National salary guide
Pediatric Nurse Salary 2026
National pay overview, hourly and annual comparison, top paying states, top cities, and ways to improve compensation for pediatric nurse roles.
Start with the national pediatric nurse salary and hourly wage estimate, then compare states and cities where taxes, children's hospital demand, RN requirements, and cost of living can change the real value of an offer.
National baseline
$78,000
$37.50/hr, $1,500/wk, $6,500/mo
National salary overview
Hourly
$37.50
Weekly
$1,500
Monthly
$6,500
Annual
$78,000
Pediatric nurses provide specialized medical care to infants, children, and adolescents in hospitals, clinics, and outpatient settings. They monitor patient development, administer medications, and collaborate with families to deliver compassionate, age-appropriate nursing care.
How much does a pediatric nurse make?
TrueNursePay estimates pediatric nurse salary at about $78,000 per year, or $37.50 per hour, before taxes and local adjustments in 2026. That equals about $1,500 per week or $6,500 per month on a full-time schedule. Pediatric registered nurse salary searches usually point to the same RN role family, but actual offers can change with license requirements, children's hospital setting, shift differential, unit acuity, benefits, and cost of living.
For a better offer comparison, open the state and city calculators below to compare hourly pay, annual salary, estimated take-home pay, salary range, and nearby markets using the same assumptions.
Hourly estimate
$37.50
Annual estimate
$78,000
Updated
June 1, 2026
Fast salary answers for searchers
These are estimate-based answers for common salary searches. Actual offers can vary with employer, shift, certifications, benefits, overtime rules, and local cost of living.
Pediatric Nurse hourly pay
$37.50
National gross hourly estimate before state and city adjustments.
Pediatric Nurse annual salary
$78,000
Full-time annual estimate before taxes, differentials, and benefits.
Estimated salary range
$56,160-$102,960
Directional range for entry, mid-career, and experienced comparisons.
Best next comparison
Los Angeles, CA, San Diego, CA, Orlando, FL, Miami, FL
Use local pages for take-home pay, cost-of-living, and offer context.
Salary questions this guide answers
Estimated salary range
Entry estimate
$56,160
$27.00/hr
Mid-career estimate
$78,000
$37.50/hr
Experienced estimate
$102,960
$49.50/hr
City salary calculators to compare next
These city guides make it easier to compare local hourly pay, annual pay, take-home context, and nearby markets before evaluating a specific offer.
Los Angeles, CA
$61.06/hr | $127,015/yr
San Diego, CA
$59.51/hr | $123,786/yr
Orlando, FL
$39.78/hr | $82,750/yr
Miami, FL
$45.58/hr | $94,801/yr
Austin, TX
$37.95/hr | $78,936/yr
Oklahoma City, OK
$32.63/hr | $67,860/yr
Chicago, IL
$45.68/hr | $95,004/yr
Dallas, TX
$35.54/hr | $73,913/yr
Columbus, OH
$35.15/hr | $73,109/yr
Indianapolis, IN
$35.10/hr | $73,008/yr
Houston, TX
$34.50/hr | $71,760/yr
Fort Worth, TX
$33.46/hr | $69,607/yr
New Orleans, LA
$36.45/hr | $75,816/yr
Phoenix, AZ
$40.56/hr | $84,357/yr
Priority state guides
These state pages are the strongest next steps for comparing statewide pay, city-level calculators, and take-home context.
Top paying states
| State | Hourly | Annual |
|---|---|---|
| Hawaii | $55.88 | $116,220 |
| California | $51.75 | $107,640 |
| New York | $50.63 | $105,300 |
| Massachusetts | $49.50 | $102,960 |
| New Jersey | $48.75 | $101,400 |
| Alaska | $48.00 | $99,840 |
| Connecticut | $47.63 | $99,060 |
| Maryland | $45.75 | $95,160 |
| New Hampshire | $44.25 | $92,040 |
| Rhode Island | $44.25 | $92,040 |
Top paying cities
New York City, NY
$70.88/hr | $147,420/yr
San Francisco, CA
$69.86/hr | $145,314/yr
San Jose, CA
$64.69/hr | $134,550/yr
Cambridge, MA
$63.36/hr | $131,789/yr
Honolulu, HI
$62.58/hr | $130,166/yr
Los Angeles, CA
$61.06/hr | $127,015/yr
Yonkers, NY
$60.75/hr | $126,360/yr
Boston, MA
$60.39/hr | $125,611/yr
San Diego, CA
$59.51/hr | $123,786/yr
Kailua, HI
$59.23/hr | $123,193/yr
Pearl City, HI
$58.11/hr | $120,869/yr
Jersey City, NJ
$57.53/hr | $119,652/yr
Hourly vs annual pay
The annual estimate assumes a full-time schedule of 2,080 hours. If you are comparing hourly offers, convert shift differential and overtime separately because those can change take-home pay more than the base rate suggests.
How to increase pay
- Target higher-paying states and cities before negotiating a base rate.
- Ask for written details on shift differential, weekend premium, and overtime rules.
- Use specialty certifications and high-acuity experience as negotiation evidence.
- Compare health benefits, PTO, retirement match, tuition support, and sign-on terms.
Related specialties
FAQ
How much does a Pediatric Nurse make in 2026?
The national baseline used by TrueNursePay is $78,000 per year, or about $37.50 per hour, before taxes and local adjustments.
Which states pay pediatric nurse roles the most?
In this model, Hawaii, California, New York currently show the highest statewide estimates after cost-of-living adjustment.
How can nurses increase pay in this specialty?
Higher pay often comes from high-acuity experience, specialty certifications, shift differentials, weekend premiums, overtime rules, travel contracts, and moving into stronger local labor markets.
Are these figures guaranteed salary offers?
No. The estimates were last updated on June 1, 2026 and are intended for comparison and planning. Actual offers vary by employer, experience, shift, certifications, and contract type.
How much does a pediatric nurse make per hour?
The national baseline converts to the hourly estimate shown on this page, assuming 2,080 full-time hours per year. City pages adjust that estimate for local market and cost-of-living assumptions.
What is the annual salary for a pediatric nurse?
TrueNursePay uses a national pediatric nurse annual salary baseline, then shows hourly, weekly, monthly, and city-adjusted estimates so nurses can compare the same offer across locations.
Is pediatric registered nurse salary the same as pediatric nurse salary?
In many job postings, pediatric nurse and pediatric registered nurse salary refer to the same RN role family. Compare the license requirement, unit setting, shift differential, and experience level before treating two listings as equivalent.
What affects pediatric nurse pay the most?
Pediatric nurse pay can move materially with pediatric specialty experience, children's hospital setting, shift differential, weekend premium, certifications, overtime rules, benefits, and local cost of living.
Methodology
Last updated June 1, 2026. TrueNursePay uses a national specialty salary baseline, then state and city pages apply cost-of-living, local market, and tax assumptions. The numbers are estimates for career planning and offer comparison.