyist

Indeed, “Is a DNP Worth It? (Plus How It Differs From a PhD)”

Indeed, Learn About Being a Nurse Educator

Indeed, 13 Doctorate in Nursing Practice Jobs You Can Pursue