What are the main factors that influence an Acute RN's salary?

The primary factors are: 1) Experience Level, 2) Geographic Location, 3) Education/Skills, 4) Company Size & Industry

How does experience change an Acute RN's salary?

An Acute RN's salary grows with experience: starting around $83,092 for beginners, reaching about $85,509 at mid-level, and approach $89,048 for experts.

What are the highest paying states for an Acute RN?

Acute RN salary varies significantly by state. The top 3 highest paying states for Acute RN roles are District of Columbia $95,982, California $95,618, Massachusetts $94,343. These tech hubs typically pay 10-15% above the national average.

How much do different types of Acute RN roles make?

Salaries for Acute RN level roles vary by specialization: Acute Care Surgeon: $398,957; NP - Acute Care: $118,101; Nurse Practitioner - Acute Care: $118,038; RN Acute Bedside: $117,620; RN Surgical Acute: $105,557.

How do different companies affect an Acute RN's salary?

Company size, industry, and compensation structure create significant salary variations for Acute RN roles. Large, established industry leaders like C R Bard Inc ($128,509) and Henry Schein Canada ($124,697) offer base salaries 35-40% above the national average. In contrast, smaller firms or startups may offer closer to $82,041.

Acute RN Salary in the United States

How much does an Acute RN make in the United States?

As of January 01, 2026, the average salary for an Acute RN in the United States is $86,689 per year, which breaks down to an hourly rate of $42.

However, an Acute RN's salary can vary significantly. Here’s a look at the typical salary range:

Top Earners (90th percentile): $102,917
Majority Range (25th-75th percentile): $80,849 to $95,183
Entry-Level (10th percentile): $75,532

Compensation Planning

Develop a Job Description

Pay Equity

2025 Compensation Trend

AI Onboarding

AI-Powered HR

Salary Salary + Bonus Benefits

View as table

Acute RN Salaries by Percentile

	Annual Salary	Monthly Pay	Weekly Pay	Hourly Wage
75th Percentile	$95,183	$7,932	$1,830	$46
Average	$86,689	$7,224	$1,667	$42
25th Percentile	$80,849	$6,737	$1,555	$39

You may get higher pay by adjusting the following factors:

Change Search Criteria

Check out Acute RN Job Openings in the United States

Registered Nurse Acute Trauma Medsurg Unit

CHRISTUS Health - BEAUMONT, TX

Acute Registered Nurse

Fresenius Medical Care - NORTH PLATTE, NE

Acute Registered Nurse

Fresenius Medical Care - KEENE, NH

Acute Inpatient Registered Nurse

Fresenius Medical Care - GULFPORT, MS

Search More Acute RN Jobs in the United States

Key Factors That Influence Acute RN Salaries

An Acute RN'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 Acute RN Salaries?

Experience is a primary driver of an Acute RN'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): $83,092
Early Career (1-2 years): $83,258
Mid-Level (2-4 years): $85,509
Senior-Level (5-8 years): $88,812
Expert (over 8 years): $89,048

Levels	Salary
Entry Level Acute RN	$83,092
Intermediate Level Acute RN	$83,258
Senior Level Acute RN	$85,509
Specialist Level Acute RN	$88,812
Expert Level Acute RN	$89,048

View as Graph

What Am I Worth?

How Do Acute RN 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 Acute RNs. For example, consider the average annual salaries in these key locations:

District of Columbia: $95,982.
California: $95,618.
Massachusetts: $94,343.

District of Columbia $95,982

California $95,618

Massachusetts $94,343

Washington $93,996

New Jersey $93,962

Alaska $93,840

Connecticut $92,644

New York $92,159

Hawaii $90,607

Rhode Island $89,879

Maryland $89,385

Minnesota $88,708

Colorado $88,448

Illinois $88,362

Oregon $88,032

Delaware $87,790

New Hampshire $87,637

Virginia $87,295

Pennsylvania $86,299

Nevada $85,796

North Dakota $85,631

Michigan $85,371

Wisconsin $85,276

Vermont $85,085

Texas $84,556

Maine $84,521

Arizona $84,469

Ohio $84,409

Georgia $83,611

Indiana $83,212

Wyoming $83,134

Utah $83,013

Iowa $82,961

Kansas $82,545

Louisiana $82,424

North Carolina $82,380

Missouri $82,363

Florida $82,025

Montana $81,843

Nebraska $81,669

Kentucky $81,574

South Carolina $81,227

Tennessee $81,010

Idaho $80,924

New Mexico $80,291

Oklahoma $80,152

Alabama $79,641

South Dakota $78,783

Arkansas $78,314

West Virginia $78,063

Mississippi $77,309

Top Paying Cities for Acute RNs

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: $109,340
San Francisco: $108,265
Oakland: $105,864

San Jose, CA $109,340

San Francisco, CA $108,265

Oakland, CA $105,864

New York, NY $100,463

Queens Village, NY $99,813

Paramus, NJ $99,120

Passaic, NJ $99,033

Bergenfield, NJ $98,946

Stamford, CT $98,816

Huntington, NY $98,730

Newark, NJ $98,166

Bridgeport, CT $97,993

New Brunswick, NJ $97,707

Vallejo, CA $97,525

Middlesex, NJ $97,473

Somerset, NJ $97,395

Petaluma, CA $97,195

Santa Cruz, CA $96,857

Boston, MA $96,684

Monterey, CA $96,250

Fairbanks, AK $96,190

Los Angeles, CA $96,025

Washington, DC $95,982

Seattle, WA $95,826

Santa Rosa, CA $95,808

Juneau, AK $95,557

Orange, CA $95,271

Anchorage, AK $95,115

Anaheim, CA $95,054

Santa Ana, CA $94,924

Nassau, NY $94,872

Long Beach, CA $94,837

Danbury, CT $94,811

Santa Maria, CA $94,517

Everett, WA $94,499

Bremerton, WA $94,074

Trenton, NJ $93,910

Sacramento, CA $93,875

San Diego, CA $93,832

Brockton, MA $93,797

Tacoma, WA $93,762

Santa Barbara, CA $93,641

Lowell, MA $93,294

New Suffolk, NY $93,260

Nashua, NH $93,156

Lompoc, CA $93,017

Ventura, CA $92,930

Stockton, CA $92,904

New Haven, CT $92,731

Atlantic City, NJ $92,505

Hartford, CT $92,315

Modesto, CA $92,271

Poughkeepsie, NY $92,081

New Britain, CT $92,037

Olympia, WA $91,916

Kennewick, WA $91,916

New London, CT $91,899

Norwich, CT $91,873

Lawrence, MA $91,829

Bakersfield, CA $91,587

Riverside, CA $91,465

New Bedford, MA $91,465

Richland, WA $91,378

Portsmouth, NH $91,309

Vineland, NJ $91,292

San Bernardino, CA $91,222

Boulder, CO $90,980

Worcester, MA $90,910

Portland, OR $90,832

Saint Paul, MN $90,728

Minneapolis, MN $90,728

Philadelphia, PA $90,607

Honolulu, HI $90,147

Springfield, MA $89,844

Providence, RI $89,835

Chicago, IL $89,584

Bellingham, WA $89,480

Baltimore, MD $89,385

Chico, CA $89,168

Wilmington, DE $89,021

Pittsfield, MA $88,934

Manchester, NH $88,769

Spokane, WA $88,388

Denver, CO $88,379

Albany, NY $87,972

Troy, NY $87,937

Schenectady, NY $87,755

Burlington, VT $87,564

Portland, ME $87,261

Salem, OR $87,191

Yakima, WA $87,174

Ann Arbor, MI $87,148

Rochester, MN $86,905

Fresno, CA $86,862

Reno, NV $86,862

Milwaukee, WI $86,784

Detroit, MI $86,697

Allentown, PA $86,671

Carson City, NV $86,663

Houston, TX $86,533

Colorado Springs, CO $86,524

Syracuse, NY $86,481

Eugene, OR $86,316

Bismarck, ND $86,212

Gary, IN $86,212

Galveston, TX $86,212

Springfield, OR $86,142

Medford, OR $85,934

Fort Collins, CO $85,900

Austin, TX $85,830

Mesa, AZ $85,648

Phoenix, AZ $85,631

Dallas, TX $85,605

Reading, PA $85,553

Saint Cloud, MN $85,518

Concord, NH $85,440

Madison, WI $85,406

Utica, NY $85,172

Raleigh, NC $85,102

Las Vegas, NV $85,094

Rochester, NY $85,033

Des Moines, IA $85,024

Atlanta, GA $84,885

Battle Creek, MI $84,859

Salt Lake City, UT $84,833

Lancaster, PA $84,703

Champaign, IL $84,686

Harrisburg, PA $84,582

Durham, NC $84,504

Kansas City, MO $84,495

Kansas City, KS $84,478

Fort Worth, TX $84,469

Boca Raton, FL $84,435

Cleveland, OH $84,426

Columbus, OH $84,409

Pittsburgh, PA $84,400

Richmond, VA $84,365

Indianapolis, IN $84,348

Cincinnati, OH $84,235

Petersburg, VA $84,105

Billings, MT $83,915

Lansing, MI $83,915

Huntsville, AL $83,915

Lebanon, PA $83,906

Dayton, OH $83,897

Pueblo, CO $83,897

Appleton, WI $83,871

Buffalo, NY $83,837

Racine, WI $83,793

Charlotte, NC $83,785

Saint Louis, MO $83,759

Springfield, IL $83,724

Elkhart, IN $83,707

York, PA $83,707

Gastonia, NC $83,698

Benton Harbor, MI $83,698

Beaumont, TX $83,646

Lorain, OH $83,628

Toledo, OH $83,594

Binghamton, NY $83,550

Rock Hill, SC $83,542

Rockford, IL $83,498

Fargo, ND $83,455

Elyria, OH $83,455

Flagstaff, AZ $83,394

Fort Lauderdale, FL $83,342

Miami, FL $83,290

Duluth, MN $83,152

Bangor, ME $83,039

Cedar Rapids, IA $82,944

Louisville, KY $82,900

Grand Rapids, MI $82,883

Hialeah, FL $82,874

Casper, WY $82,753

Scranton, PA $82,649

New Orleans, LA $82,623

Virginia Beach, VA $82,614

Akron, OH $82,571

Peoria, IL $82,458

Sarasota, FL $82,441

Green Bay, WI $82,380

Baton Rouge, LA $82,337

Charleston, SC $82,319

Nashville, TN $82,293

Jamestown, NY $82,276

Davenport, IA $82,276

Tucson, AZ $82,233

Cheyenne, WY $82,207

Saint Petersburg, FL $82,181

Tampa, FL $82,163

Omaha, NE $82,146

Port Arthur, TX $82,111

Evansville, IN $82,111

Bradenton, FL $82,077

Santa Fe, NM $81,921

Orlando, FL $81,834

Clearwater, FL $81,739

Canton, OH $81,557

La Crosse, WI $81,557

Grand Forks, ND $81,531

Albuquerque, NM $81,505

Tulsa, OK $81,505

Newport News, VA $81,496

High Point, NC $81,470

Ogden, UT $81,435

Corpus Christi, TX $81,366

Laramie, WY $81,314

Norfolk, VA $81,314

Rock Island, IL $81,262

Saginaw, MI $81,245

Jacksonville, FL $81,236

Salisbury, NC $81,219

Memphis, TN $81,201

Moline, IL $81,158

Fort Myers, FL $81,132

Waterloo, IA $81,019

Spartanburg, SC $80,932

Lincoln, NE $80,889

Fort Wayne, IN $80,872

Birmingham, AL $80,776

Cedar Falls, IA $80,759

Provo, UT $80,750

Springfield, OH $80,742

San Antonio, TX $80,724

Greensboro, NC $80,690

South Bend, IN $80,681

Winston Salem, NC $80,672

Boise, ID $80,646

Savannah, GA $80,586

Muskegon, MI $80,430

Lima, OH $80,326

Lake Charles, LA $80,291

Anderson, IN $80,274

Lexington, KY $80,248

Augusta, GA $80,222

Greenville, SC $80,222

Wichita, KS $80,144

Tuscaloosa, AL $80,144

Columbia, SC $80,066

Bloomington, IN $79,849

Roanoke, VA $79,797

Asheville, NC $79,684

Knoxville, TN $79,537

Shreveport, LA $79,528

Wilmington, NC $79,415

Frankfort, KY $79,251

Oklahoma City, OK $79,190

Chillicothe, OH $79,155

Longview, TX $79,147

Topeka, KS $79,121

Mobile, AL $78,991

Terre Haute, IN $78,956

Erie, PA $78,947

Altoona, PA $78,904

Melbourne, FL $78,878

Amarillo, TX $78,843

Killeen, TX $78,817

Fayetteville, AR $78,748

Sioux Falls, SD $78,687

Chattanooga, TN $78,635

Idaho Falls, ID $78,627

Gainesville, FL $78,445

Portsmouth, OH $78,401

Little Rock, AR $78,384

Lynchburg, VA $78,384

Lafayette, LA $78,349

Youngstown, OH $78,349

Temple, TX $78,314

Daytona Beach, FL $78,297

Clarksville, TN $78,288

Pensacola, FL $78,280

Hopkinsville, KY $78,020

Charleston, WV $78,011

Florence, SC $77,968

Sioux City, IA $77,916

Macon, GA $77,664

Tallahassee, FL $77,656

Fayetteville, NC $77,638

Waco, TX $77,621

Wichita Falls, TX $77,621

Pine Bluff, AR $77,586

Vincennes, IN $77,422

Lubbock, TX $77,387

Great Falls, MT $77,335

Alamogordo, NM $77,326

Abilene, TX $77,257

Rapid City, SD $77,144

Monroe, LA $77,144

Albany, GA $77,092

Huntington, WV $77,084

Jackson, MS $77,075

Greenville, MS $77,066

Parkersburg, WV $76,979

Montgomery, AL $76,962

Johnstown, PA $76,945

Springfield, MO $76,875

Biloxi, MS $76,832

Sumter, SC $76,650

Columbus, GA $76,641

Twin Falls, ID $76,589

Pascagoula, MS $76,477

Kingsport, TN $76,251

Gulfport, MS $76,225

Alexandria, LA $75,939

Fort Smith, AR $75,722

El Paso, TX $75,488

Helena, MT $75,376

Las Cruces, NM $75,098

Harlingen, TX $74,856

Pocatello, ID $74,778

Florence, AL $74,752

Brownsville, TX $74,734

Dothan, AL $74,596

Mcallen, TX $74,552

Columbus, MS $73,911

Altus, OK $73,512

Lawton, OK $73,347

Pierre, SD $73,035

What Skills Can Increase an Acute RN's Salary?

Demanded Skills for the Role:

Planning (Mentioned in 5.16% Job Postings): An act or process of making or carrying out plans. Establishment of goals, policies, and procedures for a social or economic unit city planning business planning.
Nursing Process (Mentioned in 3.34% Job Postings): The nursing process is a modified scientific method. Nursing practise was first described as a four-stage nursing process by Ida Jean Orlando in 1958.
Long Term Care (Mentioned in 1.96% Job Postings): Long-term care (LTC) is a variety of services which help meet both the medical and non-medical needs of people with a chronic illness or disability who cannot care for themselves for long periods. Long term care is focused on individualized and coordinated services that promote independence, maximize patients' quality of life, and meet patients' needs over a period of time. It is common for long-term care to provide custodial and non-skilled care, such as assisting with normal daily tasks like dressing, feeding, using the bathroom. Increasingly, long-term care involves providing a level of medical care that requires the expertise of skilled practitioners to address the multiple chronic conditions associated with older populations. Long-term care can be provided at home, in the community, in assisted living facilities or in nursing homes. Long-term care may be needed by people of any age, although it is a more common need for senior citizens.

See More Skills

Skills	Demand Percentage
Planning	5.16%
Nursing Process	3.34%
Long Term Care	1.96%

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 Acute RN's salary.

Telemetry: Can increase your salary by up to 3%.
Accountability: Can increase your salary by up to 2%.
Dedication: Can increase your salary by up to 2%.

Skill	Salary	Salary % Increase
Telemetry	$89,289	3%
Accountability	$88,422	2%
Dedication	$88,422	2%
Partnering	$88,422	2%
Innovation	$88,422	2%
Commitment	$88,422	2%

Get Latest Data

How Education impacts an Acute RN's Salary?

Your level of education can impact your salary potential. While many Acute RNs enter the field with a Associate'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 Acute RN with a Associate's Degree is between $81,300 and $85,864).

Acute RN Salaries by Degree Level

Typical Education for Acute RN

No Diploma 0.1%

High School 2.1%

Associates 43.3%

Bachelors 48.9%

Masters 5.3%

Doctorate 0.3%

view as table

Degree Level	% of user with this level of education
No Diploma	0.1%
High School	2.1%
Associates	43.3%
Bachelors	48.9%
Masters	5.3%
Doctorate	0.3%

view as graph

Acute RN Salary: Hourly Rate, Weekly Pay, and Monthly Pay

Understanding how an Acute RN'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

$80,849

Average $86,689/year

$95,183

$6,737

Average $7,224/month

$7,932

$1,555

Average $1,667/week

$1,830

$39

Average $42/hour

$46

	Annual Salary	Monthly Pay	Weekly Pay	Hourly Wage
75th Percentile	$95,183	$7,932	$1,830	$46
Average	$86,689	$7,224	$1,667	$42
25th Percentile	$80,849	$6,737	$1,555	$39

Salaries of jobs related to Acute RN

Salary Trends for Acute RN

Salaries for an Acute RN can change over time, reflecting shifts in market demand and the overall economy. The median salary increased from $74,772 in 2023 to around $74,938 in 2025, reflecting changes in demand, location, experience, and the wider economy. For a detailed analysis of Acute RN salary trends, .

Average Annual Salary of Acute RN Over Time

2022

$???

2023

$74,772

2024

$75,415

2025

$74,938

2026

$???

2027

$???

Year	Average Annual Salary
2022	View More
2023	$74,772
2024	$75,415
2025	$74,938
2026	View More
2027	View More

Most common benefits for Acute RN

Social Security

401(k)

Disability

Healthcare

Pension

Time Off (days)

For Employers

If your compensation planning software is too rigid to deploy winning incentive strategies, it’s time to find an adaptable solution.

Compensation Planning

Biotechnology

the United States

Find Your Next Acute RN Job

Ready to take the next step in your career? Browse thousands of current Acute RN job openings on our job board. Use the search bar below to find your perfect match.

For Employees

Get a Salary Increase

Analyze the market and your qualifications to negotiate your salary with confidence.

Search Job Openings

Search thousands of open positions to find your next opportunity.

For Employers

Adjust Employee Salary

Individualize employee pay based on unique job requirements and personal qualifications.

Price My Industry Jobs

Get the latest market price for benchmark jobs and jobs in your industry.

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.

Are you an HR manager or compensation specialist?

Salary.com's CompAnalyst platform offers:

Detailed skills and competency reports for specific positions
Job and employee pricing reports
Compensation data tools, salary structures, surveys and benchmarks.

Learn about