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

A Clinical Lead Nurse's salary grows with experience: starting around $91,814 for beginners, reaching about $93,765 at mid-level, and approach $98,302 for experts.

What are the highest paying states for a Clinical Lead Nurse?

Clinical Lead Nurse salary varies significantly by state. The top 3 highest paying states for Clinical Lead Nurse roles are District of Columbia $106,214, California $105,811, Massachusetts $104,401. These tech hubs typically pay 10-15% above the national average.

How much do different types of Clinical Lead Nurse roles make?

Salaries for Clinical Lead Nurse level roles vary by specialization: Clinical Nurse Director: $299,167; Clinical Nurse Leader: $127,442; Clinical Nurse: $127,197; Clinical Nurse Manager: $126,674; Lead Nurse: $116,290.

How do different companies affect a Clinical Lead Nurse's salary?

Company size, industry, and compensation structure create significant salary variations for Clinical Lead 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.

Clinical Lead Nurse Salary in the United States

How much does a Clinical Lead Nurse make in the United States?

As of January 01, 2026, the average salary for a Clinical Lead Nurse in the United States is $95,930 per year, which breaks down to an hourly rate of $46.

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

Top Earners (90th percentile): $109,933
Majority Range (25th-75th percentile): $85,472 to $103,260
Entry-Level (10th percentile): $75,951

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Clinical Lead Nurse Salaries by Percentile

	Annual Salary	Monthly Pay	Weekly Pay	Hourly Wage
75th Percentile	$103,260	$8,605	$1,986	$50
Average	$95,930	$7,994	$1,845	$46
25th Percentile	$85,472	$7,123	$1,644	$41

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Key Factors That Influence Clinical Lead Nurse Salaries

A Clinical Lead 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 Experience Level Affects Clinical Lead Nurse Salaries?

Experience is a primary driver of a Clinical Lead Nurse'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): $91,814
Early Career (1-2 years): $92,139
Mid-Level (2-4 years): $93,765
Senior-Level (5-8 years): $96,146
Expert (over 8 years): $98,302

Levels	Salary
Entry Level Clinical Lead Nurse	$91,814
Intermediate Level Clinical Lead Nurse	$92,139
Senior Level Clinical Lead Nurse	$93,765
Specialist Level Clinical Lead Nurse	$96,146
Expert Level Clinical Lead Nurse	$98,302

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What Am I Worth?

How Do Clinical Lead 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 Clinical Lead Nurses. For example, consider the average annual salaries in these key locations:

District of Columbia: $106,214.
California: $105,811.
Massachusetts: $104,401.

District of Columbia $106,214 California $105,811 Massachusetts $104,401 Washington $104,017 New Jersey $103,979 Alaska $103,845 Connecticut $102,521 New York $101,984

Hawaii $100,266 Rhode Island $99,461 Maryland $98,914 Minnesota $98,166 Colorado $97,878 Illinois $97,782 Oregon $97,417 Delaware $97,149

New Hampshire $96,980 Virginia $96,602 Pennsylvania $95,499 Nevada $94,942 North Dakota $94,760 Michigan $94,472 Wisconsin $94,367 Vermont $94,156

Texas $93,571 Maine $93,532 Arizona $93,475 Ohio $93,407 Georgia $92,525 Indiana $92,084 Wyoming $91,997 Utah $91,863

Iowa $91,805 Kansas $91,345 Louisiana $91,211 North Carolina $91,163 Missouri $91,143 Florida $90,769 Montana $90,568 Nebraska $90,376

Kentucky $90,271 South Carolina $89,887 Tennessee $89,647 Idaho $89,551 New Mexico $88,851 Oklahoma $88,697 Alabama $88,131 South Dakota $87,182

Arkansas $86,664 West Virginia $86,385 Mississippi $85,551

Top Paying Cities for Clinical Lead 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: $120,997
San Francisco: $119,807
Oakland: $117,150

San Jose, CA $120,997

San Francisco, CA $119,807

Oakland, CA $117,150

New York, NY $111,174

Queens Village, NY $110,454

Paramus, NJ $109,687

Passaic, NJ $109,591

Bergenfield, NJ $109,495

Stamford, CT $109,351

Huntington, NY $109,255

Newark, NJ $108,632

Bridgeport, CT $108,440

New Brunswick, NJ $108,123

Vallejo, CA $107,922

Middlesex, NJ $107,864

Somerset, NJ $107,778

Petaluma, CA $107,557

Santa Cruz, CA $107,183

Boston, MA $106,991

Monterey, CA $106,512

Fairbanks, AK $106,444

Los Angeles, CA $106,262

Washington, DC $106,214

Seattle, WA $106,041

Santa Rosa, CA $106,022

Juneau, AK $105,744

Orange, CA $105,428

Anchorage, AK $105,255

Anaheim, CA $105,188

Santa Ana, CA $105,044

Nassau, NY $104,986

Long Beach, CA $104,948

Danbury, CT $104,919

Santa Maria, CA $104,593

Everett, WA $104,574

Bremerton, WA $104,104

Trenton, NJ $103,921

Sacramento, CA $103,883

San Diego, CA $103,835

Brockton, MA $103,797

Tacoma, WA $103,758

Santa Barbara, CA $103,624

Lowell, MA $103,240

New Suffolk, NY $103,202

Nashua, NH $103,087

Lompoc, CA $102,933

Ventura, CA $102,837

Stockton, CA $102,809

New Haven, CT $102,617

Atlantic City, NJ $102,367

Hartford, CT $102,156

Modesto, CA $102,108

Poughkeepsie, NY $101,897

New Britain, CT $101,849

Olympia, WA $101,715

Kennewick, WA $101,715

New London, CT $101,696

Norwich, CT $101,667

Lawrence, MA $101,619

Bakersfield, CA $101,350

Riverside, CA $101,216

New Bedford, MA $101,216

Richland, WA $101,120

Portsmouth, NH $101,043

Vineland, NJ $101,024

San Bernardino, CA $100,948

Boulder, CO $100,679

Worcester, MA $100,602

Portland, OR $100,516

Saint Paul, MN $100,401

Minneapolis, MN $100,401

Philadelphia, PA $100,266

Honolulu, HI $99,758

Springfield, MA $99,422

Providence, RI $99,413

Chicago, IL $99,134

Bellingham, WA $99,019

Baltimore, MD $98,914

Chico, CA $98,674

Wilmington, DE $98,511

Pittsfield, MA $98,415

Manchester, NH $98,233

Spokane, WA $97,811

Denver, CO $97,801

Albany, NY $97,350

Troy, NY $97,312

Schenectady, NY $97,110

Burlington, VT $96,899

Portland, ME $96,564

Salem, OR $96,487

Yakima, WA $96,468

Ann Arbor, MI $96,439

Rochester, MN $96,170

Fresno, CA $96,122

Reno, NV $96,122

Milwaukee, WI $96,036

Detroit, MI $95,940

Allentown, PA $95,911

Carson City, NV $95,902

Houston, TX $95,758

Colorado Springs, CO $95,748

Syracuse, NY $95,700

Eugene, OR $95,518

Bismarck, ND $95,403

Gary, IN $95,403

Galveston, TX $95,403

Springfield, OR $95,326

Medford, OR $95,096

Fort Collins, CO $95,057

Austin, TX $94,981

Mesa, AZ $94,779

Phoenix, AZ $94,760

Dallas, TX $94,731

Reading, PA $94,674

Saint Cloud, MN $94,635

Concord, NH $94,549

Madison, WI $94,511

Utica, NY $94,252

Raleigh, NC $94,175

Las Vegas, NV $94,165

Rochester, NY $94,098

Des Moines, IA $94,089

Atlanta, GA $93,935

Battle Creek, MI $93,906

Salt Lake City, UT $93,877

Lancaster, PA $93,734

Champaign, IL $93,714

Harrisburg, PA $93,599

Durham, NC $93,513

Kansas City, MO $93,503

Kansas City, KS $93,484

Fort Worth, TX $93,475

Boca Raton, FL $93,436

Cleveland, OH $93,427

Columbus, OH $93,407

Pittsburgh, PA $93,398

Richmond, VA $93,359

Indianapolis, IN $93,340

Cincinnati, OH $93,216

Petersburg, VA $93,072

Billings, MT $92,861

Lansing, MI $92,861

Huntsville, AL $92,861

Lebanon, PA $92,851

Dayton, OH $92,841

Pueblo, CO $92,841

Appleton, WI $92,813

Buffalo, NY $92,774

Racine, WI $92,726

Charlotte, NC $92,717

Saint Louis, MO $92,688

Springfield, IL $92,650

Elkhart, IN $92,630

York, PA $92,630

Gastonia, NC $92,621

Benton Harbor, MI $92,621

Beaumont, TX $92,563

Lorain, OH $92,544

Toledo, OH $92,506

Binghamton, NY $92,458

Rock Hill, SC $92,448

Rockford, IL $92,400

Fargo, ND $92,352

Elyria, OH $92,352

Flagstaff, AZ $92,285

Fort Lauderdale, FL $92,227

Miami, FL $92,170

Duluth, MN $92,016

Bangor, ME $91,892

Cedar Rapids, IA $91,786

Louisville, KY $91,738

Grand Rapids, MI $91,719

Hialeah, FL $91,709

Casper, WY $91,575

Scranton, PA $91,460

New Orleans, LA $91,431

Virginia Beach, VA $91,422

Akron, OH $91,374

Peoria, IL $91,249

Sarasota, FL $91,230

Green Bay, WI $91,163

Baton Rouge, LA $91,115

Charleston, SC $91,096

Nashville, TN $91,067

Jamestown, NY $91,048

Davenport, IA $91,048

Tucson, AZ $91,000

Cheyenne, WY $90,971

Saint Petersburg, FL $90,942

Tampa, FL $90,923

Omaha, NE $90,904

Port Arthur, TX $90,865

Evansville, IN $90,865

Bradenton, FL $90,827

Santa Fe, NM $90,654

Orlando, FL $90,558

Clearwater, FL $90,453

Canton, OH $90,251

La Crosse, WI $90,251

Grand Forks, ND $90,223

Albuquerque, NM $90,194

Tulsa, OK $90,194

Newport News, VA $90,184

High Point, NC $90,155

Ogden, UT $90,117

Corpus Christi, TX $90,040

Laramie, WY $89,983

Norfolk, VA $89,983

Rock Island, IL $89,925

Saginaw, MI $89,906

Jacksonville, FL $89,896

Salisbury, NC $89,877

Memphis, TN $89,858

Moline, IL $89,810

Fort Myers, FL $89,781

Waterloo, IA $89,657

Spartanburg, SC $89,561

Lincoln, NE $89,513

Fort Wayne, IN $89,493

Birmingham, AL $89,388

Cedar Falls, IA $89,369

Provo, UT $89,359

Springfield, OH $89,350

San Antonio, TX $89,330

Greensboro, NC $89,292

South Bend, IN $89,282

Winston Salem, NC $89,273

Boise, ID $89,244

Savannah, GA $89,177

Muskegon, MI $89,004

Lima, OH $88,889

Lake Charles, LA $88,851

Anderson, IN $88,832

Lexington, KY $88,803

Augusta, GA $88,774

Greenville, SC $88,774

Wichita, KS $88,688

Tuscaloosa, AL $88,688

Columbia, SC $88,601

Bloomington, IN $88,361

Roanoke, VA $88,304

Asheville, NC $88,179

Knoxville, TN $88,016

Shreveport, LA $88,007

Wilmington, NC $87,882

Frankfort, KY $87,700

Oklahoma City, OK $87,632

Chillicothe, OH $87,594

Longview, TX $87,584

Topeka, KS $87,556

Mobile, AL $87,412

Terre Haute, IN $87,373

Erie, PA $87,364

Altoona, PA $87,316

Melbourne, FL $87,287

Amarillo, TX $87,249

Killeen, TX $87,220

Fayetteville, AR $87,143

Sioux Falls, SD $87,076

Chattanooga, TN $87,018

Idaho Falls, ID $87,009

Gainesville, FL $86,807

Portsmouth, OH $86,759

Little Rock, AR $86,740

Lynchburg, VA $86,740

Lafayette, LA $86,702

Youngstown, OH $86,702

Temple, TX $86,664

Daytona Beach, FL $86,644

Clarksville, TN $86,635

Pensacola, FL $86,625

Hopkinsville, KY $86,337

Charleston, WV $86,328

Florence, SC $86,280

Sioux City, IA $86,222

Macon, GA $85,944

Tallahassee, FL $85,934

Fayetteville, NC $85,915

Waco, TX $85,896

Wichita Falls, TX $85,896

Pine Bluff, AR $85,858

Vincennes, IN $85,675

Lubbock, TX $85,637

Great Falls, MT $85,580

Alamogordo, NM $85,570

Abilene, TX $85,493

Rapid City, SD $85,368

Monroe, LA $85,368

Albany, GA $85,311

Huntington, WV $85,301

Jackson, MS $85,292

Greenville, MS $85,282

Parkersburg, WV $85,186

Montgomery, AL $85,167

Johnstown, PA $85,148

Springfield, MO $85,071

Biloxi, MS $85,023

Sumter, SC $84,822

Columbus, GA $84,812

Twin Falls, ID $84,755

Pascagoula, MS $84,630

Kingsport, TN $84,380

Gulfport, MS $84,352

Alexandria, LA $84,035

Fort Smith, AR $83,795

El Paso, TX $83,536

Helena, MT $83,411

Las Cruces, NM $83,105

Harlingen, TX $82,836

Pocatello, ID $82,750

Florence, AL $82,721

Brownsville, TX $82,702

Dothan, AL $82,548

Mcallen, TX $82,500

Columbus, MS $81,790

Altus, OK $81,349

Lawton, OK $81,167

Pierre, SD $80,821

What Skills Can Increase a Clinical Lead Nurse's Salary?

Demanded Skills for the Role:

Accountability (Mentioned in 4.83% Job Postings): Setting and holding oneself and others to stated expectations by associating tasks with our business's mission, values, and goals.
Nursing Practice (Mentioned in 2.77% 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.
Family Education (Mentioned in 1.82% Job Postings): Family education or “psychoeducation” is the ongoing process of educating family members about a serious mental illness in order to improve their coping skills and their ability to help a relative affected by the illness.

See More Skills

Skills	Demand Percentage
Accountability	4.83%
Nursing Practice	2.77%
Family Education	1.82%

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 Lead Nurse's salary.

Staff Development: Can increase your salary by up to 10%.
Cardiac: Can increase your salary by up to 5%.
Decision Making: Can increase your salary by up to 4%.

Skill	Salary	Salary % Increase
Staff Development	$105,523	10%
Cardiac	$100,727	5%
Decision Making	$99,768	4%
Oral Communication	$99,768	4%
Collaboration	$98,808	3%
Nursing Practice	$98,808	3%

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How Education impacts a Clinical Lead Nurse's Salary?

Your level of education can impact your salary potential. While many Clinical Lead Nurses 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 Clinical Lead Nurse with a Bachelor's Degree is between $90,451 and $96,120).

Clinical Lead Nurse Salaries by Degree Level

Typical Education for Clinical Lead Nurse

No Diploma 0.9%

High School 0.9%

Associates 26.1%

Bachelors 53.6%

Masters 18.5%

Doctorate 0.9%

view as table

Degree Level	% of user with this level of education
No Diploma	0.9%
High School	0.9%
Associates	26.1%
Bachelors	53.6%
Masters	18.5%
Doctorate	0.9%

view as graph

Clinical Lead Nurse Salary: Hourly Rate, Weekly Pay, and Monthly Pay

Understanding how a Clinical Lead 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 January 01, 2026

$85,472

Average $95,930/year

$103,260

$7,123

Average $7,994/month

$8,605

$1,644

Average $1,845/week

$1,986

$41

Average $46/hour

$50

	Annual Salary	Monthly Pay	Weekly Pay	Hourly Wage
75th Percentile	$103,260	$8,605	$1,986	$50
Average	$95,930	$7,994	$1,845	$46
25th Percentile	$85,472	$7,123	$1,644	$41

Salaries of jobs related to Clinical Lead Nurse

Salary Trends for Clinical Lead Nurse

Salaries for a Clinical Lead Nurse can change over time, reflecting shifts in market demand and the overall economy. The median salary decreased from $110,103 in 2023 to around $108,936 in 2025, reflecting changes in demand, location, experience, and the wider economy. For a detailed analysis of Clinical Lead Nurse salary trends, .

Average Annual Salary of Clinical Lead Nurse Over Time

2022

$???

2023

$110,103

2024

$110,193

2025

$108,936

2026

$???

2027

$???

Year	Average Annual Salary
2022	View More
2023	$110,103
2024	$110,193
2025	$108,936
2026	View More
2027	View More

Most common benefits for Clinical Lead Nurse

Social Security

401(k)

Disability

Healthcare

Pension

Time Off (days)

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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.)

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