Healthcare Salary Growth Slows in 2026, but Regional and Nursing Pay Gaps Persist

Healthcare Salary Increases Remain Near 3%

Healthcare employers appear to be moving toward more predictable annual compensation adjustments. The survey found that median salary increase budgets remained at 3.0% for the third consecutive year. Organizations are projecting another 3.0% increase for 2027.

Average salary structure adjustments reached 2.7% in 2026, compared with 1.6% in 2025. These adjustments can affect the pay ranges employers use when setting salaries for new hires and reviewing existing employees’ compensation.

While health system administrative budgets for general staff are stabilizing near 3%, organizational leadership continues to coordinate these staff budgets alongside specialized recruitment strategies in Physicians / MD-DO Careers, where specialized surgical and medical procedural demands command distinct compensation formulas.

Although the national figures suggest a more stable market, they do not mean every healthcare worker received a 3.1% raise. Actual changes depend on occupation, employer, geographic market, experience and the organization’s compensation policies.

Registered Nurses Continue to See Regional Pay Differences

Nursing compensation remains an important exception to the broader pattern of moderating wage growth.

SullivanCotter reported that registered nurse base pay increased by 7.4% in the West, with RN pay increases exceeding 4% in the North Central, South Central and Southeast regions. Across all healthcare staff positions, regional increases ranged from 1.9% in the Northeast to 5.3% in the West.

These differences matter for nurses comparing job offers across states or metropolitan areas. A national salary benchmark may not reflect the pay available in a specific labor market, prompting many acute care specialists to evaluate traditional permanent positions against regional and travel contracts available through Registered Nurse (RN) & Travel Nursing networks.

The survey also found substantial differences between metropolitan areas. Median RN base pay in Los Angeles was approximately 46% above the national median. New York City was 35% above the national median, while Boston was 28% above it.

Higher salaries in major metropolitan areas may reflect local labor-market conditions and employer competition, but they should be evaluated alongside housing costs, commuting expenses, benefits and working hours.

Weekend and Evening Shifts Can Increase Nursing Pay

Base salary is only one part of a healthcare compensation package. Shift differentials and other premiums can affect how much employees earn for working less desirable schedules.

According to SullivanCotter, the median flat-dollar differential for a staff RN working a weekend night was $7.00 per hour, compared with $3.25 across all jobs in the survey. The median differential for weekend evening shifts was $5.50 per hour for RNs, compared with $2.75 across all jobs.

These figures describe survey benchmarks, not guaranteed premiums. Employers use different approaches to additional pay, and some positions may offer percentage-based differentials or other arrangements.

For job seekers, it is worth checking whether a posted hourly rate includes shift premiums or whether those amounts are added separately.

A Separate Survey Finds RN and LPN Compensation Has Stalled

A second report published by Medscape on October 2 points to a more challenging picture for some nursing professionals.

The Medscape RN/LPN Compensation Report 2026: Where Did the Growth Go?, based on responses from 3,253 registered nurses and 1,337 licensed practical nurses, found that reported total compensation remained unchanged from the previous year.

The survey reported total compensation of approximately:

These are Medscape survey compensation figures and should not be confused with official Bureau of Labor Statistics median annual wages. The two sources use different data and methodologies.

Medscape also reported that approximately eight in ten RNs and LPNs experienced either no pay increase or a raise of 10% or less. More than 10% of RNs and 16% of LPNs reported a decrease in compensation.

In response to plateauing base pay in routine bedside nursing roles, a growing volume of experienced nurses are advancing their education to secure substantial wage gains and increased diagnostic autonomy in Nurse Practitioner (NP) Careers across ambulatory, acute and specialized outpatient settings.

Taken together, the reports suggest that healthcare pay is not moving uniformly. Overall employer compensation budgets remain relatively steady, while specific occupations, regions and shift arrangements continue to produce different outcomes.

What Healthcare Job Seekers Should Watch

For nurses and other healthcare professionals evaluating new opportunities, several factors deserve attention beyond the advertised salary:

• Location: Pay benchmarks can differ substantially between metropolitan areas and regions. Compare local opportunities rather than relying exclusively on national averages.
• Work setting: Hospitals, outpatient facilities, community health organizations, long-term care providers and rapidly expanding Telehealth / Remote / Virtual Nursing Careers offer different compensation structures and work-life balance for similar credentials.
• Shift premiums: Weekend nights, evening shifts and other difficult-to-fill schedules may include additional hourly pay. Confirm the amount and eligibility requirements before accepting an offer.
• Total compensation: Benefits, retirement contributions, paid leave, overtime policies and sign-on incentives can affect the overall value of a position.
• Career progression: Ask how compensation reviews work, whether pay increases are tied to performance or tenure, and what advancement opportunities are available.

Salary surveys provide useful benchmarks, but an individual offer may differ depending on qualifications, responsibilities, location and employer needs.

The Outlook for Healthcare Compensation

The latest data points to a healthcare labor market in which salary increases are becoming more predictable, rather than accelerating across every occupation. The 3.1% median base-pay increase reported by SullivanCotter indicates continued growth, but at a slower pace than in 2025.

For registered nurses, regional differences and shift premiums remain important components of compensation. Meanwhile, Medscape’s findings indicate that reported total compensation for RNs and LPNs did not increase between its 2025 and 2026 surveys.

Healthcare professionals comparing opportunities should therefore look beyond a single national figure. The most useful benchmark is one that matches the specific occupation, geographic market, work setting and compensation structure of the job under consideration.