ICU nurse pay
$104,000median posted offer#190 of 379 specialties
Read from 1,427 live ICU postings that state pay — 9% above the all-nursing median of $95,680. Updated October 26, 2026.
- 10th percentile
- $83k
- 25th percentile
- $94k
- 75th percentile
- $121k
- 90th percentile
- $141k
Where does your pay sit in ICU?
Checked against 1,427 live postings that state pay. Your number stays in your browser.
- 10th percentile
- $83k
- 25th percentile
- $94k
- 75th percentile
- $121k
- 90th percentile
- $141k
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 ICU pays the most
| # | State | Median | Top 10% from | Postings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Washington | $133,026 | $163k | 43 |
| 2 | California | $128,019 | $174k | 166 |
| 3 | Oregon | $124,800 | $141k | 17 |
| 4 | New Hampshire | $121,498 | $153k | 10 |
| 5 | South Dakota | $120,994 | $150k | 10 |
| 6 | Nevada | $118,500 | $140k | 15 |
| 7 | Massachusetts | $117,915 | $139k | 32 |
| 8 | District of Columbia | $117,846 | $142k | 10 |
| 9 | New York | $117,000 | $137k | 75 |
| 10 | Wisconsin | $116,624 | $144k | 36 |
| 11 | Iowa | $116,104 | $141k | 23 |
| 12 | Montana | $115,664 | $125k | 8 |
| 13 | Hawaii | $115,598 | $152k | 6 |
| 14 | Nebraska | $112,681 | $124k | 11 |
| 15 | Vermont | $111,048 | $125k | 6 |
| 16 | Minnesota | $110,292 | $119k | 43 |
| 17 | Maine | $109,578 | $143k | 8 |
| 18 | Louisiana | $106,756 | $141k | 18 |
| 19 | Kentucky | $106,694 | $124k | 10 |
| 20 | Kansas | $105,550 | $129k | 20 |
| 21 | Indiana | $105,314 | $121k | 28 |
| 22 | Maryland | $105,134 | $162k | 42 |
| 23 | Pennsylvania | $104,668 | $123k | 28 |
| 24 | Arizona | $104,629 | $125k | 44 |
| 25 | Connecticut | $104,000 | $122k | 9 |
| 26 | New Mexico | $103,210 | $126k | 37 |
| 27 | Missouri | $102,577 | $112k | 30 |
| 28 | Oklahoma | $102,027 | $117k | 11 |
| 29 | West Virginia | $101,772 | $111k | 6 |
| 30 | Virginia | $99,967 | $143k | 20 |
| 31 | Mississippi | $99,372 | $114k | 7 |
| 32 | Colorado | $99,330 | $120k | 44 |
| 33 | Ohio | $99,287 | $119k | 44 |
| 34 | Florida | $97,587 | $141k | 36 |
| 35 | Michigan | $97,232 | $126k | 18 |
| 36 | New Jersey | $97,168 | $127k | 61 |
| 37 | Illinois | $96,837 | $127k | 67 |
| 38 | Tennessee | $95,718 | $118k | 34 |
| 39 | Georgia | $95,574 | $131k | 52 |
| 40 | North Carolina | $93,581 | $106k | 64 |
| 41 | South Carolina | $92,736 | $104k | 17 |
| 42 | Texas | $92,284 | $125k | 96 |
| 43 | Alabama | $89,929 | $107k | 14 |
| 44 | North Dakota | $85,280 | $166k | 7 |
| 45 | Arkansas | $81,266 | $100k | 18 |
What the work is like and the way in: ICU / Critical Care guide
What to do with this
- See the rolesSee ICU jobsEvery 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 ICU nurses make?
- Across 1,427 live ICU postings that state pay, the median offer is $104,000 a year. The middle half runs $93,610–$121,174, and the top 10% start at $141,247.
- Does ICU pay more than nursing overall?
- ICU ranks #190 of 379 specialties on posted pay. Its median is 9% above the all-nursing median of $95,680.
- Which states pay ICU nurses the most?
- By posted median right now: #1 Washington ($133,026), #2 California ($128,019), #3 Oregon ($124,800). Rankings move as postings change — this page updates continuously.