School Nurse salary
A school nurse earns about $84,240 a year — roughly $40.50/hour, with most earning between $68,390 and $90,700. This is an estimate — a starting point, not an exact figure.
School Nurse — U.S. national
Specialty estimateMedian annual pay
$84,240
Hourly
$40.50/hr
- Typical range
- $68,390–$90,700
- What most nurses earn
- High end
- $121,790
- Top earners
- Entry level
- $59,430
- Newer nurses
What affects this pay
- School-district / public pay scale
- School-year vs year-round schedule
- National Certified School Nurse (NCSN)
- District size and funding
- State and metro labor market
About School Nurses
What they do
School nurses manage student health in K-12 and college settings — daily medications, chronic conditions like asthma and diabetes, vision and hearing screenings, immunization records, and emergencies — often as the only health professional in the building.
How to become a School Nurse
School nurses are RNs; many states require or prefer a BSN, and some require additional school-nurse certification or licensure. The National Certified School Nurse (NCSN) credential is available for experienced school nurses.
What drives the pay
Public wage data doesn’t separately track school nurses; figures are based on registered nurse pay. Pay is frequently set on a public school-district scale and many roles follow the school year, so reported salaries can sit below the hospital RN median.
School Nurse pay by state
Where this role tends to pay the most.
| State | Annual pay | vs U.S. |
|---|---|---|
| California | $116,250 | +38% vs national |
| Hawaii | $101,090 | +20% vs national |
| Alaska | $99,400 | +18% vs national |
| Oregon | $99,400 | +18% vs national |
| Washington | $99,400 | +18% vs national |
| Massachusetts | $96,880 | +15% vs national |
| New York | $95,190 | +13% vs national |
| District of Columbia | $94,350 | +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
School Nurse is not broken out by BLS. Figures are modeled from the SOC 29-1141 median using a specialty differential of 0.90×, 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.