Critical Care Nurses
SOC code 29-1141 · O*NET-SOC 29-1141.03 · Considerable preparation needed · Healthcare
Bright Outlook — O*NET expects rapid growth and numerous job openings for this occupation
Critical care nurses staff intensive care units, monitoring and intervening for the most unstable patients. It is one of the most demanding nursing specialisations, typically entered after general RN experience plus ICU-specific training, and hospitals compete hard for experienced ICU nurses.
Critical Care Nurses pay
U.S. national figures, May 2025 BLS survey · How we got this number
Median pay
$97,550
a year
Hourly
$46.90
per hour
The solid band is the middle 50% of workers; the bar spans the 10th to 90th percentile.
Average pay
$101,420
$48.76 per hour
Middle 50%
$80,330 – $112,350
25th to 75th percentile
Full spread
$68,940 – $137,470
10th to 90th percentile
People employed
3,379,720
nationwide
National U.S. figure, May 2025. Local pay can be higher or lower.
These pay and employment figures are for the broader BLS group “Registered Nurses”, not this job alone.
- 10th percentile
- $68,940
- $33.14/hr
- 25th percentile
- $80,330
- $38.62/hr
- Median percentile
- $97,550
- $46.90/hr
- 75th percentile
- $112,350
- $54.02/hr
- 90th percentile
- $137,470
- $66.09/hr
Job outlook · federal projection 2024–34
+5%
Growing faster than average
3,391,000
jobs in 2024
3,557,100
projected for 2034
About 166,100 more jobs
U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics employment projections, 2024–34. Projections describe the broader occupation group and are estimates, not guarantees.
What does a critical care nurs do?
Provide specialized nursing care for patients in critical or coronary care units.
The tasks that matter most day to day
- Evaluate patients' vital signs or laboratory data to determine emergency intervention needs.
- Monitor patients for changes in status and indications of conditions such as sepsis or shock and institute appropriate interventions.
- Administer medications intravenously, by injection, orally, through gastric tubes, or by other methods.
- Monitor patients' fluid intake and output to detect emerging problems, such as fluid and electrolyte imbalances.
- Prioritize nursing care for assigned critically ill patients, based on assessment data or identified needs.
- Compile and analyze data obtained from monitoring or diagnostic tests.
- Conduct pulmonary assessments to identify abnormal respiratory patterns or breathing sounds that indicate problems.
- Assess patients' pain levels or sedation requirements.
How to become a critical care nurs
Most people in this role hold bachelor's degree — 50% of workers surveyed reported it as their level of education.
Preparation level: zone 4 — Considerable preparation needed
- Education
- Most of these occupations require a four-year bachelor's degree, but some do not.
- Experience
- A considerable amount of work-related skill, knowledge, or experience is needed for these occupations. For example, an accountant must complete four years of college and work for several years in accounting to be considered qualified.
- Training
- Employees in these occupations usually need several years of work-related experience, on-the-job training, and/or vocational training.
Education reported by people doing this job
- Bachelor's Degree50%
- Associate's Degree or other 2-year degree36%
- Master's Degree11%
- Post-Master's Certificate4%
Common questions
How much does a critical care nurs earn?
The national median is $97,550 a year. The full range runs from $68,940 at the 10th percentile to $137,470 at the 90th — entry pay sits closer to the lower figure, and experience, licensing and specialisation move you up the range.
Can you become a critical care nurs without a degree?
Not usually — this occupation sits in preparation zone 4, where the typical entry route is most of these occupations require a four-year bachelor's degree, but some do not. The education breakdown above shows what people in the role actually reported.
Is critical care nurs in demand?
Federal projections expect employment to grow by about 5% between 2024 and 2034 — growing faster than average. Openings also come from people retiring or changing jobs, which the growth figure does not count.
Skills and knowledge you need
Core skills
- Monitoring4.1/5
- Reading Comprehension4.0/5
- Active Listening4.0/5
- Speaking4.0/5
- Critical Thinking4.0/5
- Active Learning3.9/5
Knowledge areas
- Medicine and Dentistry4.7/5
- Customer and Personal Service4.2/5
- Psychology4.1/5
- English Language4.1/5
- Biology3.9/5
- Mathematics3.8/5
- Therapy and Counseling3.7/5
- Education and Training3.7/5
Transferable strengths: Social Perceptiveness, Service Orientation, Coordination, Complex Problem Solving.