How Much Do Flight Nurses Make?

Flight nursing, a registered nurse (RN) specialty area, requires 3-5 years of experience in an emergency room (ER) or intensive care unit (ICU) and certification. Job listings on Indeed indicate a current demand for flight nurses and employers willing to pay generous salaries.

Flight nurses work in fast-paced nursing careers saving lives aboard helicopters and airplanes. This guide provides information about average flight nurse salaries, top-paying states and workplaces, and ways to increase earnings.

As of June 2022, Payscale lists the average annual flight nurse salary at $73,470 or $33.28 per hour. An RN needs at least three years of experience working in an ER or ICU, but any additional time on the job can lead to pay increases.

Earning flight nurse, emergency medical technician, and trauma certifications can also affect salaries. Flight nurse earnings also vary by geographic location and industry.

Flight nurse pay often correlates with regional cost-of-living figures. The more expensive areas, such as San Francisco Bay Area cities, tend to offer higher wages. Supply and demand also factors considerably in pay — remote locations in Alaska, for example, pay well.

As a specialty area of registered nursing, flight nurses earn six-figure annual incomes in California and Hawaii and salaries in the upper $90,000s in Oregon, Washington, D.C., and Alaska.

The states with the highest annual pay for registered nurses are:

Source:U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS)

Flight nursing is one of many specializations available to RNs, and average salaries rank in the middle of all RN specialty pay rates. According to June 2022 Payscale data, school nurses earn $47,960 on average, while HIV/AIDS nurses make an annual average of $91,000. Note that the sample size from Payscale for HIV/AIDS nurses is fewer than 50 respondents.

Average wages earned by comparable nursing professionals include $73,000 for emergency nurses, $74,860 a year for critical care nurses, and $78,480 for trauma nurses.

Flight nurses can increase their pay by pursuing certifications, higher degrees, and administrative experience, along with changing to different geographical areas or professional roles.

The average flight nurse salary totals $73,470 per year, according to June 2022 Payscale data, but flight nurses in states like California and Hawaii and at specific companies can earn six-figure incomes.

Flight nurses serve on critical care teams that provide pre-hospital care to patients experiencing extreme trauma. The pressure and fast-paced nature of the job are compounded by a workplace high in the air.

The highest-paying RN specializations require certification and master’s-level education. For example, May 2021 data from the BLS indicates that nurse anesthetists earned a median income of $195,610.

Flight nursing is challenging and rewarding, best suited for nurses experienced in working in high-pressure situations like acute care and emergency nursing. Flight nurses need the determination to spend 5-9 years preparing for the job through education, experience, and certification.