Average registered nurse compensation in Idaho across seven career stages — from new grad RN to Chief Nursing Officer. Updated 2026 benchmarks to help you negotiate, plan, and grow.
RN Salary by Role in Idaho
Idaho offers solid, middle-of-the-road nursing pay, with staff RNs averaging roughly $70,000 a year.
In Idaho, compensation grows considerably as nurses gain experience and take on more responsibility. New grad RNs typically start around $51,000, with specialty nurses in units like the ICU, ER, or OR averaging closer to $79,000. Moving into leadership brings a meaningful jump — nurse managers average about $88,000, directors of nursing around $102,000, and chief nursing officers can earn $121,000 or more. For nurses pursuing advanced practice roles (NP, CNS, CRNA, CNM), average pay in Idaho runs near $88,000.
As a Nurse Licensure Compact member, Idaho issues multistate RN and LPN licenses to residents, allowing nurses to practice across other compact states without applying for a separate license — a real advantage for travel nursing or remote telehealth work.
As with any state, factor in local cost of living and taxes alongside salary when evaluating job offers in Idaho.
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