Flight nurses, are registered nurses that are trained to provide medical care as they transport patients in either a helicopter or an airplane. They often transport critically ill or injured patients to trauma centers.
Flight nursing requires advanced skills and nurses can be expected to work longer than typical shifts and sometimes travel to other states or countries depending on their job.
Find out everything you need to know about flight nurses, average salaries, salary by state, and ways to increase your earning potential.
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Part One What is the Average Flight Nurse Salary?
According to the BLS, registered nurses of all specialties earn a median salary of $86,070 annually or $41.38/hr. While the BLS does not differentiate between different specialties of nursing, ZipRecruiter reports that the average flight nurse salary is $109,709 per year or $53.00 per hour. Flight nurse salaries range between $62,500 to $145,000.
Part Two Flight Nurse Salary by City and State
Highest Paying Cities for Flight Nurses
| City | Annual Salary | Monthly Pay | Weekly Pay | Hourly Wage |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| San Jose, CA | $138,114 | $11,509 | $2,656 | $66.40 |
| Vallejo, CA | $135,358 | $11,279 | $2,603 | $65.08 |
| Oakland, CA | $135,094 | $11,257 | $2,597 | $64.95 |
| Truckee, CA | $134,984 | $11,248 | $2,595 | $64.90 |
| Hayward, CA | $134,864 | $11,238 | $2,593 | $64.84 |
| Ashland, CA | $134,850 | $11,237 | $2,593 | $64.83 |
| Antioch, CA | $134,697 | $11,224 | $2,590 | $64.76 |
| Cameron, AZ | $134,555 | $11,212 | $2,587 | $64.69 |
| Lebanon, NH | $134,207 | $11,183 | $2,580 | $64.52 |
| Seattle, WA | $134,104 | $11,175 | $2,578 | $64.47 |
Via ZipRecruiter
Flight Nurse Salary By State
| State | Annual Salary | Monthly Pay | Weekly Pay | Hourly Wage |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| New York | $130,320 | $10,860 | $2,506 | $62.65 |
| Pennsylvania | $119,332 | $9,944 | $2,294 | $57.37 |
| New Hampshire | $116,690 | $9,724 | $2,244 | $56.10 |
| New Jersey | $114,920 | $9,576 | $2,210 | $55.25 |
| Wyoming | $113,679 | $9,473 | $2,186 | $54.65 |
| Washington | $113,525 | $9,460 | $2,183 | $54.58 |
| Wisconsin | $112,712 | $9,392 | $2,167 | $54.19 |
| Massachusetts | $112,708 | $9,392 | $2,167 | $54.19 |
| Alaska | $112,413 | $9,367 | $2,161 | $54.04 |
| Oregon | $111,502 | $9,291 | $2,144 | $53.61 |
| Indiana | $111,325 | $9,277 | $2,140 | $53.52 |
| North Dakota | $111,299 | $9,274 | $2,140 | $53.51 |
| Hawaii | $109,137 | $9,094 | $2,098 | $52.47 |
| Arizona | $109,023 | $9,085 | $2,096 | $52.42 |
| New Mexico | $108,345 | $9,028 | $2,083 | $52.09 |
| Colorado | $107,629 | $8,969 | $2,069 | $51.74 |
| Minnesota | $107,601 | $8,966 | $2,069 | $51.73 |
| Montana | $107,381 | $8,948 | $2,065 | $51.63 |
| Nevada | $106,290 | $8,857 | $2,044 | $51.10 |
| Alabama | $106,039 | $8,836 | $2,039 | $50.98 |
| South Dakota | $105,189 | $8,765 | $2,022 | $50.57 |
| Vermont | $105,020 | $8,751 | $2,019 | $50.49 |
| Ohio | $104,960 | $8,746 | $2,018 | $50.46 |
| Rhode Island | $103,278 | $8,606 | $1,986 | $49.65 |
| Iowa | $102,040 | $8,503 | $1,962 | $49.06 |
| Delaware | $101,902 | $8,491 | $1,959 | $48.99 |
| Connecticut | $101,713 | $8,476 | $1,956 | $48.90 |
| Virginia | $100,724 | $8,393 | $1,937 | $48.43 |
| Mississippi | $100,311 | $8,359 | $1,929 | $48.23 |
| Tennessee | $100,211 | $8,350 | $1,927 | $48.18 |
| Utah | $99,697 | $8,308 | $1,917 | $47.93 |
| Illinois | $99,396 | $8,283 | $1,911 | $47.79 |
| Georgia | $98,782 | $8,231 | $1,899 | $47.49 |
| Maryland | $98,762 | $8,230 | $1,899 | $47.48 |
| California | $98,464 | $8,205 | $1,893 | $47.34 |
| Nebraska | $96,867 | $8,072 | $1,862 | $46.57 |
| Maine | $96,419 | $8,034 | $1,854 | $46.36 |
| Missouri | $95,706 | $7,975 | $1,840 | $46.01 |
| South Carolina | $94,766 | $7,897 | $1,822 | $45.56 |
| Kansas | $94,422 | $7,868 | $1,815 | $45.40 |
| Idaho | $94,004 | $7,833 | $1,807 | $45.19 |
| Louisiana | $93,944 | $7,828 | $1,806 | $45.17 |
| Oklahoma | $93,808 | $7,817 | $1,804 | $45.10 |
| Texas | $93,201 | $7,766 | $1,792 | $44.81 |
| North Carolina | $92,810 | $7,734 | $1,784 | $44.62 |
| West Virginia | $92,162 | $7,680 | $1,772 | $44.31 |
| Kentucky | $89,372 | $7,447 | $1,718 | $42.97 |
| Michigan | $89,164 | $7,430 | $1,714 | $42.87 |
| Florida | $87,420 | $7,285 | $1,681 | $42.03 |
| Arkansas | $84,818 | $7,068 | $1,631 | $40.78 |
Via ZipRecruiter
>> Show Me Online RN-to-BSN Programs
Part Three Flight Nurse Salary Factors
Flight Nurse Salary by Years of Experience
Flight Nurses can earn a higher annual salary with increased years of experience.
- Less than 1 year of experience earn an average hourly wage of $27.76
- 1-4 years of experience earn an average hourly wage of $35.01
- 5-9 years of experience earn an average hourly wage of $37.90
- 10-19 years of experience earns an average hourly wage of $38.84
- 20 years and higher years of experience earn an average hourly wage of $42.72
Via Payscale
Flight Nurse Salary by Work Setting
Flight nursing is a unique specialty because nurses work directly on either an airplane or helicopter. They do not have a typical home unit like other nursing specialities.
Additionally, when flight nurses are not transporting a patient via aircraft - they will have a location to stay and wait for the next transport call.
Flight nurses can be employed by:
- Hospitals
- Trauma centers
- Fire stations
- Search and rescue teams
- Disaster Response and/or Emergency Preparedness
- Emergency response team
- Government agency
- Medical clinic
- Military
Part Four How to Increase Your Salary as a Flight Nurse
You can increase your salary as a flight nurse by several different methods:
1. Earning the Certified Flight Registered Nurse (CFRN) certification
Certification is optional for some positions but highly encouraged and can help increase your earning potential. Most flight nurses hold this advanced certification and more often than not it is required. The Board of Certification for Emergency Nursing offers the Certified Flight Registered Nurse (CFRN) to eligible nurses.
2. Working nights or weekends, where you are paid a higher per-hour wage
3. Advance your education by earning a master’s of science in nursing (MSN) or higher
4. Work per diem or become a travel flight nurse
5. Training to be a preceptor for new hires
6. Climbing the clinical ladder within the organization
Popular Online Master of Science in Nursing (MSN) Programs
Earn a valuable nursing credential at Purdue Global’s School of Nursing. Expand your expertise and prepare to take on leadership and independent practice opportunities. Complete your courses online, on your schedule.
CCNE
Online
RN Required
Enrollment: Nationwide, but certain programs have state restrictions. Check with Purdue for details.
WGU's award-winning online programs are created to help you succeed while graduating faster and with less debt. WGU is a CCNE accredited, nonprofit university offering nursing bachelor's and master's degrees.
CCNE
Online
RN Required
Enrollment: Nationwide
GCU's College of Nursing and Health Care Professions has a nearly 35-year tradition of preparing students to fill evolving healthcare roles as highly qualified professionals.
CCNE
Online
RN Required
Enrollment: Nationwide
Earn your nursing degree from one of the largest nursing education providers in the U.S. Walden University’s BSN, MSN, post-master’s APRN certificate, and DNP programs are accredited by the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE). Get enhanced practicum support with our Practicum Pledge.
CCNE
Online
RN Required
Enrollment: Nationwide, excluding CT, ND, NY and RI. Certain programs have additional state restrictions. Check with Walden for details.
Part Five Has COVID-19 Affected the Salary of Flight Nurses?
Overall, COVID-19 affected all nursing salaries. Flight nurses didn’t necessarily see an increase or decrease in salary as a direct result of the pandemic. However, it is impossible to say exactly as there is no current data available on this topic.
There was an increased need because of transporting patients to/from community hospitals to higher-level care facilities. For that reason, a lot of flight nurses earned more than in previous years because of overtime.
Furthermore, many hospitals, especially in southern states, did not have ICU beds available. Flight nurses were needed to transport these patients to hospitals in other states. Unfortunately, many of them were not stable enough to be transported via ambulance so they had to be taken via helicopter or plane.
>> Show Me Online RN-to-BSN Programs
Part Six Is Becoming a Flight Nurse Worth it?
Typically, flight nurses are BSN educated. Flight nursing requires critical thinking, strong communication, and quick thinking.
How Much Does it Cost to Become a Flight Nurse?
There is no one set cost for nursing school, but you can expect to spend anywhere from thousands for a shorter degree program to as high as over $80,000 and even sometimes $100,000 for private or Ivy league nursing programs.
There is a multitude of factors that affect the cost of a nursing program including:
- Full time or part-time status
- Associate Degree in Nursing (ADN) or a Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN)
- RN to BSN bridge program
- Community college vs. state college vs. private college
- Books
- Nursing Uniforms
- Lab Fees
- Transportation to classes and clinical sites
Regardless of the cost, nursing is a rewarding career and it is worth taking the risk. While the typical college student will leave school with debt, there are ways for it to be paid back by the government, hospital, or military. It’s important to speak to a counselor or hospital HR department regarding options.
>> Show Me Online RN-to-BSN Programs
Part Seven Flight Nurse Salary vs Other Specialties
Flight nurses earn an average annual salary of $109,709 per year or $53 per hour. Here’s how that compares to some other nursing specialties:
- ER nurses: $86,737 per year or $42 per hour.
- Telemetry nurses: $87,048 per year or $42 per hour
- OB nurses: $83,242 per year or $40 per hour
- NICU nurses: $128,211 per year or $62 per hour
- Corporate nurses: $117,046 per year or $56 per hour
- ICU nurses: $85,205per year or $41 per hour
Salaries via ZipRecruiter
Popular Online Master of Science in Nursing (MSN) Programs
Earn a valuable nursing credential at Purdue Global’s School of Nursing. Expand your expertise and prepare to take on leadership and independent practice opportunities. Complete your courses online, on your schedule.
CCNE
Online
RN Required
Enrollment: Nationwide, but certain programs have state restrictions. Check with Purdue for details.
WGU's award-winning online programs are created to help you succeed while graduating faster and with less debt. WGU is a CCNE accredited, nonprofit university offering nursing bachelor's and master's degrees.
CCNE
Online
RN Required
Enrollment: Nationwide
GCU's College of Nursing and Health Care Professions has a nearly 35-year tradition of preparing students to fill evolving healthcare roles as highly qualified professionals.
CCNE
Online
RN Required
Enrollment: Nationwide
Earn your nursing degree from one of the largest nursing education providers in the U.S. Walden University’s BSN, MSN, post-master’s APRN certificate, and DNP programs are accredited by the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE). Get enhanced practicum support with our Practicum Pledge.
CCNE
Online
RN Required
Enrollment: Nationwide, excluding CT, ND, NY and RI. Certain programs have additional state restrictions. Check with Walden for details.
