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Unit Supervising Nurse Salary in the United States

How much does an Unit Supervising Nurse make in the United States?

As of September 01, 2026, the average salary for an Unit Supervising Nurse in the United States is $136,290 per year, which breaks down to an hourly rate of $66.

However, an Unit Supervising Nurse's salary can vary significantly. Here’s a look at the typical salary range:

  • Top Earners (90th percentile): $162,081
  • Majority Range (25th-75th percentile): $124,990 to $149,790
  • Entry-Level (10th percentile): $114,702
Salary Factors Salary-Boosting Skills Salary by Experience Related Job Salaries Top Paying Cities Explore Related Jobs

Key Factors That Influence Unit Supervising Nurse Salaries

An Unit Supervising Nurse'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 Unit Supervising Nurse Salaries?

Experience is a primary driver of an Unit Supervising Nurse'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:

  • Patient Placement/Charge Nurse (0-3 years): $102,447
  • Nursing Unit Team Leader (3-5 years): $116,384
  • Unit Supervising Nurse (5+ years): $136,204
  • Nursing Services Senior Manager (5+ years): $164,997
  • Director of Nursing Services (5+ years): $202,658
Job Role Years of Experience Average Salary
Patient Placement/Charge Nurse0-3 years$102,447
Nursing Unit Team Leader3-5 years$116,384
Unit Supervising Nurse5+ years$136,204
Nursing Services Senior Manager5+ years$164,997
Director of Nursing Services5+ years$202,658
View as Graph

How Do Unit Supervising Nurse Salaries Vary from State to State?

Your salary can change significantly depending on where you work. States with a higher cost of living and strong industrial sectors often pay more to attract Unit Supervising Nurses. For example, consider the average annual salaries in these key locations:
  • District of Columbia: $150,890.
  • California: $150,290.
  • Massachusetts: $148,290.

Top Paying Cities for Unit Supervising Nurses

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: $171,790
  • San Francisco: $169,990
  • Oakland: $166,390

What Skills Can Increase an Unit Supervising Nurse's Salary?

Demanded Skills for the Role:

  • Leadership (Mentioned in 9.73% 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 2.58% 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.
  • Assisted Living (Mentioned in 1.48% Job Postings): Assisted living exemplifies the shift from "care as service" to "care as business" in the broader health care arena predicted more than three decades ago. A consumer-driven industry, assisted living offers a wide range of options, levels of care, and diversity of services (Lockhart, 2009) and is subject to state rather than federal regulatory oversight. "Assisted living" means depends on both the state and provider in question: variations in state regulatory definitions are significant and provider variables include everything from philosophy, geographic location and auspice, to organizational size and structure.
Skills Demand Percentage
Leadership 9.73%
Acute Care 2.58%
Assisted Living 1.48%
See More Skills

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 an Unit Supervising Nurse's salary.

  • Risk Management: Can increase your salary by up to 7%.
  • Alignment: Can increase your salary by up to 4%.
  • Clinical Nursing: Can increase your salary by up to 3%.
Skill Salary Salary % Increase
Risk Management $145,830
7%
Alignment $141,742
4%
Clinical Nursing $140,379
3%
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Unit Supervising Nurse Salary by Company Size: Startups vs. Enterprise

Unit Supervising Nurse salary potential scales significantly with company size. Data shows that Enterprise companies (5,000+ employees) pay the highest average salary at around $145,400. While startup companies pay approximate $123,623.

Unit Supervising Nurse Salary by Company Size

Company Size Employees Average Salary
Startup 1~50 $123,623
Growth Stage 51~500 $130,592
Established 501~5000 $140,558
Enterprise 5000+ $145,400

Unit Supervising Nurse Salary by Industry: Top Paying Sectors

For Unit Supervising Nurse roles, the industry you choose can impact your earning potential by as much as 40% (the gap between the highest and lowest paying industries). Data shows that the highest-paying industry, Healthcare, offers compensation 20% above the average. Conversely, Unit Supervising Nurse positions in Business Services typically offer lower base pay, as this sector often view Unit Supervising Nurse as a support function rather than a direct revenue driver.

The top paying industry for an Unit Supervising Nurse

Industry Sector Average Annual Salary Average Hourly Rate Pay vs.Avg
Healthcare$163,548$79.020%

How Education impacts an Unit Supervising Nurse's Salary?

Your level of education can impact your salary potential. While many Unit Supervising Nurses 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 an Unit Supervising Nurse with a Bachelor's Degree is between $119,117 and $125,456).

Unit Supervising Nurse Salaries by Degree Level

Typical Education for Unit Supervising Nurse
Degree Level % of user with this level of education
No Diploma 0.3%
High School 3.5%
Associates 23.8%
Bachelors 46.0%
Masters 25.6%
Doctorate 0.9%
View as Graph

Unit Supervising Nurse Salary: Hourly Rate, Weekly Pay, and Monthly Pay

Understanding how an Unit Supervising Nurse'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.

Last Updated on September 01, 2026
$124,990
Average $136,290/year
$149,790
$10,416
Average $11,358/month
$12,483
$2,404
Average $2,621/week
$2,881
$60
Average $66/hour
$72
Annual Salary Monthly Pay Weekly Pay Hourly Wage
75th Percentile $149,790 $12,483 $2,881 $72
Average $136,290 $11,358 $2,621 $66
25th Percentile $124,990 $10,416 $2,404 $60

Unit Supervising Nurse Salary Growth & Career Path

Unit Supervising Nurse

Next Role

Advancement

Promotions are the fastest way to increase your earnings. As an Unit Supervising Nurse, you have the following paths for advancement. The table below compares the salary raises for common next-step roles. By comparing these figures, you can choose the career path that best meets your financial goals.

Next Step Role Estimate Salary Projected Raise
CCU Nurse Leader $109,000 -20%
Nurse Senior Manager - ER $114,600 -16%
Nursing Services Senior Manager $165,000 21%
Nurse Senior Manager - Obstetrics $123,200 -10%

Most common benefits for Unit Supervising Nurse

  • Social Security
  • 401 (k)
  • Disability
  • Healthcare
  • Pension
  • Time Off (days)

Common company salaries for Unit Supervising Nurse

Here are companies hiring for Unit Supervising Nurse and their salaries, click below for more details.

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FAQ about Unit Supervising Nurse

1. What industry pays the highest salary for Unit Supervising Nurse?

The Healthcare industry offers the highest average compensation for Unit Supervising Nurse roles, with salaries approximately 20% above the market median.

2. What is the difference between a charge nurse and a nurse supervisor?

Charge nurses oversee nursing staff during a specific shift, focusing on immediate patient care and team coordination. In contrast, nurse supervisors have a broader role, managing administrative tasks and supporting both nurses and care staff. The salary for a Unit Supervising Nurse ranges from $113,790 to $137,590, with a midpoint of $124,990, reflecting their extensive responsibilities.

3. Where do the happiest nurses live?

Top Happiest 5 states for nurses in the US: #5 Colorado, Quality of life ranking: #10, Average RN salary: $69,990. #4 Alaska, Quality of life ranking: #19, Average RN salary: $88,510. #3 Oregon, Quality of life ranking: #18. #2 Wisconsin, Quality of life ranking: #3. #1 Minnesota, Quality of life ranking: #2. For Unit Supervising Nurses, salaries range from $113,790 to $137,590.

4. How much does a house supervisor nurse make?

Currently, House Supervisor Nurses earn an annual salary ranging from $113,790 to $137,590. This translates to approximately $2,189 to $2,646 per week. The mid-salary for this position is around $124,990, which equates to about $2,404 weekly. Salaries may vary based on location and experience.

5. What is the highest salary of a Supervisor?

The highest salary for a Unit Supervising Nurse is $137,590 annually. The mid-range salary is $124,990, while the minimum salary starts at $113,790. This reflects the competitive compensation for supervisory roles in nursing, ensuring that experienced professionals are rewarded accordingly.

6. What is the richest type of nurse?

The richest type of nurse is the Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetist (CRNA). While CRNAs earn an average annual salary of around $214,000, Unit Supervising Nurses also have competitive salaries, with a minimum of $113,790, a mid-range of $124,990, and a maximum of $137,590. This highlights the lucrative potential within the nursing profession.

7. How much should I get paid as a supervisor?

As a Unit Supervising Nurse, your salary should range from $113,790 to $137,590 annually, with a midpoint of $124,990. This reflects the specialized nature of the role, which typically offers higher compensation compared to general supervisory positions.

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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