Rehabilitation Nurse Salary Guide

Rehabilitation nurses work with patients with temporary, progressive, or permanent disabilities, injuries, or illnesses that limit their ability to function to their maximum extent. Registered nurses in rehabilitation use all their clinical skills within a collaborative healthcare team in a wide array of inpatient and outpatient settings. Work setting is just one of many factors that determine the salary of rehabilitation RNs.

Rehabilitation nurses are registered nurses who specialize in helping patients with a broad range of disabling injuries or illnesses. They may work with various patient populations, helping them regain their health and independence following a severe injury or illness or achieve and maintain maximum function when they have a chronic illness or permanent disability. Rehab nurses make a visible difference in their patients’ lives.

Working as a rehabilitation nurse requires completing the education requirements to become a registered nurse. These requirements include earning an Associate Degree in Nursing or a Bachelor of Science in Nursing from a nursing program accredited by the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE) or the Accreditation Commission for Education in Nursing (ACEN). All nursing school graduates must pass the NCLEX-RN licensing exam to obtain RN licensing through their state’s board of nursing.

Besides obvious factors, such as the number of hours a nurse works each week, several factors determine a rehabilitation RN's salary. Years of experience is a primary basis for salary. Nurses new to the rehabilitation field can’t expect to earn as much as those who’ve been working as rehab RNs for several years.

Experience in the field also increases valuable skills, which in turn, also impact the base salary. Experienced rehab RNs have honed their clinical skills and obtained specialized knowledge that allow them to effectively care for patients with all types of physical disabilities, disabling injuries, and chronic illnesses. They’ve also gained skills in the use of medical devices and rehabilitative equipment necessary for rehabilitation therapy. The more knowledge and skills obtained, the better the base salary.

The more education nurses have, the more they make even when they’re first starting out. Although individuals can enter the rehabilitation nursing field with just an associate degree, nurses with bachelor’s degrees typically have a higher base salary due to their increased education. In that same vein, nurses with master’s degrees earn more than those with BSNs. The annual salary of an ADN-trained nurse compared to a BSN-trained nurse isn’t always as significant as imagined. However, earning a BSN prepares nurses to continue their education, which can make a considerable difference in base salary.

Rehab nurses practice in a variety of work settings and each setting may use different factors for basing an RN’s salary. Generally, RNs earn higher salaries in outpatient care centers, followed by specialty hospitals, then general hospitals. Home health care services also make the top five work settings for higher salaries. Each of these settings may employ rehab RNs and each facility within each setting may base their salaries differently.

Geography can also play a big role in base salaries. Some regions, states, and cities have traditionally paid more than others. However, many of these areas also have higher costs of living, which is why base salaries are higher to begin with. Urban areas also tend to pay more than rural areas. The highest-paying metropolitan areas for RNS are all in California.

Rehabilitation RNs can increase their salaries by furthering their education and/or earning specialized certifications. Preparation for advanced practice in rehabilitation nursing requires a graduate degree, preferably with a concentration in rehabilitation nursing concepts.

A common practice for rehab RNs wanting to pursue an APRN role is to complete an MSN or DNP program with the clinical practicum tailored to rehabilitation. Alternately, rehab RNs may further their education by earning a Master of Health Science Degree in Rehabilitation Sciences, Executive Masters in Rehabilitation Administration, or Ph.D. in Rehabilitation Science.

Professional certification isn’t usually required, but rehabilitation nurses can increase their employment opportunities and salary potential by earning the Certified Rehabilitation Registered Nurse (CRRN) Credential through the Rehabilitation Nursing Certification Board. Requirements to sit for the certification exam include two years of practice in rehabilitation nursing or one year of practice and one year of post-baccalaureate education within the last five years.

Take a look at Vivian's Rehab Nurse Career Guide for more information, including required education, responsibilities, pros and cons and more.