Overall, geriatric nurses can expect to earn a healthy salary that will provide for a comfortable lifestyle. The Bureau of Labor Statistics indicates that for geriatric nurses, earnings will usually fall between $40,000 and $83,000. In nursing care facilities, the median salary is $52,000, and home health care services nurses will earn around $54,000. Of course, the actual salary that you earn will depend on a variety of factors affecting pay. Some of these factors include supply and demand of local coders, your work setting, your level of education, length of employment, and your area’s cost of living.

Reports from PayScale.com indicate that for the first four years as a geriatric nurse, you’ll generally earn about $48,000, which will grow to $52,000 after 10 years or more, and then up to an average of $57,000 once you have 20 or more years of experience. If you’d like to earn more at any point in your career, it would be wise to seek out settings that often pay better than others, such as private residences, hospitals, and research facilities.

Your location also makes a large difference in pay, as living in an area with a low or high cost of living will affect the level of pay. Location also comes into play when you consider the supply and demand. Working in an area that has a wide variety of medical services, or a large population of elderly, or both, will increase the demand for qualified geriatric nurses, and make your services more valuable, which will earn you a higher salary.

Finally, you can almost guarantee a higher salary with more education, so it’s always a good idea to complete relevant education in geriatric nursing, as it will help your further your career and earn more money. With this additional education, skills, and knowledge, you’ll set yourself apart and be ready to take on opportunities with a better future and higher earnings.