The typical palliative care nurse earns between $75,000 and $115,000 per year depending on state, clinical setting, and years of experience. The national median for all registered nurses sits at $86,070 (BLS SOC 29-1141, May 2024 data) — palliative care RNs generally earn at or above that median, with CHPN certification, hospital-based roles, and high-cost states driving pay toward the upper end of the range.
At a glance:
- National RN median (BLS, May 2024): $86,070/year | $41.38/hour
- Typical palliative care RN range: $75,000–$115,000
- CHPN certification premium: approximately $5,000–$12,000/year above non-certified peers
- Highest-paying states: California, Massachusetts, Oregon, Washington, New Jersey
- Lowest-paying states: South Dakota, Alabama, Mississippi, Iowa, Kansas
- Setting premium: hospital-based palliative care teams and pediatric palliative care tend to pay more than home hospice agency roles
For the full career pathway including education requirements and CHPN certification steps, see how to become a palliative care nurse.
National salary overview
The Bureau of Labor Statistics classifies palliative care nurses under SOC code 29-1141 (Registered Nurses), the same code used for all RNs across all specialties and settings. BLS does not break out palliative care as a separate occupational category. This means the BLS national median — $86,070 annually as of May 2024 OEWS data — is the best available baseline, but it reflects all registered nurses, not palliative care specifically.
Specialty-focused salary sources provide a sharper picture:
| Source | Annual figure | Methodology note |
|---|---|---|
| BLS SOC 29-1141 (May 2024) | $86,070 median / $91,780 mean | All RNs; largest sample, most statistically rigorous; not palliative-specific |
| Salary.com (2025) | $90,000–$96,000 median range | Employer surveys and job postings; hospice/palliative RN-specific query |
| Glassdoor (2025, ~100+ reports) | ~$94,000–$98,000 | Self-reported salaries from palliative care RN employees; smaller sample, some upward reporting bias possible |
| ZipRecruiter (2025) | ~$91,000–$95,000 | Job posting aggregation; palliative care nurse search; geographic mix affects result |
| Vivian Health (2025, posted rates) | $130,000–$155,000 annualized (posted rates) | Active job postings; reflects market rate for open positions including high-demand roles; higher than base staff salaries |
Working salary range: The most defensible estimate for a full-time staff palliative care RN is $82,000–$105,000/year across most of the country, with outliers in high-cost states running $110,000–$130,000 and rural, lower-cost-of-living states running $70,000–$85,000.
Vivian Health’s posted-rate figures are useful for understanding what the open job market is willing to pay for experienced palliative care nurses right now, but they reflect competition for talent in a tight market and include premium positioning for difficult-to-fill roles. They are not typical base salaries for established staff.
Salary by state
BLS publishes state-level mean wages for all registered nurses (SOC 29-1141). These are not palliative-care-specific, but they are the most statistically rigorous geographic comparison available. States with higher overall RN wages tend to pay more for palliative care nurses, and the state-level pattern holds across specialties.
| State | Annual mean wage (RNs, BLS May 2023) | Hourly mean |
|---|---|---|
| California | $133,340 | $64.11 |
| Oregon | $106,610 | $51.25 |
| Washington | $105,470 | $50.71 |
| Massachusetts | $104,150 | $50.07 |
| New Jersey | $99,470 | $47.82 |
| Connecticut | $96,620 | $46.45 |
| New York | $105,110 | $50.53 |
| Maryland | $88,560 | $42.58 |
| Minnesota | $91,730 | $44.10 |
| Nevada | $90,540 | $43.53 |
| Colorado | $87,620 | $42.13 |
| Illinois | $82,820 | $39.82 |
| Arizona | $84,280 | $40.52 |
| Virginia | $82,560 | $39.69 |
| Michigan | $79,540 | $38.24 |
| Pennsylvania | $79,380 | $38.16 |
| Wisconsin | $81,610 | $39.24 |
| Ohio | $77,480 | $37.25 |
| Utah | $80,180 | $38.55 |
| Georgia | $79,130 | $38.04 |
| North Carolina | $76,130 | $36.60 |
| Tennessee | $72,550 | $34.88 |
| Indiana | $74,550 | $35.84 |
| Florida | $76,250 | $36.66 |
| Texas | $80,950 | $38.92 |
Source: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, SOC 29-1141 (Registered Nurses), May 2023 state estimates. Verify current figures at bls.gov/oes before making career decisions.
Geographic premium vs. cost of living
The gap between California ($133,340 mean) and Tennessee ($72,550 mean) is striking — but purchasing power narrows that gap substantially. An RN earning $90,000 in a lower-cost Tennessee city may have comparable take-home purchasing power to an RN earning $110,000 in the San Francisco Bay Area. If you’re relocating for a salary increase, calculate cost-of-living adjustment alongside the wage difference.
States in the Pacific Northwest (Washington, Oregon) and New England (Massachusetts, Connecticut) represent a more favorable ratio of high wages to moderate-to-high cost of living compared to California’s extreme wage premium that is substantially offset by housing costs.
Salary by work setting
Where you practice matters as much as where you live. Palliative care nursing spans several distinct employment settings, and compensation differs meaningfully across them.
| Setting | Estimated annual salary range | Key factors |
|---|---|---|
| Hospital-based palliative care consultation team | $85,000–$115,000 | Hospital pay scales; Magnet designation; night/weekend differentials common; urban location premium |
| Inpatient palliative care unit (IPCU) | $83,000–$110,000 | Similar to hospital inpatient; may include on-call or rotating shift differentials |
| Inpatient hospice facility (freestanding) | $78,000–$100,000 | Tends to pay slightly less than hospital-based roles; depends heavily on facility ownership and state |
| Home hospice agency | $72,000–$95,000 | Large variation by agency size and ownership; mileage reimbursement and flexible scheduling often offset lower base; on-call rates vary |
| Outpatient palliative care clinic | $78,000–$100,000 | Regular business hours; no night/weekend differentials; often lower than inpatient; good work-life balance trade-off |
| Long-term care / SNF palliative program | $70,000–$88,000 | Typically the lowest-paying setting; some facilities pay a modest specialty premium for palliative-trained RNs |
| Pediatric palliative care | $85,000–$118,000 | Children's hospitals generally pay well; subspecialty demand; CHPPN certification valued |
Hospital-based palliative care teams at academic medical centers and major health systems tend to offer the most competitive base salaries, particularly in urban markets. Home hospice offers trade-offs: lower base pay in many cases, but schedule flexibility, mileage reimbursement, autonomous practice, and in some markets, strong sign-on bonuses for experienced hospice RNs.
Salary by experience
Palliative care nursing rewards experience — both in raw years and in accumulated clinical depth. Nurses who have managed complex opioid protocols, led family meetings, and supervised the active dying phase carry capabilities that take years to develop, and that expertise shows up in compensation.
| Experience tier | Estimated annual salary | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Entry-level (new to specialty, 0–2 years in palliative/hospice) | $68,000–$82,000 | Typically transitioning from another acute care specialty; learning palliative-specific protocols |
| Mid-level (3–5 years in specialty) | $80,000–$95,000 | Core clinical competency established; likely in CHPN preparation or already certified |
| Senior (6–10 years in specialty) | $88,000–$108,000 | CHPN held; may precept or mentor; strong complex symptom management capability |
| CHPN-certified (any experience level) | $5,000–$12,000 premium above non-certified peers | See CHPN premium section below |
| Lead/senior RN or case manager | $95,000–$118,000 | Supervisory responsibilities; caseload management; team coordination |
CHPN certification premium
The CHPN credential carries a measurable salary premium across most settings. HPNA’s periodic Palliative Nursing Salary Survey — the most specialty-specific salary data source in this field — has historically documented certified RNs earning meaningfully more than non-certified peers in the same role. External surveys from Salary.com and ZipRecruiter on palliative care nurse search terms similarly show higher results for searches filtering for CHPN-certified candidates.
The certification premium is not uniform — it is larger at:
- Hospital-based teams where formal credentialing is tracked and rewarded in pay bands
- Hospice agencies that require CHPN for senior clinical positions
- Settings where CHPN is a hiring preference, creating a competitive advantage in the applicant pool
The premium is smaller at:
- Long-term care facilities with limited salary flexibility
- Smaller agencies where pay scales are compressed regardless of credential
The estimated premium range of $5,000–$12,000/year reflects the full spread — from smaller agencies that offer modest recognition to academic medical center pay grades where credential-linked pay band advancement is formalized.
Beyond the salary premium, CHPN certification is relevant for career mobility. Many senior clinical roles, clinical educator positions, and case management roles in palliative care list CHPN as preferred or required.
Overtime and on-call pay
Palliative care and hospice nursing frequently includes additional compensation beyond base salary:
On-call pay: Home hospice agencies and inpatient hospice facilities typically pay nurses an on-call rate for being available to respond outside scheduled hours. On-call rates vary widely — $2–$8/hour while available (flat on-call rate) plus regular pay for any call-back visits. Home hospice on-call nurses who respond to multiple nighttime calls can add $5,000–$12,000/year in on-call compensation above their base.
Weekend and night differentials: Hospital-based and inpatient hospice roles typically pay shift differentials — $3–$7/hour for evenings and nights, $2–$5/hour for weekend shifts. For a nurse working regular evening or weekend coverage, differentials can add $6,000–$14,000/year to total compensation.
Overtime: Where available, overtime (1.5x rate) for hours beyond 40/week or 8/shift can significantly increase total annual earnings, particularly for RNs working 12-hour shift schedules. Whether overtime is available — and whether the work environment makes it sustainable — varies by employer.
Hospice nurse salary comparison
Palliative care nursing and hospice nursing overlap substantially — most hospice nurses practice palliative care within the Medicare Hospice Benefit framework, and their salary data is largely interchangeable at the staff RN level. For detailed hospice-specific salary data including travel contract rates and 50-state breakdown, see the hospice nurse salary guide.
The key distinction: hospital-based palliative care consultation team roles (which are not classified as hospice) often pay a premium above home hospice agency roles, reflecting hospital pay scales, union contracts at unionized facilities, and geographic clustering in higher-cost urban markets.
Advancing to NP: the salary ceiling
Staff RN salaries in palliative care peak in the $105,000–$120,000 range for senior certified nurses in high-paying states. The next significant salary step requires the NP credential — palliative care NPs with prescriptive authority earn substantially more.
Palliative care NP salaries range from approximately $110,000 in lower-paying states to $180,000+ in California and New York, with ACHPN certification adding a further premium. For RNs considering the advanced practice path, see the palliative care NP salary guide.
Frequently asked questions
What is the average palliative care nurse salary?
The national average for palliative care RNs runs $82,000–$105,000/year for most of the US, based on aggregated salary survey data. The BLS national median for all registered nurses is $86,070 (May 2024) — palliative care RNs typically earn at or slightly above that median. California, New York, Massachusetts, Oregon, and Washington are the highest-paying states.
Does CHPN certification increase salary?
Yes. CHPN-certified nurses typically earn $5,000–$12,000/year more than non-certified nurses in equivalent palliative care roles. The premium is larger at hospital-based teams and senior clinical positions where credential-linked pay bands are formalized. Beyond the direct salary impact, CHPN certification improves access to senior and leadership roles.
What is the highest-paying state for palliative care nurses?
California has the highest mean wages for registered nurses nationally — $133,340 mean (BLS May 2023) — and that premium extends to palliative care nurses. Oregon, Washington, Massachusetts, and New York are also consistently high-paying states for RNs. However, California’s cost of living partially offsets the wage advantage; Oregon and Washington may offer a more favorable wage-to-cost ratio for nurses relocating to maximize take-home purchasing power.
How does palliative care nurse salary compare to hospice nurse salary?
At the staff RN level, palliative care and hospice nurse salaries are closely aligned — the populations overlap substantially, and many nurses hold roles that span both. The main distinction is setting: hospital-based palliative care consultation team roles tend to pay more than home hospice agency roles, reflecting hospital pay scales and geographic clustering in higher-cost urban markets. For a full hospice comparison, see the hospice nurse salary guide.
Can palliative care nurses earn extra through overtime or on-call?
Yes. On-call pay, shift differentials, and overtime are meaningful income sources for many palliative care nurses. Home hospice on-call can add $5,000–$12,000/year. Night and weekend differentials in hospital or inpatient settings can add a further $6,000–$14,000/year on top of base salary. The extent to which these are available and sustainable depends on the employer and the work setting.