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What to Pay an ICU Registered Nurse in Dallas, TX (2026)

Last updated: May 15, 2026 Built for: Total Rewards, Comp, HR Sample: BLS OEWS + disclosed-range postings
Market Median
$116,000
base, annual
Competitive Range
$100K–$132K
25th–75th percentile
YoY Movement
+4.3%
trailing 12 months
Days to Fill
~30
Dallas metro average
To hire a ICU Registered Nurse in Dallas at market, plan on a base salary range of $100,000 to $132,000, with $116,000 as the midpoint. To attract candidates in a market where average time-to-fill runs 30 days, expect to lead at $132K–$152K plus a sign-on bonus, common in skilled nursing settings. Texas does not currently require pay range disclosure in job postings.

How to set your ICU RN pay range in Dallas

Three pay positions, modeled against current Dallas market data. Pick the one that matches your comp philosophy and the role's strategic value.

Lag Market
Pay Below Median
$88K–$100K
Workable in non-acute settings with strong non-cash differentiation. Expect longer fill times and turnover ~1.4× the Dallas average.
Match Market — recommended
Pay at Median
$109.6K–$122.4K
Default for most Dallas employers. Competitive enough to fill in ~30 days. A range width of ~30% (min $100,000 to max $132,000) keeps compa-ratio movement smooth across a ICU RN's typical 8–12 year tenure.
Lead Market
Pay Above Median
$125.6K–$152K
Use for hard-to-fill specialties (wound care, IV therapy, bilingual), 24/7 SNF roles, or when speed-to-hire trumps budget. Reduces fill time by 35–45% on average.

ICU RN salary percentile distribution in Dallas, TX

Where the Dallas market actually sits for ICU RN base pay.

10th $88K
25th $100K
Median $116K
75th $132K
90th $152K

Most Dallas employers building a range for this role anchor the midpoint to the market median ($116,000) and set range width at 30–35% — a min of $100,000 and a max of $132,000. This keeps the band wide enough for experience-based progression without concentrating range penetration at the cap.

Texas pay transparency compliance for ICU RN job postings

What you must post when hiring a ICU RN in Texas.

Not required statewide. Texas has no statewide pay transparency law. Posting a range is optional — but roughly half of healthcare employers in the market now disclose ranges voluntarily, and candidates increasingly skip postings without one.

For a ICU RN role in Dallas, a compliant good-faith range looks like $100,000 to $132,000. No statutory requirement applies, but if you disclose voluntarily, post a good-faith range of $100,000–$132,000 rather than a single number — it screens out misaligned candidates and reduces offer-stage fallout.

Top ICU RN employers in Dallas — who you're competing against

Top healthcare employers hiring ICU RNs in the Dallas metro and what they're posting.

Employer Type Disclosed Range Sign-on Bonus
Baylor Scott & White Health Health system $112K–$142K Very common ($15K–$25K)
Texas Health Resources Health system $110K–$140K Very common ($12K–$22K)
Methodist Health System Health system $108K–$138K Very common ($12K–$22K)
Parkland (Level I trauma) Public / Level I $108K–$138K Government benefits
HCA / Medical City Health system $105K–$135K Very common ($15K–$25K)

ICU RN talent supply and hiring difficulty in Dallas

How hard is it to fill a ICU RN role in Dallas.

~30
Avg Days to Fill
~1,250
Active Postings
~12,200
Dallas ICU RN Workforce
Tight
Supply : Demand

DFW ICU RN market driven by Baylor Scott & White, Texas Health Resources, and HCA. Level I trauma centers (Parkland) command additional premium.

Skill premiums ICU RN candidates command in Dallas, TX

Skill / Credential Pay Premium Demand Signal
CCRN Required baseline Standard
Cardiac ICU (BSWH) +7–11% Very high
Neuro ICU +6–10% High
Trauma ICU (Parkland) +6–10% Very high

ICU RN total compensation in Dallas — what candidates expect beyond base

Total rewards mix for ICU RNs in Dallas. "Prevalence" reflects share of Dallas disclosed-range postings including each element.

Component Typical Value Prevalence in Dallas Postings
Base salary $116,000 (median) 100%
Shift differential +16–24% premium ~94%
Sign-on bonus $12,000–$25,000 ~86%
CCRN certification pay +8–12% on base ~72%
Overtime opportunity $12K–$22K annualized ~94%
Estimated total comp benchmark ~$150K–$180K —

Shift differentials and sign-on bonuses are typically table stakes rather than differentiators. Tuition reimbursement for LPN-to-RN bridge programs is increasingly the lever that wins competitive offers, particularly for early-career candidates.

ICU RN pay by setting in Dallas — SNF, hospital, clinic, home health

Where the ICU RN range splits by employer type in the Dallas metro.

Setting Median Competitive Range Hiring Difficulty
MICU $110,000 $98K–$128K Very high
SICU $115,000 $102K–$132K Very high
Cardiac ICU (BSWH) $124,000 $110K–$142K Very high
Neuro ICU $120,000 $108K–$138K Very high
Trauma ICU (Parkland) $122,000 $108K–$140K Very high

ICU RN salary in Dallas vs. other Texas and nearby metros

What you'd pay if you hired in a nearby metro instead.

Location Median Base vs. Dallas Hiring Difficulty
Dallas–Fort Worth–Arlington, TX $116,000 — Tight
Houston–The Woodlands–Sugar Land, TX $112,000 −3.4% Tight
Austin–Round Rock, TX $114,000 −1.7% Tight
San Antonio, TX $104,000 −10.3% Tight
Texas statewide $108,000 −6.9% —
U.S. national $108,000 — —

FAQ: hiring a ICU Registered Nurse in Dallas, TX

Market median is $116,000 for base pay. To match market, set a range with the midpoint at $116,000 — typically $100,000 to $132,000. To lead the market, plan on $132K–$152K base plus a sign-on bonus.
No statewide law requires a posted range in Texas. Disclosing one voluntarily — a good-faith range such as $100,000–$132,000 — is increasingly the market norm and improves application rates.
$104,000 falls below the Dallas market median of $116,000 — roughly at the 25th–50th percentile locally. Acceptable in SNF or physician office settings where the candidate pool is deeper; below-market for hospital or specialty roles.
Roughly 86% of DFW ICU RN postings include a sign-on bonus. BSWH, THR, and HCA lead with $15K–$25K offers.
Average fill time is approximately 30 days in the Dallas metro. Roles paid above the 75th percentile ($132K+) fill in roughly 18–22 days. Roles below the 25th percentile ($100K) commonly take 45+ days and have elevated turnover within the first 90 days.
By Dallas-metro posting volume: Baylor Scott & White Health, Texas Health Resources, Methodist Health System, Parkland (Level I trauma), HCA / Medical City lead the pack.
A 30–35% range width (min to max) is standard for ICU RN in Dallas — for example, $100,000 to $132,000. Narrower than 25% compresses progression and creates compa-ratio pressure within 18 months.
No. Texas has no pay transparency law covering internal or external postings. Note that remote roles open to candidates in states like Colorado or California may still trigger those states' disclosure requirements.

Related ICU RN pay benchmarks — Texas metros and nearby nursing roles

Same role, nearby metros
ICU RN pay benchmark — Houston, TX → ICU RN pay benchmark — Atlanta, GA → ICU RN pay benchmark — Phoenix, AZ → All ICU RN pay benchmarks →
Related roles in Dallas
Certified Nursing Assistant pay benchmark — Dallas → Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetist pay benchmark — Dallas → Licensed Practical Nurse pay benchmark — Dallas → Nurse Practitioner pay benchmark — Dallas → Registered Nurse pay benchmark — Dallas → Travel Nurse pay benchmark — Dallas → Emergency Room Registered Nurse pay benchmark — Dallas → Operating Room Registered Nurse pay benchmark — Dallas → All roles' pay benchmarks →

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Data refreshed May 15, 2026. Next scheduled update: August 15, 2026.
© 2026 BetterComp. Market data informational only — not legal advice.