Flight Nurse Salary By State – (2024 Figures)

Written By: Pattie Trumble, MPP, MPH

Flight nurses are highly trained nursing professionals who specialize in providing medical care to patients who are being transported by planes, jets or helicopters for further assessment and treatment at a medical facility. Most often, these patients are being transported to comprehensive regional resources called Level I trauma centers. Since flight nurses must be at the top of their game, performing sophisticated medical interventions under stressful conditions, the average flight nurse salary is generous.

Flight nurses, also called transport nurses, are generally confronted with one of two scenarios. In the first, a patient is injured or falls ill in an area that has no reliable roads, so air transport is the only dependable method of evacuation. In the second, a patient must be transported from one medical facility to a Level I trauma center where more life-saving technologies are available.

Flight nurses are responsible for stabilizing vital signs, starting intravenous lines, administering medications and performing other medical procedures—including intubation—as needed. For the most part, the patients whom flight nurses transport are extremely compromised. Most medical evacuation flights also include physicians whom flight nurses assist, but when there’s no physician on board, the flight nurse is in charge. How much does a flight nurse make? The following in-depth article will answer all your questions about flight nurse salary in 2024.

What Is The Salary Per Hour Of A Flight Nurse?

What is the flight nurse salary per hour in 2024? The average flight nurse salary per hour in 2024 is $38.99. This is 50 percent more than the hourly salary flight nurses make when they’re just starting out on the job but 31 percent less than what they earn when they’ve been on the job two decades or longer. Most transport nurses are earning at least the average hourly salary for the profession by the time they’ve been on their career track for nine years.

Hourly wages typically reflect demand for the specific services any given professional provides as well as the market payrate for other professionals engaged in a similar line of work. Both these things are difficult to gauge for flight nurses. Databases tracking the number of medical evacuations throughout the U.S. in any given year are difficult to come by, which makes calculating quantitative demand for transport RN services difficult to measure as well. The best way of modeling that demand may be to envision the existence of medical evacuations as a type of catastrophic insurance: You hope you never have to use it, but if you have to use it, you really want it to be there.

Similarly, the professionals who provide the service that’s closest to the service flight nurses provide are emergency medical technicians (EMTs.) But the average hourly payrate throughout the U.S. for an EMT is $13.91, which is significantly less than half the hourly amount that flight RNs make. This is because while EMTs are healthcare professionals specializing in transport whose medical responsibilities toward patients in transit are very similar to the responsibilities of transport nurses, EMTs receive far less educational training than registered nurses do as a whole. Thus, EMTs are paid considerably less than registered nurses, so their salaries cannot be used as a comparison.

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What Is The Starting Salary Of A Flight Nurse?

What is the starting salary of a flight nurse in 2024? The average starting salary of a flight nurse in 2024 is $26.02 an hour, $1,083 a week, $4,510 a month, or $54,130 a year. When they’re just beginning their careers, flight nurses only make two-thirds of the average salary associated with their profession and 13 percent less than what they’ll make even one year into their career trajectory.

Part of the reason for this salary differential is that flight nurses must learn their highly specialized skills on the job. There are no educational programs that specifically train RNs to do medical evacuation. As noted above, the Board of Certification for Emergency Nursing offers a Certified Flight Registered Nurse (CFRN) credential, and the Air and Surface Transport Nurses Association offers a two-day intensive Transport Professional Advanced Trauma Course (TPATC), but the abbreviated nature of these educational modules is hardly sufficient to give fledgling flight RNs all the training and practice they will need to perform their jobs well.

During their initial year on the job, flight nurses function in many ways like apprentices. This means they require mentoring and supervision from their more experienced colleagues, which leaves those colleagues with less time to spend on their own workloads. Entry-level flight nurses earn less than more experienced flight nurses because their employers are trying to recoup some of the costs associated with the higher operational costs necessary to train them.

What Is The Average Salary Of A Flight Nurse?

What is the average flight nurse salary in 2024? The average flight nurse salary in 2024 throughout all parts of the U.S. is $38.99 an hour, $1,559 a week, $6,760 a month or $81,093 a year, but average flight nurse salaries vary considerably from state to state and even from city to city within the same state. This variance is mostly caused by regional differences in the cost of living.

The highest-paid flight nurses can be found in California while the lowest-paid flight nurses can be found in Alabama. Transport RNs in the Golden State average $122,190 a year, which is approximately twice as much as transport RNs in the Cotton State who make $61,050 a year. But the cost of living in Alabama is 18 percent less than it is in the U.S. as a whole and 68 percent less than the cost of living in California.

Of course, other factors influence the flight nurse salary discrepancies between these two states as well. California has a higher demand for transport RNs, and that’s going to drive up the average salary of a flight nurse in the Golden State. Medical evacuations between healthcare facilities often involve transporting a patient from a community hospital where many services may not be available to a Level I trauma center; California has 18 Level I trauma centers while Alabama only has one Level I trauma center.

Flight Nurse Salary By Years Of Experience

Flight nurses with one to four years of experience make 15 percent more than entry-level nurses while flight nurses with five to nine years of experience make 41 percent more than entry-level flight nurses and 22 percent more than flight nurses with one to four years of experience. The average salary of a flight nurse with 10 to 19 years of experience is 75 percent higher than the salary of an entry-level flight nurse and 24 percent higher than the average salary of a flight nurse with five to nine years of experience.

Flight nurses with 20 years or more experience make more than twice as much as entry-level transport RNs. It is likely that this compensation is a reflection of how valuable this experience is rather than an incentive to deter older flight nurses from retiring. Medical centers and private companies engaged in medical evacuations typically require flight nurses to meet certain benchmarks of physical fitness that RNs nearing retirement may not be able to meet. In order to do their jobs, flight nurses must be able to lift heavy objects, function in extreme conditions and environments, and meet certain cardiovascular standards. Although the profession itself has no fixed age limit requirements, it is likely that the private medical transport companies and medical centers that employ flight nurses impose their own chronological cut-offs that are considerably lower than retirement age.

Average Annual Compensation (Salary + Benefits) For Flight Nurses

Flight nurse salary as a cash payment is only part of the employment compensation transport nurses receive. They’re also eligible for benefits, which are non-cash compensation that employers provide workers with in addition to their salaries. Benefits can raise the value of a flight nurse’s total compensation package significantly. On average, a flight nurse working in the private sector receives benefits that are equivalent to 42 percent of their salary while a flight nurse working for the state or local government receives benefits that are equivalent to 62 percent of their salary. This raises the total compensation package private sector flight nurses receive to $114,836 and the total compensation package state and local government flight nurses receive to $133,910.

While certain benefits like workers’ compensation, COBRA and unemployment insurance are legally mandated, others are awarded at an employer’s discretion. Employers use perks like medical insurance, paid leave and retirement contributions to attract high-quality workers. Workers like benefits because they represent income that is non-taxable.

7 Ways You Can Increase Your Salary As A Flight Nurse

If you’re searching for ways to boost your flight nurse salary, here are seven to consider:

1. Get certified:

CFRN and TPATC credentials demonstrate competence in flight nursing specifics to prospective employers. Similarly, becoming certified in the Basic Life Support (BLS), Advanced Cardiac Life Support (ACLS) and Pediatric Advances Life Support (PALS) guidelines published by the American Heart Association will demonstrate proficiency in life-saving techniques to prospective employers. Both types of certifications are likely to enhance your marketability, which will have a positive effect on your flight nurse salary.

2. Get a part-time per diem nursing job:

These days, most medical facilities are chronically short-staffed. Signing up to do per diem shifts at a hospital or clinic close to where you live will give you the opportunity to pick up extra money whenever you’re feeling a cash crunch.

3. Focus on a clinical specialty:

A flight nurse with special expertise in cardiac catheterization or dialysis may be able to negotiate higher hourly compensation than a flight nurse who can only draw on general nursing competencies.

4. Pursue a graduate degree:

Most employers require flight nurses to have a Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) degree. Earning a Master of Science in Nursing (MSN) degree may qualify you for administrative or supervisory positions that earn higher flight nurse salaries.

5. Teach:

You may be able to parlay the avid interest in flight nursing into an adjunct teaching position at a nursing school affiliated with a local community college or online education provider.

6. Write:

Flight nursing is an adventuresome occupation. You may be able to sell stories about your in-air escapades to magazines or nursing blogs.

7. Relocate:

As noted above, there is considerable variation in the salary of a flight nurse from state to state and even, often, from city to city in the same state. If there’s nothing tying you to a particular geographic locale, moving may be an effective means of raising your flight nurse salary.

What Is The Future Outlook For Flight Nurse Salary?

Demand for flight nurses is high, and that makes it likely that the average flight nurse salary will continue to increase over the next few years. After all, there are definite constraints on the supply of available transport RNs. It takes at least seven years to qualify as a flight nurse since most employers will only hire BSNs with at least three years of intensive care, emergency room, or trauma experience. Additionally, flight nursing can be dangerous: In 2009, The Washington Post reported that working on a medical helicopter is the second-most dangerous job in the U.S. When demand for a particular service is high, but the supply of potential providers for that service is limited, salaries tend to get higher.

FLIGHT NURSE SALARY COMPARISON

Flight Nurse Salary VS. All Other Occupations

The average salary of a flight nurse is 31 percent higher than the average salary for all occupations across the U.S. This comparatively high figure represents the fact that flight nurses are in high demand but in relatively short supply due to rigorous training and experience requirements.

Flight Nurse Salary VS. Similar Nursing Jobs

Flight nurses make generous salaries, especially considering the fact a significant portion of the time they spend on the clock may be spent waiting for a medical evacuation to actually be scheduled. When transport RNs go out on flights, their workload is intense, but there is no way to predict when they will need to go out on flights. Hence, flight nurses earn less than RNs who have predictably busier workloads. The average flight nurse salary is 27 percent less than the average salary of an OB/GYN nurse, 24 percent less than the average salary of a neonatal nurse, and 22 percent less than the average salary of a labor and delivery nurse.

In terms of actual job description, the closest analogue to a flight nurse may be the ER nurse. Flight nurse salary is 6 percent less than ER nurse salary. This may also reflect the fact that flight nurses have more downtime on their shifts than ER nurses do.

Flight Nurse Salary VS. Other Healthcare Jobs

Although flight nurses may operate with a good deal of autonomy when they are staffing flights on which they are not accompanied by a physician, they are not advanced practice nurses. Their scope of practice focuses on the implementation of a physician’s orders rather than on treatments for which they take the initiative. Therefore, the average salary of a flight nurse is significantly less than the salary of colleagues who hold advanced practice certifications. Transport nurses make 34 percent less than nurse practitioners on average and less than half of what certified registered nurse anesthetists earn.

But flight nurses earn higher salaries than healthcare professionals who are primarily concerned with providing rehabilitative services. The average flight nurse salary is 6 percent higher than the average dental hygienist salary, 13 percent higher than the average respiratory therapist salary, and 26 percent higher than the average physical therapist assistant salary.

AVERAGE FLIGHT NURSE SALARY IN YOUR STATE

1. Alabama:

The salary for flight nurses in Alabama is the lowest anywhere in the U.S. Transport nurses in the Cotton State make $29.35 an hour, $5,090 a month or $61,050 a year, which is 25 percent less than the average flight nurse salary throughout the U.S. as a whole. In Huntsville, Alabama’s largest city, transport RNs earn 3 percent less than the state average. There is only a single Level I trauma center in the entire Cotton State.

Hourly	Monthly	Annual
$29.35	$5,090	$61,050

2. Alaska:

Flight nurses in Alaska average $46.42 an hour, $8,050 a month or $96,560 a year, which is 19 percent more than the national average. In Anchorage, flight nurses earn 1 percent less than the state average. Hunting, fishing and backcountry skiing are popular sports in the Last Frontier State, and medical evacuations from remote wilderness areas are not uncommon. Alaska has two Level II trauma centers but no Level I trauma centers.

Hourly	Monthly	Annual
$46.42	$8,050	$96,560

3. Arizona:

Arizona has more than 4.5 million acres of wilderness areas from which a significant number of people every year need to be airlifted out for medical emergencies. The Grand Canyon State also has eight Level I trauma centers to which patients may be airlifted in medical emergencies. The average salary for flight nurses in Arizona is $39.17 an hour, $6,790 a month, or $81,470 a year. This is fractionally more than the average flight nurse salary throughout all 50 states. In Phoenix, flight nurses earn 1 percent more than the state average while in Tucson, flight nurses earn 5 percent less.

Hourly	Monthly	Annual
$39.17	$6,790	$81,470

4. Arkansas:

There are two Level I trauma centers in Arkansas. Transport RNs in the Natural State average $31.01 an hour, $5,380 a month or $64,500 a year, which is 20 percent less than what transport RNs make throughout all parts of the U.S. In Little Rock, the biggest metropolitan area in Arkansas, flight nurses make salaries that are 9 percent more than the state average.

Hourly	Monthly	Annual
$31.01	$5,380	$64,500

5. California:

The highest-paid flight nurses are employed in the state of California. The average flight nurse salary in California is $58.75 an hour, $19,180 a month or $122,190 a year, which is nearly 50 percent more than the average flight nurse salary throughout all 50 states. Transport RN wages are highest in the cities of the Greater San Francisco Metropolitan Area where transport nurses earn 24 percent more than the state average or 86 percent more than the national average. The Golden State has 18 Level I trauma centers.

Hourly	Monthly	Annual
$58.75	$10,180	$122,190

6. Colorado:

Colorado is known for its backcountry winter sports during which a fair number of participants are injured and require medical evacuation every year. The average salary for flight nurses in Colorado is $37.94 an hour, $6,580 a month or $78,910 annually, which is 3 percent less than the national average. In the Greater Denver-Aurora Metropolitan Area, flight nurses make salaries that are 2 percent higher than the state average. The Centennial State has seven Level I trauma centers.

Hourly	Monthly	Annual
$37.94	$6,580	$78,910

7. Connecticut:

Connecticut has four Level I trauma centers. Six of the state’s largest cities are part of the New York City Metropolitan Area, so patients requiring more intensive medical treatment may be transported to New York City trauma centers as well. Flight nurses in the Nutmeg State earn $41.35 an hour, $7,170 a month or $86,000 annually, 6 percent more than the national average.

Hourly	Monthly	Annual
$41.35	$7,170	$86,000

8. Delaware:

Delaware’s flight nurses make salaries that are 7 percent lower than the salaries of flight nurses throughout all parts of the U.S. In the First State, flight nurses average $36.22 an hour, $6,280 a month, or $75,340 a year. In Wilmington, which is counted as part of the Greater Philadelphia Metropolitan Area, flight nurses earn 8 percent more than the state average. Delaware has two Level I trauma centers.

Hourly	Monthly	Annual
$36.22	$6,280	$75,340

9. Florida:

Florida’s beautiful weather makes it such a desirable place to live that healthcare professionals flock to the Sunshine State to work, and employers don’t have to offer incentives like higher salaries. The average flight nurse salary in Florida is $70,450 a year, which breaks down to $33.87 an hour or $5,870 a year. This figure is 13 percent less than the national average. Transport RNs based in Miami and Tampa make between 3 and 4 percent more than the state average while flight nurses based in Jacksonville and Orlando make 3 percent less. There are eight Level I trauma centers in the Sunshine State.

Hourly	Monthly	Annual
$33.87	$5,870	$70,450

10. Georgia:

The average flight nurse salary in Georgia is $34.85 an hour, $6,040 a month, or $72,480 a year. This is 11 percent less than the average salary earned by flight nurses throughout all parts of the U.S. Transport nurses in Augusta make 4 percent more than the state average while flight nurses in Atlanta make 6 percent more. The Peach State has four Level I trauma centers.

Hourly	Monthly	Annual
$34.85	$6,040	$72,480

11. Hawaii:

The second-highest-paid flight nurses work in the Aloha State. It’s easy to see why: The Hawaiian archipelago covers more than 4,000 square miles, and for people who become ill or injured in remote parts of the state, airlift may be their only recourse. Hawaiian flight nurses earn $51.08 an hour, $8,850 a month, or $106,250 a year. Hawaii has one Level I trauma center, and it’s located in Honolulu where flight nurses make 2 percent more than the average salary throughout the state.

Hourly	Monthly	Annual
$51.08	$8,850	$106,250

12. Idaho:

Idaho has more than 4.5 million acres of pristine wilderness, an area that’s bigger than several states. If someone gets hurt while hiking in these areas, the only way to evacuate them will be by helicopter. The Gem State has no Level I trauma centers. It’s likely that patients who need to be airlifted are brought to Salt Lake City’s Level 1 trauma center. On average, flight nurses in Idaho make $34.91 an hour, $6,050 a month or $72,610 a year, which is 10 percent than the average flight nurse salary throughout all parts of the nation. In Boise, flight nurses make 3 percent more than the state average.

Hourly	Monthly	Annual
$34.91	$6,050	$72,610

13. Illinois:

The state of Illinois has 15 Level I trauma centers. The average flight nurse salary in Illinois is $36.33 an hour, $6,300 a month or $75,570 a year, which is 7 percent less than the average salary for all flight nurses throughout the nation. Flight nurses employed in the Greater Chicago Metropolitan Area make 5 percent more than the average state salary.

Hourly	Monthly	Annual
$36.33	$6,300	$75,570

14. Indiana:

The average salary of a flight nurse in Indiana is $32.88 an hour, $5,700 a month, or $68,400 annually. Flight nurses in the Hoosier State make salaries that are 16 percent lower than the national average for flight nurse salaries throughout the nation. In Fort Wayne, flight nurses make 7 percent less than the state average, but in Indianapolis, they make 5 percent more. There are four Level I trauma centers in the Hoosier State.

Hourly	Monthly	Annual
$32.88	$5,700	$68,400

15. Iowa:

Flight nurses in Iowa make $30.49 an hour, which multiplies out to $5,290 a month or $63,420 a year. This is 22 percent less than the average flight nurse salary throughout all parts of the U.S. Des Moines-based flight nurses make 3 percent more than the state average. The Hawkeye State has one Level 1 trauma center, which is affiliated with the University of Iowa in Iowa City.

Hourly	Monthly	Annual
$30.49	$5,290	$63,420

16. Kansas:

There are three Level I trauma centers in the Sunflower State. Kansas-based transport nurses earn $31.28 an hour, $5,420 a month or $65,070 a year on average, which is 20 percent less than the average flight nurse salary throughout all parts of the U.S. In Wichita, the state’s largest city, flight nurses earn 7 percent less than the state average, possibly because competition with more efficient methods of ground transportation for medical emergencies has lessened the demand for air transport.

Hourly	Monthly	Annual
$31.28	$5,420	$65,070

17. Kentucky:

The average salary for flight nurses in Kentucky is $31.54 an hour, which multiplies out to $5,470 a month or $65,610 annually. This amount is 19 percent less than the average flight nurse salary across all 50 states. Flight nurses in Lexington make fractionally less than the state average while flight nurses in Louisville make 3 percent more. There are three Level I trauma centers in the Bluegrass State.

Hourly	Monthly	Annual
$31.54	$5,470	$65,610

18. Louisiana:

There are two Level I trauma centers in Louisiana, but the COVID-19 pandemic has hit the Bayou State’s healthcare delivery system hard, raising the chances that patients in crisis will need to be medically evacuated to one of Houston’s three Level I trauma centers instead of remaining in their own state. Louisiana flight nurses earn $33.14 an hour, $5,740 a month or $68,930 annually, but transport RNs in Baton Rouge earn 4 percent less than the state average while transport RNs in New Orleans earn 4 percent more.

Hourly	Monthly	Annual
$33.14	$5,740	$68,930

19. Maine:

Employers in Maine pay flight nurses $34.62 an hour, $6,000 a month or $72,000 a year on average, which is 11 percent less than the national average. The COVID-19 pandemic has amplified the need for the services the Pine Tree State’s transport nurses provide since so many of the state’s residents live in rural areas. Maine has one Level I trauma center.

Hourly	Monthly	Annual
$34.62	$6,000	$72,000

20. Maryland:

The average salary for flight nurses in Maryland is $39.75 an hour, $6,890 a month or $82,690 a year, which is 2 percent higher than the national average. Flight nurses in Baltimore earn 1 percent more than this while flight nurses working in that region of Maryland that’s part of the District of Columbia Metropolitan Area earn 2 percent more than this. Maryland has no Level I trauma centers, so severely compromised patients are typically evacuated to one of the District of Columbia’s four Level I trauma centers.

Hourly	Monthly	Annual
$39.75	$6,890	$82,690

21. Massachusetts:

The third highest-paid flight nurses are employed in Massachusetts. The average flight nurse salary in Massachusetts is $46.90 an hour, $8,130 a month, or $97,550 a year. This amount is 20 percent higher than the national average. In Boston, flight nurses earn 3 percent more than the state average, but in Worcester, located in the far less affluent central part of the state, flight nurses earn 8 percent less than the state average. The Bay State has nine Level I trauma centers.

Hourly	Monthly	Annual
$46.90	$8,130	$97,550

22. Michigan:

Michigan has 11 Level I trauma centers. While most of the state’s residents live in densely populated urban areas, Michigan’s Upper Peninsula is mostly rural and sparsely populated, thereby increasing the viability of airlifts as a practical method of medical transport. The average flight nurse salary in Michigan is $36.05 an hour, $6,250 a month or $74,980 a year, which is 8 percent less than the national average. Detroit-based flight nurses make 3 percent more than the state average.

Hourly	Monthly	Annual
$36.05	$6,250	$74,980

23. Minnesota:

The average salary of a flight nurse in Minnesota is $39.45 an hour, $6,840 a month or $82,060 annually, which is fractionally more than the national average. Flight nurses employed in the St. Paul/Minneapolis metropolitan area make 8 percent more than the national average. Minnesota has six Level I trauma centers. Though most of Minnesota’s residents live in urban areas, approximately 20 percent of the state’s population live in rural areas where air transit can be the safest option for medically compromised patients.

Hourly	Monthly	Annual
$39.45	$6,840	$82,060

24. Mississippi:

University of Mississippi Medical Center operates one of the best level-one trauma centers for both pediatric and adult patients. The Children's Hospital of Mississippi has a very robust air transport service (Air Care) and are the receiving center for the state of Mississippi as well as eastern Louisiana, some areas of Arkansas and Alabama. In fact, air care has won national recognition multiple times because of the number of transports they make. Mississippi-based flight nurses average $29.85 an hour, $5,170 a month or $62,080 a year, which is 23 percent beneath the national average.

Hourly	Monthly	Annual
$29.85	$5,170	$62,080

25. Missouri:

The average flight nurse salary in Missouri is $32.11 an hour, $5,570 a month or $66,790 annually, which is 18 percent less than the average salary for all flight nurses throughout the U.S. Transport RNs in St. Louis make 4 percent more than the state average while transport RNs in Kansas City, Missouri, make 7 percent more. There are seven Level I trauma centers in the Show Me State.

Hourly	Monthly	Annual
$32.11	$5,570	$66,790

26. Montana:

There are no Level I trauma centers in Montana, though there are Level II and Level III trauma centers. Employers in the Big Sky State pay flight nurses $34.37 an hour, $5,960 a month, or $71,480 a year on average. This amount is 12 percent than the average salary for flight nurses throughout all parts of the U.S. Montana doesn’t have any cities that could be considered large, and its open spaces are sparsely populated. Airlifts are often the most practical method of medical evacuation in the rural parts of the state.

Hourly	Monthly	Annual
$34.37	$5,960	$71,480

27. Nebraska:

Nebraska has two Level I trauma centers. Flight nurses in the Cornhusker State average $33.86 an hour, $5,870 a month, or $70,420 a year. This compensation is 13 percent less than what flight nurses earn on average throughout all parts of the nation. Flight nurses based in Lincoln, the state’s capital, make 2 percent less than this while flight nurses based in Omaha, the state’s largest city, make 1 percent more.

Hourly	Monthly	Annual
$33.86	$5,870	$70,420

28. Nevada:

Transport nurses in Nevada earn salaries that are 12 percent higher than the national average. Silver State-based flight nurses make $43.73 an hour, $7,580 a month, or $90,960 a year. Flight nurses in the Henderson/Las Vegas Metropolitan Area make 3 percent more than the state average but flight nurses in the more downhome city of Reno make 11 percent less. There is one Level I trauma center in the Silver State.

Hourly	Monthly	Annual
$43.73	$7,580	$90,960

29. New Hampshire:

In New Hampshire, flight nurse compensation averages $37.02 an hour, $6,420 a month or $77,000 a year, which is 5 percent less than the national average. There’s one Level 1 trauma center in the Granite State. Approximately 25 percent of the state’s population lives in rural areas, so medical airlifts are a practical intervention when it’s essential to get a patient to a better-equipped medical center quickly.

Hourly	Monthly	Annual
$37.02	$6,420	$77,000

30. New Jersey:

The average flight nurse salary in New Jersey is $41.77 an hour, $7,240 a month, or $86,880 annually. Flight nurses in Jersey City and Newark, which are considered to be part of the New York City Metropolitan Area, make 11 percent more than the state average while flight nurses in Camden, which is considered part of the Philadelphia Metropolitan Area, make 7 percent less. There are five Level I trauma centers in the Garden State.

Hourly	Monthly	Annual
$41.77	$7,240	$86,880

31. New Mexico:

New Mexico’s sole Level 1 trauma center is in Albuquerque, its largest city. Flight nurses in the Land of Enchantment make $36.88 an hour, $6,390 a month or $76,720 a year, which is 5 percent less than the average flight nurse salary throughout all parts of the U.S. Transport nurses based in Albuquerque make 1 percent more than the state average.

Hourly	Monthly	Annual
$36.88	$6,390	$76,720

32. New York:

The average flight nurse salary in New York is $43,74 an hour, $7,589 a month, or $90,970 annually. This is 12 percent higher than the average flight nurse salary throughout all states in the U.S. Transport RNs make 6 percent more than the state average in the New York City Metropolitan Area but significantly less than the state average in less affluent upstate urban areas—12 percent less in Buffalo and 24 percent less in Rochester. The Empire State has 24 Level I trauma centers.

Hourly	Monthly	Annual
$43.74	$7,580	$90,970

33. North Carolina:

The average flight nurse salary in North Carolina is $33.60 an hour, $5,820 a month or $69,880 annually, which is 14 percent below the national average. Flight nurses in Charlotte, Durham, Greensboro and Raleigh make approximately 2 percent more than this while flight nurses in Fayetteville make 10 percent more. There are six Level I trauma centers in the Tarheel State.

Hourly	Monthly	Annual
$33.60	$5,820	$69,880

34. North Dakota:

More than half of North Dakota’s population lives in rural settings so air transport is a vitally important channel in making sure that medically compromised residents have access to the critical care services they need. North Dakota has one Level I trauma center in Fargo, the state’s most populous city. Flight nurses in North Dakota make $33.93 an hour, $5,880 a month or $70,570 a year, which is 13 percent less than the national average for flight nurse salaries.

Hourly	Monthly	Annual
$33.93	$5,880	$70,570

35. Ohio:

The average flight nurse salary in Ohio is $33.99 an hour, $5,890 a month, or $70,690 a year. This figure is 13 percent less than the national average. Flight nurses in Columbus make fractionally less than the state average, but flight nurses in Cincinnati make 3 percent more, and flight nurses in Cleveland make 5 percent more. The Buckeye State has 15 Level I trauma centers.

Hourly	Monthly	Annual
$33.99	$5,890	$70,690

36. Oklahoma:

Oklahoma has one Level I trauma center, and it’s affiliated with the University of Oklahoma in Oklahoma City. Transport RNs in the Sooner State earn $32.45 an hour, $5,630 a month or $67,500 a year, which is 17 percent less than the average salary for all transport RNs throughout the 50 states. In Tulsa, flight nurse salaries are 1 percent more than the state average while in Oklahoma City, they are 3 percent more.

Hourly	Monthly	Annual
$32.45	$5,630	$67,500

37. Oregon:

Oregon’s transport RNs average $46.89 an hour, $8,130 a month or $97,530 annually, which is 20 percent more than the average salary that transport RNs make in all parts of the U.S. In Portland, flight nurses make 3 percent more than the state average. There are two Level I trauma centers in the Beaver State, and they’re both in Portland.

Hourly	Monthly	Annual
$46.89	$8,130	$97,530

38. Pennsylvania:

The average flight nurse salary in Pennsylvania is $36.14 an hour, $6,260 a month or $75,170 a year, which is 7 percent less than the national average. In Philadelphia, flight nurse salaries are 8 percent higher than the state average; in fact, Philadelphia flight nurse salaries are pretty much on a par with national flight nurse salaries. In Pittsburgh, however, flight nurse salaries are 5 percent less than the state average. There are 18 Level I trauma centers in the Keystone State.

Hourly	Monthly	Annual
$36.14	$6,260	$75,170

39. Rhode Island:

Rhode Island has one adult Level I trauma center, and it’s in Providence. Rhode Island's Level 1 trauma center has been severely impacted by nursing shortages in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic. Flight nurses in the Ocean State earn $49.34 an hour, $6,990 a month, or $83,910 a year on average. This figure is 3 percent more than the national average.

Hourly	Monthly	Annual
$40.34	$6,990	$83,910

40. South Carolina:

The average salary for flight nurses in South Carolina is $32.72 an hour, $5,670 a month, or $68,050 annually. This amount is 16 percent less than the amount for the average salary flight nurses earn throughout all parts of the U.S. The Palmetto State has six Level I trauma centers.

Hourly	Monthly	Annual
$32.72	$5,670	$68,050

41. South Dakota:

Flight RNs in South Dakota earn $29.71 an hour, $5,150 a month or $61,790 a year, which is 24 percent less than the average salary flight nurses earn throughout all parts of the U.S. The Mount Rushmore State has Level II and Level III trauma centers but no Level I trauma centers. It’s likely that patients requiring Level I trauma center services are medevacked to Level I trauma centers in Fargo, North Dakota, or Minneapolis, Minnesota.

Hourly	Monthly	Annual
$29.71	$5,150	$61,790

42. Tennessee:

The average salary of a flight nurse in Tennessee is $31.25 an hour, $5,420 a month, or $64,990 annually. Volunteer State flight nurses make 20 percent less than the national average. Flight nurses in Nashville and Memphis, Tennessee’s two biggest metropolitan areas, make 6 percent more than the state average. The Volunteer State has four Level I trauma centers.

Hourly	Monthly	Annual
$31.25	$5,420	$64,990

43. Texas:

The average flight nurse salary in Texas is $37.42 an hour, $6,490 or $77,840 a year, but Texas is a huge state geographically, and there’s a great deal of regional variation in the flight nurse payrates. In Austin, flight nurses make 5 percent less than the state average while in Lubbock, they make 6 percent less and in Corpus Christi, they make 13 percent less. But in Dallas/Fort Worth, they make 2 percent more, and in Houston, they make 11 percent more. The Lone Star State’s enormous size means that air evacuation is often the most practical means of transporting a patient to a medical center that can provide the care that patient needs. The Lone Star State has 18 Level I trauma centers.

Hourly	Monthly	Annual
$37.42	$6,490	$77,840

44. Utah:

Utah has three Level I trauma centers. Transport nurses in the Bee Hive State earn $34.29 an hour, $5,940 a month or $71,320 annually, which is 12 percent below the average salary figure for all flight nurses across the U.S. Utah is the state with the lowest median age in the U.S. This implies that there may be less demand for medical evacuations related to cardiac events and cerebrovascular accidents but possibly more demand for medical evacuations related to injuries since skiing and wilderness sports are popular pastimes throughout the state.

Hourly	Monthly	Annual
$34.29	$5,940	$71,320

45. Vermont:

In Vermont, transport nurses earn $35.15 an hour, $6,090 a month or $73,120 a year, which is 10 percent less than the average earnings for all transport nurses throughout the U.S. There is one Level I trauma center in Vermont, and it’s affiliated with the University of Vermont in Burlington. Critically ill or injured Vermont patients are often medevacked to the Level I trauma center in Albany, New York.

Hourly	Monthly	Annual
$35.15	$6,090	$73,120

46. Virginia:

The average salary of a flight nurse in Virginia is $36.25 an hour, $6,280 a month or $75,390 a year, which is 7 percent less than the salary flight nurses earn throughout all parts of the U.S. Flight nurses who work in that region of Virginia that’s considered part of the Greater District of Columbia Metropolitan Area make 12 percent more than the state average while flight nurses based in Richmond make 7 percent more and flight nurses based in Virginia Beach make 1 percent less. The Old Dominion State has four Level I trauma centers.

Hourly	Monthly	Annual
$36.25	$6,280	$75,390

47. Washington:

Washington State only has one adult and pediatric Level I trauma center; it’s located in Seattle and affiliated with the University of Washington. The average salary of a flight nurse in Washington State is $44.50 an hour, $7,710 a month or $92,550 a year, which is 14 percent more than the national average for flight nurse salaries. In Seattle, Washington State’s largest city, flight nurses earn 4 percent more than the state average.

Hourly	Monthly	Annual
$44.50	$7,710	$92,550

48. West Virginia:

In West Virginia, transport RNs make $31.74 an hour, $5,500 a month or $66,010 a year, which is 19 percent less than the national average. There are two Level I trauma centers in the state. Sixty-four percent of West Virginia’s residents live in remote, rural communities of fewer than 2,500 people, so helicopters are heavily relied upon to help medically compromised patients access the care they need.

Hourly	Monthly	Annual
$31.74	$5,500	$66,010

49. Wisconsin:

The average salary of a flight nurse in Wisconsin is $36.43 an hour, $6,310 a month, or $75,770 annually. This figure is 7 percent less than the average salary of a flight nurse throughout all parts of the U.S. Flight nurses in Milwaukee, the state’s largest city, make 3 percent more than the state average while flight nurses in Madison, the state capital, make 10 percent more than the state average. The Badger State has three Level I trauma centers.

Hourly	Monthly	Annual
$36.43	$6,310	$75,770

50. Wyoming:

Wyoming doesn’t have any Level 1 trauma centers. It’s likely that patients in need of the life-saving interventions that Level I trauma centers provide are flown to a Level I trauma center either in Denver, Colorado, or in Salt Lake City, Utah. Flight nurses in the Cowboy State make $35.38 an hour, $6,130 a month or $73,580 a year, which is 9 percent less than the national average.

Hourly	Monthly	Annual
$35.38	$6,130	$73,580

AVERAGE FLIGHT NURSE SALARY IN YOUR CITY

The wages that flight nurses earn can often vary widely from city to city in the same state. On average, transport nurses in Florida earn $70,450 a year. In Miami and Tampa, flight nurses average between 3 and 4 percent more than this while flight nurses in Jacksonville and Orlando average 3 percent less.

Part of this salary differential may be explained by differences in the respective cost of living indices: In Miami, the cost of living is 19 percent higher than the cost of living in Orlando; healthcare professionals need to be paid more in Miami because otherwise, they might not afford to be able to live there, and the demand for the services they provide would not be met. But another reason for the differential may be related to the demand for the services flight nurses provide. Medical evacuations most often involve the transport of a patient to a Level I trauma center. Orlando only has one trauma center while Miami has three trauma centers. It’s fair to surmise that medical transports take place more often in Miami.

HIGHEST AND LOWEST-PAYING FLIGHT NURSE JOBS

What Are The Highest And Lowest Paying Workplaces For Flight Nurses?

Flight nurses who work for private air-ambulance companies are the highest-paid flight nurses; flight nurses who work for hospitals and medical centers are the lowest-paid flight nurses.

What Are The Highest And Lowest Paying States For Flight Nurses?

The highest-paid flight nurses are employed in California where they earn $122,190 annually. Other states where transport nurses earn high salaries include Hawaii ($106,250), Massachusetts ($97,550), Oregon ($97,530) and Alaska ($96,560).

Flight nurses in Alabama earn $61,050 a year, which is the lowest annual flight nurse salary anywhere in the U.S. Other states where transport nurses earn low salaries include South Dakota ($61,790), Mississippi ($62,080), Iowa ($63,420), and Arkansas ($64,500).

What Are The Highest And Lowest Paying Cities For Flight Nurses?

The highest-paid flight nurses are employed in cities throughout California. These cities include Oakland ($151,220), San Francisco ($151,220), San Jose ($148,860), Sacramento ($136,170) and Modesto ($122,730). The cities in which flight nurses earn the lowest salaries are spread throughout the southeast and Midwest. They include Huntsville, AL, ($59,390), Wichita, KS, ($60,290), Fort Wayne, IN, ($64,400), Des Moines, IA, ($65,010) and Lexington, KY, ($65,180).

What States In The Northeast Pay The Highest And Lowest Salaries For Flight Nurses?

The northeastern states where flight nurses earn the highest average salaries are Massachusetts ($97,550) and New York ($90,970). The northeastern states where flight nurses earn the lowest average salaries are Maine ($72,000) and Vermont ($73,120).

What States In The Midwest Pay The Highest And Lowest Salaries For Flight Nurses?

The Midwestern states where flight nurses earn the highest average salaries are Minnesota ($82,060) and Wisconsin ($75,770). The Midwestern states where flight nurses earn the lowest average salaries are South Dakota ($61,790) and Iowa ($63,420).

What States In The Southeast Pay The Highest And Lowest Salaries For Flight Nurses?

The southeastern states where flight nurses earn the highest average salaries are Virginia ($75,390) and Georgia ($72,480). The southeastern states where flight nurses earn the lowest average salaries are Alabama ($61,050) and Mississippi ($62,080).

What States In The Southwest Pay The Highest And Lowest Salaries For Flight Nurses?

The southwestern states where flight nurses earn the highest average salaries are Minnesota ($82,060) and Wisconsin ($75,770). The southwestern states where flight nurses earn the lowest salaries are Oklahoma ($67,500) and New Mexico ($76,720).

What States In The Western Region Pay The Highest And Lowest Salaries For Flight Nurses?

The western region states where flight nurses earn the highest salaries are California ($122,190) and Hawaii ($106,250). The western region states where flight nurses earn the lowest salaries are Utah ($71,320) and Montana ($71,480).

My Final Thoughts

This article provides an answer to the question, “How much does a flight nurse make?” Flight nurse salary in 2024 is a comfortable sum, but salary alone shouldn’t be the sole determining factor if you’re thinking about becoming a flight nurse. In addition to necessary hands-on competencies, it takes a special type of person to thrive in the flight nurse role. You must be strong and independent but also work well as a member of a team and know when to ask for help. You must be comfortable working in risky environments and above all, you must have a keen sense of adventure. If that checklist fits your personality, then flight nursing may be the right career choice for you.

Sources

We have used the following sources to compile the salary data on this page.

1. NP Editorial Assessment
2. Ziprecruiter.com

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS ANSWERED BY OUR EXPERT

1. Is There A High Demand For Flight Nurses?

The demand for flight nurses is high. In 2017, nearly 2,000 medical evacuations took place every day for a total of more than 400,000 flights throughout the year. The medical evacuation industry is growing rapidly: In the year 2000, 500 air ambulance setups were operating throughout the U.S.; by the year 2017, that number had increased to more than 1,000.

Initially, the medical evacuation industry was dominated by nonprofit programs run by hospitals and municipalities. But today the industry is dominated by for-profit private air-ambulance companies that are willing to pay high flight nurse salaries. By 2017, medical evacuation had become a billion-dollar industry in the U.S.

2. Where Do Flight Nurses Work?

Transport nurses work in both civilian and military settings. Civilians flight nurses can be employed by:

• Private air ambulance companies:

Most air ambulance companies prefer to hire RNs who have at least five years of experience in the intensive care unit, emergency room, or trauma unit practice settings. They also prefer to work with RNs who’ve completed the Certified Flight Registered Nurse credential offered by the Board of Certification for Emergency Nursing.

• Non-profit medical centers:

Medical centers and hospitals don’t typically employ transport nurses as such. Instead, flight nurses are RNs who work in an affiliated ICU, ER or trauma unit, have distinguished themselves for their hands-on skills and leadership abilities, and have received specialized training through the medical facility at which they work.

• Local fire departments:

Local fire departments in rural districts work with flight nurses as part of the emergency medical services these departments offer. In addition to injured patients, these flight nurses also evacuate patients who’ve had heart attacks and strokes and who in more densely populated areas would probably have been brought into medical facilities by ground ambulance.

• Organizations focused on search and rescue missions:

Flight nurses who work with these organizations often participate in the actual search and rescue missions themselves, finding missing parties in backcountry terrain, on cliffsides or at the bottom of slot canyons, before stabilizing them medically and transporting them back to a facility where they can receive more intensive medical care.

3. What Is The Typical Work Schedule For Flight Nurses?

Transport RNs affiliated with private medical evacuation companies typically work on-call shifts, meaning that they may not have to be at their worksite during their shift, though they will have to be available on short notice at any time throughout their shift in case a situation requiring medical evacuation arises. Flight nurse shifts usually vary from 12 to 24 hours and are scheduled seven days a week, including holidays. Most private medical evacuation companies do not pay evening, night, weekend, or holiday shift differentials.

Transport nurses who work for nonprofit medical centers are often ICU, emergency room or trauma nurses who work standard schedules in their assigned units. The medical evacuation work they do is considered extra work, and they generally perform it on a rotating on-call basis. The nature of the work is unpredictable: They may do nothing for the entire 12 hours they are on call, or they may receive a call half an hour before their shift is due to end that keeps them out for another three hours.

4. How Satisfied Are Flight Nurses With Their Jobs?

Flight nurses work on the very front lines of medical care provision. They take an enormous amount of pride in the work they do. That said, flight nurses also deal with a considerable amount of stress that arises from factors as diverse as concerns over their own physical safety, challenges integrating their professional and personal lives, and resentment over inadequate recognition from supervisors.

A 1989 article published in the professional journal Hospital Aviation found that flight nurses were basically satisfied with their jobs. However, transport RNs wanted to be more involved in decision-making processes and felt they deserved more commendation from employment administrators. Average flight nurse salary was not cited either as a source of satisfaction or dissatisfaction.