Nurse Case Manager Salary Guide

Case management RNs are instrumental in ensuring patients’ needs are met in the most effective ways by creating and implementing comprehensive patient care plans. Although this specialty is primarily administrative, it’s become an invaluable asset to both healthcare facilities and patients. The overall duties of a case management RN are complex and change based on the patient and work setting. Due to this complexity, the salary for a case management RN is typically generous and other factors can boost it further.

Case management nurses are registered nurses who specialize in coordinating the overall care of individual patients. They typically work long-term with patients recovering from severe injuries or illnesses or who are suffering from chronic diseases. RN case managers primarily act as patients’ advocates while collaborating with other medical professionals to devise the best long-term health care plans.

Case managers must complete the educational requirements to become registered nurses, which necessitates earning a degree. While some employers accept case management candidates with associate degrees, most prefer a Bachelor of Science in Nursing from a program accredited by the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE) or the Accreditation Commission for Education in Nursing (ACEN). Some even favor applicants with master’s degrees, so advanced education may be advisable. Graduates at every level must pass the NCLEX-RN exam to become RNs.

Most employers only hire case manager RNs with hands-on case management experience. You generally need at least two years of experience working in a clinical setting to increase your job prospects. Also, the more experience you have, the higher your salary tends to be. A case management RN relatively new to the field can’t expect to earn as much as one with a decade or more of experience. As your years of experience grows, so should your base salary.

As you acquire more experience, you should also be gaining additional skills. Effective case managers hone their clinical skills along with soft skills like communication, time management, problem-solving, decision-making, and organizational skills. Strong leadership skills are especially needed to succeed and can greatly influence the basis of your case manager salary.

Nearly all medical facilities employ case management nurses, so you could work in a wide range of settings. However, some work settings may pay better than others. Besides job location, physical location can make a huge difference in a case management RN’s base salary. Certain areas of the country historically pay nurses more, such as the West Coast and the New England states, but higher-paying locales also tend to have higher costs of living. Urban areas tend to pay more than rural areas, no matter which area you’re in.

If you currently have a BSN, consider earning an advanced degree. Look for a Master of Science in Nursing program offering a case management track. The case manager specialty is ideal for nurses wanting to advance into a leadership position and an advanced degree can help with this goal. Gaining advanced education should also bump up your salary.

Although a healthcare facility may not require professional certification, many hospitals and insurance companies like to see it. Studies have shown that certified nurses earn higher salaries than those who aren’t certified. Thus, earning certifications can also give your salary a major boost while increasing your career prospects.

The American Case Management Association offers Accredited Case Manager certification specifically for health delivery system case managers and transitions of care case management professionals. To sit for the exam, you must have at least one year or 2,080 hours of supervised, paid Health System Case Management experience, or be employed in a role that falls within the parameters of a case manager. Exam applicants with less than two years of experience must also attach a declaration from a supervisor stating they have at least one year of supervised case management experience.

The American Nurses Credentialing Center also offers Nursing Case Management Certification (CMGT-BC). This competency-based board certification exam confirms you possess the clinical knowledge and skills of an RN in the case management specialty. You must have two years of full-time RN experience, including a minimum of 2,000 hours of clinical practice and 30 hours of continuing education in nursing case management.

Earning your Certified Nurse Life Care Planner (CNLCP), Certified Managed Care Nurse (CMCN) or Certified Disability Management Specialist (CDMS) often increases your salary potential as a case management nurse or makes you eligible for another position with greater responsibilities, which also might include a bump in wages.

Yes, having a Certified Nurse Life Care Planner (CNLCP) or any relevant professional certification has the potential to boost your salary as a case management nurse.

Yes, having a Certified Managed Care Nurse (CMCN) or any relevant professional certification has the potential to boost your salary as a case management nurse.

Yes, having a Certified Disability Management Specialist (CDMS) or any relevant professional certification has the potential to boost your salary as a case management nurse.

Take a look at Vivian's Nurse Case Manager Career Guide for more information, including required education, responsibilities, pros and cons and more.