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Nursing Manager Salary in the United States

How much does a Nursing Manager make in the United States?

As of January 01, 2026, the average salary for a Nursing Manager in the United States is $135,926 per year, which breaks down to an hourly rate of $65.

However, a Nursing Manager's salary can vary significantly. Here’s a look at the typical salary range:

  • Top Earners (90th percentile): $161,776
  • Majority Range (25th-75th percentile): $124,656 to $149,457
  • Entry-Level (10th percentile): $114,395
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View as table View as graph 25% $124,656 10% $114,395 90% $161,776 75% $149,457 $135,926 50%(Median) Didn’t find job title? Click

Nursing Manager Salaries by Percentile

Annual
Salary
Monthly
Pay
Weekly
Pay
Hourly
Wage
75th Percentile $149,457 $12,455 $2,874 $72
Average $135,926 $11,327 $2,614 $65
25th Percentile $124,656 $10,388 $2,397 $60
Check out Nursing Manager Job Openings in the United States
Director of Nursing

Souris Valley Care Center - Good Samaritan Society - VELVA, ND

Director of Nursing

Haven of Flagstaff - FLAGSTAFF, AZ

Director of Nursing

MAPLE RIDGE MEMORY CARE - ESSEX JUNCTION, VT

Director of Nursing

Southwest Healthcare Services - BOWMAN, ND

Search More Nursing Manager Jobs in the United States

Key Factors That Influence Nursing Manager Salaries

A Nursing Manager'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 Nursing Manager Salaries?

Experience is a primary driver of a Nursing Manager'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): $131,721
  • Early Career (1-2 years): $132,225
  • Mid-Level (2-4 years): $133,403
  • Senior-Level (5-8 years): $134,749
  • Expert (over 8 years): $137,340
Levels Salary
Entry Level Nursing Manager$131,721
Intermediate Level Nursing Manager$132,225
Senior Level Nursing Manager$133,403
Specialist Level Nursing Manager$134,749
Expert Level Nursing Manager$137,340
$131,721 0 yr
$132,225 < 2 yrs
$133,403 2-4 yrs
$134,749 5-8 yrs
$137,340 > 8 yrs
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What Am I Worth?

Top Paying Cities for Nursing Managers

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: $171,443
  • San Francisco: $169,758
  • Oakland: $165,993

What Skills Can Increase a Nursing Manager'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.
See More Skills
Skills Demand Percentage
Leadership 9.73%
Acute Care 2.58%
Assisted Living 1.48%
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 Nursing Manager'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
$145,441
7%
Alignment
$141,363
4%
Clinical Nursing
$140,004
3%
Care Management
$140,004
3%
Communication Skills
$140,004
3%
Quality Improvement
$138,645
2%
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How Education impacts a Nursing Manager's Salary?

Your level of education can impact your salary potential. While many Nursing Managers 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 Nursing Manager with a Bachelor's Degree is between $119,641 and $126,006).

Nursing Manager Salaries by Degree Level

Typical Education for Nursing Manager
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%
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Nursing Manager Salary: Hourly Rate, Weekly Pay, and Monthly Pay

Understanding how a Nursing Manager'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 January 01, 2026

Nursing Manager Salary Growth & Career Path

Promotions are the fastest way to increase your earnings. As a Nursing Manager, 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.

Nursing Manager Salary Growth and Career Path
Next Step Role Estimate Salary Projected Raise
Nursing Senior Manager - CCU $108,934 -20%
Nursing Senior Manager - Emergency Room $132,259 -3%
Nursing Senior Manager $164,650 21%
Nursing Senior Manager - Obstetrics $126,345 -7%

Salary Trends for Nursing Manager

Salaries for a Nursing Manager can change over time, reflecting shifts in market demand and the overall economy. The median salary increased from $107,758 in 2023 to around $107,811 in 2025, reflecting changes in demand, location, experience, and the wider economy. For a detailed analysis of Nursing Manager salary trends, .

Average Annual Salary of Nursing Manager Over Time

2022
$???
2023
$107,758
2024
$108,119
2025
$107,811
2026
$???
2027
$???
Year Average Annual Salary
2022
View More
2023 $107,758
2024 $108,119
2025 $107,811
2026
View More
2027
View More

Most common benefits for Nursing Manager

Social Security
401(k)
Disability
Healthcare
Pension
Time Off (days)
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Common company salaries for Nursing Manager

Here are companies hiring for Nursing Manager and their salaries, click below for more details.

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FAQ about Nursing Manager

1. Where can a Nursing Manager earn the most?

A Nursing Manager'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 Nursing Manager earns the most in San Jose, CA, where the annual salary of a Nursing Manager is $171,443.

2. What is the highest pay for Nursing Manager?

The highest pay for Nursing Manager is $161,776.

3. What is the lowest pay for Nursing Manager?

The lowest pay for Nursing Manager is $114,395.

4. What are the responsibilities of Nursing Manager?

Manages daily operations of a nursing unit in a hospital or other medical facility to maintain standards of patient care. Responsible for implementing all nursing services in compliance with current local, state, and federal standards and regulations. Monitors the quality of patient care and services and makes recommendations and/or adjustments as needed. Requires a bachelor's degree in nursing. Requires Registered Nurse (RN). Typically requires Advanced Cardiac Life Support (ACLS). Typically reports to a director. Manages subordinate staff in the day-to-day performance of their jobs. True first level manager. Ensures that project/department milestones/goals are met and adhering to approved budgets. Has full authority for personnel actions. Typically requires 5 years experience in the related area as an individual contributor. 1-3 years supervisory experience may be required. Extensive knowledge of the function and department processes.

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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