Charge Nurse salary
A charge nurse earns about $104,380 a year — roughly $50.18/hour, with most earning between $85,950 and $120,210. This is an estimate — a starting point, not an exact figure.
Charge Nurse — U.S. national
Specialty estimateMedian annual pay
$104,380
Hourly
$50.18/hr
- Typical range
- $85,950–$120,210
- What most nurses earn
- High end
- $147,090
- Top earners
- Entry level
- $73,770
- Newer nurses
What affects this pay
- Charge differential per shift
- Unit size and acuity
- Experience and clinical-ladder step
- Nights and weekend differentials
- Metro labor market
About Charge Nurses
What they do
Charge nurses run a hospital unit for a single shift: making patient assignments, coordinating admissions, discharges, and transfers, troubleshooting staffing, and being the go-to resource for the team — often while still taking their own patients.
How to become a Charge Nurse
Charge nurses are experienced staff RNs (commonly two-plus years on the unit) who step up into the role; it is usually a shift assignment with a pay differential rather than a separate salaried job, and a frequent first step toward management.
What drives the pay
Public wage data doesn’t track charge nurses separately; figures are based on registered nurse pay. The modest premium reflects a per-shift charge differential and seniority rather than a distinct salaried management wage.
Charge Nurse pay by state
Estimated charge nurse pay where this role tends to earn the most. Open a state for the full local picture.
| State | Est. annual pay | vs U.S. |
|---|---|---|
| California | $150,090 | +44% vs national |
| Hawaii | $145,860 | +40% vs national |
| Oregon | $138,040 | +32% vs national |
| Washington | $132,890 | +27% vs national |
| Alaska | $117,140 | +12% vs national |
| New York | $117,100 | +12% vs national |
| New Jersey | $113,960 | +9% vs national |
| Massachusetts | $111,870 | +7% vs national |
Why there is no charge nurse pay table by state
The federal wage survey behind these figures (BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics) measures nursing by occupation code, not by clinical specialty. There is a published figure for Registered Nurse in every state, but none for charge nurse specifically. Any state-by-state charge nurse table would be the registered-nurse figure with a specialty adjustment applied — a model, not a local measurement, so we do not publish one.
For pay where you live, use the measured data: registered nurse salary by state, then apply the specialty difference described above. Our methodology explains how that adjustment is derived and where it is weakest.
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Charge Nurse salary FAQ
- How much do Charge Nurses make?
- Charge Nurses earn an estimated $104,380 a year — about $50.18 an hour, with most between $85,950 and $120,210. Charge Nurses aren't reported as a separate role in public wage data, so this is a specialty estimate that starts from registered nurse pay.
- What is the hourly pay for Charge Nurses?
- Most Charge Nurses are paid an hourly wage. The national estimate works out to about $50.18 an hour at a full-time schedule, with a typical range of $41.32 to $57.79. Nights, weekends, and overtime differentials push the real hourly rate higher.
- Which state pays Charge Nurses the most?
- California is among the highest-paying states for Charge Nurses, at roughly $150,090 a year, followed by other West Coast and Northeast states. State figures are estimates based on national pay and local cost of living.
- Why is Charge Nurse pay shown as an estimate?
- No public source measures Charge Nurses as a separate occupation, so we start from registered nurse pay and apply the pay difference these nurses typically see. The figure is clearly labeled an estimate and sharpens as nurses submit their own pay.
- Why are some figures verified and others estimates?
- National pay for the main nursing roles — registered nurses, LPNs/LVNs, nurse practitioners, CRNAs, nurse midwives, and nursing assistants — comes from verified public wage data. State, city, and specialty figures that aren't reported on their own start from that national pay and are labeled "Estimated" or "Specialty estimate." We never show an estimate as a verified figure.
Source & confidence— An estimate for a specialty that public pay data does not list on its own. A ballpark to start from, not an exact figure.
Modeled specialty estimate
Charge Nurse is not broken out by BLS. Figures are modeled from the SOC 29-1141 median using a specialty differential of 1.07×, reflecting commonly reported pay differences. Treat as directional, not precise.
Source year 2025. Last reviewed July 17, 2026. Full methodology
This role isn’t broken out in public wage data, so the figure starts from registered nurse pay and sharpens as nurses submit their pay. Last reviewed July 17, 2026.