Flight nurse salary
Being a flight nurse requires proper education and skills in order to perform this rewarding and responsible health call. When it comes to flight nurse salaries, there are many factors affecting the final flight nurse pay, such as experience, location, education and also the employer, whether it is a hospital or a private air-medical transport company.
Flight nurse average salary
So, how much does a flight nurse make? The answer to this question is quite wide in numbers, since the average U.S. flight nurse salary ranges anywhere from $56,000 to $85,000 per year. The median salary for this career path is $72,000 per year, which is slightly above the median salary of nurses who work on the ground.
Their usual work consists of 24-hour shifts two times per week, so it makes enough time for flight nurses to have an additional, second job, usually as nurses in intensive care units or emergency rooms in the hospitals.
Comparison of U.S. annual median salaries for other nursing jobs:
| Job Title | Annual Median Salary |
|---|---|
| Data as of 2014. Source: http://www.salary.com/ | |
| Registered Nurse | $68,881 |
| RN – Critical Care Unit | $67,875 |
| RN – Emergency Room | $67,661 |
| RN – Geriatric | $62,452 |
| RN – Intensive Care Unit | $68,527 |
| RN – Occupational Health | $75,268 |
| RN – Oncology | $67,259 |
| RN – Operating Room | $69,897 |
| RN – Psychiatric Unit | $68,688 |
Same as many other professions, flight nurses who are more experienced earn more money. It is common that flight nurse salary for those who have experience between 1 and 4 years belongs to a range of $45,000 to $60,000, while for those who have from 5 to 9 years of experience, the average salary goes between $58,000 and $82,000 each year.
The flight nurses who are even more experienced could be paid over $100,000 per year, which is double when compared to their inexperienced colleagues. However, the experience carries additional responsibilities, such as scheduling, managing and administration.
As for the employers, the flight nurses who work in clinics or hospitals, earn less than flight nurses who work for the private medical companies.
The difference between these salaries is sometimes huge and it was recorded that hospital flight nurses have wages between $49,000 and $60,000 each year, while the same position in private companies goes between $72,000 and $83,000 per year.
The experience criteria is not that strictly enforced in the military when compared to the civilian jobs, given that the army educates the potential candidates for this position. The rank and the experience in the military determine the flight nurse salary, which can go as high as $120,000 a year.
In the table below you’ll find median average salaries for the largest city in each state.
| State | City | Median Annual Salary |
|---|---|---|
| DATA AS OF 2014. Source: http://www.salary.com/ | ||
| Alabama | Birmingham | $67,201 |
| Alaska | Anchorage | $81,353 |
| Arizona | Phoenix | $70,472 |
| Arkansas | Little Rock | $64,491 |
| California | Los Angeles | $79,004 |
| Colorado | Denver | $72,829 |
| Connecticut | Bridgeport | $79,969 |
| Delaware | Wilmington | $78,132 |
| Florida | Jacksonville | $67,338 |
| Georgia | Atlanta | $72,670 |
| Hawaii | Honolulu | $78,218 |
| Idaho | Boise | $69,586 |
| Illinois | Chicago | $75,776 |
| Indiana | Indianapolis | $69,305 |
| Iowa | Des Moines | $69,082 |
| Kansas | Wichita | $69,586 |
| Kentucky | Louisville | $68,930 |
| Louisiana | New Orleans | $72,562 |
| Maine | Portland | $74,255 |
| Maryland | Baltimore | $74,017 |
| Massachusetts | Boston | $77,822 |
| Michigan | Detroit | $71,856 |
| Minnesota | Minneapolis | $75,408 |
| Mississippi | Jackson | $60,110 |
| Missouri | Kansas City | $70,919 |
| Montana | Billings | $65,154 |
| Nebraska | Omaha | $68,145 |
| Nevada | Las Vegas | $71,841 |
| New Hampshire | Manchester | $76,093 |
| New Jersey | Newark | $84,963 |
| New Mexico | Albuquerque | $66,379 |
| New York | New York | $84,965 |
| North Carolina | Charlotte | $71,899 |
| North Dakota | Fargo | $68,202 |
| Ohio | Columbus | $70,760 |
| Oklahoma | Oklahoma City | $67,712 |
| Oregon | Portland | $74,363 |
| Pennsylvania | Philadelphia | $75,855 |
| Rhode Island | Providence | $75,689 |
| South Carolina | Columbia | $67,496 |
| South Dakota | Sioux Falls | $56,169 |
| Tennessee | Memphis | $68,419 |
| Texas | Houston | $72,490 |
| Utah | Salt Lake City | $68,505 |
| Vermont | Burlington | $67,122 |
| Virginia | Virginia Beach | $66,538 |
| Washington | Seattle | $77,022 |
| West Virginia | Charleston | $63,259 |
| Wisconsin | Milwaukee | $67,612 |
| Wyoming | Cheyenne | $65,097 |
See also RN Salary
Surely the best way to get a better information of flight nursing salaries in your area is to contact your local hospital or nursing school.
Insurance and other benefits
Along with decent salaries, flight nurses are receiving other benefits. The most rewarding benefit is the insurance, it usually includes health, dental, and life insurance for themselves and their families. The employers can cover a large percentage of insurance premiums, meaning that flight nurses do not have to pay a lot of money for the coverage of these costs.
Working two days per week is also one of the main benefits, which leaves flight nurses with lots of spare time to perform a second job, or even continue their education. In addition, employers sometimes pay for further education in the nursing field.
Flight nurses usually receive very generous benefits packages. These include employer-matching 401k accounts, insurance benefits mentioned above, and two weeks or more vacation pay. Flight nurses with over 10 years experience can receive as much as 4 weeks vacation time. Those who worked in the military are able to retire after 20 years of service. That’s great.
Private Companies vs. Public Companies
Working for private companies is not only beneficial when it comes to high salaries, but also for many attractive benefits. Flight nurses who work for private individuals can receive free travels, as well as allowances for meals and lodging.
These nurses usually work for airlines or patient transportation companies. They transport patients that have specific medical needs. They are able to have access to the patient’s history, medical supplies, other medical staff if necessary. This allows for a lot more people to travel via aircraft that would be able to otherwise. This is how flight nurses fulfill a need in a market other than emergency calls.
Working for private companies also comes with a few perks. Flight nurses receive free meals, transportation, and hotel whenever they transport for a private company or individual. Sometimes private companies include reimbursement for further education. Public companies might do this too. There are a lot of advantages to being a flight nurse.
Career advancement opportunities
If an individual wishes to advance in the ranks of flight nurses, then there is good news in this field. Plenty of opportunities regarding the rank advance are available and those who have an extensive experience might even be placed as a supervisor of other flight nurses.
Those who are promoted might receive an adequate pay raise, so the salary could even go up to six figures annually. In the military conditions, flight nurses who are promoted in the ranks receive much higher salaries, so commitment and ongoing professional development are essential when working for these goals.
According to the required education and experience, salaries for flight nurses could be considered as one of the best among the health professionals. Surely, this career path seeks many responsibilities and skills and not everyone is capable of completing the tasks which flight nurses need to perform.
Constant education is essential, so achieving the certificates for the health skills is somewhat important for each flight nurse in order to cope with the job requirements.
Depending on the location, the flight nurse salary might vary, so for the locations where natural disasters are more common, the flight nurses are paid adequate to the situation. In those states, flight nurses are in constant demand because appropriate health care must be provided to the patients.
See also Qhs medical abbreviation
This rewarding career call is a challenge for health professionals for both the benefits and experience that could be received. Maybe the most significant aspect of a flight nursing career is the other benefits that cannot be expressed on the monthly check.
That is a sense of pride for the important work these courageous individuals do. That is also the respect by their communities and admiration for the act of saving lives. If you are up for this type of challenge, then a flight nursing career is the right choice for you.