Med-Surg Nurse salary: $58.73/hr median.
Across 46,705 active postings · 9 titles with data · 51 states.
Browse Med-Surg Nurse salary titles in Registered Nurse (RN), including posting volume, median pay, state coverage, and role-level comparisons.
How Med-Surg Nurse pay is distributed across the market.
10% of postings pay under $46.75. The top 10% pay above $69.61.
- P10$46.75
- P25$52.50
- Median$58.73
- P75$63.75
- P90$69.61
How Med-Surg Nurse pay has moved month over month.
Median pay moved from $61.08 in Nov 2025 to $60.18 in Apr 2026 (-1.5%). Each column is the P25–P75 range; the tick is the posting-weighted median.
Med-Surg Nurse pay across every state with live data.
Showing all 51 states with live data. Bars scale to the highest-paying state.
CITY PAY DATA
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The most common job titles in Med-Surg Nurse.
These are the individual job titles that make up the Med-Surg Nurse track, ranked by active posting volume over the last 180 days.
| Role | Category · Track | Median /hr | P25–P75 | Postings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Medical Surgical Nurse (MedSurg) | Registered Nurse (RN) · Med-Surg Nurse | $58.00 | $52.23–$62.36 | 10,839 |
| Med-Surg Nurse | Registered Nurse (RN) · Med-Surg Nurse | $60.63 | $54.36–$66.02 | 8,829 |
| Med Surg/Telemetry Nurse | Registered Nurse (RN) · Med-Surg Nurse | $61.67 | $57.47–$66.58 | 3,821 |
| Oncology Med-Surg Nurse | Registered Nurse (RN) · Med-Surg Nurse | $61.50 | $57.12–$67.13 | 59 |
| Ortho/Neuro Nurse | Registered Nurse (RN) · Med-Surg Nurse | $51.79 | $37.50–$62.33 | 44 |
| Renal/Nephrology Nurse | Registered Nurse (RN) · Med-Surg Nurse | $63.00 | $60.28–$70.50 | 40 |
| Neuro Med-Surg Nurse | Registered Nurse (RN) · Med-Surg Nurse | $60.03 | $49.13–$64.17 | 33 |
| Surgical Stepdown Nurse | Registered Nurse (RN) · Med-Surg Nurse | $60.43 | $53.72–$64.42 | 30 |
| Orthopedic Med-Surg Nurse | Registered Nurse (RN) · Med-Surg Nurse | $61.85 | $60.37–$63.33 | 2 |
Highest-paying job titles in the Med-Surg Nurse track.
| Role | Category · Track | Median /hr | P25–P75 | Postings | Δ pay |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Renal/Nephrology Nurse | Registered Nurse (RN) · Med-Surg Nurse | $63.00 | $60.28–$70.50 | 40 | ▼ 0.8% |
| Orthopedic Med-Surg Nurse | Registered Nurse (RN) · Med-Surg Nurse | $61.85 | $60.37–$63.33 | 2 | — flat |
| Med Surg/Telemetry Nurse | Registered Nurse (RN) · Med-Surg Nurse | $61.67 | $57.47–$66.58 | 3,821 | ▲ 3.1% |
| Oncology Med-Surg Nurse | Registered Nurse (RN) · Med-Surg Nurse | $61.50 | $57.12–$67.13 | 59 | ▲ 4.6% |
| Med-Surg Nurse | Registered Nurse (RN) · Med-Surg Nurse | $60.63 | $54.36–$66.02 | 8,829 | ▲ 11.3% |
| Surgical Stepdown Nurse | Registered Nurse (RN) · Med-Surg Nurse | $60.43 | $53.72–$64.42 | 30 | — flat |
| Neuro Med-Surg Nurse | Registered Nurse (RN) · Med-Surg Nurse | $60.03 | $49.13–$64.17 | 33 | — flat |
| Medical Surgical Nurse (MedSurg) | Registered Nurse (RN) · Med-Surg Nurse | $58.00 | $52.23–$62.36 | 10,839 | ▲ 6.8% |
| Ortho/Neuro Nurse | Registered Nurse (RN) · Med-Surg Nurse | $51.79 | $37.50–$62.33 | 44 | ▲ 1.2% |
How to become a Med-Surg Nurse.
Medical-Surgical nurses provide care to adult patients with a wide variety of medical conditions and post-surgical needs on hospital medical-surgical units.
Med-surg nursing is often the entry point for new graduate RNs. Most nurses complete BSN, pass NCLEX-RN, and start on med-surg units to build foundational skills.
| Degree | Duration | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Associate Degree in NursingADN | 2-3 years | Entry-level nursing degree. Many med-surg units accept ADN nurses with RN-to-BSN completion plans. |
| Bachelor of Science in NursingBSN | 4 years | Preferred by most hospitals. Required for magnet facilities and leadership advancement. |
| RN-to-BSN ProgramRN-to-BSN | 1-2 years | Online completion program for ADN nurses to earn BSN while working. |
State RN license required. Must pass NCLEX-RN examination.
CPR certification required for all nursing positions.
Often required or preferred, especially on telemetry or step-down units.
| Credential | Issued by | Pay impact |
|---|---|---|
| CMSRN Certified Medical-Surgical Registered Nurse Primary certification for med-surg nurses. Validates expertise in adult medical-surgical nursing. Requires 2 years and 2,000 hours of practice. | AMSN/MSNCB | +5-10% |
| RN-BC Med-Surg Medical-Surgical Nursing Certification Alternative med-surg certification from ANCC. Recognized nationally. | ANCC | +5-10% |
| PCCN Progressive Care Certified Nurse For nurses on step-down or progressive care units caring for moderately ill patients. | AACN | +5-10% |
| Wound Care Certification Wound Care Certified (WCC) Valuable specialization for med-surg nurses managing complex wounds. | NAWCO | +3-8% |
- 0-1 yearsNew Graduate Med-Surg Nurse
Entry-level position on med-surg unit. Building foundational nursing skills with preceptor support.
- 1-3 yearsStaff Med-Surg Nurse
Independent practice managing 4-6 patient assignments. Growing clinical confidence.
- 3-5 yearsSenior Med-Surg Nurse / Preceptor
Mentors new nurses, serves as unit resource, may lead patient care teams.
- 5-7 yearsMed-Surg Charge Nurse
Shift leadership coordinating admissions, discharges, and staffing. CMSRN often expected.
- 7-10 yearsUnit Educator / Clinical Coach
Focuses on staff development, competency validation, and quality improvement.
- 10+ yearsNurse Manager / Director
Leadership role overseeing unit operations, budget, and staff. MSN typically required.
Schedule. Primarily 12-hour shifts (7a-7p or 7p-7a). Rotating weekends and holidays required. Some facilities offer 8-hour day shifts.
Physical demands. Physically demanding with frequent walking, standing, lifting, and patient turning. Fast-paced with multiple patient assignments (typically 4-6 patients).
Med-surg is the largest nursing specialty and serves as the foundation for most nursing careers. High demand at all experience levels. Travel med-surg positions pay $2,000-3,000+/week.