ICU nurse salary

Open ICU nurse jobs post a median of $55 an hour, with the middle half paying $47.25–$65: about $114,400 a year full time. Measured from 1,313 jobs at 159 employers that state their pay, read from each employer's own job board.

Median posted /hr

Middle half /hr

A year, full time

estimate, 2,080 hours

BLS median /hr

May 2025

The jobs themselves: ICU nurse jobs · A specialty of registered nurse pay

What ICU nurses are paid

Each bar counts the open jobs posting an hourly rate in its step of pay (a range at its midpoint). The middle half of employers' rates is in the darker color.

Posted hourly rates of 1,313 open jobs. The chart spans the 2nd to the 98th percentile; the lowest rate posted is $30, the highest $133.26.

Posted on open jobs

$47.25–$65/hr

Middle half of 539 employer rates (each employer's advertised range once), median $55. 29% of the 4,565 open ICU nurse jobs state an hourly rate. 1448 more state an "up to" ceiling, a weekly travel rate, a per-visit fee, or a rate far from the rest (a differential read as pay), left out.

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ICU nurse pay by employer

What each employer posts for ICU nurses, the employers with the most jobs stating pay first. An employer with at least 5 such jobs has a page of its own with every range it posts.

Employer	Median posted	Posted range	Jobs stating pay
HealthTrust Workforce Solutions	$51.50	$40.30–$78	245
CommonSpirit Health	$46.25	$30–$100	52
AdventHealth	$42.25	$31.85–$77	49
RWJBarnabas Health	$58	$46.90–$77.52	44
Kaiser Permanente	$76.75	$50.66–$133.26	33
Ascension	$52	$32.68–$83.75	32
UPMC	$43	$36.07–$56.83	26
Sentara Health	$51.50	$36–$75	25
Advocate Health	$47.75	$38.20–$57.30	25
Northwestern Medicine	$44.75	$34.50–$68	25
Providence	$70	$36.08–$102.83	23
BJC HealthCare	$40.25	$32–$48.28	22
Beth Israel Lahey Health	$66.25	$35–$98.19	21
Hackensack Meridian Health	$45.25	$43.77–$48.18	20
Inova	$51.75	$39–$69.25	17
Endeavor Health	$47.50	$36–$67.72	17
MultiCare Health System	$69.50	$40.80–$93.91	16
UAB Medicine	$39	$30–$48	16
Scripps Health	$72.50	$58–$88.18	15
Mount Sinai Health System	$64.75	$55.35–$85.94	15
MU Health Care	$42.75	$32.82–$56	15
OSF HealthCare	$42.75	$34.25–$61.66	15
Atlantic Health	$57.75	$41.79–$73.56	14
Emory Healthcare	$43	$43–$57.62	14
UW Health	$50.50	$36.26–$62.15	13
Boston Medical Center	$56.75	$38.05–$80.77	12
ScionHealth	$56.50	$41–$84.59	12
Inspira Health	$54.50	$46.95–$69.66	12
Carilion Clinic	$42	$33.52–$62.40	12
VCU Health	$41.75	$31–$49.50	12
Mary Washington Healthcare	$54	$39.98–$55.45	11
Rochester Regional Health	$46.25	$38.66–$54.58	11
Sutter Health	$97.75	$53.90–$120.63	10
Mass General Brigham	$73.75	$41.36–$108.29	10
Baptist Health South Florida	$69.50	$66–$70	10
Fairview Health Services	$59.25	$42.36–$75.66	10
Trinity Health	$48	$32.74–$61.75	10
Riverside Health	$47.25	$33–$85	10
Loma Linda University Health	$61.50	$52.52–$78.03	9
ChristianaCare	$54.75	$39.38–$67.37	9

Median of each employer's own jobs (a range at its midpoint), and the lowest and highest rate it posts. Jobs stating pay link to the employer's open jobs.

ICU nurse pay by state

States where at least 8 open jobs from 3 employers state an hourly rate, highest median first. Each opens the state's own page, with its towns and employers.

State	Median posted	Middle half	BLS median	Jobs
California	$72.50	$65–$88.50	$67.44 (source: BLS OEWS, state medians, opens in a new tab)	149
Oregon	$70.50	$68.50–$72.50	$62.02 (source: BLS OEWS, state medians, opens in a new tab)	16
Washington	$68.75	$62.50–$70.75	$59.71 (source: BLS OEWS, state medians, opens in a new tab)	48
Massachusetts	$59.75	$57–$66.75	$50.27 (source: BLS OEWS, state medians, opens in a new tab)	65
Nevada	$59.50	$53–$66.25	$49.84 (source: BLS OEWS, state medians, opens in a new tab)	10
Kentucky	$58.50	$48–$62.75	$38.96 (source: BLS OEWS, state medians, opens in a new tab)	13
Minnesota	$58	$56–$59.50	$48.80 (source: BLS OEWS, state medians, opens in a new tab)	35
New Jersey	$55.50	$51.50–$59.50	$51.20 (source: BLS OEWS, state medians, opens in a new tab)	115
Texas	$53.25	$47.25–$58.25	$46.14 (source: BLS OEWS, state medians, opens in a new tab)	68
Kansas	$52.50	$47–$59.25	$38.14 (source: BLS OEWS, state medians, opens in a new tab)	16
Indiana	$52	$47.75–$55.25	$40.14 (source: BLS OEWS, state medians, opens in a new tab)	16
New York	$50.50	$46.25–$68	$52.62 (source: BLS OEWS, state medians, opens in a new tab)	59
Florida	$50.25	$47.50–$55	$40.48 (source: BLS OEWS, state medians, opens in a new tab)	110
Virginia	$50.25	$48.25–$56.50	$45 (source: BLS OEWS, state medians, opens in a new tab)	109
Colorado	$49.50	$47.25–$57.75	$48.20 (source: BLS OEWS, state medians, opens in a new tab)	37
Tennessee	$49.25	$46.50–$53.50	$39.18 (source: BLS OEWS, state medians, opens in a new tab)	41
Georgia	$49.25	$44.50–$58.50	$44.98 (source: BLS OEWS, state medians, opens in a new tab)	28
Wisconsin	$48.50	$46–$52	$45.93 (source: BLS OEWS, state medians, opens in a new tab)	31
Illinois	$48	$44.75–$51.50	$46.15 (source: BLS OEWS, state medians, opens in a new tab)	107
North Carolina	$47.75	$44–$53.50	$40.56 (source: BLS OEWS, state medians, opens in a new tab)	38
Pennsylvania	$46.75	$43–$50	$46.36 (source: BLS OEWS, state medians, opens in a new tab)	29
Arizona	$46.25	$44.75–$70	$47.84 (source: BLS OEWS, state medians, opens in a new tab)	19
Maryland	$44.50	$41.50–$46.25	$47.98 (source: BLS OEWS, state medians, opens in a new tab)	19
Missouri	$41.75	$37.75–$53	$39.32 (source: BLS OEWS, state medians, opens in a new tab)	52
South Dakota	$40.75	$40.25–$41.75	$37.53 (source: BLS OEWS, state medians, opens in a new tab)	8

Median and middle half of employers' rates in the state. BLS medians are for the occupation's main SOC code in the state (May 2025).

Night shift ICU nurse pay

Where one employer posts both night and other ICU nurse jobs in the same state (74 such employers and states), the night jobs post the same base rate as the rest (the median gap is $0): most employers state their night differential apart from the base pay, so check the posting for it.

Employer, state	Night jobs, median	Other jobs, median
HealthTrust Workforce Solutions, FL	$50 (22)	$50 (38)
RWJBarnabas Health, NJ	$57.50 (7)	$59.75 (37)
HealthTrust Workforce Solutions, TX	$44 (12)	$48.25 (24)
HealthTrust Workforce Solutions, TN	$47.25 (8)	$49.75 (21)
AdventHealth, FL	$42.25 (16)	$42.25 (12)
Kaiser Permanente, CA	$76.75 (9)	$79.50 (19)
Northwestern Medicine, IL	$44.75 (22)	$47.50 (3)
UPMC, PA	$47 (2)	$43.50 (22)

A job counts as a night job when its title names nights ("Nights", "NOC", "7p-7a"). Jobs in brackets.

ICU nurse jobs that state a yearly salary

Some jobs state a salary for the year instead of an hourly rate. They are measured on their own here, never converted.

29 open jobs from 9 employers state a yearly salary: a median of $117,300, the middle half $102,000 to $135,400, from $64,500 to $180,900 posted.

Best-paid open ICU nurse jobs

The open jobs posting the highest hourly rates tonight, at most two from one employer.

Staff Nurse II Short Hour - PICU
Kaiser Permanente · Oakland, CA· 2w ago
$112.18–$133.26/hr
Registered Nurse - Pediatric Critical Care Float Pool (BCH-Oakland)
UCSF Health · Oakland, CA· 1w ago
$93.47–$121.11/hr
Registered Nurse - Pediatric ICU (BCH-Oakland)
UCSF Health · Oakland, CA· 3d ago
$93.47–$121.11/hr
Clinical RN II, Intensive Care, Part-Time, (36 Hour Week), Days
MarinHealth · Greenbrae, CA· 1w ago
$93.17–$119.18/hr
Clinical RN II, Nursing Float Pool Critical Care Units, Part-Time, (36 Hour Week), Days
MarinHealth · Greenbrae, CA· 1mo ago
$93.17–$119.18/hr
Registered Nurse II, ICU Float
Sutter Health · Castro Valley, CA· 1w ago
$89.16–$120.63/hr
Clinical Nurse (RN), ICU Float Pool - 12HR Nights .90
Stanford Health Care · Palo Alto, CA· 1mo ago
$96.35–$111.14/hr
Clinical Nurse II - Critical Care Float Team
Stanford Medicine Children's Health · Palo Alto, CA· 2w ago
$96.35–$111.14/hr
Clinical Nurse II - Pediatric CVICU
Stanford Medicine Children's Health · Palo Alto, CA· 1mo ago
$96.35–$111.14/hr
RN - WCMC Intensive Care - Pediatric - Full Time - 12 Hour - Nights
John Muir Health · Walnut Creek, CA· 1w ago
$87.06–$118.62/hr
Staff Nurse II, ICU
Sutter Health · Burlingame, CA· 2d ago
$86.59–$117.18/hr
Staff Nurse II - ICU
Kaiser Permanente · San Leandro, Antioch and 2 more, CA· 3d ago
$89.75–$106.61/hr

Every open job: ICU nurse jobs

What BLS measures

The US Bureau of Labor Statistics surveys what people employed in the occupation earn, at every level of experience. A posting advertises what a new hire is offered, so the two measure different things.

Hourly wages, BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025, national. Each figure opens its BLS page.
BLS occupation	10th pct	25th pct	Median	75th pct	90th pct	Employed
Registered Nurses (29-1141)	$33.14 (source: BLS OEWS, Registered Nurses, opens in a new tab)	$38.62 (source: BLS OEWS, Registered Nurses, opens in a new tab)	$46.90 (source: BLS OEWS, Registered Nurses, opens in a new tab)	$54.02 (source: BLS OEWS, Registered Nurses, opens in a new tab)	$66.09 (source: BLS OEWS, Registered Nurses, opens in a new tab)	3,379,720 (source: BLS OEWS, Registered Nurses, opens in a new tab)

The posted median ($55) is $8.10 above the BLS median ($46.90 (source: BLS OEWS May 2025, Registered Nurses, opens in a new tab)). Posted ranges run from a new hire's rate to an experienced one's, and their midpoint is counted here.

ICU nurse salary: common questions

How much does an ICU nurse make an hour?

Open ICU nurse jobs on CareJobs.Now that state an hourly rate post a median of $55, with the middle half between $47.25–$65 (1,313 jobs from 159 employers, each employer's advertised range counted once). Postings advertise a base rate, usually before shift differentials and bonuses. The US Bureau of Labor Statistics measured a median of $46.90/hr ($97,550 a year) for registered nurses in May 2025.

How much does an ICU nurse make a year?

At the posted median of $55 an hour, full time (2,080 hours a year) comes to about $114,400, and the middle half to $98,300 to $135,200. That is arithmetic on the hourly rate, not a salary any job states. 29 open jobs state a yearly salary instead, a median of $117,300.

Which states pay ICU nurses the most?

By the median hourly rate open jobs post: California ($72.50), Oregon ($70.50) and Washington ($68.75). The lowest: South Dakota ($40.75), Missouri ($41.75) and Maryland ($44.50). Each state's page breaks its pay down by town and employer.

Which employers pay ICU nurses the most?

Among employers stating a rate on at least 5 open jobs: Sutter Health ($97.75), Kaiser Permanente ($76.75) and Mass General Brigham ($73.75). The employer table lists the 40 employers with the most jobs stating pay.

Do night shift ICU nurses earn more?

Not in the base rate employers post: where one employer posts both night and other ICU nurse jobs in the same state (74 such employers and states), the median gap is $0. Most state their night differential separately in the posting.

Where do these figures come from?

From the pay CareJobs.Now's open jobs state, read every night from each employer's own job board: 1,313 of 4,565 open ICU nurse jobs (29%) state an hourly rate. No pay is estimated for a job that states none, "up to" ceilings and weekly travel rates are left out, and each employer's advertised range counts once in the median, so no single employer sets it.

More pay by job: Nurses

ICU nurse jobs →Every healthcare salary →Pay explorer →

Sources and method

Only pay a job states is used: a plain hourly or yearly figure or range in US dollars, read from the job's own posting. A range counts at its midpoint. In the median and the middle half each employer's advertised range counts once, so an employer posting one range in many towns does not set the figure; an employer's own figures count its jobs one by one. "Up to" ceilings, weekly travel rates and rates under a third or over three times the occupation's median are left out. The yearly estimate is the hourly rate times 2,080 hours (40 a week). A job counts under its occupation and every occupation above it, and under every state it is open in. A page exists while at least 8 jobs from 3 employers state a rate. BLS figures are as published.

CareJobs.Now job board: the pay open jobs state, read nightly from each employer's own careers site, published October 24, 2026
BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025: Registered Nurses (SOC 29-1141), published May 15, 2026
BLS OEWS May 2025: Registered Nurses by state, published May 15, 2026
BLS Employment Projections 2025-2035: Registered Nurses (Occupational Outlook Handbook), published August 27, 2026

Cite this page

CareJobs.Now. (2026). ICU nurse salary. Data as of October 24, 2026. https://carejobs.now/salaries/icu-nurse

How the board counts