Acute Care nurse pay
$102,931median posted offer#205 of 379 specialties
Read from 646 live Acute Care postings that state pay — 8% above the all-nursing median of $95,680. Updated October 26, 2026.
- 10th percentile
- $84k
- 25th percentile
- $94k
- 75th percentile
- $116k
- 90th percentile
- $133k
Where does your pay sit in Acute Care?
Checked against 646 live postings that state pay. Your number stays in your browser.
- 10th percentile
- $84k
- 25th percentile
- $94k
- 75th percentile
- $116k
- 90th percentile
- $133k
Enter your pay to see your percentile.
Posted offers on live listings — not take-home pay or a promise of what any one nurse will earn.
Where Acute Care pays the most
| # | State | Median | Top 10% from | Postings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Nevada | $129,490 | $166k | 5 |
| 2 | Washington | $129,407 | $149k | 9 |
| 3 | South Dakota | $126,218 | $150k | 6 |
| 4 | Massachusetts | $120,270 | $144k | 20 |
| 5 | California | $119,836 | $183k | 44 |
| 6 | District of Columbia | $117,846 | $118k | 5 |
| 7 | Wisconsin | $116,624 | $141k | 22 |
| 8 | Montana | $116,459 | $125k | 8 |
| 9 | Iowa | $116,104 | $139k | 13 |
| 10 | Nebraska | $113,756 | $123k | 8 |
| 11 | New York | $113,293 | $142k | 25 |
| 12 | New Hampshire | $111,324 | $121k | 5 |
| 13 | New Jersey | $109,752 | $142k | 15 |
| 14 | Maine | $109,578 | $139k | 6 |
| 15 | Minnesota | $107,588 | $115k | 15 |
| 16 | Pennsylvania | $107,420 | $129k | 11 |
| 17 | Oregon | $107,295 | $135k | 6 |
| 18 | Kansas | $105,550 | $128k | 9 |
| 19 | Arizona | $105,326 | $123k | 17 |
| 20 | New Mexico | $105,063 | $127k | 15 |
| 21 | Indiana | $105,008 | $121k | 23 |
| 22 | Kentucky | $104,812 | $127k | 7 |
| 23 | Louisiana | $104,480 | $139k | 12 |
| 24 | Illinois | $103,581 | $117k | 24 |
| 25 | Connecticut | $103,291 | $118k | 6 |
| 26 | Missouri | $102,577 | $108k | 19 |
| 27 | Oklahoma | $102,464 | $112k | 8 |
| 28 | Hawaii | $102,268 | $145k | 6 |
| 29 | Virginia | $102,174 | $181k | 5 |
| 30 | Ohio | $99,287 | $109k | 25 |
| 31 | Maryland | $99,150 | $148k | 7 |
| 32 | Michigan | $98,576 | $121k | 12 |
| 33 | Arkansas | $94,751 | $107k | 9 |
| 34 | Georgia | $93,986 | $117k | 36 |
| 35 | Colorado | $93,984 | $111k | 21 |
| 36 | Florida | $93,600 | $120k | 17 |
| 37 | Mississippi | $93,583 | $114k | 5 |
| 38 | North Carolina | $93,581 | $102k | 45 |
| 39 | Tennessee | $91,970 | $98k | 15 |
| 40 | South Carolina | $91,700 | $99k | 9 |
| 41 | Alabama | $90,684 | $114k | 10 |
| 42 | Texas | $87,862 | $122k | 40 |
What to do with this
- See the rolesSee open nursing rolesEvery posting behind these numbers is a live job you can open and apply to.
- Offer in hand?Review an offerTurn it into a full-year number, see what it's worth where you'd live, and compare offers side by side.
- 3-minute PULSEFind the work that brings out your bestPay is one axis. Your pace, decision style, connection, scope, and energy rhythm shape the rest.
- CommunityAsk nurses what they really take homeDifferentials, ratios, and the offer nobody posts. Bring your number and compare notes.
Want the craft behind the numbers — differentials, negotiating, travel packages? Read the pay & salary guides.
Questions nurses ask
- How much do Acute Care nurses make?
- Across 646 live Acute Care postings that state pay, the median offer is $102,931 a year. The middle half runs $93,581–$116,416, and the top 10% start at $133,001.
- Does Acute Care pay more than nursing overall?
- Acute Care ranks #205 of 379 specialties on posted pay. Its median is 8% above the all-nursing median of $95,680.
- Which states pay Acute Care nurses the most?
- By posted median right now: #1 Nevada ($129,490), #2 Washington ($129,407), #3 South Dakota ($126,218). Rankings move as postings change — this page updates continuously.