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Advanced Practice Psychiatric Nurses

Typical education: Master's degreeHigh pressure Bright Outlook

What they do

Assess, diagnose, and treat individuals and families with mental health or substance use disorders or the potential for such disorders. Apply therapeutic activities, including the prescription of medication, per state regulations, and the administration of psychotherapy.

Kinds of work

  • Social: Helping, teaching, caring for and supporting other people.
  • Investigative: Science, research, figuring out how things work and solving complex problems.

High pressure: How much pressure workers in this job report: deadlines, conflict, dealing with upset people, the cost of mistakes, responsibility for others' safety, competition and long hours. It varies a lot from one employer to the next. Source: U.S. Department of Labor worker surveys.

Pay, tasks and more

Salary

United States $97,550 Median per year · $46.90/hr Most earn $68,940–$137,470

BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, 2025.

What you might do

  • Treat patients for routine physical health problems.
  • Direct or provide home health services.
  • Participate in activities aimed at professional growth and development, including conferences or continuing education activities.
  • Distinguish between physiologically- and psychologically-based disorders, and diagnose appropriately.
  • Provide routine physical health screenings to detect or monitor problems such as heart disease and diabetes.
  • Educate patients and family members about mental health and medical conditions, preventive health measures, medications, or treatment plans.

Job outlook

Bright Outlook Rapid Growth; Numerous Job Openings

United States
6% more jobs by 2035, faster than average · about 180,800 openings a year

Openings include new jobs and jobs left by workers who retire or change careers. Projections: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. "Bright Outlook": U.S. Department of Labor.

Where they work

  • General medical and surgical hospitals55.2%
  • Offices of physicians6.9%
  • Home healthcare services5.8%
  • Nursing care facilities (skilled nursing facilities)4.2%
  • Federal government, excluding postal service3.1%

Share of all workers in this career. Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, National Employment Matrix.

Experience before this job: 1 to 2 years

Career path

How people usually get into this career, from school to their first job and beyond.

Typical education: Master's degreeExperience before this job: 1 to 2 years

Advanced Practice Psychiatric Nurse is not an entry-level job. Most people first earn a nursing degree, work as a Registered Nurse for a year or two, and then complete a master's degree, so the full path usually takes about 7 to 9 years from the start of college.

  1. Bachelor's degree in nursing (BSN)

    4 years

    You learn the basics of patient care, anatomy, and psychology while earning the degree needed to get your nursing license.

  2. Registered Nurse

    1-2 years

    After passing the NCLEX licensing exam, you work with patients and build clinical experience, ideally on a psychiatric, behavioral health, or medical-surgical unit.

  3. Master's degree in psychiatric-mental health nursing (psychiatric nurse practitioner track)

    2-3 years

    You study psychiatric assessment, diagnosis, psychotherapy, and psychiatric medications, and complete supervised clinical hours, which prepares you for advanced practice certification in your state.

  4. Advanced Practice Psychiatric Nurse

    Ongoing

    You assess, diagnose, and treat people with mental health or substance use disorders, prescribe medication as your state allows, and provide psychotherapy.

Where it can lead

  1. Director of Behavioral Health Services

    5+ years (rough estimate) of experience first

    You move into leadership, managing mental health programs, staff, and budgets, which usually requires strong management skills and experience in several clinical roles.

  2. Psychiatrist

    4-6 years of experience first

    Some advanced practice nurses go on to medical school and residency to become physicians, which is a long additional path that requires a doctoral or professional degree.

What you can do now

Ideas for high school and college students.

In high school

  • Take biology, chemistry, and psychologyThese classes build the science background you will need for nursing school and for understanding mental health conditions.
  • Volunteer at a hospital, nursing home, or clinicVolunteering shows you what patient care looks like and helps you decide whether healthcare feels like a good fit.
  • Join a health occupations or HOSA-style clubHealth clubs at many schools offer hands-on activities, guest speakers, and early exposure to healthcare careers.
  • Get a starter job with peopleWorking as a camp counselor, tutor, or cashier builds communication and patience, which are key skills for psychiatric nursing.
  • Explore mental health awareness activitiesPeer support groups, school wellness committees, or mental health awareness events help you learn about the field and how care is organized.

In college

  • Major in nursing (pre-nursing or BSN)A BSN is the usual first step, and it is the degree you need before you can become a Registered Nurse.
  • Take psychology and abnormal psychology coursesThese classes build a foundation in mental health conditions, which is central to psychiatric nursing.
  • Work as a CNA, patient care tech, or in a psychiatric settingPaid clinical experience helps you practice patient care and shows graduate programs you are committed to the field.
  • Seek a nursing or health-related student organizationGroups like nursing student associations give you leadership experience, networking, and access to conferences and service projects.
  • Research state requirements and graduate programsUnderstanding what your state requires for advanced practice will help you choose the right master's program later.

Tips for getting started

  • Get hands-on experience early. Working as a nurse aide, patient care assistant, or RN in a psychiatric or behavioral health setting helps you learn what the work is really like and makes your graduate applications stronger.
  • Check your state's rules now. Each state sets its own requirements for what advanced practice psychiatric nurses can do, including prescribing, so look up what your state requires as you plan.
  • Keep your grades strong in science classes. Nursing programs and graduate schools look closely at your performance in biology, chemistry, and psychology.

Related jobs that often lead here

Related jobs a step up

Education, experience and related careers: U.S. Department of Labor. The step-by-step path, where it can lead and what you can do now were written by AI as typical examples; many people take other ways.

College majors that lead here

Majors: U.S. Department of Education and BLS (CIP–SOC crosswalk). Earnings and debt: College Scorecard, typical across U.S. colleges.

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