How much do NICU nurses make?
A NICU nurse at a general hospital earns about $100,210 a year at the median, and the middle half of RNs in those hospitals earn $81,610 to $118,990.[oews_ind] BLS publishes wages by occupation and by employer industry, not by hospital unit, so there is no official "NICU nurse" figure; anyone quoting one is using job ads or self-reported surveys.[oews_faq] Neonatal nurses take care of newborn babies with health problems, and BLS lists them among registered nurse specialties.[ooh_rn]
| Percentile | Annual | Hourly | Take-home* |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | $76,270 | $36.67 | $62,486 |
| 25th | $81,610 | $39.24 | $66,243 |
| Median (50th) | $100,210 | $48.18 | $79,328 |
| 75th | $118,990 | $57.21 | $92,539 |
| 90th | $138,990 | $66.82 | $106,266 |
*Single filer, 2026 federal income tax, Social Security and Medicare; before state tax.
Hospital RNs earn $2,660 more than all registered nurses at the median ($97,550), and the floor is higher: the hospital 10th percentile is $76,270 against $68,940 for all RNs.[oews_ind][onet_rn] BLS counted 1,902,960 RNs in general hospitals, more than half of the 3,379,720 registered nurses on payrolls.[oews_ind]
NICU nurse pay by employer type
Specialty hospitals, a BLS group that excludes psychiatric hospitals, pay RNs a median of $102,840, slightly more than general hospitals.[oews_ind] Staffing agencies, the industry that includes many agency and per-diem contracts, report a lower median but the widest spread. The table ranks every industry where NICU-trained RNs commonly work.
| Employer type (BLS industry) | Median | Hourly | 10th pct. | 90th pct. | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Specialty hospitals (except psychiatric) | $102,840 | $49.44 | $80,430 | $137,660 | 73,710 |
| General medical and surgical hospitals | $100,210 | $48.18 | $76,270 | $138,990 | 1,902,960 |
| Outpatient care centers | $99,350 | $47.76 | $73,770 | $177,360 | 173,380 |
| All industries | $97,550 | $46.90 | $68,940 | $137,470 | 3,379,720 |
| Employment services (staffing agencies) | $90,840 | $43.67 | $47,740 | $151,530 | 102,110 |
| Offices of physicians | $85,000 | $40.87 | $61,330 | $125,740 | 232,420 |
BLS OEWS national industry-specific estimates, May 2025; jobs are wage and salary employment in that industry.
NICU nurse hourly pay and 12-hour shifts
NICU nurse hourly pay is about $48.18 at the hospital median, $36.67 at the 10th percentile and $66.82 at the 90th.[oews_ind] BLS wages are straight-time pay at 2,080 hours a year; night and weekend differentials, overtime and on-call pay are extra.[oews_faq] Most NICUs staff 12-hour shifts, so three shifts a week is 1,872 hours a year.
| Percentile | Hourly | Per 12-h shift | 36 h/week, yearly |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | $36.67 | $440 | $68,643 |
| 25th | $39.24 | $471 | $73,449 |
| Median | $48.18 | $578 | $90,189 |
| 75th | $57.21 | $686 | $107,091 |
| 90th | $66.82 | $802 | $125,091 |
Hours over 40 in a workweek are paid at one and a half times the regular rate under federal law, so a fourth 12-hour shift raises weekly pay by more than a third.[flsa]
NICU nurse salary by state
State figures cover all registered nurses, because BLS does not cross state with hospital unit. California pays RNs the most at a median of $140,270, then Hawaii ($136,320) and Oregon ($129,010).[onet_rn] Every state and metro area is on nurse salary by state; pick yours in the calculator above.
| State | Median | Hourly |
|---|---|---|
| 1. California | $140,270 | $67.44 |
| 2. Hawaii | $136,320 | $65.54 |
| 3. Oregon | $129,010 | $62.02 |
| 4. Washington | $124,200 | $59.71 |
| 5. Alaska | $109,480 | $52.63 |
| 6. New York | $109,440 | $52.62 |
| 7. New Jersey | $106,500 | $51.20 |
| 8. Massachusetts | $104,550 | $50.26 |
| 9. Nevada | $103,670 | $49.84 |
| 10. Connecticut | $102,740 | $49.39 |
How to become a NICU nurse
- Become a registered nurse. Finish an ADN or BSN program and pass the NCLEX-RN; the routes and timelines are on how to become a registered nurse. Many hospital NICUs prefer a BSN, which ADN nurses can add through RN to BSN.
- Get hired into neonatal care. No law sets a minimum, so each hospital decides whether new graduates can start in the NICU or need adult or pediatric experience first.
- Earn a neonatal certification. Certification is voluntary for staff nurses but is the standard proof of specialty knowledge (see below).
| Credential | Who it fits | Experience required | Exam fee |
|---|---|---|---|
| RNC-NIC (Neonatal Intensive Care Nursing), NCC | RNs in neonatal intensive care | 2,000 hours as an RN in the specialty over the past 24 months, and employment in the specialty within 24 months | $325 |
| CCRN (Neonatal), AACN | RNs caring for acutely or critically ill newborns | 1,750 hours of direct care in 2 years (875 in the last year), or 2,000 hours in 5 years (144 in the last year) | $260 member, $375 nonmember |
Both exams need a current, unencumbered RN license.[ncc_fees][aacn_neo] NCC states that its hours and time-in-specialty rules both apply; they are not alternatives.[ncc_fees] For labor and newborn care before the NICU, the obstetric version of the NCC exam is covered on labor and delivery nurse salary.
Neonatal nurse practitioner and other next steps
The largest raise for an experienced NICU nurse comes from a graduate degree. Neonatal nurse practitioners are counted with all nurse practitioners, whose national median is $132,300, $32,090 above the hospital RN median.[onet_np][oews_ind] Program length and cost are on nurse practitioner school. A neonatal clinical nurse specialist is another advanced role, and many NICU nurses also move into pediatric nursing.
Frequently asked questions
How much do NICU nurses make a year?
BLS does not publish a NICU-only wage. Registered nurses in general medical and surgical hospitals earn a median of $100,210 a year (May 2025); the middle half earn $81,610 to $118,990.
How much do NICU nurses make an hour?
About $48.18 an hour at the hospital RN median, before night, weekend and overtime pay. The 90th percentile is $66.82.
Is a NICU nurse a registered nurse?
Yes. NICU nurses hold an RN license and BLS counts them in the registered nurse occupation (SOC 29-1141). Neonatal nurse practitioners are a separate, graduate-level role.
What certification do NICU nurses get?
The two common ones are the NCC RNC-NIC (Neonatal Intensive Care Nursing) ($325; 2,000 specialty hours in 24 months) and the AACN CCRN (Neonatal) ($260 for members; 1,750 hours in two years).
Which state pays NICU nurses the most?
For registered nurses overall, California pays the most (median $140,270), then Hawaii and Oregon. BLS has no state-by-unit split.
Sources
- OEWS May 2025 national industry-specific estimates for registered nurses (29-1141) and nurse practitioners (29-1171): employment, mean and percentile wages (OEUN series), Public Data API v2
- OEWS Frequently Asked Questions (wage definition; 2,080-hour year)
- Occupational Outlook Handbook: Registered Nurses
- Local Wages: 29-1141.00 Registered Nurses (state and metro percentiles)
- OEWS May 2025 employment and median wage series (OEUN/OEUS), Public Data API v2
- Overtime Pay (Fair Labor Standards Act: time and one-half after 40 hours in a workweek)
- Exam Fees and Eligibility (core RNC exams $325: 2,000 hours as an RN in the specialty over 24 months; C-EFM $210)
- Certification exams and candidate guides (Neonatal Intensive Care Nursing RNC-NIC; Inpatient Obstetric Nursing RNC-OB)
- CCRN (Neonatal) Direct Care eligibility (1,750 hours in two years or 2,000 hours in five years; $260 member, $375 nonmember)
- Local Wages: 29-1171.00 Nurse Practitioners (state and metro percentiles)