by our College Data Analytics TeamIn the latest year, 3 U.S. colleges awarded 19 degrees and certificates in Palliative Care Nursing. Graduates earn a median $82,702 one year after completing, rising to $94,428 after four years.
A major in Palliative Care Nursing involves the study of Palliative Care Nursing. A Program That Prepares Registered Nurses To Provide A Combination Of Active And Compassionate Therapies Intended To Comfort And Support Patients And Their Families Who Are Living With Life-Threatening Illness. Includes Instruction In Pathophysiology, Palliative Care Processes, Pain Management, Pharmacology, Loss, Grief, Death, And Bereavement.
Source: IPEDS 2025; College Scorecard July 2026; BLS; O*NET; College Factual rankings 2027. Data as of: July 2026.
Across the country, palliative care nursing is a widely-pursued major, with 19 degrees awarded annually. 3 colleges award palliative care nursing degrees, an average of 6 graduates per school; the largest program awarded 9.
All 19 of the awards are master’s degrees, the only level colleges reported.
Women earned 84% of palliative care nursing degrees and certificates in the latest year (16 of 19). The largest groups of graduates by race and ethnicity are White (15) and Asian (2).
O*NET rates Social Perceptiveness the most important skill for jobs related to palliative care nursing, at 4.1 out of 5. The key knowledge areas are Medicine and Dentistry, Psychology and English Language. The most important abilities are Problem Sensitivity, Oral Expression and Deductive Reasoning.
Top skills, rated 0–5:
Top knowledge areas, rated 0–5:
How long a palliative care nursing degree takes:
| Degree | Typical Program Length | Graduates Annually |
|---|---|---|
| Master’s Degree | 1-3 years | 19 |
Master’s degree is the most common level of education among workers in jobs related to palliative care nursing, at 44.5%.
| Level of Education | Percentage of Workers |
|---|---|
| Master’s degree | 44.5% |
| Bachelor’s degree | 24.3% |
| Doctoral degree | 10.0% |
| Associate’s degree (or other 2-year) | 8.9% |
| Postsecondary certificate | 7.8% |
| First professional degree | 1.4% |
| Post-doctoral training | 1.4% |
| Post-master’s certificate | 1.3% |
| High school diploma or equivalent | 0.3% |
| Post-baccalaureate certificate | 0.2% |
Source: O*NET Online.
7 occupations are related to Palliative Care Nursing, with an average median salary of $91,600; the strongest outlook belongs to Critical Care Nurses, at 14.4% projected job growth. Typical job titles include Pediatric Oncology Nurse, Psychiatric RN (Psychiatric Registered Nurse), Nurse and Staff Nurse.
The occupation related to palliative care nursing with the most projected jobs is Registered Nurses, at 3,793,806.
| Occupation | Projected Jobs | Expected Growth |
|---|---|---|
| Registered Nurses | 3,793,806 | 10.2% |
| Nurse Practitioners | 2,031,912 | 3.3% |
| Clinical Nurse Specialists | 1,937,405 | 12.3% |
| Advanced Practice Psychiatric Nurses | 1,349,827 | 0.0% |
| Nursing Instructors and Teachers, Postsecondary | 790,445 | 5.7% |
| Critical Care Nurses | 590,563 | 14.4% |
| Acute Care Nurses | 191,452 | 4.1% |
Palliative Care Nursing graduates earn a median $82,702 one year after completing their program, $94,428 after four years and $90,122 after five years, according to the U.S. Department of Education’s College Scorecard.
| Years Out | Median Earnings |
|---|---|
| 1 year | $82,702 |
| 4 years | $94,428 |
| 5 years | $90,122 |
Source: College Scorecard.
The highest-paying occupation related to palliative care nursing is Nurse Practitioners, with a median salary of $147,651.
| Occupation | Median Annual Salary |
|---|---|
| Nurse Practitioners | $147,651 |
| Advanced Practice Psychiatric Nurses | $143,854 |
| Registered Nurses | $105,741 |
| Nursing Instructors and Teachers, Postsecondary | $69,718 |
| Critical Care Nurses | $65,103 |
| Acute Care Nurses | $56,247 |
| Clinical Nurse Specialists | $52,889 |
Palliative Care Nursing has 22 similar majors in the Health Professions field, which together award 318,034 degrees a year; the largest are Registered Nursing/Registered Nurse (263,353), Family Practice Nurse/Nursing (14,704) and Nursing Practice (9,385). Browse all Health Professions majors or the full list of college majors.
| Related Major | Annual Graduates |
|---|---|
| Registered Nursing/Registered Nurse | 263,353 |
| Family Practice Nurse/Nursing | 14,704 |
| Nursing Practice | 9,385 |
| Nursing Administration | 7,806 |
| Psychiatric/Mental Health Nurse/Nursing | 5,359 |
| Nursing Science | 4,606 |
| Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing, Other | 3,955 |
| Nurse Anesthetist | 2,183 |
| Adult Health Nurse/Nursing | 2,125 |
| Public Health/Community Nurse/Nursing | 934 |
More about our data sources and methodologies.