Acute Care Nurses
Job Zone 4 - Considerable preparation needed
Provide advanced nursing care for patients with acute conditions such as heart attacks, respiratory distress syndrome, or shock. May care for pre- and post-operative patients or perform advanced, invasive diagnostic or therapeutic procedures.
Median pay: $97,550/yr (U.S. national, May 2025)
Typical range nationwide (10th–90th percentile). This is a population snapshot, not a personal prediction - actual pay varies by location, employer, and experience.
Job outlook: +4.9% projected growth, 2024–2034 — about as fast as average.
About 189,100 openings per year, on average, over the decade.
Typical entry-level education: Bachelor's degree.
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS and Employment Projections.
• Discuss illnesses and treatments with patients and family members.
• Diagnose acute or chronic conditions that could result in rapid physiological deterioration or life-threatening instability.
• Perform emergency medical procedures, such as basic cardiac life support (BLS), advanced cardiac life support (ACLS), and other condition-stabilizing interventions.
• Assess urgent and emergent health conditions, using both physiologically and technologically derived data.
• Set up, operate, or monitor invasive equipment and devices, such as colostomy or tracheotomy equipment, mechanical ventilators, catheters, gastrointestinal tubes, and central lines.
• Document data related to patients' care, including assessment results, interventions, medications, patient responses, or treatment changes.
• Administer blood and blood product transfusions or intravenous infusions, monitoring patients for adverse reactions.
• Interpret information obtained from electrocardiograms (EKGs) or radiographs (x-rays).
What's the median pay for Acute Care Nurses?
The median pay for Acute Care Nurses is $97,550 per year, per the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.
What's the job outlook for Acute Care Nurses?
Employment for Acute Care Nurses is projected to change +4.9% from 2024 to 2034 - about as fast as average.
What education is typically required for Acute Care Nurses?
Typical entry-level education: Bachelor's degree.
How many job openings are there each year for Acute Care Nurses?
About 189,100 openings per year, on average, over the decade.