Table of Contents
Top 5 Highest Paying States for Hospice RNs:Top 5 Lowest Paying States for Hospice RNs:What is the average incentive bonus for a Hospice RN Job?How to do an effective Hospice RN job searchWhat is the average salary of a Hospice RN in the U.S.?Do Hospice RN salaries vary by geographical location?How does experience affect a Hospice RN’s salary?Are there opportunities for Hospice RNs to earn additional income?What benefits typically accompany an employed Hospice RN’s salary?A hospice RN (CHPN) is a healthcare professional who specializes in providing end-of-life care to patients with terminal illnesses. Their primary role is to manage the comfort and quality of life for patients who are no longer seeking treatments but instead, the focus is on symptom relief and emotional support.
Hospice nurses are trained to assess and address symptoms such as pain, nausea, shortness of breath, and anxiety, through medication management and non-pharmacological interventions. They also educate families on what to expect during the dying process, offering guidance and support to help them feel more comfortable with providing care.
The demand for hospice nurses is increasing due to several key factors, including an aging population, the rise in chronic and terminal illnesses, and the growing preference for end-of-life care at home or in hospice settings. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), the overall employment of registered nurses is projected to grow by 6% from 2021 to 2031, which is faster than the average for all occupations.
Top 5 Highest and Lowest Paying States for Hospice RN Jobs in the US
Specific salary data varies by state and over time. The salary for a hospice nurse is influenced by the demand for nurses, the cost of living, and regional economic conditions. According to Zippia, the highest and lowest-paying states for hospice RNs are as follows:
Top 5 Highest Paying States for Hospice RNs:
1. Delaware
2. Washington
3. Vermont
4. Massachusetts
5. Connecticut
Top 5 Lowest Paying States for Hospice RNs:
1. Alabama
2. Nebraska
3. Tennessee
4. South Dakota
5. Iowa
The state data varies between resources.
Historical Data (Salary Outlook) For Salary Median
** Chart from https://www.zippia.com/salaries/hospice-registered-nurse/
Median salary, Entry-level salary, Average-salary
The median salary for a hospice nurse in the U.S. is influenced by their experience, location, and specialization. An entry-level salary for those just starting their career is around $55,000-$65,000. The average salary of a hospice RN is between $75,000 to $85,000 per year, with a median salary of $77,000.
A traveling hospice nurse may receive a higher hourly rate ($90,000-$110,000) because of their temporary job status. Traveling hospice nurses can earn between $40 and $50 per hour, with some assignments offering bonuses or higher pay rates for more difficult-to-fill positions. Non-traveling nurses who work in a permanent hospital position may have variations in salary based on specialization, geographic location, type of healthcare institution, and expertise level.
Average Hospice RN Salary by State (for non-traveling CHPN)
| State | Annual Salary | Weekly Salary | Hourly Wage |
| Alabama | $56,967 | $1,095 | $27.39 |
| Alaska | $69,091 | $1,328 | $33.22 |
| Arizona | $71,915 | $1,382 | $34.57 |
| Arkansas | $62,244 | $1,197 | $29.93 |
| California | $105,096 | $2,021 | $50.53 |
| Colorado | $67,127 | $1,290 | $32.27 |
| Connecticut | $89,916 | $1,729 | $43.23 |
| Delaware | $91,375 | $1,757 | $43.93 |
| Florida | $65,078 | $1,251 | $31.29 |
| Georgia | $69,950 | $1,345 | $33.63 |
| Hawaii | $90,994 | $1,749 | $43.75 |
| Idaho | $84,273 | $1,620 | $40.52 |
| Illinois | $67,741 | $1,302 | $32.57 |
| Indiana | $55,367 | $1,064 | $26.62 |
| Iowa | $55,407 | $1,065 | $26.64 |
| Kansas | $62,977 | $1,211 | $30.28 |
| Kentucky | $63,734 | $1,225 | $30.64 |
| Louisiana | $71,591 | $1,376 | $34.42 |
| Maine | $72,106 | $1,386 | $34.67 |
| Maryland | $86,295 | $1,659 | $41.49 |
| Massachusetts | $91,567 | $1,760 | $44.02 |
| Michigan | $73,732 | $1,417 | $35.45 |
| Minnesota | $69,385 | $1,257 | $33.36 |
| Mississippi | $65,587 | $1,261 | $31.53 |
| Missouri | $66,333 | $1,275 | $31.89 |
| Montana | $72,389 | $1,392 | $34.80 |
| Nebraska | $59,808 | $1,150 | $28.75 |
| Nevada | $82,874 | $1,593 | $39.84 |
| New Hampshire | $83,395 | $1,603 | $40.09 |
| New Jersey | $93,531 | $1,798 | $44.97 |
| New Mexico | $73,417 | $1,411 | $35.30 |
| New York | $95,583 | $1,838 | $45.95 |
| North Carolina | $66,083 | $1,270 | $31.77 |
| North Dakota | $59,540 | $1,145 | $28.63 |
| Ohio | $71,144 | $1,368 | $34.20 |
| Oklahoma | $63,093 | $1,213 | $30.33 |
| Oregon | $91,866 | $1,766 | $44.17 |
| Pennsylvania | $82,595 | $1,588 | $39.71 |
| Rhode Island | $112,805 | $2,169 | $54.23 |
| South Carolina | $65,840 | $1,266 | $31.65 |
| South Dakota | $54,542 | $1,048 | $26.22 |
| Tennessee | $57,092 | $1,097 | $27.45 |
| Texas | $71,112 | $1,367 | $34.19 |
| Utah | $72,427 | $1,392 | $34.82 |
| Vermont | $85,211 | $1,638 | $40.97 |
| Virginia | $72,969 | $1,403 | $35.08 |
| Washington | $90,713 | $1,744 | $43.61 |
| West Virginia | $76,637 | $1,473 | $36.84 |
| Wisconsin | $76,923 | $1,479 | $36.98 |
| Wyoming | $74,039 | $1,423 | $35.60 |
Average Hospice RN Job Salary by State (for traveling CHPN)
| State | Annual Salary | Weekly Salary | Hourly Wage |
| Alabama (Birmingham) | $81,710 | $1,571 | $39.28 |
| Alaska (Juneau) | $92,392 | $1,776 | $44.41 |
| Arizona (Phoenix) | $86,568 | $1,664 | $41.61 |
| Arkansas (Little Rock) | $83,624 | $1,608 | $40.20 |
| California (San Francisco) | $102,720 | $1,975 | $49.38 |
| Colorado (Boulder) | $90,420 | $1,738 | $43.47 |
| Connecticut (Hartford) | $87,946 | $1,691 | $42.28 |
| Delaware (Dover) | $87,137 | $1,675 | $41.89 |
| Florida (Miami) | $83,388 | $1,603 | $40.09 |
| Georgia (Atlanta) | $83,843 | $1,612 | $40.30 |
| Hawaii (Honolulu) | $86,106 | $1,655 | $41.39 |
| Idaho (Boise) | $82,980 | $1,595 | $39.89 |
| Illinois (Chicago) | $89,814 | $1,729 | $43.22 |
| Indiana (Indianapolis) | $83,338 | $1,602 | $40.06 |
| Iowa (Des Moines) | $85,087 | $1,636 | $40.90 |
| Kansas (Topeka) | $82,050 | $1,577 | $39.44 |
| Kentucky (Lexington) | $86,655 | $1,666 | $41.66 |
| Louisiana (New Orleans) | $83,730 | $1,610 | $40.25 |
| Maine (Portland) | $89,201 | $1,715 | $42.88 |
| Maryland (Annapolis) | $86,307 | $1,659 | $41.49 |
| Massachusetts (Boston) | $94,719 | $1,821 | $45.53 |
| Michigan (Detroit) | $86,311 | $1,659 | $41.49 |
| Minnesota (St Paul) | $88,178 | $1,695 | $42.39 |
| Mississippi (Jackson) | $75,976 | $1,461 | $35.52 |
| Missouri (Jefferson City) | $82,637 | $1,589 | $39.72 |
| Montana (Helena) | $82,622 | $1,588 | $39.72 |
| Nebraska (Lincoln) | $75,905 | $1,459 | $36.49 |
| Nevada (Carson City) | $85,387 | $1,642 | $41.05 |
| New Hampshire (Concord) | $87,759 | $1,687 | $42.19 |
| New Jersey (Trenton) | $87,426 | $1,681 | $42.03 |
| New Mexico (Santa Fe) | $85,584 | $1,645 | $41.14 |
| New York (Manhattan) | $96,220 | $1,850 | $46.25 |
| North Carolina (Charlotte) | $85,156 | $1,637 | $40.94 |
| North Dakota (Bismarck) | $86,866 | $1,670 | $41.76 |
| Ohio (Columbus) | $84,213 | $1,619 | $40.48 |
| Oklahoma (OK City) | $80,992 | $1,557 | $38.93 |
| Oregon (Portland) | $92,461 | $1,778 | $44.45 |
| Pennsylvania (Philadelphia) | $87,978 | $1,691 | $42.29 |
| Rhode Island (Providence) | $88,078 | $1,693 | $42.34 |
| South Carolina (Charleston) | $81,590 | $1,569 | $39.22 |
| South Dakota (Pierre) | $86,874 | $1,670 | $41.76 |
| Tennessee (Nashville) | $84,212 | $1,619 | $40.48 |
| Texas (Austin) | $86,419 | $1,661 | $41.54 |
| Utah (Salt Lake City) | $84,371 | $1,622 | $40.56 |
| Vermont (Montpelier) | $88,142 | $1,695 | $42.37 |
| Virginia (Richmond) | $86,282 | $1,659 | $41.48 |
| Washington (Spokane) | $88,155 | $1,695 | $42.38 |
| West Virginia (Charleston) | $84,734 | $1,629 | $40.73 |
| Wisconsin (Green Bay) | $84,802 | $1,630 | $40.77 |
| Wyoming (Cheyenne) | $82,619 | $1,588 | $39.72 |
What is the average incentive bonus for a Hospice RN Job?
The average bonus for a hospice RN is between $1,000 and $5,000. Many hospice nurses earn bonuses based on performance metrics, such as patient satisfaction, efficiency, and patient outcomes. Some employers offer sign-on bonuses to attract hospice RNs. These can range from $2,000 to $10,000 depending on demand in the area, employer size, and the level of experience required. Hospice nurses often receive on-call pay bonuses and overtime bonuses which may range between $50 to $150 per day for being on standby. Lastly, they may also be offered a retention bonus after staying with their employer for a specific number of years or a referral bonus for recommending a hired colleague.
Employed vs. self-employed Hospice RN Job
Salaries vary between employed and self-employed hospice RNs. Employed RNs have a fixed, stable salary, health insurance, retirement plans, a CME allowance, liability coverage, and paid time off. They usually work for a hospital system and have less financial risk and less flexibility in scheduling.
A self-employed hospice RN will contract their services and has a higher earning potential, increased flexibility, must find their own jobs, and may/may not be provided with healthcare, liability coverage, or a retirement plan.
How to do an effective Hospice RN job search
We make it easy to find a Hospice RN position with PRNHealthcare. Use the position job search bar by searching “I am an RN” and select hospice as your specialty. Finally, use the location bar to select your state and city of choice.
Most-common benefits for a Hospice RN
Being a hospice RN comes with many professional and personal benefits including:
1. High-Demand/Job Security- Hospice RNs continue to be in high demand because of an aging population and more demand for end-of-life care.
2. Specialized Skill Development- Hospice nurses gain expertise in palliative care, pain management, and end-of-life care, making them highly specialized in an essential area of healthcare. They are needed in hospitals, long-term care facilities, and home care.
3. Opportunities for Advancement- Hospice RNs can advance into leadership roles, such as hospice nurse managers, case coordinators, or educators.
4. Work-Life Balance- Hospice nursing often provides more flexible scheduling compared to other nursing fields. Nurses can choose between full-time, part-time, and per diem positions, and those who work in home hospice care may have more control over their daily schedules.
5. Meaningful Patient Relationships- Hospice nurses often form deep, personal connections with patients and their families. This makes the work highly rewarding, as nurses make a significant difference during a difficult time in a person’s life.
6. Emotional Fulfillment- Providing comfort and dignity to patients in their final stages of life gives a nurse a sense of purpose. Many hospice nurses find personal satisfaction in knowing they have helped patients and families navigate the difficulties of death.
7. Perspective on Life and Death- Hospice nursing provides a broader perspective on life and death. Nurses can appreciate the moments that matter and often live their lives differently, which can have a lasting impact on their personal outlook and relationships.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the average salary of a Hospice RN in the U.S.?
Data suggests the average annual salary for a hospice RN in the United States is $75,000-$85,000 per year. This figure can vary depending on location, years of experience, employment situation, specialization, demand, and the type of healthcare facility.
Do Hospice RN salaries vary by geographical location?
Yes, CHPN salaries vary significantly by geographical location. Generally, nurses living in urban areas or regions with a high cost of living tend to earn higher salaries. For example, CHPNs in states like California and New York often earn more than those in rural or less populated states due to demand and differences in the cost of living.
How does experience affect a Hospice RN’s salary?
Just like many other professions, experience plays a significant role in determining a hospice nurse’s salary. Entry-level nurses typically start with a lower salary, which can increase substantially with experience. Mid-career and experienced nurses can earn significantly more, especially with a specialization like hospice. Those with years of experience, work in high-demand locations or in leadership roles can make over $100,000.
Are there opportunities for Hospice RNs to earn additional income?
Yes, there are many opportunities for hospice RNs to earn additional income including working additional hours, being on call, or earning production, retention, or referral bonuses.
What benefits typically accompany an employed Hospice RN’s salary?
In addition to their competitive salary, CHPNs often receive a comprehensive benefits package which may include health insurance, retirement plans (such as a 401(k) or pension), paid time off (PTO), continuing education allowances, and licensing fees. Benefits significantly enhance the overall compensation package and provide long-term financial stability for a non-traveling RN.