Hospice vs Home Health Nurse Salary
Hospice Nurses earn more — a national median of $92,660 vs $91,730, a gap of about $930 per year.
Hospice Nurse
Specialty estimate$92,660 / yr median
Home Health Nurse
Specialty estimate$91,730 / yr median
Annual pay, side by side
- Hospice NurseSpecialty estimate$92,660$44.55/hr
- Home Health NurseSpecialty estimate$91,730$44.10/hr
What the difference comes down to
Hospice and home health nurses earn comparable pay, as both are community-based RN specialties drawing on the same registered nurse wage base. The practical differences are the setting and structure of the work: hospice centers on end-of-life comfort care while home health delivers skilled visits, with on-call expectations varying by employer. Scope of practice, required education, and autonomy are the biggest drivers of the gap. Use the calculator to personalize either path by your state, experience, and work setting.
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
Hospice Nurse is not broken out by BLS. Figures are modeled from the SOC 29-1141 median using a specialty differential of 0.99×, reflecting commonly reported pay differences. Treat as directional, not precise.
Source year 2024. Last reviewed June 1, 2025. Full methodology
Last reviewed June 1, 2025.
Hospice vs Home Health Nurse Salary FAQ
- Do Hospice Nurses or Home Health Nurses earn more?
- Hospice Nurses earn more, with a national median of about $92,660 a year vs $91,730 for Home Health Nurses — a gap of roughly $930 per year.
- How big is the pay gap between Hospice Nurses and Home Health Nurses?
- The difference is about $930 a year, or roughly 1% more for Hospice Nurses. It varies by state, experience, setting, and shift — use the calculator to compare both for your own situation.
- Why do Hospice Nurses earn more than Home Health Nurses?
- Both roles are paid on the same registered-nurse base, so the gap comes down to certification, shift differentials, unit acuity, and the local market rather than a separate official wage.
- 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.
Related searches
Looking for other comparisons? Browse all roles.