Explore jobs
Find specific jobs
Explore careers
Explore professions
Best companies
Explore companies
Neonatal nurse salary
Average neonatal nurse salary
$71,497
Understanding Neonatal Nurse Salaries
The average annual salary for neonatal nurses is approximately $71,497. Factors influencing this salary include experience level and geographic location. Entry-level positions typically start lower, while those with several years of experience can command higher wages. For example, a neonatal nurse with over ten years of experience might earn up to $90,000 annually.
Where Do Neonatal Nurses Earn the Most?
States like California and New York offer the highest salaries for neonatal nurses, often exceeding $80,000 per year. In addition, specialized neonatal intensive care units (NICUs) may provide additional pay incentives due to the demanding nature of the work.
Career Advancement Opportunities
Neonatal nurses can further enhance their income by pursuing advanced certifications, such as becoming a neonatal nurse practitioner (NNP). NNPs typically earn a higher salary, often in the range of $100,000 or more annually, reflecting their advanced responsibilities in patient care.
Let Zippia find your next neonatal nurse job
Let Zippia find your next neonatal nurse job
Where can a Neonatal Nurse earn more?
Neonatal nurse salaries by experience level
| Experience level | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|
| Entry-level neonatal nurse | $56,700 | $27.26 |
| Mid-level neonatal nurse | $71,300 | $34.28 |
| Senior-level neonatal nurse | $97,800 | $47.02 |
Neonatal nurse salary estimates from across the web
Average neonatal nurse salary by state
The highest-paying states for neonatal nurses are Washington, California, and Pennsylvania. The lowest average neonatal nurse salary states are Indiana, Oklahoma, and North Dakota.
- State view
- County view
Highest paying states for neonatal nurses
| Rank | State | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Washington | $93,014 | $44.72 |
| 2 | Delaware | $88,271 | $42.44 |
| 3 | Pennsylvania | $90,224 | $43.38 |
| 4 | Massachusetts | $81,961 | $39.40 |
| 5 | Ohio | $81,915 | $39.38 |
| 6 | Wyoming | $73,775 | $35.47 |
| 7 | West Virginia | $75,884 | $36.48 |
| 8 | District of Columbia | $101,174 | $48.64 |
| 9 | Alaska | $86,636 | $41.65 |
| 10 | Maryland | $85,303 | $41.01 |
| 11 | Oregon | $82,914 | $39.86 |
| 12 | Nevada | $80,541 | $38.72 |
| 13 | New York | $83,553 | $40.17 |
| 14 | California | $90,871 | $43.69 |
| 15 | New Jersey | $85,509 | $41.11 |
| 16 | Connecticut | $77,349 | $37.19 |
| 17 | Louisiana | $70,202 | $33.75 |
| 18 | Rhode Island | $81,305 | $39.09 |
| 19 | Wisconsin | $74,970 | $36.04 |
| 20 | Michigan | $76,510 | $36.78 |
| 21 | Idaho | $74,576 | $35.85 |
| 22 | Kentucky | $71,159 | $34.21 |
| 23 | Georgia | $73,965 | $35.56 |
| 24 | New Hampshire | $69,428 | $33.38 |
| 25 | Arizona | $71,009 | $34.14 |
| 26 | Vermont | $68,370 | $32.87 |
| 27 | Colorado | $71,387 | $34.32 |
| 28 | Tennessee | $67,792 | $32.59 |
| 29 | Florida | $66,368 | $31.91 |
| 30 | Texas | $67,629 | $32.51 |
| 31 | South Dakota | $60,545 | $29.11 |
| 32 | Montana | $63,867 | $30.71 |
| 33 | Illinois | $72,693 | $34.95 |
| 34 | Minnesota | $72,416 | $34.82 |
| 35 | North Carolina | $68,400 | $32.88 |
| 36 | Kansas | $68,332 | $32.85 |
| 37 | Arkansas | $64,222 | $30.88 |
| 38 | North Dakota | $57,204 | $27.50 |
| 39 | New Mexico | $63,093 | $30.33 |
| 40 | Maine | $60,831 | $29.25 |
| 41 | Virginia | $64,832 | $31.17 |
| 42 | Alabama | $61,719 | $29.67 |
| 43 | Indiana | $58,984 | $28.36 |
| 44 | Nebraska | $62,127 | $29.87 |
| 45 | Oklahoma | $57,290 | $27.54 |
| 46 | Missouri | $61,938 | $29.78 |
| 47 | Mississippi | $60,628 | $29.15 |
| 48 | Hawaii | $57,058 | $27.43 |
| 49 | Utah | $62,525 | $30.06 |
| 50 | Iowa | $52,184 | $25.09 |
| 51 | South Carolina | $54,074 | $26.00 |
Highest paying cities for neonatal nurses
The highest-paying cities for neonatal nurses are Berkeley, CA, Seattle, WA, and Newark, DE.
| Rank | City | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Berkeley, CA | $95,703 | $46.01 |
| 2 | Seattle, WA | $93,216 | $44.82 |
| 3 | Newark, DE | $88,448 | $42.52 |
| 4 | Pittsburgh, PA | $87,771 | $42.20 |
| 5 | Baltimore, MD | $85,620 | $41.16 |
| 6 | Springfield, OR | $83,565 | $40.18 |
| 7 | Plymouth, MA | $83,153 | $39.98 |
| 8 | Columbus, OH | $81,894 | $39.37 |
| 9 | Atlanta, GA | $74,235 | $35.69 |
| 10 | Peoria, IL | $71,801 | $34.52 |
| 11 | Phoenix, AZ | $71,199 | $34.23 |
| 12 | Lubbock, TX | $69,955 | $33.63 |
| 13 | Durham, NC | $69,325 | $33.33 |
| 14 | Marrero, LA | $69,283 | $33.31 |
| 15 | Lebanon, TN | $67,815 | $32.60 |
| 16 | Kansas City, KS | $67,614 | $32.51 |
| 17 | Tampa, FL | $67,171 | $32.29 |
| 18 | Richmond, VA | $64,639 | $31.08 |
| 19 | Lincoln, NE | $62,259 | $29.93 |
| 20 | Kansas City, MO | $61,922 | $29.77 |
Neonatal nurse salary details
A neonatal nurse's salary ranges from $41,000 a year at the 10th percentile to $122,000 at the 90th percentile.
What is a neonatal nurse's salary?
| Percentile | Annual salary | Monthly salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 90th Percentile | $122,000 | $10,167 | $59 |
| 75th Percentile | $94,000 | $7,833 | $45 |
| Average | $71,497 | $5,958 | $34 |
| 25th Percentile | $53,000 | $4,417 | $25 |
| 10th Percentile | $41,000 | $3,417 | $20 |
Highest paying neonatal nurse jobs
The highest paying types of neonatal nurses are traveling nurse, head nurse, and nurse coordinator.
| Job title | Annual salary | Monthly salary | Hourly rate | Job openings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nurse Coordinator | $79,040 | $6,587 | $38.00 | 428,775 |
| Nurse Educator | $67,983 | $5,665 | $32.68 | 537,803 |
| Registered Nurse Charge Nurse | $71,342 | $5,945 | $34.30 | 645,134 |
| Nurse Extern | $37,156 | $3,096 | $17.86 | 569,180 |
| Community Health Nurse | $59,638 | $4,970 | $28.67 | 403,240 |
| Nurse | $57,564 | $4,797 | $27.67 | 696,124 |
How would you rate the starting salaries for neonatal nurses, as well as the prospects for salary advancement?
Sophia Thomas
President, American Association of Nurse Practitioners
-Starting salaries for NPs are exceptional, and usually hover between $80,000-100,000, but that can vary significantly based on geographic location, work setting, and certification/specialty. Some salaries are higher.
-The bureau of labor statistics (BLS) offers an excellent breakdown of salaries by region and state as well: link
-(Note: some stats on the BLS website are reflective of the Mean or Average salary and others represent the Median or midpoint. AANP data are all reported in Median)
-As NPs advance in their careers, there is a clear and positive relationship between number of years' experience and salary growth.
Top companies hiring neonatal nurses now:
Which companies pay neonatal nurses the most?
Neonatal nurse salaries at University of California, Berkeley and Sutter Health are the highest-paying according to our most recent salary estimates. In addition, the average neonatal nurse salary at companies like Maxim Healthcare Group and Hca Hospital Services Of San Diego are highly competitive.
| Rank | Company | Average salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | University of California-Berkeley | $103,279 | $49.65 |
| 2 | Sutter Health | $89,816 | $43.18 |
| 3 | Maxim Healthcare Group | $86,462 | $41.57 |
| 4 | Hca Hospital Services Of San Diego | $84,477 | $40.61 |
| 5 | Erlanger Health System | $80,363 | $38.64 |
| 6 | University Health System Inc | $80,363 | $38.64 |
| 7 | KPG | $76,882 | $36.96 |
| 8 | PeaceHealth | $76,016 | $36.55 |
| 9 | WakeMed | $73,614 | $35.39 |
| 10 | American Mobile Healthcare | $73,210 | $35.20 |
| 11 | LCMC Health | $72,277 | $34.75 |
| 12 | Touro College | $70,253 | $33.78 |
| 13 | Woman's Hospital | $70,115 | $33.71 |
| 14 | University of Washington | $68,480 | $32.92 |
| 15 | The University of Kansas Health System | $67,897 | $32.64 |
| 16 | BayCare Health System | $67,790 | $32.59 |
| 17 | Christiana Care Health Services, Inc. | $66,323 | $31.89 |
| 18 | Parkland Hospital | $66,313 | $31.88 |
| 19 | Emory Healthcare | $64,309 | $30.92 |
| 20 | Catholic Health Initiatives - Colorado | $60,467 | $29.07 |
Wage gap by gender, race and education
Neonatal nurse salary trends
The average neonatal nurse salary has risen by $10,009 over the last ten years. In 2014, the average neonatal nurse earned $61,488 annually, but today, they earn $71,497 a year. That works out to a 10% change in pay for neonatal nurses over the last decade.
Compare neonatal nurse salaries for cities or states with the national average over time.
Average neonatal nurse salary over time
Compare neonatal nurse salaries for individual cities or states with the national average.
Neonatal nurse salary by year
| Year | Avg. salary | Hourly rate | % Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $71,500 | $34.37 | +2.7% |
| 2024 | $69,600 | $33.45 | +2.1% |
| 2023 | $68,100 | $32.73 | +2.4% |
| 2022 | $66,400 | $31.94 | +2.2% |
| 2021 | $65,000 | $31.23 | +1.4% |
Recently added neonatal nurse salaries
| Company | Job | Location | Date added | Salary |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Albany Medical Health System | Clinical Nurse-Neonatal ICU Day Shift) | Albany, NY | 06/20/2025 | $68,640 |
| Newyork-Presbyterian | Clinical Nurse-Neonatal ICU-Nights | New York, NY | 06/20/2025 | $124,693 |
| Sutter Health | Als/Neonatal Transport Nurse | Berkeley, CA | 06/18/2025 | $173,117 |
| HCA Healthcare | Neonatal ICU Nurse | Las Vegas, NV | 06/12/2025 | $103,077 |
| University of Illinois at Chicago | UI Health-Administrative Nurse I Neonatal Icu/Scn | Chicago, IL | 05/21/2025 | $71,709 |
| Albany Medical Health System | Clinical Nurse-Neonatal ICU Nights) | Albany, NY | 05/20/2025 | $72,072 |
| University of Illinois Medical Center | UI Health-Administrative Nurse I Neonatal Icu/Scn | Chicago, IL | 05/20/2025 | $71,709 |
| Albany Medical Center | Clinical Nurse-Neonatal ICU Nights) | Albany, NY | 05/19/2025 | $72,072 |
| Johns Hopkins Medicine | Nicu Neonatal APP | Baltimore, MD | 05/09/2025 | $122,298 |
| Albany Medical Health System | Clinical Nurse-Neonatal ICU FTE Days) | Albany, NY | 02/19/2025 | $80,216 |
Neonatal nurse salary FAQs
Search for neonatal nurse jobs