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What to Pay a Labor & Delivery 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
$88,000
base, annual
Competitive Range
$77K–$101K
25th–75th percentile
YoY Movement
+4.0%
trailing 12 months
Days to Fill
~36
Richmond metro average
To hire a Labor & Delivery Registered Nurse in Richmond at market, plan on a base salary range of $77,000 to $101,000, with $88,000 as the midpoint. To attract candidates in a market where average time-to-fill runs 36 days, expect to lead at $101K–$116K plus a sign-on bonus, common in skilled nursing settings. Virginia requires a pay range in job postings.

How to set your L&D 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
$67K–$77K
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
$83.6K–$93.2K
Default for most Richmond employers. Competitive enough to fill in ~36 days. A range width of ~30% (min $77,000 to max $101,000) keeps compa-ratio movement smooth across a L&D RN's typical 8–12 year tenure.
Lead Market
Pay Above Median
$95.8K–$116K
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.

L&D RN salary percentile distribution in Richmond, VA

Where the Richmond market actually sits for L&D RN base pay.

10th $67K
25th $77K
Median $88K
75th $101K
90th $116K

Most Richmond employers building a range for this role anchor the midpoint to the market median ($88,000) and set range width at 30–35% — a min of $77,000 and a max of $101,000. This keeps the band wide enough for experience-based progression without concentrating range penetration at the cap.

Virginia pay transparency compliance for L&D RN job postings

What you must post when hiring a L&D RN in Virginia.

Required. Since July 1, 2026, Virginia has required employers of any size to include the wage, salary, or a good-faith wage or salary range in each public and internal posting for a job, promotion, transfer, or other employment opportunity, under HB 636 / SB 215. Benefits are not required in the posting. The Attorney General can seek civil penalties of up to $1,000 for a first violation and up to $5,000 for each later one. Applicants and employees can also sue within one year, but for a posting error the employer first gets 15 business days after written notice to fix it.
Requirement Applies When Penalty for Non-Compliance
Pay range in job postings The law has no minimum size, so it applies to employers of any size that do business or operate in Virginia. The Attorney General can seek civil penalties of up to $1,000 for a first violation and up to $5,000 for each later violation. Before an applicant or employee can sue over a posting, the employer must get written notice and 15 business days to correct it.

For a L&D RN role in Richmond, a compliant good-faith range looks like $77,000 to $101,000. Job ads must include the wage, salary, or wage or salary range for the position, and any range must be set in good faith. Benefits are not required.

Top L&D RN employers in Richmond — who you're competing against

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

Employer Type Disclosed Range Sign-on Bonus
HCA Virginia Health system $83K–$104K Very common ($10K–$18K)
VCU Health Academic medical center $83K–$104K Very common ($10K–$18K)
Bon Secours Richmond Health system $83K–$104K Very common ($10K–$18K)
Children's Hospital of Richmond Pediatric specialty $83K–$104K Very common ($10K–$18K)
Sentara Healthcare Health system $83K–$104K Very common ($10K–$18K)

L&D RN talent supply and hiring difficulty in Richmond

How hard is it to fill a L&D RN role in Richmond.

~36
Avg Days to Fill
~704
Active Postings
~4,400
Richmond L&D RN Workforce
Very tight
Supply : Demand

Richmond L&D RN market runs perpetually tight — specialty requires 1–2 years of orientation and turnover is unusually low. High-risk perinatal centers command additional premiums.

Skill premiums L&D RN candidates command in Richmond, VA

Skill / Credential Pay Premium Demand Signal
RNC-OB (Inpatient Obstetric) +7–10% Standard for L&D
C-EFM (Electronic Fetal Monitoring) +5–8% Standard progression
High-risk perinatal experience +7–11% Very high — MFM centers
Lactation consultant (IBCLC) +5–8% Growing

L&D RN total compensation in Richmond — what candidates expect beyond base

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

Component Typical Value Prevalence in Richmond Postings
Base salary $88,000 (median) 100%
Shift differential +14–22% premium ~92%
Sign-on bonus $9K–$18K ~82%
RNC-OB certification pay +7–10% on base ~72%
On-call pay (some units) $4–$8/hr standby + 1.5× hourly ~48%
Estimated total comp benchmark ~$109K–$128K —

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.

L&D RN pay by setting in Richmond — SNF, hospital, clinic, home health

Where the L&D RN range splits by employer type in the Richmond metro.

Setting Median Competitive Range Hiring Difficulty
Community L&D unit $84,000 $76K–$97K Very high
Academic L&D unit $93,000 $83K–$106K Very high
High-risk / MFM center $99,000 $88K–$113K Very high
Mother-baby / postpartum $83,000 $74K–$95K High
Antepartum unit $86,000 $77K–$99K High

FAQ: hiring a Labor & Delivery Registered Nurse in Richmond, VA

Market median is $88,000 for base pay. To match market, set a range with the midpoint at $88,000 — typically $77,000 to $101,000. To lead the market, plan on $101K–$116K base plus a sign-on bonus.
Since July 1, 2026, Virginia has required employers of any size to include the wage, salary, or a good-faith wage or salary range in each public and internal posting for a job, promotion, transfer, or other employment opportunity, under HB 636 / SB 215. Benefits are not required in the posting. The Attorney General can seek civil penalties of up to $1,000 for a first violation and up to $5,000 for each later one. Applicants and employees can also sue within one year, but for a posting error the employer first gets 15 business days after written notice to fix it. For this role in Richmond, a good-faith range is $77,000–$101,000.
$79,000 falls below the Richmond market median of $88,000 — 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 82% of Richmond L&D RN postings include a sign-on bonus ($9K–$18K). High-risk perinatal centers offer top-of-market bonuses.
Average fill time is approximately 36 days in the Richmond metro. Roles paid above the 75th percentile ($101K+) fill in roughly 18–22 days. Roles below the 25th percentile ($77K) 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 L&D RN in Richmond — for example, $77,000 to $101,000. Narrower than 25% compresses progression and creates compa-ratio pressure within 18 months.
Every public and internal posting for a job, promotion, transfer, or other opportunity is covered.

Related L&D RN pay benchmarks — Virginia metros and nearby nursing roles

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