Critical Care Nurses
Provide specialized nursing care for patients in critical or coronary care units.
Also called: CCU RN (Cardiac Care Unit Registered Nurse), CCU RN (Coronary Care Unit Registered Nurse), CCU RN (Critical Care Unit Registered Nurse), Certified Critical Care Nurse, Critical Care Nurse (CCN), Critical Care Nurse Practitioner
Median pay
$97,550
Pay for the broader BLS group “Registered Nurses”
Pay range (10th–90th)
$68,940 – $137,470
People employed
3,379,720
Whole BLS group
Holland code
SIC
Social · Investigative · Conventional
Updated October 2026 · Data: O*NET 31.0 and BLS OEWS May 2025 · How we match careers
Is this career right for you?
These are the things that stand out in this job compared with other U.S. jobs (O*NET 31.0 work context). Answer honestly.
- 1.Do you prefer working indoors?
- 2.Do you want to lead or coordinate other people’s work?
- 3.Do you enjoy serving customers or the public?
- 4.Are you happy talking and working with people most of the day?
- 5.Do you work well under tight deadlines?
- 6.Are you OK being on your feet and moving most of the day?
The hard parts
- Exposure to disease or infection
- Mistakes can have serious consequences
- Tight deadlines are common
Critical Care Nurses pay by state
Annual median pay by state (50 states and DC with published data). Source: BLS OEWS May 2025, for the broader group “Registered Nurses”.
What critical care nurses do
- 01Evaluate patients' vital signs or laboratory data to determine emergency intervention needs.
- 02Monitor patients for changes in status and indications of conditions such as sepsis or shock and institute appropriate interventions.
- 03Administer medications intravenously, by injection, orally, through gastric tubes, or by other methods.
- 04Monitor patients' fluid intake and output to detect emerging problems, such as fluid and electrolyte imbalances.
- 05Prioritize nursing care for assigned critically ill patients, based on assessment data or identified needs.
- 06Compile and analyze data obtained from monitoring or diagnostic tests.
Skills that matter most
- Monitoring
- Critical Thinking
- Reading Comprehension
- Active Listening
- Speaking
- Active Learning
Knowledge
- Medicine and Dentistry
- Customer and Personal Service
- English Language
- Psychology
- Biology
Work styles that stand out
- Cautiousness
- Intellectual Curiosity
- Cooperation
- Achievement Orientation
- Self-Control
Education and first steps
Share of workers by required education, as reported to O*NET.
How people get started
- Usually needs a bachelor's degree (O*NET Job Zone 4).
- Related work experience: none.
- On-the-job training: over 3 months, up to and including 6 months.
- A certification can help.
Most common answers from O*NET 31.0 Education, Training and Experience.
Interest fit (Holland code)
O*NET occupational interest scores, scale 1–7. Take the Free Career Test to compare with your own.
Career changes
Change from critical care nurses
- Licensed Practical and Licensed Vocational Nurses87% · —
- Paramedics86% · —
- Nursing Assistants78% · —
- Physical Therapist Assistants76% · —
- Ophthalmic Medical Technologists75% · group pay
Change into critical care nurses
Jobs whose skills carry over best (skill match, their median pay).
- Licensed Practical and Licensed Vocational Nurses85% · $64,400
- Paramedics84% · $60,600
- Midwives83% · $65,790
- Nursing Instructors and Teachers, Postsecondary82% · $80,250
- Athletic Trainers77% · $62,520
Majors that lead here
- Registered Nursing/Registered Nurse
- Nursing Administration
- Adult Health Nurse/Nursing
- Family Practice Nurse/Nursing
- Maternal/Child Health and Neonatal Nurse/Nursing
- Nursing Science
- Pediatric Nurse/Nursing
- Psychiatric/Mental Health Nurse/Nursing
- Public Health/Community Nurse/Nursing
- Perioperative/Operating Room and Surgical Nurse/Nursing
- Clinical Nurse Specialist
- Critical Care Nursing
From the NCES CIP 2020 to SOC 2018 crosswalk.