Nurse Manager - Critical Care Unit Salary in the United States

How much does a Nurse Manager - Critical Care Unit make in the United States?

As of January 01, 2026, the average salary for a Nurse Manager - Critical Care Unit in the United States is $108,953 per year, which breaks down to an hourly rate of $52.

However, a Nurse Manager - Critical Care Unit's salary can vary significantly. Here’s a look at the typical salary range:

  • Top Earners (90th percentile): $128,249
  • Majority Range (25th-75th percentile): $99,283 to $119,053
  • Entry-Level (10th percentile): $90,479
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View as table View as graph 25% $99,283 10% $90,479 90% $128,249 75% $119,053 $108,953 50%(Median) Didn’t find job title? Click

Nurse Manager - Critical Care Unit Salaries by Percentile

Annual
Salary		 Monthly
Pay		 Weekly
Pay		 Hourly
Wage
75th Percentile $119,053 $9,921 $2,289 $57
Average $108,953 $9,079 $2,095 $52
25th Percentile $99,283 $8,274 $1,909 $48
Check out Nurse Manager - Critical Care Unit Job Openings in the United States
Travel PCU RN

Focus Staff - ROANOKE, VA

Travel PCU RN

Focus Staff - SPRINGFIELD, MA

Registered Nurse IMC Medical

CHRISTUS Children's Hospital - SAN ANTONIO, TX

Charge Registered Nurse Medical

HH Health System-Lincoln, Inc. - FAYETTEVILLE, TN

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Key Factors That Influence Nurse Manager - Critical Care Unit Salaries

A Nurse Manager - Critical Care Unit's salary isn't a fixed number. It's shaped by several important factors. Below, we'll explore how your years of experience, geographic location, education and company size can directly affect your earning potential.

How Experience Level Affects Nurse Manager - Critical Care Unit Salaries?

Experience is a primary driver of a Nurse Manager - Critical Care Unit's salary. As you build your skills and take on more complex tasks, your compensation generally increases. Here's how the average salary grows at different career stages:

  • Entry-Level (less than 1 year): $105,365
  • Early Career (1-2 years): $105,798
  • Mid-Level (2-4 years): $107,241
  • Senior-Level (5-8 years): $108,973
  • Expert (over 8 years): $111,536
Levels Salary
Entry Level Nurse Manager - Critical Care Unit$105,365
Intermediate Level Nurse Manager - Critical Care Unit$105,798
Senior Level Nurse Manager - Critical Care Unit$107,241
Specialist Level Nurse Manager - Critical Care Unit$108,973
Expert Level Nurse Manager - Critical Care Unit$111,536
$105,365 0 yr
$105,798 < 2 yrs
$107,241 2-4 yrs
$108,973 5-8 yrs
$111,536 > 8 yrs
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What Am I Worth?

Top Paying Cities for Nurse Manager - Critical Care Units

Salaries can also vary between different cities. Major metropolitan areas or cities with a high demand for technicians often offer more competitive pay. Here are a few examples of average annual salaries in different U.S. cities:

  • San Jose: $137,413
  • San Francisco: $136,063
  • Oakland: $133,053

What Skills Can Increase a Nurse Manager - Critical Care Unit's Salary?

Demanded Skills for the Role:

  • Leadership (Mentioned in 13.36% Job Postings): Knowledge of and ability to employ effective strategies that motivate and guide other members within our business to achieve optimum results.
  • Acute Care (Mentioned in 2.3% Job Postings): Acute care is a branch of secondary health care where a patient receives active but short-term treatment for a severe injury or episode of illness, an urgent medical condition, or during recovery from surgery. In medical terms, care for acute health conditions is the opposite from chronic care, or longer term care. Acute care services are generally delivered by teams of health care professionals from a range of medical and surgical specialties. Acute care may require a stay in a hospital emergency department, ambulatory surgery center, urgent care centre or other short-term stay facility, along with the assistance of diagnostic services, surgery, or follow-up outpatient care in the community. Hospital-based acute inpatient care typically has the goal of discharging patients as soon as they are deemed healthy and stable. Acute care settings include emergency department, intensive care, coronary care, cardiology, neonatal intensive care, and many general areas where the patient could become acutely unwell and require stabilization and transfer to another higher dependency unit for further treatment.
  • Clinical Nursing (Mentioned in 1.36% Job Postings): Clinical research nursing is defined as clinical nursing practice with a specialty focus on research implementation and the care of subjects participating in clinical research.
See More Skills
Skills Demand Percentage
Leadership 13.36%
Acute Care 2.3%
Clinical Nursing 1.36%
What skills can make your compensation higher?
Mastering certain specialized skills can lead to a significant increase in pay. Here are examples of skills and the potential impact they can have on a Nurse Manager - Critical Care Unit's salary.
  • Psychiatric: Can increase your salary by up to 16%.
  • Resource Management: Can increase your salary by up to 10%.
  • Regulatory Compliance: Can increase your salary by up to 8%.
Skill Salary Salary % Increase
Psychiatric
 $126,385
16%
Resource Management
 $119,848
10%
Regulatory Compliance
 $117,669
8%
Assisted Living
 $117,669
8%
Commitment
 $114,401
5%
Organizational Skills
 $113,311
4%
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How Education impacts a Nurse Manager - Critical Care Unit's Salary?

Your level of education can impact your salary potential. While many Nurse Manager - Critical Care Units enter the field with a Bachelor's Degree degree, higher education can lead to more specialized and higher-paying roles.

According to our 100% employer-reported salary data, the median salary for a Nurse Manager - Critical Care Unit with a Bachelor's Degree is between $112,667 and $123,288).

Nurse Manager - Critical Care Unit Salaries by Degree Level

Typical Education for Nurse Manager - Critical Care Unit
Degree Level % of user with this level of education
No Diploma 16.2%
High School 51.4%
Associates 16.2%
Bachelors 51.4%
Masters 32.4%
Doctorate 0.0%
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Nurse Manager - Critical Care Unit Salary: Hourly Rate, Weekly Pay, and Monthly Pay

Understanding how a Nurse Manager - Critical Care Unit's annual salary breaks down can help with budgeting. Below, you can see the average hourly rate, weekly pay, and monthly pay for this role. Use the buttons to switch between different pay periods.

  • Hourly
  • Monthly
  • Weekly
  • Yearly
  • Table View
Last Updated on January 01, 2026
$99,283
Average $108,953/year
$119,053
$8,274
Average $9,079/month
$9,921
$1,909
Average $2,095/week
$2,289
$48
Average $52/hour
$57
Annual Salary Monthly Pay Weekly Pay Hourly Wage
75th Percentile $119,053 $9,921 $2,289 $57
Average $108,953 $9,079 $2,095 $52
25th Percentile $99,283 $8,274 $1,909 $48

Nurse Manager - Critical Care Unit Salary Growth & Career Path

Nurse Manager - Critical Care Unit
Director of Nursing Services
Chief Nursing Executive

For a Nurse Manager - Critical Care Unit, the most direct path to higher earnings is advancing to the Director of Nursing Services role. This promotion typically comes with a significant pay increase, bringing the average annual salary to $215,600 - a projected growth of 98% over your current level.

Salaries of jobs related to Nurse Manager - Critical Care Unit

Salary Trends for Nurse Manager - Critical Care Unit

Salaries for a Nurse Manager - Critical Care Unit can change over time, reflecting shifts in market demand and the overall economy. The median salary decreased from $104,860 in 2023 to around $104,323 in 2025, reflecting changes in demand, location, experience, and the wider economy. For a detailed analysis of Nurse Manager - Critical Care Unit salary trends, .

Average Annual Salary of Nurse Manager - Critical Care Unit Over Time

2022
$???
2023
$104,860
2024
$104,884
2025
$104,323
2026
$???
2027
$???
Year Average Annual Salary
2022
View More
2023 $104,860
2024 $104,884
2025 $104,323
2026
View More
2027
View More

Most common benefits for Nurse Manager - Critical Care Unit

Social Security
401(k)
Disability
Healthcare
Pension
Time Off (days)
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Common company salaries for Nurse Manager - Critical Care Unit

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FAQ about Nurse Manager - Critical Care Unit

1. Which unit nurses make the most money?

Nurse Managers in Critical Care Units earn competitive salaries, with a minimum of $103,453, a mid-range salary of $120,953, and a maximum of $145,653. While certified registered nurse anesthetists (CRNAs) are among the highest-paid nursing specialists, Nurse Managers also receive substantial compensation for their critical roles in healthcare.

2. What is the highest salary for a nurse manager?

The highest salary for a Nurse Manager in a Critical Care Unit is $145,653. The salary range for this position typically starts at a minimum of $103,453, with a mid-range salary of $120,953.

3. What is the highest salary for an ICU nurse?

The highest salary for a Nurse Manager in a Critical Care Unit is $145,653. The 25th percentile salary is $103,453, while the 75th percentile salary is $120,953. Salaries below $103,453 and above $145,653 are considered outliers.

4. How much do cvicu managers make?

Nurse Managers in Critical Care Units typically earn between $103,453 and $145,653 annually, with a median salary of approximately $120,953. This range reflects the experience and responsibilities associated with the role, providing a competitive compensation package for qualified candidates.

5. How much does an ICU manager earn in California?

An ICU Manager in California typically earns between $103,453 and $145,653 annually, with a median salary of $120,953. This range reflects the competitive nature of the role, highlighting the importance of experience and qualifications in determining salary levels.

6. What is above a nurse manager?

To recap, the nursing hierarchy from bottom to top is: nursing aids, LPNs, Staff Nurses, Charge Nurses, Nursing Managers (with salaries ranging from $103,453 to $145,653), Directors of Nursing, and finally the Chief Nursing Officer.

Where Does Our Salary Data Come From?

Salary.com provides salary estimates, histograms, trends, and comparisons using data from employer job postings and third-party sources.

We offer detailed salary information across multiple percentiles for your reference. (Click here to learn Why the Salary Midpoint Formula Is Crucial for Achieving Pay Equity.)

With the most extensive online, real-time compensation data available, Salary.com helps you pinpoint your exact pay target.

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