Nursing Jobs To Help You Pay Off Student Loans Quickly

You can attack nursing school debt from two directions: earn while you study, and pick a job after graduation that either forgives loans or pays enough to clear them fast. This guide covers healthcare jobs you can work during school, jobs with loan repayment built in, and the highest-paying nursing roles.

Key Takeaways

• Working in healthcare during school builds income, clinical comfort, and a hiring network for after graduation.
• Federal service programs (PSLF, Nurse Corps, and the National Health Service Corps) forgive nursing debt in exchange for full-time work in qualifying settings.
• The NHSC Students to Service program pays up to $120,000, in installments of up to $30,000 a year, for a three-year service commitment.
• High-paying advanced roles like CRNA (median $212,650 in May 2024, BLS) let you clear debt from earnings with the freedom to work anywhere.

Jobs You Can Work While in Nursing School

Working in healthcare during school does more than bring in money. You build a professional network, get exposure to different specialties, find mentors, and line up leads for after you graduate.

CNA. A CNA license takes a few weeks of affordable coursework, so many students earn it before finishing their degree. Pay runs well below RN wages, but the role builds your network and your clinical comfort. CNAs help nurses and patients with activities of daily living (ADLs).

Medical transporter. Transporters move patients on stretchers, gurneys, and wheelchairs and accompany them to and from their destinations. Hospitals usually train you onsite.

Nursing assistant. Once you pass certain basic courses, you may qualify to assist patients with ADLs. Most states require CPR certification.

Monitor technician. Monitor techs watch heart-rate monitors in the ICU and similar units and alert RNs or physicians when a reading signals a patient needs attention. Some states and hospitals require EKG training.

Phlebotomist. Phlebotomists draw blood in hospitals, labs, and donor centers. Some employers train you; others require you to have passed the relevant nursing skills course.

Medical technician. Most of these jobs require completed nursing skills courses. Duties vary but generally include tracking supplies, updating medical records, and maintaining a sterile environment.

Jobs That Offer Loan Repayment

Several government programs forgive nursing debt in exchange for service. Note that the National Health Service Corps programs have specific application periods, so check current deadlines before you count on them.

Nonprofit or government nursing. Nurses at nonprofit (501(c)(3)) or government hospitals, including federal, state, and tribal facilities, qualify for Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF) after 120 qualifying full-time payments. Most hospitals count as 501(c)(3)s.

NHSC APRN loan repayment. Nurse practitioners (except neonatal), certified nurse midwives, and psychiatric nurse specialists working in designated primary-care shortage areas qualify.

NHSC Substance Use Disorder loan repayment. RNs, NPs, nurse midwives, and psychiatric nurse specialists at NHSC-approved substance use disorder sites qualify.

NHSC Students to Service. If you are in the final year of an NP or CNM program and commit to at least three years at an NHSC-approved site, you can receive up to $30,000 a year for three years, with the option to continue for further forgiveness.

NHSC Rural Community loan repayment. RNs, NPs, and CNMs working in an approved rural substance use disorder setting may qualify.

Nurse Corps loan repayment. RNs, NPs, and nursing faculty may qualify in exchange for teaching nursing or working in an underserved area.

High-Paying Nursing Jobs

The other route is a high-paying job after graduation that lets you clear the loan from your earnings. This gives you more flexibility than most forgiveness programs, since you can work anywhere. Except for travel nursing, these are advanced practice roles that require at least an MSN.

Travel nurse. Travel nurses go where demand is highest. Pay spiked during the COVID-19 staffing crisis and remains strong because the shortage continues.

Nurse anesthetist. CRNAs are the highest-paid nurses, with a median salary of $212,650 (BLS, May 2024). New nurse anesthetists must now hold a Doctor of Nursing Practice.

Neonatal nurse practitioner. NNPs care for newborns in standard neonatal units and the NICU. NNP is among the higher-earning NP specialties.

Psychiatric nurse practitioner. Psychiatric mental health NPs treat mental and behavioral health conditions and consistently rank among the top-paid NP specialties.

Adult-gerontology nurse practitioner. AGNPs care for adolescent and adult patients. The median for nurse practitioners, nurse midwives, and nurse anesthetists as a group was $132,050 in May 2024 (BLS), with these advanced roles clustering at the higher end.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do nurses pay off student loans? Through loan forgiveness programs or their earnings. Nurses at nonprofit or government hospitals, in designated underserved areas, or in the military may qualify for forgiveness.

Do nurses qualify for student loan forgiveness? Yes, through several programs, usually in exchange for working for a nonprofit or government employer, in an underserved area, or for the military.

How does Public Service Loan Forgiveness work for nurses? PSLF forgives the remaining balance on your federal Direct Loans after 120 qualifying monthly payments made on an income-driven plan while you work full time for a government or nonprofit (501(c)(3)) employer, which most hospitals are. The 120 payments do not have to be consecutive.

Which nursing jobs pay the most toward clearing debt? Certified registered nurse anesthetists (CRNAs) lead, with a median wage of $212,650 in May 2024 (BLS). Other high earners include psychiatric, neonatal, and adult-gerontology nurse practitioners, all advanced roles that require at least an MSN.

How can a nurse pay off loans faster? Take a high-paying job, enter a forgiveness program, consolidate loans, or use an income-driven repayment plan. Federal loan servicers are required to give free advice on repayment.

Will hospitals pay off student loans? Some will, in exchange for a commitment to stay a set number of years. If you work at a government or nonprofit hospital, you may also qualify for PSLF.