ICU Nurse salary: $66.45/hr$2,658/wk$138,216/yr median.
Pay range $61.60$2,464$128,128–$81.50/hr$3,260/wk$169,520/yr across the middle 50% of active Critical Care Nurse Registered Nurse (RN) postings nationwide.
182 unique employers · 433 cities · 52 states. Pay moved +4.6% over the last 30 days.
How ICU Nurse pay is distributed.
10% of postings pay under $57.78/hr$2,311/wk$120,182/yr. The top 10% pay above $86.39/hr$3,456/wk$179,691/yr.
How ICU Nurse pay has moved month over month.
Median pay moved from $60.21 in May 2026 to $57.00 in Oct 2026 (-5.3%). Bars show monthly posting volume; the line tracks the posting-weighted median.
| Month | Median /hr/wk/yr | P25–P75 | Postings |
|---|---|---|---|
| May 2026 | $60.21$2,408$125,237 | $51.00$2,040$106,080–$68.00$2,720$141,440 | 303 |
| Jun 2026 | $64.39$2,576$133,931 | $60.92$2,437$126,714–$77.92$3,117$162,074 | 1,148 |
| Jul 2026 | $68.25$2,730$141,960 | $62.60$2,504$130,208–$82.45$3,298$171,496 | 1,707 |
| Aug 2026 | $71.75$2,870$149,240 | $63.03$2,521$131,102–$83.61$3,344$173,909 | 1,064 |
| Sep 2026 | $54.50$2,180$113,360 | $42.50$1,700$88,400–$60.50$2,420$125,840 | 21 |
| Oct 2026 | $57.00$2,280$118,560 | $51.00$2,040$106,080–$73.00$2,920$151,840 | 22 |
ICU Nurse pay across every state with live data.
Showing all 48 states with live data. Bars scale to the highest-paying state.
The metros writing the biggest ICU Nurse paychecks.
| City | State | Median /hr/wk/yr | P25–P75 | Postings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| billings | MT · MONTANA | $107.13$4,285$222,830 | $56.00$2,240$116,480–$110.83$4,433$230,526 | 16 |
| santa clara | CA · CALIFORNIA | $88.23$3,529$183,518 | $83.89$3,356$174,491–$96.47$3,859$200,658 | 20 |
| greenbrae | CA · CALIFORNIA | $87.78$3,511$182,582 | $82.68$3,307$171,974–$89.16$3,566$185,453 | 15 |
| oakland | CA · CALIFORNIA | $87.72$3,509$182,458 | $83.40$3,336$173,472–$91.36$3,654$190,029 | 37 |
| roseville | CA · CALIFORNIA | $87.64$3,506$182,291 | $82.45$3,298$171,496–$89.47$3,579$186,098 | 19 |
CITY PAY DATA
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Where the top of the market is paying for ICU Nurse.
| Employer | Median /hr/wk/yr | Range | Postings |
|---|---|---|---|
| amhs staffing alliance | $85.47$3,419$177,778 | $77.27$3,091$160,722–$93.47$3,739$194,418 | 39 |
| express healthcare staffing travel | $97.22$3,889$202,218 | $67.92$2,717$141,274–$98.89$3,956$205,691 | 7 |
| health advocates network - nursing | $84.72$3,389$176,218 | $62.29$2,492$129,563–$92.83$3,713$193,086 | 50 |
| jedy network | $84.83$3,393$176,446 | $70.44$2,818$146,515–$90.08$3,603$187,366 | 15 |
| kaiser permanente | $110.43$4,417$229,694 | $57.74$2,310$120,099–$117.50$4,700$244,400 | 5 |
| medlivo | $92.99$3,720$193,419 | $81.39$3,256$169,291–$104.67$4,187$217,714 | 20 |
| solomon page | $87.25$3,490$181,480 | $59.96$2,398$124,717–$96.19$3,848$200,075 | 51 |
| synergy medical staffing | $84.96$3,398$176,717 | $62.15$2,486$129,272–$89.11$3,564$185,349 | 24 |
| theraex staffing services | $86.67$3,467$180,274 | $70.00$2,800$145,600–$101.00$4,040$210,080 | 8 |
| wcs healthcare partners | $88.00$3,520$183,040 | $74.40$2,976$154,752–$126.00$5,040$262,080 | 15 |
Showing all 10 employers with live pay data.
How ICU Nurse pay shifts by schedule and contract type.
Staff Position pays the most at $110.43/hr$4,417/wk$229,694/yr median — 137% above Parttime at $46.50/hr$1,860/wk$96,720/yr. Travel Contract drives the volume with 3,435 active postings.
How to become a ICU Nurse.
ICU nurses provide specialized care for critically ill patients requiring intensive monitoring and life-sustaining interventions in intensive care units.
Most ICU nurses start with a BSN, gain 1-2 years of acute care experience, then transition to ICU through residency programs. Many pursue CCRN certification within 2-3 years.
| Degree | Duration | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Associate Degree in NursingADN | 2-3 years | Minimum requirement, though many ICUs prefer or require BSN. Often combined with ICU residency programs. |
| Bachelor of Science in NursingBSN | 4 years | Preferred by most ICU employers. Provides stronger foundation in critical care concepts and leadership. |
| Master of Science in NursingMSN | 2-3 years post-BSN | Required for Clinical Nurse Specialist (CNS) roles in critical care or to become an Acute Care NP. |
State-issued RN license required. Must pass NCLEX-RN exam.
CPR certification required for all ICU nurses.
Required for ICU positions. Covers advanced cardiac rhythms, medications, and resuscitation protocols.
Often required for neurological ICUs and stroke centers.
| Credential | Issued by | Pay impact |
|---|---|---|
| CCRN Critical Care Registered Nurse Gold standard certification for ICU nurses. Requires 1,750 hours of direct care of acutely/critically ill patients within 2 years. Highly valued by employers. | AACN (American Association of Critical-Care Nurses) | +10-20% |
| CCRN-K Critical Care Registered Nurse - Knowledge Knowledge-based certification for nurses who work with critically ill patients but don't provide direct bedside care. | AACN | +5-10% |
| CMC Cardiac Medicine Certification Specialized certification for nurses caring for cardiac patients in ICU settings. | AACN | +5-15% |
| CSC Cardiac Surgery Certification For nurses caring for adult cardiac surgery patients in critical care. | AACN | +5-15% |
- 0-1 yearsICU Residency / New Grad ICU
Structured orientation program (typically 12-16 weeks) with preceptor support and didactic training.
- 1-3 yearsStaff ICU Nurse
Independent practice with 1-2 patient assignments. Gaining expertise in complex cases.
- 3-5 yearsSenior ICU Nurse / Preceptor
Mentors new nurses, takes complex assignments, may serve as resource nurse. Often CCRN certified.
- 5-7 yearsICU Charge Nurse
Unit leadership during shifts. Manages staffing, admissions, and coordinates with physicians.
- 7-10 yearsICU Clinical Nurse Specialist / Educator
Advanced practice role requiring MSN. Focuses on quality improvement, staff education, and evidence-based practice.
- 10+ yearsICU Manager / Director
Oversees ICU operations, budgets, staffing, and quality metrics. MSN or MBA often required.
Schedule. Primarily 12-hour shifts (7a-7p or 7p-7a). Most ICU nurses work 3 shifts per week. Weekend and holiday rotations required. Some units offer self-scheduling.
Physical demands. Physically and emotionally demanding. Requires frequent patient repositioning, lifting, and standing. High-stress environment with life-or-death decisions.
ICU nursing demand exceeds supply in most regions. COVID-19 highlighted critical care staffing shortages. Travel ICU nurses command premium rates ($3,000-5,000+/week).
What clinicians ask about ICU Nurse pay.
What is the average ICU Nurse salary in 2026?
The median ICU Nurse salary is $66.45/hr (approximately $138,216/yr) based on 4,460 active job postings.
What is the pay range for ICU Nurse?
Hourly pay ranges from $61.60 at the 25th percentile to $81.50 at the 75th percentile, with the top 10% earning above $86.39/hr.
Which state pays ICU Nurse roles the most?
California currently leads with a median of $83.97/hr across 930 postings.
How many employers are hiring ICU Nurses?
Our dataset shows 182 unique employers posting ICU Nurse roles across 52 states.
Where does TrueRounds get ICU Nurse salary data?
All salary figures are computed from active US healthcare job postings with listed pay ranges, collected over a rolling 6-month window and weighted by posting volume.
Explore other Registered Nurse (RN) tracks.
ICU Nurse sits inside the Critical Care Nurse track. Here are sibling tracks across Registered Nurse (RN) — same category, different clinical focus and pay envelope.
Active US healthcare postings. Weighted by volume. Refreshed daily.
Pay benchmarks are computed from active job postings with listed pay ranges, collected on a rolling 6-month window. Each role's percentiles are weighted by posting volume so a metro with two postings doesn't outweigh a metro with two hundred. Outliers (postings priced more than 4× the role median) are dropped to avoid contract-line distortion.
Use the data, then push back.
Bring these numbers into your next contract conversation. Recruiters know what the market pays — now you do too.