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What to Pay an ICU Registered Nurse in New Orleans, LA (2026)

Last updated: May 15, 2026 Built for: Total Rewards, Comp, HR Sample: BLS OEWS + disclosed-range postings
Market Median
$90,000
base, annual
Competitive Range
$78K–$103K
25th–75th percentile
YoY Movement
+4.1%
trailing 12 months
Days to Fill
~32
New Orleans metro average
To hire a ICU Registered Nurse in New Orleans at market, plan on a base salary range of $78,000 to $103,000, with $90,000 as the midpoint. To attract candidates in a market where average time-to-fill runs 32 days, expect to lead at $103K–$119K plus a sign-on bonus, common in skilled nursing settings. Louisiana does not currently require pay range disclosure in job postings.

How to set your ICU RN pay range in New Orleans

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

Lag Market
Pay Below Median
$68K–$78K
Workable in non-acute settings with strong non-cash differentiation. Expect longer fill times and turnover ~1.4× the New Orleans average.
Match Market — recommended
Pay at Median
$85.2K–$95.2K
Default for most New Orleans employers. Competitive enough to fill in ~32 days. A range width of ~30% (min $78,000 to max $103,000) keeps compa-ratio movement smooth across a ICU RN's typical 8–12 year tenure.
Lead Market
Pay Above Median
$97.8K–$119K
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 New Orleans, LA

Where the New Orleans market actually sits for ICU RN base pay.

10th $68K
25th $78K
Median $90K
75th $103K
90th $119K

Most New Orleans employers building a range for this role anchor the midpoint to the market median ($90,000) and set range width at 30–35% — a min of $78,000 and a max of $103,000. This keeps the band wide enough for experience-based progression without concentrating range penetration at the cap.

Louisiana pay transparency compliance for ICU RN job postings

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

Not required statewide. Louisiana 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 New Orleans, a compliant good-faith range looks like $78,000 to $103,000. No statutory requirement applies, but if you disclose voluntarily, post a good-faith range of $78,000–$103,000 rather than a single number — it screens out misaligned candidates and reduces offer-stage fallout.

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

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

Employer Type Disclosed Range Sign-on Bonus
Ochsner Health Health system $85K–$106K Very common ($10K–$18K)
LCMC Health Health system $85K–$106K Very common ($10K–$18K)
Tulane Health System (HCA) Academic / HCA $85K–$106K Very common ($10K–$18K)
Children's Hospital New Orleans Pediatric specialty $85K–$106K Very common ($10K–$18K)
University Medical Center Public / Level I $85K–$106K Very common ($10K–$18K)

ICU RN talent supply and hiring difficulty in New Orleans

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

~32
Avg Days to Fill
~750
Active Postings
~720,000
New Orleans ICU RN Workforce
Very tight
Supply : Demand

New Orleans ICU RN market reflects broader RN supply constraints, with critical care specialty demand elevated by post-COVID staffing gaps.

Skill premiums ICU RN candidates command in New Orleans, LA

Skill / Credential Pay Premium Demand Signal
CCRN Required baseline Standard
Cardiac subspecialty +7–11% Very high
Trauma / Level I experience +6–10% Very high
BSN (vs ADN) +5–8% Standard at Magnet hospitals

ICU RN total compensation in New Orleans — what candidates expect beyond base

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

Component Typical Value Prevalence in New Orleans Postings
Base salary $90,000 (median) 100%
Shift differential +16–24% premium ~94%
Sign-on bonus $9K–$18K ~80%
CCRN certification pay +8–12% on base ~72%
Overtime opportunity $10K–$20K annualized ~94%
Estimated total comp benchmark ~$110K–$130K —

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 New Orleans — SNF, hospital, clinic, home health

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

Setting Median Competitive Range Hiring Difficulty
MICU $86,000 $77K–$99K Very high
SICU $90,000 $81K–$103K Very high
Cardiac ICU (CICU) $95,000 $85K–$108K Very high
Neuro ICU $94,000 $83K–$106K Very high
PICU $92,000 $83K–$104K Very high

FAQ: hiring a ICU Registered Nurse in New Orleans, LA

Market median is $90,000 for base pay. To match market, set a range with the midpoint at $90,000 — typically $78,000 to $103,000. To lead the market, plan on $103K–$119K base plus a sign-on bonus.
No statewide law requires a posted range in Louisiana. Disclosing one voluntarily — a good-faith range such as $78,000–$103,000 — is increasingly the market norm and improves application rates.
$81,000 falls below the New Orleans market median of $90,000 — 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 80% of New Orleans ICU RN postings include a sign-on bonus ($9K–$18K).
Average fill time is approximately 32 days in the New Orleans metro. Roles paid above the 75th percentile ($103K+) fill in roughly 18–22 days. Roles below the 25th percentile ($78K) commonly take 45+ days and have elevated turnover within the first 90 days.
By New Orleans-metro posting volume: Ochsner Health, LCMC Health, Tulane Health System (HCA), Children's Hospital New Orleans, University Medical Center lead the pack.
A 30–35% range width (min to max) is standard for ICU RN in New Orleans — for example, $78,000 to $103,000. Narrower than 25% compresses progression and creates compa-ratio pressure within 18 months.
No. Louisiana 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 — Louisiana metros and nearby nursing roles

Same role, nearby metros
ICU RN pay benchmark — Memphis, TN → ICU RN pay benchmark — Houston, TX → ICU RN pay benchmark — Birmingham, AL → All ICU RN pay benchmarks →
Related roles in New Orleans
Certified Nursing Assistant pay benchmark — New Orleans → Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetist pay benchmark — New Orleans → Licensed Practical Nurse pay benchmark — New Orleans → Nurse Practitioner pay benchmark — New Orleans → Physical Therapist pay benchmark — New Orleans → Physician Assistant pay benchmark — New Orleans → Registered Nurse pay benchmark — New Orleans → Respiratory Therapist pay benchmark — New Orleans → Surgical Technologist pay benchmark — New Orleans → Travel Nurse pay benchmark — New Orleans → Emergency Room Registered Nurse pay benchmark — New Orleans → Operating Room Registered Nurse pay benchmark — New Orleans → 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.