How much does a Clinical Nurse III make in the United States?
As of August 01, 2026, the average salary for a Clinical Nurse III in the United States is $86,285 per year, which breaks down to an hourly rate of $41.
However, a Clinical Nurse III's salary can vary significantly. Here’s a look at the typical salary range:
Top Earners (90th percentile): $104,008
Majority Range (25th-75th percentile): $78,223 to $95,562
Key Factors That Influence Clinical Nurse III Salaries
A Clinical Nurse III'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 Clinical Nurse III Salaries?
Experience is a primary driver of a Clinical Nurse III'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): $84,382
Early Career (1-2 years): $84,606
Mid-Level (2-4 years): $87,597
Senior-Level (5-8 years): $91,805
Expert (over 8 years): $92,105
Levels
Salary
Entry Level Clinical Nurse III
$84,382
Intermediate Level Clinical Nurse III
$84,606
Senior Level Clinical Nurse III
$87,597
Specialist Level Clinical Nurse III
$91,805
Expert Level Clinical Nurse III
$92,105
$84,3820 yr
$84,606< 2 yrs
$87,5972-4 yrs
$91,8055-8 yrs
$92,105> 8 yrs
View as Table
View as Graph
What Am I Worth?
How Do Clinical Nurse III 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 Clinical Nurse IIIs.
For example, consider the average annual salaries in these key locations:
District of Columbia: $95,535.
California: $95,173.
Massachusetts: $93,904.
District of Columbia$95,535
California$95,173
Massachusetts$93,904
Washington$93,559
New Jersey$93,525
Alaska$93,404
Connecticut$92,213
New York$91,730
Hawaii$90,186
Rhode Island$89,461
Maryland$88,969
Minnesota$88,296
Colorado$88,037
Illinois$87,951
Oregon$87,623
Delaware$87,381
New Hampshire$87,229
Virginia$86,889
Pennsylvania$85,897
Nevada$85,397
North Dakota$85,233
Michigan$84,974
Wisconsin$84,879
Vermont$84,689
Texas$84,163
Maine$84,128
Arizona$84,076
Ohio$84,016
Georgia$83,222
Indiana$82,825
Wyoming$82,748
Utah$82,627
Iowa$82,575
Kansas$82,161
Louisiana$82,040
North Carolina$81,997
Missouri$81,980
Florida$81,643
Montana$81,462
Nebraska$81,289
Kentucky$81,195
South Carolina$80,849
Tennessee$80,634
Idaho$80,547
New Mexico$79,918
Oklahoma$79,779
Alabama$79,270
South Dakota$78,416
Arkansas$77,950
West Virginia$77,700
Mississippi$76,949
Top Paying Cities for Clinical Nurse IIIs
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: $108,832
San Francisco: $107,640
Oakland: $105,372
San Jose, CA$108,832
San Francisco, CA$107,640
Oakland, CA$105,372
New York, NY$99,348
Paramus, NJ$98,140
Queens Village, NY$98,136
Passaic, NJ$98,054
Bergenfield, NJ$98,046
Stamford, CT$97,856
Huntington, NY$97,821
Newark, NJ$97,183
Bridgeport, CT$97,001
Vallejo, CA$96,829
New Brunswick, NJ$96,795
Petaluma, CA$96,743
Middlesex, NJ$96,579
Somerset, NJ$96,519
Santa Cruz, CA$96,407
Boston, MA$95,880
Monterey, CA$95,577
Seattle, WA$95,380
Santa Rosa, CA$95,363
Los Angeles, CA$95,337
Juneau, AK$95,112
Washington, DC$95,017
Orange, CA$94,710
Santa Ana, CA$94,483
Long Beach, CA$94,396
Anaheim, CA$94,379
Anchorage, AK$94,336
Santa Maria, CA$94,077
Everett, WA$94,060
Danbury, CT$93,756
Bremerton, WA$93,637
Tacoma, WA$93,326
New Suffolk, NY$93,325
Sacramento, CA$93,300
Santa Barbara, CA$93,205
Trenton, NJ$93,111
San Diego, CA$93,111
Brockton, MA$93,016
Fairbanks, AK$92,804
Lompoc, CA$92,584
Lowell, MA$92,514
Ventura, CA$92,498
Nashua, NH$92,481
Stockton, CA$92,472
Modesto, CA$91,842
Poughkeepsie, NY$91,652
Olympia, WA$91,488
Kennewick, WA$91,488
New Haven, CT$91,454
Lawrence, MA$91,143
Hartford, CT$91,057
Riverside, CA$91,040
New Bedford, MA$90,953
Richland, WA$90,953
Bakersfield, CA$90,833
San Bernardino, CA$90,798
New Britain, CT$90,789
Atlantic City, NJ$90,789
New London, CT$90,755
Norwich, CT$90,729
Portsmouth, NH$90,712
Boulder, CO$90,529
Portland, OR$90,410
Worcester, MA$90,401
Minneapolis, MN$90,134
Philadelphia, PA$90,013
Honolulu, HI$89,728
Saint Paul, MN$89,687
Vineland, NJ$89,668
Providence, RI$89,418
Chicago, IL$89,167
Bellingham, WA$89,064
Springfield, MA$88,995
Baltimore, MD$88,969
Chico, CA$88,753
Pittsfield, MA$88,520
Manchester, NH$88,356
Spokane, WA$87,977
Denver, CO$87,968
Albany, NY$87,562
Troy, NY$87,528
Nassau, NY$87,436
Schenectady, NY$87,347
Wilmington, DE$87,278
Burlington, VT$87,157
Salem, OR$87,122
Portland, ME$86,855
Yakima, WA$86,769
Rochester, MN$86,501
Reno, NV$86,458
Fresno, CA$86,458
Milwaukee, WI$86,380
Detroit, MI$86,294
Ann Arbor, MI$86,279
Allentown, PA$86,268
Colorado Springs, CO$86,121
Syracuse, NY$86,078
Carson City, NV$86,078
Houston, TX$85,958
Eugene, OR$85,914
Gary, IN$85,811
Springfield, OR$85,742
Bismarck, ND$85,725
Galveston, TX$85,664
Medford, OR$85,535
Fort Collins, CO$85,500
Concord, NH$85,457
Austin, TX$85,431
Mesa, AZ$85,250
Reading, PA$85,241
Phoenix, AZ$85,233
Dallas, TX$85,207
Saint Cloud, MN$85,124
Madison, WI$85,008
Utica, NY$84,775
Rochester, NY$84,637
Des Moines, IA$84,629
Raleigh, NC$84,620
Atlanta, GA$84,491
Battle Creek, MI$84,465
Salt Lake City, UT$84,439
Lancaster, PA$84,309
Harrisburg, PA$84,189
Kansas City, MO$84,102
Champaign, IL$84,085
Kansas City, KS$84,085
Fort Worth, TX$84,076
Columbus, OH$84,062
Boca Raton, FL$84,042
Pittsburgh, PA$84,007
Richmond, VA$83,973
Indianapolis, IN$83,956
Cleveland, OH$83,947
Las Vegas, NV$83,844
Cincinnati, OH$83,844
Petersburg, VA$83,714
Huntsville, AL$83,585
Lansing, MI$83,527
Lebanon, PA$83,516
Pueblo, CO$83,507
Appleton, WI$83,481
Buffalo, NY$83,447
Dayton, OH$83,421
Racine, WI$83,403
Charlotte, NC$83,395
Saint Louis, MO$83,369
York, PA$83,317
Elkhart, IN$83,317
Gastonia, NC$83,301
Billings, MT$83,280
Beaumont, TX$83,257
Lorain, OH$83,240
Benton Harbor, MI$83,222
Toledo, OH$83,205
Binghamton, NY$83,162
Rock Hill, SC$83,153
Rockford, IL$83,110
Springfield, IL$83,076
Elyria, OH$83,067
Fargo, ND$83,067
Flagstaff, AZ$83,007
Fort Lauderdale, FL$82,955
Duluth, MN$82,903
Miami, FL$82,903
Cheyenne, WY$82,843
Grand Forks, ND$82,843
Bangor, ME$82,653
Cedar Rapids, IA$82,558
Durham, NC$82,522
Louisville, KY$82,515
Grand Rapids, MI$82,497
Hialeah, FL$82,489
Casper, WY$82,368
Scranton, PA$82,265
New Orleans, LA$82,239
Virginia Beach, VA$82,230
Akron, OH$82,187
Peoria, IL$82,075
Sarasota, FL$82,057
Nashville, TN$81,997
Omaha, NE$81,997
Green Bay, WI$81,997
Baton Rouge, LA$81,954
Charleston, SC$81,937
Jamestown, NY$81,893
Davenport, IA$81,893
Tucson, AZ$81,850
Saint Petersburg, FL$81,799
Tampa, FL$81,781
Evansville, IN$81,730
Port Arthur, TX$81,730
Bradenton, FL$81,695
Santa Fe, NM$81,540
Orlando, FL$81,384
Clearwater, FL$81,359
Canton, OH$81,177
La Crosse, WI$81,177
Albuquerque, NM$81,126
Newport News, VA$81,117
High Point, NC$81,091
Ogden, UT$81,057
Corpus Christi, TX$80,987
Norfolk, VA$80,936
Laramie, WY$80,936
Rock Island, IL$80,884
Saginaw, MI$80,867
Jacksonville, FL$80,858
Salisbury, NC$80,841
Boise, ID$80,824
Moline, IL$80,780
Fort Myers, FL$80,755
Memphis, TN$80,737
Tulsa, OK$80,694
Waterloo, IA$80,642
Spartanburg, SC$80,556
Lincoln, NE$80,513
Fort Wayne, IN$80,496
Provo, UT$80,487
Cedar Falls, IA$80,383
San Antonio, TX$80,349
Greensboro, NC$80,314
South Bend, IN$80,306
Savannah, GA$80,211
Muskegon, MI$80,176
Birmingham, AL$80,168
Winston Salem, NC$80,125
Lake Charles, LA$79,918
Anderson, IN$79,900
Lexington, KY$79,874
Augusta, GA$79,849
Greenville, SC$79,849
Lima, OH$79,779
Wichita, KS$79,771
Tuscaloosa, AL$79,771
Columbia, SC$79,693
Springfield, OH$79,676
Asheville, NC$79,538
Bloomington, IN$79,477
Knoxville, TN$79,167
Shreveport, LA$79,158
Wilmington, NC$79,046
Roanoke, VA$79,046
Topeka, KS$78,891
Frankfort, KY$78,881
Oklahoma City, OK$78,822
Chillicothe, OH$78,787
Longview, TX$78,779
Melbourne, FL$78,770
Sioux Falls, SD$78,632
Mobile, AL$78,623
Terre Haute, IN$78,589
Altoona, PA$78,537
Amarillo, TX$78,477
Killeen, TX$78,451
Fayetteville, AR$78,382
Chattanooga, TN$78,356
Sioux City, IA$78,278
Idaho Falls, ID$78,261
Lynchburg, VA$78,192
Gainesville, FL$78,080
Portsmouth, OH$78,037
Little Rock, AR$78,019
Lafayette, LA$77,985
Youngstown, OH$77,985
Daytona Beach, FL$77,933
Clarksville, TN$77,924
Pensacola, FL$77,916
Temple, TX$77,910
Hopkinsville, KY$77,657
Erie, PA$77,640
Florence, SC$77,605
Charleston, WV$77,467
Great Falls, MT$77,424
Macon, GA$77,303
Tallahassee, FL$77,294
Fayetteville, NC$77,277
Waco, TX$77,260
Helena, MT$77,200
Pine Bluff, AR$77,167
Vincennes, IN$77,061
Lubbock, TX$77,027
Alamogordo, NM$76,975
Twin Falls, ID$76,898
Rapid City, SD$76,872
Jackson, MS$76,716
Huntington, WV$76,710
Greenville, MS$76,708
Parkersburg, WV$76,620
Montgomery, AL$76,604
Wichita Falls, TX$76,518
Springfield, MO$76,518
Biloxi, MS$76,475
Monroe, LA$76,388
Johnstown, PA$76,328
Sumter, SC$76,294
Columbus, GA$76,285
Pascagoula, MS$76,121
Abilene, TX$76,121
Kingsport, TN$75,897
Albany, GA$75,897
Gulfport, MS$75,871
Alexandria, LA$75,586
Fort Smith, AR$75,370
El Paso, TX$75,137
Las Cruces, NM$74,749
Harlingen, TX$74,530
Pocatello, ID$74,516
Florence, AL$74,404
Brownsville, TX$74,387
Mcallen, TX$74,205
Dothan, AL$74,085
Columbus, MS$73,572
Altus, OK$73,170
Lawton, OK$73,006
Pierre, SD$72,695
What Skills Can Increase a Clinical Nurse III's Salary?
Demanded Skills for the Role:
Planning (Mentioned in 5.85% 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 Practice (Mentioned in 2.7% Job Postings): Nursing practice may be work experience that is direct and/or indirect patient care in clinical practice, nursing administration, education, research, or consultation in the specialty represented by the credential.
Life Support (Mentioned in 2.17% Job Postings): Life support refers to the treatments and techniques performed in an emergency in order to support life after the failure of one or more vital organs. Healthcare providers and emergency medical technicians are generally certified to perform basic and advanced life support procedures; however, basic life support is sometimes provided at the scene of an emergency by family members or bystanders before emergency services arrive. In the case of cardiac injuries, cardiopulmonary resuscitation is initiated by bystanders or family members 25% of the time. Basic life support techniques, such as performing CPR on a victim of cardiac arrest, can double or even triple that patient's chance of survival. Other types of basic life support include relief from choking (which can be done by using the Heimlich maneuver), staunching of bleeding by direct compression and elevation above the heart (and if necessary, pressure on arterial pressure points and the use of a manufactured or improvised tourniquet), first aid, and the use of an automated external defibrillator.
See More Skills
Skills
Demand Percentage
Planning
5.85%
Nursing Practice
2.7%
Life Support
2.17%
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 Clinical Nurse III's salary.
Staff Development: Can increase your salary by up to 9%.
Risk Management: Can increase your salary by up to 6%.
Telecommunications: Can increase your salary by up to 5%.
Skill
Salary
Salary % Increase
Staff Development
$94,051
9%
Risk Management
$91,463
6%
Telecommunications
$90,600
5%
Family Education
$89,737
4%
Partnering
$89,737
4%
Critical Care
$88,874
3%
Get Latest Data
Clinical Nurse III Salary by Industry: Top Paying Sectors
For Clinical Nurse III roles, the industry you choose can impact your earning potential
by as much as 35% (the gap between the highest and lowest paying industries).
Data shows that the highest-paying industry, Healthcare,
offers compensation 20% above the average. Conversely,
Clinical Nurse positions in Edu., Gov't. & Nonprofit typically offer lower base pay,
as this sector often view Clinical Nurse III as a support function rather than a direct revenue driver.
The top paying industry for a Clinical Nurse III
Industry Sector
Average Annual Salary
Average Hourly Rate
Pay vs.Avg
Healthcare
$103,542
$50.0
20%
How Education impacts a Clinical Nurse III's Salary?
Your level of education can impact your salary potential.
While many Clinical Nurse IIIs 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 Clinical Nurse III with a Associate's Degree is between
$83,595
and $88,593).
Clinical Nurse III Salaries by Degree Level
Typical Education for Clinical Nurse III
No Diploma1.1%
High School1.1%
Associates40.1%
Bachelors53.0%
Masters5.2%
Doctorate0.4%
view as table
Degree Level
% of user with this level of education
No Diploma
1.1%
High School
1.1%
Associates
40.1%
Bachelors
53.0%
Masters
5.2%
Doctorate
0.4%
view as graph
Clinical Nurse III Salary: Hourly Rate, Weekly Pay, and Monthly Pay
Understanding how a Clinical Nurse III'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.
Salaries for a Clinical Nurse III can change over time,
reflecting shifts in market demand and the overall economy.
The median salary decreased from $204,689 in 2023
to around $199,087 in 2025,
reflecting changes in demand, location, experience, and the wider economy.
For a detailed analysis of Clinical Nurse III salary trends,
.
Average Annual Salary of Clinical Nurse III Over Time
2022
$???
2023
$204,689
2024
$206,887
2025
$199,087
2026
$???
2027
$???
Year
Average Annual Salary
2022
View More
2023
$204,689
2024
$206,887
2025
$199,087
2026
View More
2027
View More
Most common benefits for Clinical Nurse III
Social Security
401(k)
Disability
Healthcare
Pension
Time Off (days)
For Employers
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Compensation Planning
Common company salaries for Clinical Nurse III
Here are companies hiring for Clinical Nurse III and their salaries, click below for more details.
N
$97,099/per year
New York Police Department
Edu., Gov't. & Nonprofit
the United States
S
$95,962/per year
State of New York - Metropolitan Transportation Authority
Edu., Gov't. & Nonprofit
the United States
U
$94,615/per year
US Department of Transportation
Edu., Gov't. & Nonprofit
the United States
U
$93,141/per year
US General Services Administration
Edu., Gov't. & Nonprofit
the United States
L
$92,342/per year
Los Angeles County
Edu., Gov't. & Nonprofit
the United States
D
$92,011/per year
Department of Justice - Federal Bureau of Prisons
Edu., Gov't. & Nonprofit
the United States
U
$91,967/per year
US Department of Commerce
Edu., Gov't. & Nonprofit
the United States
U
$91,755/per year
US Department of Energy
Edu., Gov't. & Nonprofit
the United States
F
$91,673/per year
Federal Bureau of Investigation
Edu., Gov't. & Nonprofit
the United States
N
$90,276/per year
Naval Sea Systems Command
Edu., Gov't. & Nonprofit
the United States
T
$88,975/per year
The US Immigration and Customs Enforcement
Edu., Gov't. & Nonprofit
the United States
S
$88,721/per year
San Diego County
Edu., Gov't. & Nonprofit
the United States
T
$88,664/per year
The TTB
Edu., Gov't. & Nonprofit
the United States
L
$87,569/per year
Lutheran Services
Edu., Gov't. & Nonprofit
the United States
M
$85,066/per year
Maryland Inc
Edu., Gov't. & Nonprofit
the United States
S
$83,780/per year
State University of New York
Edu., Gov't. & Nonprofit
the United States
N
$82,969/per year
New York State
Edu., Gov't. & Nonprofit
the United States
P
$82,703/per year
Puerto Rico Department of Education
Edu., Gov't. & Nonprofit
the United States
U
$80,526/per year
US Central Command
Edu., Gov't. & Nonprofit
the United States
H
$80,286/per year
Health and Safety Executive Northern Ireland
Edu., Gov't. & Nonprofit
the United States
A
$79,270/per year
Air Force Reserve
Edu., Gov't. & Nonprofit
the United States
A
$78,505/per year
American Automobile Association (AAA)
Edu., Gov't. & Nonprofit
the United States
S
$76,678/per year
State of Florida - Department of Health
Edu., Gov't. & Nonprofit
the United States
N
$75,183/per year
New York State Department
Edu., Gov't. & Nonprofit
the United States
S
$75,106/per year
State University System of Florida
Edu., Gov't. & Nonprofit
the United States
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FAQ about Clinical Nurse III
1. What industry pays the highest salary for Clinical Nurse III?
The Healthcare industry offers the highest average compensation for Clinical Nurse III roles,
with salaries approximately 20% 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.
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