From January through July 2024, staff registered nurses involved in direct patient care saw their median base pay increase by 2%, compared to 1.4% for those in indirect patient care. However, RNs involved in direct and indirect patient care were poised for annual increases of 3% to 4% to close out 2024.
The findings are from Chicago-based consulting firm SullivanCotter, which released its "2024 Registered Nursing Compensation Survey" on Jan. 9.
The survey includes six-month percentage change data from January through July 2024. It is based on data from more than 700 participating organizations, representing approximately 358,000 individuals across over 115 nursing roles, including RNs, nursing managers and licensed practical nurses.
Median hourly base pay in states where SullivanCotter had reportable data:
California — $75.55
New York — $59.09
New Jersey — $54.43
Pennsylvania — $46.80
Texas — $46.08
Illinois — $44.59
Florida — $43.36
Michigan — $43.00
Ohio — $42.09
North Carolina — $41.29
Wisconsin — $39.13
Alabama — $38.57
Specialties with the highest national median hourly base pay:
Nurse scientist (PhD) — $77.23
Clinical nurse specialist (RN) — $59.48
Registered nurse (RN), patient safety — $51.06
Specialties with the lowest national median hourly base pay:
Case manager (RN), home health/hospice — $42.34
Registered nurse (RN), ambulatory/outpatient care — $42.29
Registered nurse (RN), long-term care/skilled nursing — $41.13