Also called: ICU Nurse, Critical Care RN
Cares for the sickest patients in the hospital, often on ventilators and multiple IV drips.
Manages just one or two patients, but each may have breathing tubes, heart monitors, and a dozen medications running at once. Watches numbers closely, responds to alarms in seconds, and supports terrified families.
Estimate based on BLS registered nurse wages ($93,600 median, May 2024); varies by state and shift.
Approximate: anchored on Bureau of Labor Statistics data for a broader job group.
Bachelor's degree (4-year), about 4 years after high school. RN license; CCRN certification after ICU experience.
Ways in: 4-year college, 2-year college, Certification. Training cost: $15k – $60k.
Majors to look at: Nursing (BSN), Nursing (ADN).
Growing faster than average (about 5% over 10 years).
Low risk for 10 years. Smart monitors predict crashes earlier; ICU nurses still interpret, act fast, run drips and care for the sickest patients.
Classes: AP Biology, AP Chemistry, Anatomy & physiology, Health science CTE.
Official data: O*NET occupation 29-1141.
Career Universe is an early version. Pay, training and AI-risk figures are estimates to start your own research, not verified facts. The research was written with AI research assistants, checked by validation scripts and spot-checked by hand. Check anything important with schools, employers and official sources. How the numbers work.