Some nurses land higher salaries than primary care doctors

A survey from staffing firm Merritt, Hawkins & Associates found that nurse anesthetists recruited by the firm landed salaries averaging $185,000 last year, compared to $172,000 for family practitioners and $176,000 for internists. The Merritt Hawkins figures for the nurses are higher than some other sources, however. The discrepancy may be due to the fact that fewer employers go through recruiters to hire the nurses, and those who do are willing to pay top dollar, said Merritt, Hawkins & Associates representatives.