How Much Do Charge Nurses Make?

The role of the charge nurse is a step up on the clinical ladder. Duties may vary depending on the facility and specialty. However, there are professional standards developed by the state board of nursing that must be consistent. A charge nurse career often comes with a salary increase.

On this page, we break down the charge nurse salary by education, years of experience, and geography. We also discuss the impact COVID-19 has had on how much a charge nurse makes and discuss three strategies charge nurses can use for a pay increase.

To become a charge nurse, you may hold one of three degrees. Nurses who have a two-year associate degree in nursing, four-year bachelor of science in nursing (BSN) degree, or master of science in nursing degree may be charge nurses. The degree you hold influences the charge nurse salary you can expect. For instance, a BSN charge nurse can expect higher pay. In some places, your degree also influences the extent of your responsibilities.

The pandemic has had an unprecedented effect on nursing staff across the country. Areas of the country that were hardest hit began advertising traveling nurse jobs that paid much more than what nurses were making in their hometown. This increased the nursing shortage in rural areas that were already experiencing low numbers.

Charge nurses in the pandemic are being called to work as if they are leading on a battlefield. An effective charge nurse requires several leadership skills such as critical thinking in nursing, flexibility, calm confidence, strong communication, and disciplined decision-making. Good leadership has a significant impact on nurses, especially during the pandemic.

One analysis discovered how critical leadership in a crisis protects the well-being of bedside nurses. When leadership is more visible it can help lessen the impact of negative experiences. The research also found that using different leadership styles supported nurses better.

Charge nurses are in the unique position of leadership and bedside nursing. This means they can provide feedback to nursing managers that help refine leadership styles to support the emotional and physical well-being of nurses working on their unit.

Ways to Increase Pay As a Charge Nurse

A charge nurse salary depends on several factors. These include geographical area, facility, certification, clinical focus, and years of experience. For example, nurses working in the intensive care unit (ICU) often make more than nurses working on a medical-surgical unit. This reflects the added experience and sometimes nursing certifications needed to practice in the ICU.

You may have considered moving to a state that offers a higher nurse salary. However, it is important to remember that these states usually also have a higher cost of living. It can be more expensive to live in the area, so hospitals compensate nurses with a better salary.

Becker’s Hospital Review published in 2020 found that California, Nevada, Washington, Oregon, and Alaska had the highest-paid registered nurses (RNs). These are areas where the cost of living is also greater. Other states with higher salaries include New York, Hawaii, and Massachusetts.

The regions with the lowest-paid nurses included Tennessee, Mississippi, Alabama, Georgia, South Carolina, and Florida. These states have more rural areas and a lower cost of living. The differences in salary by geographic region are consistent with the general RN salary found across the U.S.

There are several ways to work in healthcare. The table below compares salaries across other clinical professions. Remember that clinicians working in the following professions may also have advanced specialization or certifications that can affect compensation.

The average annual salary for a charge nurse falls in a range according to ZipRecruiter. From the lowest 10% to the highest 10%, a charge nurse salary can be anywhere from $39,000-$121,500 as of September 2021. The range correlates with geographical location, education level, years of experience, and certifications in your nursing specialty. You can influence each of these factors, which can then increase your salary potential.

Charge nurses are usually paid more than staff nurses, depending on how the role is defined by your hospital. For example, some units do pay a differential for charge nurses, but units that rotate the charge position each day do not. However, nurses who are promoted to a permanent charge nurse position generally receive a salary raise.

A certified nurse anesthetist is the highest-paid clinical nurse position. The mean annual salary for this position is $189,190 according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. The highest-paid nurse administration job is nursing director. The salary for this position depends on the geographical area and can range from $68,880-$100,950.

BSN nursing is the most sought after as hospitals seek to raise the percentage of BSN nurses to 80%. With this four-year degree, nurses can practice at the bedside, become a charge nurse, or advance to other leadership and management roles.

There are four main levels of nursing professionals: certified nursing assistant, licensed practical/vocational nurse, registered nurse, and advanced practice registered nurse.