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What to Pay an ICU Registered Nurse in Richmond, VA (2026)

Last updated: May 15, 2026 Built for: Total Rewards, Comp, HR Sample: BLS OEWS + disclosed-range postings
Market Median
$94,000
base, annual
Competitive Range
$82K–$108K
25th–75th percentile
YoY Movement
+4.1%
trailing 12 months
Days to Fill
~32
Richmond metro average
To hire a ICU Registered Nurse in Richmond at market, plan on a base salary range of $82,000 to $108,000, with $94,000 as the midpoint. To attract candidates in a market where average time-to-fill runs 32 days, expect to lead at $108K–$124K plus a sign-on bonus, common in skilled nursing settings. Virginia does not currently require pay range disclosure in job postings.

How to set your ICU RN pay range in Richmond

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

Lag Market
Pay Below Median
$71K–$82K
Workable in non-acute settings with strong non-cash differentiation. Expect longer fill times and turnover ~1.4× the Richmond average.
Match Market — recommended
Pay at Median
$89.2K–$99.6K
Default for most Richmond employers. Competitive enough to fill in ~32 days. A range width of ~30% (min $82,000 to max $108,000) keeps compa-ratio movement smooth across a ICU RN's typical 8–12 year tenure.
Lead Market
Pay Above Median
$102.4K–$124K
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 Richmond, VA

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

10th $71K
25th $82K
Median $94K
75th $108K
90th $124K

Most Richmond employers building a range for this role anchor the midpoint to the market median ($94,000) and set range width at 30–35% — a min of $82,000 and a max of $108,000. This keeps the band wide enough for experience-based progression without concentrating range penetration at the cap.

Virginia pay transparency compliance for ICU RN job postings

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

Not required statewide. Virginia 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 Richmond, a compliant good-faith range looks like $82,000 to $108,000. No statutory requirement applies, but if you disclose voluntarily, post a good-faith range of $82,000–$108,000 rather than a single number — it screens out misaligned candidates and reduces offer-stage fallout.

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

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

Employer Type Disclosed Range Sign-on Bonus
HCA Virginia Health system $88K–$111K Very common ($10K–$18K)
VCU Health Academic medical center $88K–$111K Very common ($10K–$18K)
Bon Secours Richmond Health system $88K–$111K Very common ($10K–$18K)
Children's Hospital of Richmond Pediatric specialty $88K–$111K Very common ($10K–$18K)
Sentara Healthcare Health system $88K–$111K Very common ($10K–$18K)

ICU RN talent supply and hiring difficulty in Richmond

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

~32
Avg Days to Fill
~783
Active Postings
~752,000
Richmond ICU RN Workforce
Very tight
Supply : Demand

Richmond 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 Richmond, VA

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 Richmond — what candidates expect beyond base

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

Component Typical Value Prevalence in Richmond Postings
Base salary $94,000 (median) 100%
Shift differential +16–24% premium ~94%
Sign-on bonus $9K–$19K ~80%
CCRN certification pay +8–12% on base ~72%
Overtime opportunity $10K–$21K annualized ~94%
Estimated total comp benchmark ~$115K–$135K —

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 Richmond — SNF, hospital, clinic, home health

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

Setting Median Competitive Range Hiring Difficulty
MICU $90,000 $81K–$103K Very high
SICU $94,000 $85K–$107K Very high
Cardiac ICU (CICU) $100,000 $88K–$113K Very high
Neuro ICU $98,000 $86K–$111K Very high
PICU $96,000 $86K–$109K Very high

FAQ: hiring a ICU Registered Nurse in Richmond, VA

Market median is $94,000 for base pay. To match market, set a range with the midpoint at $94,000 — typically $82,000 to $108,000. To lead the market, plan on $108K–$124K base plus a sign-on bonus.
No statewide law requires a posted range in Virginia. Disclosing one voluntarily — a good-faith range such as $82,000–$108,000 — is increasingly the market norm and improves application rates.
$84,000 falls below the Richmond market median of $94,000 — 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 Richmond ICU RN postings include a sign-on bonus ($9K–$19K).
Average fill time is approximately 32 days in the Richmond metro. Roles paid above the 75th percentile ($108K+) fill in roughly 18–22 days. Roles below the 25th percentile ($82K) commonly take 45+ days and have elevated turnover within the first 90 days.
By Richmond-metro posting volume: HCA Virginia, VCU Health, Bon Secours Richmond, Children's Hospital of Richmond, Sentara Healthcare lead the pack.
A 30–35% range width (min to max) is standard for ICU RN in Richmond — for example, $82,000 to $108,000. Narrower than 25% compresses progression and creates compa-ratio pressure within 18 months.
No. Virginia 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 — Virginia metros and nearby nursing roles

Same role, nearby metros
ICU RN pay benchmark — Baltimore, MD → ICU RN pay benchmark — Charlotte, NC → All ICU RN pay benchmarks →
Related roles in Richmond
Certified Nursing Assistant pay benchmark — Richmond → Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetist pay benchmark — Richmond → Licensed Practical Nurse pay benchmark — Richmond → Nurse Practitioner pay benchmark — Richmond → Physical Therapist pay benchmark — Richmond → Physician Assistant pay benchmark — Richmond → Registered Nurse pay benchmark — Richmond → Respiratory Therapist pay benchmark — Richmond → Surgical Technologist pay benchmark — Richmond → Travel Nurse pay benchmark — Richmond → Emergency Room Registered Nurse pay benchmark — Richmond → Operating Room Registered Nurse pay benchmark — Richmond → 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.