ER nurses are healthcare heroes and lifesavers in scrubs, you see behind the hospital doors. From broken bones to heart attacks, ER nurses handle everything and make split-second decisions to save the lives of patients. If you want to step into ER nursing, then it is important to understand their responsibilities and how much they are making in 2025. In this blog, we will give you detailed information about ER nurses and their salaries in 2025.
If you are already an ER (Emergency Room) nurse with 2 years of experience, then stop searching for ER jobs near you and instead join SkillGigs and become a travel nurse with us. Ditch the travel nursing agencies and join SkillGigs, where you can find high-paying travel nursing assignments and also get a $500 bonus once you sign a contract with us.
What are ER nurses?
ER nurses, also known as emergency nurses or triage nurses, work in the emergency department of hospitals or in urgent care centers. These registered nurses assess, stabilize, and provide care to patients facing life-threatening medical conditions. They deal with a wide variety of medical emergencies in the ER. Some of the roles and responsibilities of ER nurses are as follows:
Roles and responsibilities of ER nurses
- They quickly assess incoming patients and determine the level of severity of their conditions once they arrive at the ER, and assign a triage level based on urgency, for example, urgent, non-urgent, or life-threatening.
- ER nurses think quickly and provide immediate care to patients who are facing life-threatening conditions such as heart attacks, strokes, or severe injuries.
- They monitor vital signs, administer medications, and help with resuscitation (CPR, defibrillation) if necessary.
- ER nurses also work closely with other healthcare professionals, such as surgeons, radiologists, etc, to provide effective care for the patients.
ER nurse salaries in 2025
If you want to become an ER nurse, you must wonder how much ER nurses make in 2025. Here is the salary and pay breakdown of ER nurses in 2025.
Average salary of ER nurses:
What is the average salary of ER nurses in 2025?
Many factors affect the ER nurses’ salary, but in October 2025, the average salary of ER nurses in the US is $58.53 per hour.
Experience plays an important role in the salaries of ER nurses. here is the breakdown of ER nurse pay based on experience:
Entry-level ER nurses (0-2 years of experience): Hourly rate is $33 to $36, or average salary is 67,000 – $75,000 annually.
Median level ER nurses (3-5 years of experience): Average salary is $40–41/hr or $84,000 – $85,000 annually.
Mid-to-upper-level ER nurses (6-10 years of experience): The per-hour pay is $45–49/hr or $90,000 – $100,000 annually.
Senior or specialized ER nurses (10 plus years of experience): The hourly pay is $50 $60 plus or average of $120,000+ (or more) per year.
Types of ER nurses and their salaries in 2025
ER nurses have different roles in the healthcare industry that also affect their pay and salary. Here is the breakdown of the different roles of ER nurses and their salaries:
- Staff ER nurse (includes both part-time and full-time)
- Travel ER nurse (Contract and Agency-based)
- Per diem nurse/ PRN ER nurse
- Specialized nurse (Lead nurse, charge nurse, trauma nurse)
Staff ER nurse:
Staff ER nurses are registered nurses who work in hospitals as permanent nurses.
- Part-time ER job: Work 3 days, 12 hours a week (day shift, night shifts, weekends)
- Full-time ER job: Work 5 days, 8 hours a week, (day shift, night shift, weekends).
Average ER staff nurse pay is $84,665 per year or $41/hr, but other factors also affect this pay, such as experience, location, hospitals, and benefits that they get, etc. (source: Staff Nurse – RN – Emergency Room Salary, Hourly Rate (December 01, 2025) in the United States | Salary.com
Travel ER RN (Contract/Agency-based):
Travel ER nurses take temporary assignments (contracts typically 8 to 13 weeks) to fill the gaps where there is a shortage of staff. The average salary of travel ER nurses is $1500 to $4000 per week, which is their base pay.
Here are some ER nurse jobs where you can make up to $3000 to $4000 per week (ER job link) with SkillGigs, and also get a $500 bonus once you sign a contract with us.
Many other factors also affect travel ER nurse salary, such as bonuses, stipends, benefits, location of ER nurse job, etc.
Per diem ER RN/ PRN ER RN:
Per-diem nurses work on a per-day basis. They are not full-time staff; instead, they pick up shifts when needed, especially during rush times, weekends, or emergencies. The typical per diem ER staff pay is $35 to $37 per hour, but sometimes it depends on shift hours, hospital demands, etc, that can affect their pay.
Specialized nurse/charge nurse:
These are registered nurses with extra experience, certifications, and responsibilities, and they can earn up to $131,129/yr. Other factors that affect their pay are their certifications, facility types, years of experience, etc. (source: Emergency Room Registered Nurse (ER RN) Salary (December 2025) | AAMS
What are travel ER nurses and their salaries in 2025
Travel ER nurses are registered nurses who work on contracts, typically for 8 to 13 weeks at places where there is a shortage of staff. Travel ER nurses’ contracts have base pay, bonuses, stipends, etc., that make up their whole salary. The average travel ER RN salary in the US is $1500 to $4000 per week, but factors that affect travel ER RN salary are the location of assignments, shift type, experience, etc.
With SkillGigs, you can make up to $3000 to $4000 per week by applying to high-paying Travel RN jobs.
Factors that affect ER nurse salary
Here are some of the factors that affect ER nurses’ salaries/pay:
- Location of the assignment: Places with a high cost of living will give nurses high pay as compared to low-cost-of-living areas.
- Experience and Certifications: Experience and certifications are other factors that affect ER nurses’ salaries. More experience and certifications mean higher pay.
- Shift differentials: The ER nurses’ pay is high if they are working night shifts, on weekends, or on holidays.
- Demand: The Higher the demand for a specialty higher the pay. For example, during COVID, the demand was very high for ER nurses, so hospitals were willing to pay a higher base salary.
- Travel contracts: If you are a travel nurse, your hourly pay is higher than staff nurses because of the nature of the job. Explore high-paying travel ER RN jobs with SkillGigs and make up to $3000 to $4000 per week.
How to boost your ER nurse income?
Here are some tips on how to boost your ER nurse salary:
- Target high-demand or high-cost-of-living areas.
- If you have 2 years of experience in ER, then take high-paying travel nurse contracts with SkillGigs.
- Choose night shifts, weekends, or holidays to make more money.
- Work overtime and take extra shifts if possible.
- Work when demand is high, such as during disasters, emergencies, pandemics, etc.
- Consider a per-diem job to make extra money.
Highest paying states for ER nurses and their salaries in 2025
- Hawaii: Salary up to $138,666/yr
- California: Pay up to $113,512/yr
- Oregon: RN salary up to $123,010/yr
- Massachusetts: RN pay up to $109,099–$122,880/yr
- Washington: RN income up to $119,900/yr
Conclusion
In 2025, ER nursing offers high pay, especially for travel ER nurses and specialized roles.ER (Emergency Room) nurses are healthcare heroes who work in fast-paced, high-pressure environments and save the lives of patients every day. Boost your ER salary by getting certifications, gaining experience, choosing high-paying locations, etc. Ditch the agencies and join SkillGigs if you want to make $3000 to $4000 per week.
SkillGigs is also offering a $500 bonus once you sign a contract with us. So don’t wait, join SkillGigs now and discover high-paying travel ER jobs.
