How Much Do Critical Care Nurses Make?
Critical care nursing salaries depend on several factors, including experience, workplace, education level, and geographic location. Critical care nurses can earn about the same as any other registered nurse (RN), according to a comparison between the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) RN salaries and ZipRecruiter CCN salaries. This guide will walk any prospective critical care nurse through the details of pay across all variables and offer advice on how to maximize earning potential in this field.
Just the Highlights: Critical Care Nurse Salaries
Critical care nurses can earn the highest average annual salaries in these roles and locations:
California
$137,690
San Francisco, CA
$174,370
General Medical and Surgical Hospitals
$96,830
These numbers are averages, and when you combine factors, they can vary enormously. For example, a critical care nurse working in a New York City ICU may make more than a critical care nurse doing home visits in Alabama.
How Much Do Critical Care Nurses Make?
Critical care nurses make an average of $94,480 in the U.S., according to the BLS. Hourly pay for critical care nurses averages $45.42, but wages can vary depending on the situation.
Critical care nurse average annual salary
$94,480
Critical care nurse average hourly wage
$45.42
Some critical care nurses may be eligible for overtime and evening/weekend pay differentials. Certain employers may also offer sign-on bonuses.
Based on the details laid out in this guide, a critical care nurse’s salary can range from the lower average of $63,720 to an above average $132,680, according to BLS data.
Source: BLS
How Education Affects Critical Care Nurse Salaries
Aspiring critical care nurses can reach this goal by following a few different education paths. An Associate Degree in Nursing (ADN) offers a shorter option, typically finished in two years. To get a Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN), students attend four years of nursing school. Some BSN programs offer an accelerated option, which can be finished in as little as a year, but requires a previous degree or several prerequisites.
When nurses graduate with an ADN and pass their National Council Licensure Examination (NCLEX), they receive an RN designation, similar to a nurse who achieves a BSN. However, critical care nurses with a BSN will receive higher pay than those with an ADN, and some employers require their nurses to have a BSN degree.
Further levels of education, like a Master of Science in Nursing (MSN) or a Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP), will also raise a critical care nurse’s salary while changing their role.
| Degree | Annual Average Salary |
| ADN | $75,000 |
| BSN | $92,000 |
| MSN | $124,680 |
| DNP | $225,000 |
Source: Nursing World
How Specialty Certification Affects Critical Care Nurse Salaries
A critical care nurse with specialty certification can offer more value to their employer than a new nurse with no experience, and their pay will reflect that value. Once a nurse has some experience in their field, they can apply to test for certification in that specialty. Critical care nurses can choose to earn a critical care RN (CCRN) certification in many different subspecialties through the American Association of Critical-Care Nurses.
Location and Critical Care Nurse Salaries
Salary offerings are often based partially on the cost of living in the area and the current demand for critical care nurses. Some locations offer nursing unions, which can also mean higher salaries.
Top-Paying Critical Care Nurse Salaries by State
The West Coast and Northeastern states pay critical care nurses the most, and some Midwest and Southeast states pay the least.
| State | Average Salary |
| California | $137,690 |
| Hawaii | $119,710 |
| Oregon | $113,440 |
| Washington | $111,030 |
| Alaska | $109,210 |
| Massachusetts | $108,850 |
| New York | $106,620 |
| Washington, D.C. | $102,686 |
| New Jersey | $101,960 |
| Connecticut | $101,840 |
| Nevada | $97,700 |
| Rhode Island | $95,070 |
| Minnesota | $94,830 |
| Delaware | $94,670 |
| New Mexico | $92,140 |
| Maryland | $92,090 |
| Colorado | $91,730 |
| Arizona | $91,430 |
| Texas | $90,210 |
| Georgia | $90,000 |
| New Hampshire | $89,410 |
| Vermont | $88,380 |
| Virginia | $88,350 |
| Illinois | $87,650 |
| Pennsylvania | $87,530 |
| Wisconsin | $87,220 |
| Michigan | $86,210 |
| Florida | $84,760 |
| Ohio | $84,430 |
| Maine | $84,340 |
| Wyoming | $83,990 |
| Utah | $83,100 |
| Idaho | $83,090 |
| Montana | $82,950 |
| Indiana | $82,700 |
| North Carolina | $82,530 |
| Oklahoma | $82,110 |
| Kentucky | $81,770 |
| South Carolina | $81,390 |
| Louisiana | $80,760 |
| Nebraska | $79,780 |
| North Dakota | $79,190 |
| Tennessee | $78,240 |
| Missouri | $77,590 |
| Kansas | $76,240 |
| West Virginia | $75,990 |
| Mississippi | $75,510 |
| Iowa | $74,610 |
| Arkansas | $72,900 |
| Alabama | $71,370 |
| South Dakota | $69,030 |
Source: BLS
Top-Paying Critical Care Nurse Salaries by City
Similar to other occupations around the country, critical care nursing salaries are higher in urban areas. For example, wages from all types of employment are higher in New York City than they are in a small rural town in a Southeastern state.
Cities have a higher population, a higher cost of living, and more demand for health services. Because of these factors, organizations in big cities can usually pay more than those in smaller communities.
| Metropolitan area | Hourly mean wage | Annual mean wage |
| San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA | $83.83 | $174,370 |
| Vallejo-Fairfield, CA | $82.51 | $171,620 |
| San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA | $82.11 | $170,780 |
| Napa, CA | $79.89 | $166,180 |
| Sacramento--Roseville--Arden-Arcade, CA | $74.28 | $154,510 |
| Santa Rosa, CA | $73.52 | $152,930 |
| Modesto, CA | $69.80 | $145,190 |
| Santa Cruz-Watsonville, CA | $67.73 | $140,880 |
| San Luis Obispo--Paso Robles--Arroyo Grande, CA | $67.58 | $140,560 |
| Stockton-Lodi, CA | $66.55 | $138,420 |
Source: BLS
Workplace Type and Critical Care Nurse Salaries
The BLS doesn’t specify top workplace salaries for critical care nurses specifically, but top-paying jobs for RNs overall include general medical and surgical hospitals, outpatient care centers, and employment services.
| Industry | Hourly mean wage | Annual mean wage |
| Outpatient Care Centers | $49.35 | $102,640 |
| General Medical and Surgical Hospitals | $46.55 | $96,830 |
| Home Health Care Services | $42.03 | $87,430 |
| Offices of Physicians | $39.96 | $83,110 |
Source: BLS
How Fast Can a Critical Care Nurse’s Salary Grow?
A critical care nurse’s salary can grow fast, depending on professional development and higher education. Critical care nursing pay also rises with each year of experience. Critical care nurses can pursue higher salaries through certification, advanced degrees, and employment at larger organizations or higher-paying locations.
How to Increase Your Earnings as a Critical Care Nurse
Any nurse can improve their salary by taking certain steps toward elevating their professional status. The nursing field in the U.S. is on the rise, and the BLS reports an expected growth rate of 6% through 2032. We’ve laid out some simple tips below to supercharge any nursing career.
1. Get Certified
Professional certifications showcase expertise and elevate any candidate’s desirability for employers. A current employer may increase pay to keep a certified critical care nurse and a prospective employer will likely choose a critical care nurse with certification over another without.
2. Earn an Advanced Degree
For critical care nurses with an ADN, many universities offer bridge programs to obtain a BSN. Nurses may also pursue higher degrees like an MSN or DNP for even higher salaries.
3. Pursue Management
Critical care nurses who take on more responsibility and leadership roles can earn higher compensation. Leadership roles can include managing a busy ICU or pursuing administrative roles in a health system.
4. Change Your Workplace
Government roles and travel positions pay critical care nurses the best, so any critical care nurse working outside that setting can try working in a new area to boost their salary.
Critical Care Nursing Salaries FAQs
1. What role offers the highest pay for critical care nurses?
The highest-paid critical care nurses are those working in General Medical and Surgical Hospitals, who make an average of $96,830 a year, or $46.55 per hour.
2. What do critical care nurses make per hour?
Critical care nurses make an average of $45.42 an hour. This can increase or decrease based on experience, location, role, and education.
3. Which state and city pay critical care nurses the best?
According to the BLS, California offers the highest pay for all RNs at $66.20 per hour, or $137,690 a year. San Francisco, CA, boasts the highest salaries at $83.83 per hour ($174,370 per year).
