Pediatric Nurse Salaries by Region
Career News October 11, 2013Pediatric nurses are registered nurses with specialized training. Pediatric nurses typically work with children and babies. The salary a pediatric nurse can expect to earn each year depends on the nurse’s experience and employer. Salaries also vary by location. Below is some information about the expected pediatric nurse salary per year in various regions of the United States.
Regional Trends
According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, pediatric nurses earn the highest salaries on the west and east coasts. Pediatric nurses also earn more in Hawaii and Alaska. Pediatric nurses make the least in the upper Midwest and western states in the middle of the country. Data from the states with the highest salaries is detailed below:
•California: The BLS reports that registered nurses in California earned an average salary of $90,860 in 2010, which averages to an hourly wage of $43.68.
•Massachusetts: In Massachusetts, registered nurses earned an average yearly wage of $86,810, which averages to $41.74 per hour.
•Hawaii: According to BLS publications, nurses in Hawaii earn an average salary of $83,950 per year. The average hourly wage in Hawaii is $40.36.
•Alaska: In Alaska, the average annual salary for registered nurses in 2010 was $82,080. Nurses’ average hourly wage was $39.46.
•Nevada: Nurses in Nevada earn an average annual wage of $77,840, which averages to $37.42 per hour.
Highest-paying metropolitan areas:
•New York: The highest-paying metropolitan area for nurses in the United States was New York. Nurses in New York earned an average annual salary of $83,060 in 2010. New York nurses earn an average hourly wage of $39.93.
•Chicago: In Chicago, registered nurses earn an average annual salary of $70,820, which averages to an hourly wage of $34.05.
•Los Angeles: In Los Angeles, nurses earn an average annual wage of $85,340, which indicates an average annual wage of $41.03.
•Boston: The BLS reports that nurses working in Boston earn approximately $94,600 per year, which averages to an hourly wage of $45.48.
•Philadelphia: Philadelphia nurses earn an average annual salary of $74,460, which is approximately $35.80 per hour.
•Houston: Nurses working in Houston earned an annual salary of $74,100 in 2010. According to the BLS, that is an average hourly rate of $35.63.
•St. Louis: In St. Louis, nurses earn an average salary of $60,370 per year, which averages to an hourly wage of $29.02.
•Dallas: In Dallas, the average wage for nurses is $68,350 annually. This translates to an hourly rate of $32.86.
•Minneapolis: Minneapolis nurses earn an average wage of $75,970 per year, which averages to $36.52 per hour.
•Atlanta: In Atlanta, the average annual salary for nurses is approximately $64,750, which translates to $31.13 per hour.
Considering that most pediatric nurses choose a region known for their high salaries, they can increase their chances of earning a higher wage. However, nurses should keep in mind that salaries vary for reasons other than location. Furthermore, salaries within a given region are subject to change over time.
