Critical Care Nurses

Salary is determined by many factors, including certification and education, place of employment, shift worked, geographical location, and work experience. Critical care nurses earned median salaries of $94,610 in November 2024, according to ZipRecruiter.com. Earnings ranged from $56,000 to $149,500 or more.

According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, registered nurses earned a median annual salary of $86,070 in May 2023. The lowest paid 10 percent of registered nurses made less than $63,720 per year, and the highest paid 10 percent made more than $132,680. Because critical care nurses must be registered nurses and also have additional training, their salaries should be higher on average than registered nurses who are not in the critical care area.

Flexible schedules and part-time employment opportunities are available for most nurses. Employers usually provide health and life insurance, and some offer educational reimbursements and year-end bonuses to their full-time staff.