Clinical salary: $69.97/hr median.
Across 4,565 active postings · 4 titles with data · 46 states.
Browse Clinical salary titles in Registered Nurse (RN), including posting volume, median pay, state coverage, and role-level comparisons.
How Clinical pay is distributed across the market.
10% of postings pay under $50.95. The top 10% pay above $83.89.
How Clinical pay has moved month over month.
Median pay moved from $75.71 in Nov 2025 to $68.99 in Apr 2026 (-8.9%). Bars show monthly posting volume; the line tracks the posting-weighted median.
Clinical pay across every state with live data.
Showing all 46 states with live data. Bars scale to the highest-paying state.
CITY PAY DATA
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The most common job titles in Clinical.
These are the individual job titles that make up the Clinical track, ranked by active posting volume over the last 180 days.
| Role | Category · Track | Median /hr | P25–P75 | Postings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Case Management Nurse | Registered Nurse (RN) · Clinical | $73.15 | $63.13–$79.38 | 1,889 |
| Palliative Care Nurse | Registered Nurse (RN) · Clinical | $70.43 | $59.33–$76.37 | 659 |
| Nurse Navigator | Registered Nurse (RN) · Clinical | $51.00 | $46.25–$59.50 | 167 |
| Dialysis Charge Nurse | Registered Nurse (RN) · Clinical | $60.75 | $60.75–$60.75 | 1 |
Highest-paying job titles in the Clinical track.
| Role | Category · Track | Median /hr | P25–P75 | Postings | Δ pay |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Case Management Nurse | Registered Nurse (RN) · Clinical | $73.15 | $63.13–$79.38 | 1,889 | ▲ 6.5% |
| Palliative Care Nurse | Registered Nurse (RN) · Clinical | $70.43 | $59.33–$76.37 | 659 | ▲ 24.6% |
| Dialysis Charge Nurse | Registered Nurse (RN) · Clinical | $60.75 | $60.75–$60.75 | 1 | — flat |
| Nurse Navigator | Registered Nurse (RN) · Clinical | $51.00 | $46.25–$59.50 | 167 | ▼ 2.4% |
How to become a Clinical.
Registered Nurses provide and coordinate patient care, educate patients and families about health conditions, and provide emotional support throughout treatment. The RN umbrella spans every clinical specialty — from ICU and ER to labor & delivery, oncology, OR, and ambulatory care — so the licensing path is shared but specialty training comes after.
Most RNs complete either an ADN or a BSN, then pass the NCLEX-RN to earn state licensure. The market has shifted decisively toward BSN-preferred (and increasingly BSN-required) hospital hiring — Magnet-designated and academic medical centers typically require a BSN, and many hospitals will hire ADNs only on the condition they complete an RN-to-BSN bridge within 3-5 years.
| Degree | Duration | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Associate Degree in NursingADN | 2-3 years | Entry-level nursing degree offered at community colleges. Qualifies graduates to take NCLEX-RN. |
| Bachelor of Science in NursingBSN | 4 years | Preferred by most hospitals and required for many positions, including Magnet-designated facilities. Opens doors to leadership and specialized roles. |
| Accelerated BSNABSN | 12-18 months | Intensive program for students who already hold a non-nursing bachelor's degree. Lets career-changers reach NCLEX eligibility quickly. |
| Master of Science in NursingMSN | 2-3 years post-BSN | Required for advanced practice roles like Nurse Practitioner, Clinical Nurse Specialist, or nurse leadership. |
| Direct-Entry MSN | 3 years | Combined RN-to-APRN route for non-nursing bachelor's holders who want to become an RN and an APRN in one program. |
State-issued license required to practice nursing. Must pass NCLEX-RN and meet your state board's background and education requirements.
CPR and basic emergency cardiovascular care certification — required at hire by essentially every inpatient employer.
Multi-state license available in compact states (~40 states as of 2026). Valuable for travel nursing and telehealth — your home-state license lets you practice in any other compact state without re-applying.
| Credential | Issued by | Pay impact |
|---|---|---|
| CCRN Critical Care Registered Nurse Standard credential for ICU/critical care RNs. Requires ~1,750 hours of direct critical-care experience. | AACN | +8-15% |
| CEN Certified Emergency Nurse Validates specialty knowledge in emergency department nursing. | BCEN | +5-10% |
| PCCN Progressive Care Certified Nurse For nurses caring for acutely ill adult patients in step-down and progressive care units. | AACN | +5-10% |
| RNC-OB Registered Nurse Certified - Inpatient Obstetric Specialty certification for labor & delivery and high-risk OB nurses. | NCC | +5-10% |
| OCN Oncology Certified Nurse Validates expertise in adult oncology nursing — infusion, inpatient, and outpatient settings. | ONCC | +5-10% |
| CNOR Certified Perioperative Nurse Standard for OR/perioperative nurses; demonstrates competence across surgical specialties. | CCI | +5-10% |
- 0-1 yearsNew Graduate RN / Residency
Entry-level position, often in a structured 6-12 month nurse residency program. Focus on building foundational bedside skills with preceptor support.
- 1-3 yearsStaff RN
Independent bedside nurse with growing autonomy and clinical judgment. Often the point at which a nurse picks a specialty (ICU, ER, OR, L&D, etc.).
- 3-5 yearsSenior RN / Charge Nurse
Takes on leadership responsibilities, mentors new nurses, coordinates unit activities. Typically holds a specialty certification.
- 5-8 yearsClinical Nurse Specialist or Nurse Educator
Advanced roles requiring MSN. Focus on improving care quality, evidence-based practice, or training staff.
- 8+ yearsNurse Manager / Director
Leadership oversight of nursing units, budgets, and staff. MSN often required; MBA or DNP common at the director level.
- 15+ yearsChief Nursing Officer (CNO)
Executive leadership overseeing all nursing operations across a hospital or system. Requires MSN/DNP and extensive operational experience.
Schedule. Inpatient nursing is dominated by 12-hour shifts (typically 3 shifts per week). Outpatient roles run business hours with no nights/weekends. Travel contracts are usually 13 weeks at 36-48 hours per week.
Physical demands. Physically demanding: long stretches on your feet, frequent patient lifting and repositioning, and consistent exposure to bloodborne pathogens. Emotionally demanding in acute care.
Nursing remains one of the fastest-growing US occupations. The Bureau of Labor Statistics projects ~193,000 RN openings per year through 2032, driven by an aging population, retiring baby-boomer nurses, and the continued post-pandemic acuity bump. Travel and per-diem rates have settled below 2021-2022 peaks but remain above pre-pandemic baselines.