What are the main factors that influence a Stepdown Nurse's salary?

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

How does experience change A Stepdown Nurse's salary?

A Stepdown Nurse's salary grows with experience: a Staff Nurse - RN I (0-2 years)earns $72,666, a Stepdown Nurse (2-4 years)earns $82,360, a Staff Nurse - RN III (4-7 years)earns $95,764,

What are the highest paying states for a Stepdown Nurse?

Stepdown Nurse salary varies significantly by state. The top 3 highest paying states for Stepdown Nurse roles are District of Columbia $91,819, California $91,471, Massachusetts $90,252. These tech hubs typically pay 10-15% above the national average.

How much do different types of Stepdown Nurse roles make?

Salaries for Stepdown Nurse level roles vary by specialization: Registered Nurse Surgical Stepdown: $106,347; Stepdown RN: $100,314; RN Cardiac Stepdown: $97,911; Registered Nurse Cardiac Stepdown: $97,406; IMCU Stepdown Registered Nurse: $91,089.

How do different companies affect a Stepdown Nurse's salary?

Company size, industry, and compensation structure create significant salary variations for Stepdown Nurse 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.

Stepdown Nurse Salary in the United States

How much does a Stepdown Nurse make in the United States?

As of July 01, 2026, the average salary for a Stepdown Nurse in the United States is $82,929 per year, which breaks down to an hourly rate of $40.

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

Top Earners (90th percentile): $97,708
Majority Range (25th-75th percentile): $77,411 to $90,665
Entry-Level (10th percentile): $72,386

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Stepdown Nurse Salaries by Percentile

	Annual Salary	Monthly Pay	Weekly Pay	Hourly Wage
75th Percentile	$90,665	$7,555	$1,744	$44
Average	$82,929	$6,911	$1,595	$40
25th Percentile	$77,411	$6,451	$1,489	$37

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Key Factors That Influence Stepdown Nurse Salaries

A Stepdown 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 Do Stepdown 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 Stepdown Nurses. For example, consider the average annual salaries in these key locations:

District of Columbia: $91,819.
California: $91,471.
Massachusetts: $90,252.

District of Columbia $91,819

California $91,471

Massachusetts $90,252

Washington $89,920

New Jersey $89,887

Alaska $89,771

Connecticut $88,626

New York $88,162

Hawaii $86,677

Rhode Island $85,981

Maryland $85,508

Minnesota $84,861

Colorado $84,612

Illinois $84,529

Oregon $84,214

Delaware $83,982

New Hampshire $83,836

Virginia $83,509

Pennsylvania $82,556

Nevada $82,075

North Dakota $81,917

Michigan $81,668

Wisconsin $81,577

Vermont $81,395

Texas $80,889

Maine $80,856

Arizona $80,806

Ohio $80,748

Georgia $79,985

Indiana $79,603

Wyoming $79,529

Utah $79,413

Iowa $79,363

Kansas $78,965

Louisiana $78,849

North Carolina $78,807

Missouri $78,791

Florida $78,467

Montana $78,293

Nebraska $78,127

Kentucky $78,036

South Carolina $77,704

Tennessee $77,497

Idaho $77,414

New Mexico $76,809

Oklahoma $76,676

Alabama $76,187

South Dakota $75,366

Arkansas $74,918

West Virginia $74,677

Mississippi $73,956

Top Paying Cities for Stepdown 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: $104,598
San Francisco: $103,453
Oakland: $101,273

San Jose, CA $104,598

San Francisco, CA $103,453

Oakland, CA $101,273

New York, NY $95,484

Paramus, NJ $94,323

Queens Village, NY $94,318

Passaic, NJ $94,240

Bergenfield, NJ $94,232

Stamford, CT $94,050

Huntington, NY $94,016

Newark, NJ $93,403

Bridgeport, CT $93,228

Vallejo, CA $93,063

New Brunswick, NJ $93,030

Petaluma, CA $92,980

Middlesex, NJ $92,822

Somerset, NJ $92,764

Santa Cruz, CA $92,656

Boston, MA $92,151

Monterey, CA $91,860

Seattle, WA $91,670

Santa Rosa, CA $91,653

Los Angeles, CA $91,628

Juneau, AK $91,413

Washington, DC $91,321

Orange, CA $91,026

Santa Ana, CA $90,807

Long Beach, CA $90,724

Anaheim, CA $90,708

Anchorage, AK $90,666

Santa Maria, CA $90,417

Everett, WA $90,401

Danbury, CT $90,109

Bremerton, WA $89,994

Tacoma, WA $89,696

New Suffolk, NY $89,694

Sacramento, CA $89,671

Santa Barbara, CA $89,580

Trenton, NJ $89,489

San Diego, CA $89,489

Brockton, MA $89,397

Fairbanks, AK $89,194

Lompoc, CA $88,983

Lowell, MA $88,916

Ventura, CA $88,900

Nashua, NH $88,883

Stockton, CA $88,875

Modesto, CA $88,270

Poughkeepsie, NY $88,087

Olympia, WA $87,930

Kennewick, WA $87,930

New Haven, CT $87,896

Lawrence, MA $87,598

Hartford, CT $87,515

Riverside, CA $87,498

New Bedford, MA $87,415

Richland, WA $87,415

Bakersfield, CA $87,299

San Bernardino, CA $87,266

New Britain, CT $87,258

Atlantic City, NJ $87,258

New London, CT $87,225

Norwich, CT $87,200

Portsmouth, NH $87,183

Boulder, CO $87,007

Portland, OR $86,893

Worcester, MA $86,885

Minneapolis, MN $86,628

Philadelphia, PA $86,511

Honolulu, HI $86,238

Saint Paul, MN $86,198

Vineland, NJ $86,180

Providence, RI $85,939

Chicago, IL $85,699

Bellingham, WA $85,599

Springfield, MA $85,533

Baltimore, MD $85,508

Chico, CA $85,301

Pittsfield, MA $85,077

Manchester, NH $84,919

Spokane, WA $84,554

Denver, CO $84,546

Albany, NY $84,156

Troy, NY $84,123

Nassau, NY $84,034

Schenectady, NY $83,949

Wilmington, DE $83,883

Burlington, VT $83,766

Salem, OR $83,733

Portland, ME $83,476

Yakima, WA $83,393

Rochester, MN $83,136

Reno, NV $83,095

Fresno, CA $83,095

Milwaukee, WI $83,020

Detroit, MI $82,937

Ann Arbor, MI $82,923

Allentown, PA $82,912

Colorado Springs, CO $82,771

Syracuse, NY $82,730

Carson City, NV $82,730

Houston, TX $82,614

Eugene, OR $82,572

Gary, IN $82,473

Springfield, OR $82,406

Bismarck, ND $82,390

Galveston, TX $82,332

Medford, OR $82,207

Fort Collins, CO $82,174

Concord, NH $82,133

Austin, TX $82,108

Mesa, AZ $81,934

Reading, PA $81,925

Phoenix, AZ $81,917

Dallas, TX $81,892

Saint Cloud, MN $81,813

Madison, WI $81,702

Utica, NY $81,478

Rochester, NY $81,345

Des Moines, IA $81,337

Raleigh, NC $81,328

Atlanta, GA $81,204

Battle Creek, MI $81,179

Salt Lake City, UT $81,154

Lancaster, PA $81,030

Harrisburg, PA $80,914

Kansas City, MO $80,831

Champaign, IL $80,814

Kansas City, KS $80,814

Fort Worth, TX $80,806

Columbus, OH $80,792

Boca Raton, FL $80,773

Pittsburgh, PA $80,740

Richmond, VA $80,706

Indianapolis, IN $80,690

Cleveland, OH $80,682

Las Vegas, NV $80,582

Cincinnati, OH $80,582

Petersburg, VA $80,458

Huntsville, AL $80,333

Lansing, MI $80,278

Lebanon, PA $80,267

Pueblo, CO $80,259

Appleton, WI $80,234

Buffalo, NY $80,201

Dayton, OH $80,176

Racine, WI $80,159

Charlotte, NC $80,151

Saint Louis, MO $80,126

York, PA $80,076

Elkhart, IN $80,076

Gastonia, NC $80,060

Billings, MT $80,040

Beaumont, TX $80,018

Lorain, OH $80,002

Benton Harbor, MI $79,985

Toledo, OH $79,968

Binghamton, NY $79,927

Rock Hill, SC $79,919

Rockford, IL $79,877

Springfield, IL $79,844

Elyria, OH $79,836

Fargo, ND $79,836

Flagstaff, AZ $79,778

Fort Lauderdale, FL $79,728

Duluth, MN $79,678

Miami, FL $79,678

Cheyenne, WY $79,620

Grand Forks, ND $79,620

Bangor, ME $79,438

Cedar Rapids, IA $79,346

Durham, NC $79,312

Louisville, KY $79,305

Grand Rapids, MI $79,288

Hialeah, FL $79,280

Casper, WY $79,164

Scranton, PA $79,064

New Orleans, LA $79,040

Virginia Beach, VA $79,031

Akron, OH $78,990

Peoria, IL $78,882

Sarasota, FL $78,865

Nashville, TN $78,807

Omaha, NE $78,807

Green Bay, WI $78,807

Baton Rouge, LA $78,766

Charleston, SC $78,749

Jamestown, NY $78,708

Davenport, IA $78,708

Tucson, AZ $78,666

Saint Petersburg, FL $78,617

Tampa, FL $78,600

Evansville, IN $78,550

Port Arthur, TX $78,550

Bradenton, FL $78,517

Santa Fe, NM $78,368

Orlando, FL $78,219

Clearwater, FL $78,194

Canton, OH $78,020

La Crosse, WI $78,020

Albuquerque, NM $77,970

Newport News, VA $77,961

High Point, NC $77,937

Ogden, UT $77,903

Corpus Christi, TX $77,837

Norfolk, VA $77,787

Laramie, WY $77,787

Rock Island, IL $77,738

Saginaw, MI $77,721

Jacksonville, FL $77,713

Salisbury, NC $77,696

Boise, ID $77,680

Moline, IL $77,638

Fort Myers, FL $77,613

Memphis, TN $77,597

Tulsa, OK $77,555

Waterloo, IA $77,505

Spartanburg, SC $77,422

Lincoln, NE $77,381

Fort Wayne, IN $77,364

Provo, UT $77,356

Cedar Falls, IA $77,257

San Antonio, TX $77,223

Greensboro, NC $77,190

South Bend, IN $77,182

Savannah, GA $77,091

Muskegon, MI $77,058

Birmingham, AL $77,049

Winston Salem, NC $77,009

Lake Charles, LA $76,809

Anderson, IN $76,792

Lexington, KY $76,767

Augusta, GA $76,742

Greenville, SC $76,742

Lima, OH $76,676

Wichita, KS $76,668

Tuscaloosa, AL $76,668

Columbia, SC $76,593

Springfield, OH $76,577

Asheville, NC $76,444

Bloomington, IN $76,386

Knoxville, TN $76,087

Shreveport, LA $76,079

Wilmington, NC $75,971

Roanoke, VA $75,971

Topeka, KS $75,822

Frankfort, KY $75,813

Oklahoma City, OK $75,756

Chillicothe, OH $75,722

Longview, TX $75,714

Melbourne, FL $75,706

Sioux Falls, SD $75,573

Mobile, AL $75,565

Terre Haute, IN $75,532

Altoona, PA $75,482

Amarillo, TX $75,424

Killeen, TX $75,399

Fayetteville, AR $75,333

Chattanooga, TN $75,308

Sioux City, IA $75,233

Idaho Falls, ID $75,217

Lynchburg, VA $75,150

Gainesville, FL $75,042

Portsmouth, OH $75,001

Little Rock, AR $74,984

Lafayette, LA $74,951

Youngstown, OH $74,951

Daytona Beach, FL $74,901

Clarksville, TN $74,893

Pensacola, FL $74,885

Temple, TX $74,879

Hopkinsville, KY $74,636

Erie, PA $74,619

Florence, SC $74,586

Charleston, WV $74,454

Great Falls, MT $74,412

Macon, GA $74,296

Tallahassee, FL $74,288

Fayetteville, NC $74,271

Waco, TX $74,255

Helena, MT $74,196

Pine Bluff, AR $74,165

Vincennes, IN $74,064

Lubbock, TX $74,031

Alamogordo, NM $73,981

Twin Falls, ID $73,906

Rapid City, SD $73,881

Jackson, MS $73,732

Huntington, WV $73,726

Greenville, MS $73,724

Parkersburg, WV $73,639

Montgomery, AL $73,624

Wichita Falls, TX $73,541

Springfield, MO $73,541

Biloxi, MS $73,500

Monroe, LA $73,417

Johnstown, PA $73,359

Sumter, SC $73,326

Columbus, GA $73,317

Pascagoula, MS $73,160

Abilene, TX $73,160

Kingsport, TN $72,944

Albany, GA $72,944

Gulfport, MS $72,919

Alexandria, LA $72,646

Fort Smith, AR $72,438

El Paso, TX $72,214

Las Cruces, NM $71,841

Harlingen, TX $71,631

Pocatello, ID $71,617

Florence, AL $71,510

Brownsville, TX $71,493

Mcallen, TX $71,319

Dothan, AL $71,203

Columbus, MS $70,710

Altus, OK $70,324

Lawton, OK $70,166

Pierre, SD $69,868

What Skills Can Increase a Stepdown Nurse'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 a Stepdown Nurse'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	$85,417	3%
Accountability	$84,587	2%
Dedication	$84,587	2%
Partnering	$84,587	2%
Innovation	$84,587	2%
Commitment	$84,587	2%

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Stepdown Nurse Salary by Industry: Top Paying Sectors

For Stepdown Nurse roles, the industry you choose can affect earning potential by as much as 35% (the gap between the highest and lowest paying industries). Data shows that the Software & Networking and Biotechnology sectors offer the strongest compensation, at 15% above the average. In contrast, Stepdown Nurse positions in Edu., Gov't. & Nonprofit or MFG Nondurable typically offer lower base pay, as these industries often view Stepdown Nurse as a support function rather than a direct revenue driver.

The top paying industries for a Stepdown Nurse

Industry Sector	Average Annual Salary	Average Hourly Rate	Pay vs.Avg
Software & Networking	$95,368	$46.0	15%
Biotechnology	$93,295	$45.0	12%
Energy & Utilities	$89,149	$43.0	7%
Insurance	$87,075	$42.0	5%

How Education impacts a Stepdown Nurse's Salary?

Your level of education can impact your salary potential. While many Stepdown Nurses 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 a Stepdown Nurse with a Associate's Degree is between $81,300 and $85,864).

Stepdown Nurse Salaries by Degree Level

Typical Education for Stepdown Nurse

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

Stepdown Nurse Salary: Hourly Rate, Weekly Pay, and Monthly Pay

Understanding how a Stepdown 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 July 01, 2026

$77,411

Average $82,929/year

$90,665

$6,451

Average $6,911/month

$7,555

$1,489

Average $1,595/week

$1,744

$37

Average $40/hour

$44

	Annual Salary	Monthly Pay	Weekly Pay	Hourly Wage
75th Percentile	$90,665	$7,555	$1,744	$44
Average	$82,929	$6,911	$1,595	$40
25th Percentile	$77,411	$6,451	$1,489	$37

Salaries of jobs related to Stepdown Nurse

Salary Trends for Stepdown Nurse

Salaries for a Stepdown Nurse can change over time, reflecting shifts in market demand and the overall economy. The median salary increased from $72,567 in 2023 to around $72,728 in 2025, reflecting changes in demand, location, experience, and the wider economy. For a detailed analysis of Stepdown Nurse salary trends, .

Average Annual Salary of Stepdown Nurse Over Time

2022

$???

2023

$72,567

2024

$73,191

2025

$72,728

2026

$???

2027

$???

Year	Average Annual Salary
2022	View More
2023	$72,567
2024	$73,191
2025	$72,728
2026	View More
2027	View More

Most common benefits for Stepdown Nurse

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FAQ about Stepdown Nurse

1. What industry pays the highest salary for Stepdown Nurse?

The Software & Networking industry offers the highest average compensation for Stepdown Nurse roles, with salaries approximately 15% above the market median.

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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