ER Nurse salary
A er nurse earns about $102,960 a year — roughly $49.50/hour, with most earning between $83,590 and $110,860. This is an estimate — a starting point, not an exact figure.
ER Nurse — U.S. national
Specialty estimateMedian annual pay
$102,960
Hourly
$49.50/hr
- Typical range
- $83,590–$110,860
- What most nurses earn
- High end
- $148,850
- Top earners
- Entry level
- $72,630
- Newer nurses
What affects this pay
- Emergency certification (CEN)
- Trauma-center level
- Nights and weekend differentials
- Metro labor market
About ER Nurses
What they do
Emergency room nurses triage, stabilize, and rapidly treat patients with anything from minor injuries to cardiac arrest and trauma, managing several patients at once in an unpredictable environment.
How to become an ER Nurse
ER nurses are RNs who develop emergency experience and commonly earn the CEN (Certified Emergency Nurse) credential; trauma centers may add TNCC and ACLS/PALS requirements.
What drives the pay
Public wage data doesn’t separately track ER nurses; values here are based on registered nurse pay. The premium reflects trauma-center acuity, certification, and shift differentials — a rough guide, not an official figure.
ER Nurse pay by state
Where this role tends to pay the most.
| State | Annual pay | vs U.S. |
|---|---|---|
| California | $142,080 | +38% vs national |
| Hawaii | $123,550 | +20% vs national |
| Alaska | $121,490 | +18% vs national |
| Oregon | $121,490 | +18% vs national |
| Washington | $121,490 | +18% vs national |
| Massachusetts | $118,400 | +15% vs national |
| New York | $116,340 | +13% vs national |
| District of Columbia | $115,320 | +12% vs national |
Compare next
Roles nurses weigh against this one.
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
ER Nurse is not broken out by BLS. Figures are modeled from the SOC 29-1141 median using a specialty differential of 1.10×, reflecting commonly reported pay differences. Treat as directional, not precise.
Source year 2024. Last reviewed June 1, 2025. 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 June 1, 2025.