Critical Care Nurses Salary
Salary data across 60 metro areas in the US & CanadaUSD & CAD
Search Jobs on IndeedAvg Median Salary
$92,283
Highest Paying City
San Jose
$132,000
Cities Tracked
60
What Do Critical Care Nurses Do?
Critical Care Nurses apply medical knowledge and clinical skills to assess, diagnose, and treat health conditions. They work in hospitals, clinics, and private practices to deliver care that improves patients' quality of life.
Work settings include hospitals, clinics, private practices, and outpatient care centers. Many healthcare professionals work shifts, including nights, weekends, and holidays. The work can be physically and emotionally demanding.
Key Skills for Critical Care Nurses
Education Requirements
Doctoral or professional degree for physicians; bachelor's or associate's for technicians
Requirements range from associate's degrees for technicians to doctoral degrees for physicians. Most practitioners require professional licensure or certification. Continuing education is mandatory to maintain credentials.
Career Outlook
Employment is projected to grow much faster than average, driven by an aging population, advances in medical technology, and increased access to healthcare services.
How to Increase Your Critical Care Nurses Salary
- 1.Develop subspecialty expertise in a high-demand area
- 2.Consider leadership roles in healthcare administration
- 3.Build experience with electronic health records and health informatics
- 4.Pursue advanced degrees or fellowships for career advancement
- 5.Develop strong patient communication and bedside manner skills
Critical Care Nurses Salary by City
| City | Median | Average | Range (10th-90th) | Currency | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| San Jose, CA | $132,000 | $136,000 | $73,000 - $177,000 | USD | Apply |
| San Francisco, CA | $124,000 | $134,000 | $68,000 - $166,000 | USD | Apply |
| Seattle, WA | $124,000 | $134,000 | $68,000 - $166,000 | USD | Apply |
| New York, NY | $116,000 | $129,000 | $64,000 - $155,000 | USD | Apply |
| Boston, MA | $115,000 | $126,000 | $63,000 - $154,000 | USD | Apply |
| Washington DC, DC | $113,000 | $125,000 | $62,000 - $151,000 | USD | Apply |
| San Diego, CA | $107,000 | $111,000 | $59,000 - $143,000 | USD | Apply |
| Los Angeles, CA | $106,000 | $109,000 | $58,000 - $142,000 | USD | Apply |
| Honolulu, HI | $104,000 | $109,000 | $57,000 - $139,000 | USD | Apply |
| Sacramento, CA | $103,000 | $106,000 | $57,000 - $138,000 | USD | Apply |
| Anchorage, AK | $103,000 | $106,000 | $57,000 - $138,000 | USD | Apply |
| Minneapolis, MN | $101,000 | $107,000 | $56,000 - $135,000 | USD | Apply |
| Denver, CO | $101,000 | $106,000 | $56,000 - $135,000 | USD | Apply |
| Baltimore, MD | $101,000 | $104,000 | $56,000 - $135,000 | USD | Apply |
| Austin, TX | $100,000 | $105,000 | $60,000 - $130,000 | USD | Apply |
| Philadelphia, PA | $99,000 | $104,000 | $59,000 - $129,000 | USD | Apply |
| Portland, OR | $99,000 | $109,000 | $59,000 - $129,000 | USD | Apply |
| Hartford, CT | $98,000 | $108,000 | $59,000 - $127,000 | USD | Apply |
| Chicago, IL | $97,000 | $107,000 | $58,000 - $126,000 | USD | Apply |
| Dallas, TX | $97,000 | $102,000 | $58,000 - $126,000 | USD | Apply |
| Raleigh, NC | $96,000 | $99,000 | $58,000 - $125,000 | USD | Apply |
| Atlanta, GA | $93,000 | $104,000 | $56,000 - $121,000 | USD | Apply |
| Charlotte, NC | $93,000 | $99,000 | $56,000 - $121,000 | USD | Apply |
| Houston, TX | $92,000 | $101,000 | $55,000 - $120,000 | USD | Apply |
| Detroit, MI | $92,000 | $101,000 | $55,000 - $120,000 | USD | Apply |
| Miami, FL | $90,000 | $95,000 | $54,000 - $117,000 | USD | Apply |
| Salt Lake City, UT | $90,000 | $93,000 | $54,000 - $117,000 | USD | Apply |
| Indianapolis, IN | $90,000 | $93,000 | $54,000 - $117,000 | USD | Apply |
| Kansas City, MO | $90,000 | $99,000 | $54,000 - $117,000 | USD | Apply |
| Nashville, TN | $89,000 | $96,000 | $53,000 - $116,000 | USD | Apply |
| Pittsburgh, PA | $89,000 | $99,000 | $53,000 - $116,000 | USD | Apply |
| Cincinnati, OH | $89,000 | $92,000 | $53,000 - $116,000 | USD | Apply |
| Phoenix, AZ | $88,000 | $90,000 | $53,000 - $114,000 | USD | Apply |
| Las Vegas, NV | $88,000 | $92,000 | $53,000 - $114,000 | USD | Apply |
| Tampa, FL | $88,000 | $91,000 | $53,000 - $114,000 | USD | Apply |
| Columbus, OH | $88,000 | $93,000 | $53,000 - $114,000 | USD | Apply |
| Milwaukee, WI | $88,000 | $91,000 | $53,000 - $114,000 | USD | Apply |
| Jacksonville, FL | $88,000 | $91,000 | $53,000 - $114,000 | USD | Apply |
| Richmond, VA | $88,000 | $93,000 | $53,000 - $114,000 | USD | Apply |
| Louisville, KY | $88,000 | $93,000 | $53,000 - $114,000 | USD | Apply |
| Toronto, ON | $88,000 | $93,000 | $53,000 - $114,000 | CAD | Apply |
| Vancouver, BC | $87,000 | $91,000 | $52,000 - $113,000 | CAD | Apply |
| St. Louis, MO | $86,000 | $94,000 | $52,000 - $112,000 | USD | Apply |
| New Orleans, LA | $86,000 | $93,000 | $52,000 - $112,000 | USD | Apply |
| Orlando, FL | $85,000 | $88,000 | $51,000 - $110,000 | USD | Apply |
| San Antonio, TX | $85,000 | $89,000 | $51,000 - $110,000 | USD | Apply |
| Cleveland, OH | $85,000 | $89,000 | $51,000 - $110,000 | USD | Apply |
| Buffalo, NY | $85,000 | $95,000 | $51,000 - $110,000 | USD | Apply |
| Memphis, TN | $84,000 | $91,000 | $50,000 - $109,000 | USD | Apply |
| Oklahoma City, OK | $83,000 | $85,000 | $50,000 - $108,000 | USD | Apply |
| Tucson, AZ | $83,000 | $90,000 | $50,000 - $108,000 | USD | Apply |
| Birmingham, AL | $81,000 | $86,000 | $49,000 - $105,000 | USD | Apply |
| Calgary, AB | $80,000 | $86,000 | $48,000 - $104,000 | CAD | Apply |
| Ottawa, ON | $79,000 | $83,000 | $47,000 - $103,000 | CAD | Apply |
| Edmonton, AB | $76,000 | $81,000 | $46,000 - $99,000 | CAD | Apply |
| Montreal, QC | $73,000 | $81,000 | $44,000 - $95,000 | CAD | Apply |
| Hamilton, ON | $73,000 | $81,000 | $44,000 - $95,000 | CAD | Apply |
| Winnipeg, MB | $68,000 | $69,000 | $44,000 - $86,000 | CAD | Apply |
| Halifax, NS | $67,000 | $74,000 | $44,000 - $85,000 | CAD | Apply |
| Quebec City, QC | $66,000 | $72,000 | $43,000 - $83,000 | CAD | Apply |