The median Director Of Nursing (don) salary is $77.45 per hour, or $161,086 per year, based on 312 job postings across 48 states. Compare pay by location, employer, shift, and contract type.
$77.45
Median hourly
$161,086
Annual salary
$55-$104
Pay range
48
States tracked
Salary guide
A typical Director Of Nursing (don) earns $77.45/hr, with most posted roles landing between $71.15 and $90.68/hr.
Recent posted pay is up, with the last 30 days showing +9% movement versus the prior period.
Location matters: Saint Ignace, MICHIGAN is currently among the highest-paying cities, while Decatur, ILLINOIS sits near the lower end.
30-day market pulse
Compare the most recent 30 days of job postings against the previous 30 days. Use this as a quick read on whether pay and hiring volume are moving together.
Posted pay
+9%
Current median: $77.58/hr
Prior period: $71.15/hr
Job openings
-47.6%
54 recent postings
Previous period: 103 postings
Daily pay signal
$37.00/hr latest
Year-over-year
Building
We are collecting enough historical Director Of Nursing (don) postings to show a reliable year-over-year pay comparison.
Pay is moving up even though posting volume changed. Recent listings are showing a median of $77.58/hr, up from $71.15/hr.
Pay range
The middle band is usually the most useful offer benchmark. The 10th and 90th percentiles show the broader market floor and ceiling.
Entry / low
$54.65
$113,672/yr
Median
$77.45
$161,086/yr
Top earners
$104.26
$216,861/yr
MARKET TRENDS
Month-over-month median hourly pay and posting volume.
| Month | Median Hourly | Postings |
|---|---|---|
Apr 2026Current | $75.40/hr | 44 |
Mar 2026 | $71.33/hr | 113 |
Feb 2026 | $86.25/hr | 60 |
Jan 2026 | $83.98/hr | 38 |
Dec 2025 | $76.13/hr | 34 |
Nov 2025 | $87.53/hr | 23 |
BY LOCATION
See how pay varies across the country. Ranked by job volume.
Estimated from national data
~$75.08
—
7 postings · 5 companies
$114.83
$104-$115
16 postings · 10 companies
$94.48
$89-$100
Estimated from national data
~$87.56
—
16 postings · 13 companies
$77.39
$68-$89
8 postings · 6 companies
$74.58
$73-$77
Estimated from national data
~$71.28
—
Estimated from national data
~$85.34
—
Estimated from national data
~$91.36
—
7 postings · 7 companies
$67.93
$51-$90
Estimated from national data
~$84.99
—
Estimated from national data
~$76.72
—
Estimated from national data
~$82.64
—
19 postings · 6 companies
$71.15
$71-$74
Estimated from national data
~$80.14
—
5 postings · 3 companies
$89.20
$63-$89
Estimated from national data
~$81.32
—
Estimated from national data
~$87.99
—
5 postings · 3 companies
$83.40
$83-$86
23 postings · 15 companies
$74.33
$72-$86
Estimated from national data
~$78.44
—
25 postings · 15 companies
$84.85
$77-$88
26 postings · 15 companies
$105.78
$102-$111
7 postings · 7 companies
$90.03
$73-$106
Estimated from national data
~$69.31
—
Estimated from national data
~$76.72
—
Estimated from national data
~$89.34
—
6 postings · 3 companies
$73.18
$67-$83
Estimated from national data
~$91.66
—
14 postings · 7 companies
$71.83
$71-$73
Estimated from national data
~$69.40
—
6 postings · 4 companies
$72.18
$71-$73
14 postings · 8 companies
$85.34
$83-$92
Estimated from national data
~$79.45
—
18 postings · 12 companies
$88.74
$84-$92
Estimated from national data
~$72.99
—
Estimated from national data
~$73.55
—
Estimated from national data
~$86.26
—
Estimated from national data
~$74.04
—
Estimated from national data
~$69.45
—
Estimated from national data
~$83.02
—
8 postings · 6 companies
$73.15
$67-$77
Estimated from national data
~$90.39
—
7 postings · 5 companies
$75.40
$66-$80
Estimated from national data
~$74.00
—
Estimated from national data
~$84.93
—
Estimated from national data
~$77.67
—
Estimated from national data
~$79.41
—
13 postings · 6 companies
$71.15
$71-$71
12 postings · 12 companies
$72.13
$70-$73
Estimated from national data
~$74.53
—
Est.Estimated values are based on national averages.
BY CITY
See which cities offer the highest and lowest Director Of Nursing (don) salaries.
Saint Ignace
Michigan · 12 postings
$103.67/hr
Show Low
Arizona · 13 postings
$96.33/hr
Bottineau
North Dakota · 18 postings
$88.74/hr
Bangor
Maine · 10 postings
$87.58/hr
North Adams
Massachusetts · 11 postings
$86.35/hr
Decatur
Illinois · 14 postings
$71.15/hr
Janesville
Wisconsin · 10 postings
$71.70/hr
Brooklyn
New York · 13 postings
$84.93/hr
North Adams
Massachusetts · 11 postings
$86.35/hr
Bangor
Maine · 10 postings
$87.58/hr
BY EMPLOYER
See which companies pay the most and least for Director Of Nursing (don) positions.
Solomon Page
5 postings
$107.98/hr
Adn Healthcare
6 postings
$91.02/hr
Uniti Med
9 postings
$90.03/hr
Access Healthcare
5 postings
$90.00/hr
Gqr Healthcare
10 postings
$89.62/hr
Naphcare, Inc.
6 postings
$54.00/hr
Genie Healthcare
28 postings
$71.15/hr
Isc Healthcare
9 postings
$71.15/hr
Synergy Medical Staffing
17 postings
$71.95/hr
Slate Healthcare
14 postings
$73.25/hr
RELATED POSITIONS
| Job Title | Postings | Median |
|---|---|---|
| Nurse Rn - Director Of Nursing | 112 | $74.33/hr |
| Director Of Nursing | 67 | $83.75/hr |
| Interim Director Of Nursing | 21 | $89.20/hr |
| Director Of Obstetrics Nursing | 13 | $96.33/hr |
| Director Of Nursing - Skilled Nursing/long-term Care | 10 | $71.70/hr |
| Director Of Nursing (don) | 8 | $47.75/hr |
| Associate Director Of Nursing | 7 | $84.00/hr |
| Operating Room Director Of Nursing | 5 | $83.40/hr |
| Director Of Nursing (don/rn) | 4 | $54.00/hr |
| Administrative Director Of Nursing | 3 | $78.95/hr |
PAY FACTORS
How shift type, contract length, and employment type impact Director Of Nursing (don) salaries.
FAQ
The median Director Of Nursing (don) salary is $77.45 per hour, or $161,086 annually. Pay ranges from $54.65/hr (10th percentile) to $104.26/hr (90th percentile) depending on location, experience, and employer.
Based on 312 job postings, the highest paying states for Director Of Nursing (don)s include Alaska, Michigan, Arizona. Pay rates vary based on cost of living, demand, and state regulations.
There are currently 312 Director Of Nursing (don) job postings across 48 states, from 95 different healthcare employers.
Director Of Nursing (don) pay varies based on geographic location, years of experience, certifications, shift differentials (nights/weekends), employment type (travel vs. staff), facility type, and specialized skills. Travel contracts typically pay higher hourly rates.
Director Of Nursing (don) pay is currently trending upward. Over the past 30 days, median hourly rates increased 9%.
Director Of Nursing (don) pay varies by specialty and setting. Travel positions typically pay $13.23 to $26.81 more per hour than staff positions. Night shifts and weekend differentials also increase earnings.
Pay varies significantly by location. Top paying cities like Saint Ignace offer $103.67/hr, while lower cost areas may pay around $71.15/hr. However, rural areas often offer signing bonuses and housing stipends to attract talent.
Entry-level Director Of Nursing (don)s typically earn around $54.65 to $71.15 per hour ($113,672 to $147,992 annually). With experience, pay increases toward the median of $77.45/hr.
DATA METHOD
Source
Based on 312 active postings with listed compensation for Director Of Nursing (don). We prioritize postings with explicit hourly or annual pay and exclude rows without usable compensation signals from salary percentiles.
Range
Percentiles show the spread of posted pay, not a guaranteed offer or take-home pay after taxes. State and city views use available market observations and label estimated values when direct samples are limited.
Freshness
Current dataset window: 2025-11-01 to 2026-04-30. Recent trend cards compare the latest posting window with the prior period so short-term pay movement is separated from the full historical median.
EXPLORE MORE
Nursing Leadership salary data in Nursing Leadership
Nursing Leadership salary data in Nursing Leadership
Nursing Leadership salary data in Nursing Leadership
Nursing Leadership salary data in Nursing Leadership
See how your salary compares to 312 similar positions. It's free, anonymous, and takes about 2 minutes.