A medical-surgical nurse (also known as a med surg nurse) provides care to a wide variety of patients suffering from numerous types of issues, complications, and co-morbidities. Because of the diverse nature of a med surg nurse’s patient population, this area of nursing can often be the most difficult one to describe but is a great opportunity for nurses looking to gain experience and exposure in their industry.
Medical-Surgical nurse salary overview
Registered nurses overall in the United States receive $82,750 per year according to the United States Bureau of Labor and Statistics. According to data from Incredible Health, the average salary for med surg nurses is $86,951 – an effective hourly rate of $42.
This hourly rate puts the average med-surg nurse’s salary at about 5% higher than the average registered nurse’s median wage. Remember that this number is just the aggregate average salary and does not take into account nursing salaries that consider unit position, experience level, and other factors.
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Nursing positions are among the top in-demand jobs in the country, and experts project at least 9% between 2020 and 2030. Additionally, there is a shortage of professionals in the field. These primary factors contribute to higher medical surgical nursing salaries and a strong outlook for the career path.
Medical-Surgical nurse salaries by state
Med surg nurse salaries vary depending on the state in which you practice. The cost of living in different states affects compensation scales.
For example, you may earn a larger paycheck as a staff med surg nurse in New York because the cost of living is about 10% higher than the country’s average.
Conversely, in West Virginia, med surg nurses may earn less than other states because the cost of living is about 12% less than the country’s average.
The top five highest-paying states for nurses, including med surg nurses (without factoring in the cost of living) include the following:
| State | Salary | COL Adjusted Salary | Local Estimates |
|---|---|---|---|
| California | $124,000 | $106,529 | Get Local Estimate |
| Hawaii | $106,530 | $89,296 | Get Local Estimate |
| Oregon | $98,630 | $96,131 | Get Local Estimate |
| Alaska | $97,230 | $92,512 | Get Local Estimate |
| Massachusetts | $96,630 | $87,527 | Get Local Estimate |
The top five highest-paying states for nurses, including med surg nurses (adjusted for cost of living) are the following:
| State | Salary | COL Adjusted Salary | Local Estimates |
|---|---|---|---|
| California | $124,000 | $106,529 | Get Local Estimate |
| Oregon | $98,630 | $96,131 | Get Local Estimate |
| Alaska | $97,230 | $92,512 | Get Local Estimate |
| Nevada | $97,230 | $92,146 | Get Local Estimate |
| Hawaii | $106,530 | $89,296 | Get Local Estimate |
Top med surg jobs on Incredible Health
Sources
- “Nursing Shortage.” aacnnursing.org. Accessed May 20, 2022.
- “Occupational Outlook Handbook-Registered Nurses.” bls.gov. Accessed May 20, 2022.
