Healthcare Recruiting
Pediatric Nurse Salary 2026: Pay by State, Setting & Certification
Pediatric Nurse Salary 2026: Pay by State, Setting & Certification
The average pediatric nurse salary in 2026 is $75,000/year ($36.06/hour) nationally. Pediatric nursing — caring for neonates through adolescents — spans the entire acuity spectrum, from routine well-child visits in outpatient clinics to life-sustaining interventions in the PICU. Pay varies widely by setting and acuity, with PICU and pediatric cardiac surgery nurses commanding salaries closer to adult ICU rates.
Pediatric Nurse Salary by State (2026)
| State | Avg Annual Salary | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| California | $99,000 | Children's Hospital LA, UCSF Benioff, Stanford Children's Health |
| New York | $91,000 | Cohen Children's, NYU Hassenfeld, NYC Health + Hospitals peds units |
| Washington | $89,000 | Seattle Children's Hospital; strong union contracts |
| Massachusetts | $87,000 | Boston Children's Hospital; academic premium |
| Oregon | $83,000 | OHSU Doernbecher; Randall Children's at Legacy Emanuel |
| Connecticut | $84,000 | Connecticut Children's; Yale New Haven peds |
| Minnesota | $79,000 | Children's Minnesota; Mayo pediatrics |
| Colorado | $78,000 | Children's Hospital Colorado (Aurora); strong nursing market |
| Texas | $73,000 | Texas Children's (Houston), Cook Children's (FW), Dell Children's (Austin) |
| Florida | $72,000 | Nicklaus Children's, Johns Hopkins All Children's, AdventHealth for Children |
| Georgia | $71,000 | Children's Healthcare of Atlanta (CHOA); large employer, multiple campuses |
| North Carolina | $70,000 | UNC Children's, Levine Children's at Atrium Health |
Pediatric Nurse Salary by Setting (2026)
| Setting | Avg Annual Salary | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| PICU (Pediatric Intensive Care) | $88,000–$105,000 | Top-paying peds setting; CCRN-Peds required; shift differentials standard |
| Pediatric Cardiac Surgery / Cardiac ICU | $92,000–$110,000 | Highest-acuity; CSC or CMC cert valued; limited to children's heart centers |
| NICU (Neonatal ICU) | $82,000–$98,000 | Often separate from peds; RNC-NIC cert; Level III/IV trauma centers pay most |
| Pediatric ED / Emergency | $80,000–$95,000 | CPEN cert valued; overnight/weekend differentials; fast-paced environment |
| Pediatric Oncology | $78,000–$92,000 | CPHON cert; high emotional demand; academic cancer centers pay premium |
| General Inpatient Peds (Med-Surg) | $72,000–$83,000 | Most common peds floor; CPN cert standard; step-down pays slightly more |
| Pediatric Outpatient / Clinic | $60,000–$72,000 | Pediatrician offices, specialty clinics; day shift, no weekends |
| School Nursing (Peds-focused) | $55,000–$68,000 | School-year schedule; NCSN cert; summers off in most districts |
Pediatric Nursing Certifications & Pay Impact
- CPN (Certified Pediatric Nurse): Administered by PNCB. For nurses in general pediatric settings. Adds 3–5% base salary premium at most children's hospitals. Required for Magnet-designated facilities in peds roles.
- CPEN (Certified Pediatric Emergency Nurse): For pediatric ED nurses. Administered by BCEN. Adds 2–4% premium; strong market recognition in standalone children's ED departments.
- CCRN-Peds: AACN critical care certification for pediatric ICU nurses. Premium of 4–7%; often required for PICU charge or senior roles.
- RNC-NIC: NICU specialty cert (NCC). Adds 3–5%; expected at Level III/IV NICUs after 2 years of experience.
- CPHON (Certified Pediatric Hematology Oncology Nurse): For peds oncology. Adds 3–6% at cancer centers.
Travel Pediatric Nurse Pay (2026)
Travel peds RN contracts average $1,600–$2,200/week all-in (taxable base + non-taxable stipends), depending on acuity and assignment location. PICU and peds cardiac travel nurses earn at the high end; general peds floor and clinic assignments are at the lower range. Children's hospitals post travel contracts year-round — seasonal census spikes occur November–March (respiratory virus season) when RSV and flu fill peds floors and PICUs.
What Makes Pediatric Nursing Unique
Pediatric nurses work with patients who cannot fully articulate symptoms — assessment skills, developmental knowledge, and the ability to build trust quickly with anxious families are core competencies. Pay reflects complexity (high acuity in PICU/cardiac) and emotion (oncology, palliative peds). Burnout prevention is a documented focus at major children's hospitals, with many offering robust PTO policies and mental health support programs that adult-care facilities rarely match.
Related: NICU Nurse Salary 2026, ICU Nurse Salary 2026, School Nurse Salary 2026.
Hiring in this space?
Browse 1.4M+ verified providers across all 50 states
NPI-sourced, free, no account required. Filter by specialty + state in seconds.
Search the directory →Free tool
2026 Healthcare Salary Calculator
Estimate comp by specialty, state, experience, and practice setting. Based on MGMA, AMGA, and BLS benchmarks.
Try the salary calculator →Be on the launch list
Salary data, hiring plays, and market trends. We'll email you when issue 1 ships. Free, unsubscribe anytime.
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime. We never share your email.