How much does a Nurse In Charge make in the United States?

As of September 01, 2026, the average salary for a Nurse In Charge in the United States is $102,441 per year, which breaks down to an hourly rate of $49.

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

  • Top Earners (90th percentile): $123,349
  • Majority Range (25th-75th percentile): $96,753 to $113,385
  • Entry-Level (10th percentile): $91,575

Key Factors That Influence Nurse In Charge Salaries

A Nurse In Charge'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 Nurse In Charge Salaries?

Experience is a primary driver of a Nurse In Charge'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): $102,836
  • Early Career (1-2 years): $116,826
  • Mid-Level (2-4 years): $136,722
  • Senior-Level (5-8 years): $165,624
  • Expert (over 8 years): $203,428
Levels Salary
Nurse In ... Level Nurse In Charge$102,836
Nursing S... Level Nurse In Charge$116,826
Nursing M... Level Nurse In Charge$136,722
Nursing S... Level Nurse In Charge$165,624
Nursing D... Level Nurse In Charge$203,428

Top Paying Cities for Nurse In Charges

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: $129,209
  • San Francisco: $127,794
  • Oakland: $125,101

What Skills Can Increase a Nurse In Charge's Salary?

Demanded Skills for the Role:

  • Leadership (Mentioned in 4.22% Job Postings): Knowledge of and ability to employ effective strategies that motivate and guide other members within our business to achieve optimum results.
  • Long Term Care (Mentioned in 4.83% 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.
  • Technical Services (Mentioned in 1.36% Job Postings): Technical services are services that an IT organization provides to support business services or IT operations. Employee provisioning, backup and recovery, storage, and self-service help desk are examples of technical services
Skills Demand Percentage
Leadership 4.22%
Long Term Care 4.83%
Technical Services 1.36%

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 Nurse In Charge's salary.

  • Collaborating: Can increase your salary by up to 7%.
  • Organizational Skills: Can increase your salary by up to 3%.
  • Clinical Nursing: Can increase your salary by up to 3%.
Skill Salary Salary % Increase
Collaborating $109,612
7%
Organizational Skills $105,514
3%
Clinical Nursing $105,514
3%

Nurse In Charge Salary by Industry: Top Paying Sectors

For Nurse In Charge roles, the industry you choose can impact your earning potential by as much as 20% (the gap between the highest and lowest paying industries). Data shows that the highest-paying industry, Healthcare, offers compensation 10% above the average. Conversely, Nurse In Charge positions in Edu., Gov't. & Nonprofit typically offer lower base pay, as this sector often view Nurse In Charge as a support function rather than a direct revenue driver.

The top paying industry for a Nurse In Charge

Industry Sector Average Annual Salary Average Hourly Rate Pay vs.Avg
Healthcare$112,685$54.010%

How Education impacts a Nurse In Charge's Salary?

Your level of education can impact your salary potential. While many Nurse In Charges 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 Nurse In Charge with a Associate's Degree is between $95,468 and $99,770).

Nurse In Charge Salaries by Degree Level

Typical Education for Nurse In Charge
Degree Level % of user with this level of education
No Diploma 0.5%
High School 3.8%
Associates 38.1%
Bachelors 48.0%
Masters 9.4%
Doctorate 0.2%

Nurse In Charge Salary: Hourly Rate, Weekly Pay, and Monthly Pay

Understanding how a Nurse In Charge'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 September 01, 2026
$96,753
Average $102,441/year
$113,385
$8,063
Average $8,537/month
$9,449
$1,861
Average $1,970/week
$2,180
$47
Average $49/hour
$55
Annual Salary Monthly Pay Weekly Pay Hourly Wage
75th Percentile $113,385 $9,449 $2,180 $55
Average $102,441 $8,537 $1,970 $49
25th Percentile $96,753 $8,063 $1,861 $47

Most common benefits for Nurse In Charge

  • Social Security
  • 401 (k)
  • Disability
  • Healthcare
  • Pension
  • Time Off (days)

Common company salaries for Nurse In Charge

Here are companies hiring for Nurse In Charge and their salaries, click below for more details.

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FAQ about Nurse In Charge

1. What industry pays the highest salary for Nurse In Charge?

The Healthcare industry offers the highest average compensation for Nurse In Charge roles, with salaries approximately 10% 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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