At the end of 2017, New York became the first state to require registered nurses to obtain their BSN within 10 years of becoming licensed. Even though it may not be a requirement in your state, healthcare experts have said that getting your BSN can lead to more career opportunities in the future.

However, this trend isn’t only limited to your BSN. Despite the high demand for nurses, healthcare facilities are still maintaining high standards when hiring. In order to be able to compete, you may want to seriously start considering obtaining advanced nursing certifications.

“Even though they are not always required in job descriptions, a resume with more certifications may stand out more to a hiring manager within a healthcare facility,” says Carly Ronan, a Staffing Manager at ES|Healthcare, a division of The Execu|Search Group. “While obtaining these certifications is certainly an investment, getting them now can greatly benefit your career in the long-run.”

Here are three reasons why you should consider obtaining advanced nursing certifications:

More career opportunities

Currently, most nurses are only required to have a BLS when applying for jobs. However, becoming ACLS- and PALS-certified can instantly make you a more attractive candidate. “Most nursing managers are specifically looking to hire nurses who have at least one advanced nursing certification,” explains Carly. “These certifications lead to more growth opportunities, which also helps to build more effective leadership development programs and assist with succession planning.”

Higher compensation

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the average salary for a Registered Nurse in the U.S. is $70,000. However, obtaining advanced nursing certifications can make your earning potential significantly higher. On average, certified nurses make at least $7,300 more per year than their non-certified peers. However, certain certifications can help you earn even more than that. For example, the average salary for a Nurse with a CNOR is $92,000, while a nurse who has their CPN makes $82,438. Additionally, nurses with more certifications are better positioned to take on leadership roles, which can further increase pay to more than $100,000 depending on the specialty area.

More specialized care

Because they have more specialized training, nurses with advanced certifications are better equipped to handle more challenging cases. “The more certifications a nurse has, the more capable they are of providing quality specialized care,” says Carly. “Because of this, healthcare facilities are able to place more trust in these nurses to provide quality care to patients.” Additionally, acquiring additional advanced nursing certifications over time can allow you to build your career in a specialty area of interest to you. For example, obtaining your CPI now could put you in line to becoming a Psychiatric Nurse Practitioner in the future.