How much does a Head of Nursing make?

As of April 01, 2025, the average annual salary for a Head of Nursing in the United States is $222,016. According to Salary.com, salaries can range from a low of $172,705 to a high of $325,004, with most professionals earning between $196,205 and $275,924.

Head of Nursing Salaries by Percentile
Annual
Salary
Monthly
Pay
Weekly
Pay
Hourly
Wage
75th Percentile $275,924 $22,994 $5,306 $133
Average $222,016 $18,501 $4,270 $107
25th Percentile $196,205 $16,350 $3,773 $94

Average Salary

25% $196,205 10% $172,705 90% $325,004 75% $275,924 $222,016 50%(Median) Didn’t find job title? Click
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How much does a Head of Nursing make by hour, week, month, and year?

Salary.com provides you with accurate and diversified Head of Nursing salary data based on specialized databases to help you get a fairer salary. Click the switch button below to see more details about Head of Nursing hourly pay, weekly pay, monthly pay and so on.

Last Updated on April 01, 2025
Last Updated on April 01, 2025

How Does Experience Level Affect a Head of Nursing's Salary?

An entry-level Head of Nursing with less than 1 year of experience earns about $206,221. With 1-2 years of experience, the average salary increases to $208,533. For 2-4 years of experience, the pay typically rises to $210,459. Senior-level professionals with 5-8 years of experience earn around $213,541, and those with over 8 years of experience can expect an average of $217,393.

Levels Salary
Entry Level Head of Nursing $206,221
Intermediate Level Head of Nursing $208,533
Senior Level Head of Nursing $210,459
Specialist Level Head of Nursing $213,541
Expert Level Head of Nursing $217,393
$206,221 0 yr
$208,533 < 2 yrs
$210,459 2-4 yrs
$213,541 5-8 yrs
$217,393 > 8 yrs
Last Updated on April 01, 2025
Entry Level 7%
Mid Level 6%
Senior Level 5%
Top Level 4%
Experienced 2%
View as graph
Last Updated on April 01, 2025

How much does salary of Head of Nursing vary from city to city?

Salaries in the United States can vary greatly between cities due to factors like cost of living, local economies, and industry presence.

For example, as of April 01, 2025:
  • In San Francisco, CA, the average yearly salary for a Head of Nursing is $277,276.
  • In New York, NY, the average annual salary is $257,294.
  • In Boston, MA, a Head of Nursing earns $247,614 per year.

What is the salary trend of Head of Nursing?

As of April 01, 2025, our research reveals a significant shift in Head of Nursing compensation over the past six years. For example, the median salary increased from $206,007 in 2023 to approximately $209,865 in 2024. (For a detailed analysis of Head of Nursing salary trends, click here.)

Key factors like location, experience, industry demand, and economic growth significantly influence salary variations, making them important to consider.

Average Annual Salary of Head of Nursing Over Time

2020
$???
2021
$???
2022
$???
$206,007
2023
$209,865
2024
$207,925
2025
2026
$???
Last Updated on April 01, 2025
2020
$???
2021
$???
2022
$???
2023
$206,007
2024
$209,865
2025
$207,925
2026
$???
Last Updated on April 01, 2025

Head of Nursing Salary by Year

Year Average Annual Salary
2020 View More
2021 View More
2022 View More
2023 $206,007
2024 $209,865
2025 $207,925
2026 View More
Last Updated on April 01, 2025

Job Openings of Head of Nursing

Salary.com job board provides millions of Head of Nursing information for you to search for. Click on search button below to see Head of Nursing job openings or enter a new job title here.

Based on HR-reported data: a national average with a geographic differential
Base Salary 75.6%
Bonuses 0.0%
Social Security 4.7%
401k/403b 3.6%
Disability 0.6%
Healthcare 2.1%
Pension 4.2%
Time Off 9.3%
Core Compensation
Core Compensation Median % of Total
Base Salary $222,016 75.6%
Bonus $0 0.0%
Value of Benefits
Core Compensation Median % of Total
Social Security $13,672 4.7%
401K/403B $10,435 3.6%
Disability $1,776 0.6%
Healthcare $6,056 2.1%
Pension $12,211 4.2%
Time Off $27,325 9.3%
Total Compensation $293,491 100%
Core Compensation is based on averages for this job and does not reflect personal factors used to determine your projected salary range.
Value of Benefits indicates the employer's expected contribution and paid time off.
Last Updated on April 01, 2025

What are the salaries of a Head of Nursing with different levels of education?

Salaries for Head of Nursing with a High School Diploma or Technical Certificate

According to our 100% employer reported salary sources the median salary for a Head of Nursing with a Master's Degree or MBA is $249,885 - $271,966. Please try our salary wizard to explore how other factors like location, Years of experience and number of direct reports can impact your base pay and bonus.

Head of Nursing Salaries by Degree Level

Last Updated on April 01, 2025
Typical Education for Head of Nursing
Degree Level % of user with this level of education
High School 1.1%
Associates 11.1%
Bachelors 22.2%
Masters 57.9%
Doctorate 7.7%
Typical Education for Head of Nursing
High School 1.1%
Associates 11.1%
Bachelors 22.2%
Masters 57.9%
Doctorate 7.7%
view as table

Head of Nursing Salaries by Degree Level

Last Updated on April 01, 2025

What Am I Worth?

FAQ about Head of Nursing

1. What is the average salary of a Head of Nursing?

The average annual salary of Head of Nursing is $222,016. In case you are finding an easy salary calculator, the average hourly pay of Head of Nursing is $107; the average weekly pay of Head of Nursing is $4,270; the average monthly pay of Head of Nursing is $18,501.

2. Where can a Head of Nursing earn the most?

A Head of Nursing's earning potential can vary widely depending on several factors, including location, industry, experience, education, and the specific employer. According to the latest salary data by Salary.com, a Head of Nursing earns the most in San Jose, CA, where the annual salary of a Head of Nursing is $280,029.

3. What is the highest pay for Head of Nursing?

The highest pay for Head of Nursing is $325,004.

4. What is the lowest pay for Head of Nursing?

The lowest pay for Head of Nursing is $172,705.

5. What are the responsibilities of Head of Nursing?

Plans and directs all nursing personnel. Develops and implements nursing policies, objectives, and initiatives. Reviews nursing department operations to ensure compliance with established standards. Ensures that all patients receive the highest quality care. Requires a master's degree in area of specialty. Typically reports to top management. Manages a departmental function within a broader corporate function. Develops major goals to support broad functional objectives. Approves policies developed within various sub-functions and departments. Comprehensive knowledge of the overall departmental function. Typically requires 8+ years of managerial experience.

6. What are the skills of Head of Nursing

Specify the abilities and skills that a person needs in order to carry out the specified job duties. Each competency has five to ten behavioral assertions that can be observed, each with a corresponding performance level (from one to five) that is required for a particular job.

1.)

Leadership: Knowledge of and ability to employ effective strategies that motivate and guide other members within our business to achieve optimum results.

2.)

Assisted Living: 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.

3.)

Life Insurance: Life Insurance can be defined as a contract between an insurance policy holder and an insurance company, where the insurer promises to pay a sum of money in exchange for a premium, upon the death of an insured person or after a set period

About Our Data

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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The average salary for a Head of Nursing is $222,016 per year in the United States, updated at April 01, 2025.
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