1. Emergency Room RN with CEN — $100K – $135K
Emergency Department RNs with the CEN credential top this list for a simple reason: demand is universal, the certification is achievable within two years of ED experience, and the pay is consistent across nearly every metro. Every hospital in America runs an ED, and every ED wants CEN-credentialed nurses on the floor.
The Board of Certification for Emergency Nursing administers the CEN exam, which requires no minimum experience but is typically pursued after two years of ED practice. Trauma centers, Level I and II especially, layer additional pay for CEN plus TNCC and PALS/ACLS stacked credentials.
BLS OES groups ED RNs under general RN codes, but Vivian Health, Indeed, and hospital compensation surveys show $100K to $135K for CEN-credentialed ED nurses in most major markets. Charge nurse and trauma bay assignments push top-of-band, and night differentials add $8K to $15K annually per most hospital pay grids.
For nurses ready to explore these opportunities, checking current openings by state is the fastest way to see where demand — and pay — align right now.
