Oncology Nurse Salary Guide
- Requirements
- Oncology Nurse Salary Insights
- Top Oncology Nurse Jobs
- Featured Blog Posts
- Salary Tips
- Oncology Nurse FAQs
An oncology nurse is a registered nurse (RN) who works with patients with cancer or an elevated risk of developing cancer. Many job duties are clinical, such as administering medications, taking vital signs and monitoring surgical incisions for signs of infection. Oncology nurses also educate patients about their treatment options, provide emotional support when discussing difficult topics and act as advocates for patients and family members.
How do you become an oncology nurse?
To become an oncology nurse, you must complete an approved RN education program. Some employers still accept RNs with diplomas from hospital-based training programs, but it's increasingly common to need at least an associate degree in nursing. Some facilities and states are moving toward requiring a Bachelor of Science in Nursing at hire or within a specific time frame. You must also pass the National Council Licensure Examination for RNs, otherwise known as the NCLEX-RN.
RN licensure requirements vary from state to state, but it's typical for a board of nursing to require proof that you completed an approved educational program and passed a criminal background check. According to the National Council of State Boards of Nursing, 40 states or territories are part of the Nurse Licensure Compact as of April 2023. If your home state is one of them, you don't need to obtain additional licenses to practice in the other Compact states if you qualify for a multistate license.
What credentials/licensing does an oncology nurse require?
All RNs need Basic Life Support training and oncology nurses may need Advanced Cardiac Life Support training. However, no law requires oncology nurses to obtain additional credentials. Even without legal requirements, many employers prefer to hire certified nurses.
The Oncology Nursing Certification Corporation offers the Oncology Certified Nurse (OCN) certification to help RNs demonstrate their expertise in this specialty. To sit for the OCN exam, you must meet the following requirements:
At least 2 years of RN experience within 48 months of applying
Active nursing license
A minimum of 10 hours of continuing education or one academic elective within 36 months of applying
No less than 2,000 hours of adult oncology nursing experience within 48 months of applying
The OCN exam has 165 multiple-choice questions covering professional practice, the science of cancer, symptom management and other related topics.
Average Oncology Nurse Salary
$44.22/hour
The average salary for a Oncology Nurse is $44.22 per hour. This is 2% lower than the nursing US average of $45.22.
Last updated on April 27, 2024. Based on active jobs on Vivian.com.
Salaries for Oncology Nurse compared to Registered Nurse National Averages
$44.22/hour
2% lower than the nursing US average.
$45.22/hour
United States
Where do Oncology Nurses get paid the most?
| State | Average Hourly Salary | Max Hourly Salary |
|---|---|---|
| Oregon | $65 | $76 |
| New York | $59 | $74 |
| Virginia | $52 | $57 |
| Colorado | $48 | $52 |
| Texas | $44 | $50 |
| Pennsylvania | $43 | $49 |
| Maryland | $43 | $50 |
| South Carolina | $42 | $46 |
| Washington | $41 | $58 |
| Georgia | $41 | $43 |
| Connecticut | $40 | $54 |
| Florida | $38 | $44 |
| Illinois | $32 | $41 |
| North Carolina | $32 | $43 |
| New Jersey | $32 | $37 |
| Oklahoma | $31 | $40 |
What are the highest paying Employers and Agencies for Oncology Nurse jobs?
| Average Hourly Salary | Max Hourly Salary | |
|---|---|---|
| Adventist Health | $68 | $70 |
| Stability Direct | $67 | $67 |
| Inova Health System | $46 | $48 |
| Baylor Scott & White Health | $45 | $45 |
| St. Luke's Health System | $45 | $45 |
| HCA Capital Division | $45 | $45 |
| The Valley Health System | $44 | $45 |
| Atrium Health | $44 | $45 |
| HealthOne | $42 | $46 |
| Core Medical-Perm | $42 | $48 |
Last updated on April 27, 2024. Information based on active jobs on Vivian.com and pay data from BLS and around the web.
Oncology Nurse Career Guide
Use our exclusive Career Guides to research the education, qualifications, skills and responsibilities for a variety of healthcare disciplines and specialties employers are hiring now.
Go to the guideTop Oncology Nurse Jobs
Registered Nurse (RN) - Oncology
- Valley Baptist Medical Center - Harlingen
- Harlingen, TX
- 3x12 hrs
Registered Nurse (RN) - Clinic Oncology
- Clinic And Schar Cancer
- Fairfax, VA
- Days
Registered Nurse (RN) - Clinic Infusion
- Clinic And Schar Cancer
- Fairfax, VA
- Days
Registered Nurse (RN) - Oncology
- Mary Washington Healthcare
- Fredericksburg, VA
- Nights
- Sign-On Bonus
Registered Nurse (RN) - Oncology
- The Hospitals of Providence - East Campus
- El Paso, TX
- 3x12 hrs
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How can you increase your pay as an oncology nurse?
The Oncology Nursing Certification Corporation reports that certified nurses typically earn more than noncertified nurses. Thus, getting certified is another option for increasing your salary.
If you don't already have a bachelor's degree in nursing, consider returning to school. Although you can get hired with a diploma or an associate degree, many employers look for BSN-prepared candidates. Therefore, advancing your education may help you qualify for higher-salary jobs.
Is oncology nursing a growing career?
Analysts from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) expect employment for RNs to increase by 6% between 2021 and 2031. This statistic includes nurses who choose to specialize in oncology. The demand for oncology RNs may be even higher due to the number of new cancer cases diagnosed yearly. Researchers from Harvard Medical School report a dramatic rise in cancer affecting adults under age 50. Hospitals, oncology clinics and other employers will need more oncology nurses to care for these patients.
How much does a staff oncology nurse make?
Staff oncology nurses earned an average of $40.17 per hour, according to Vivian Health’s salary data for the week ending April 22, 2023. Assuming you work 40 hours per week, this hourly rate corresponds to an annual salary of $83,200.
Where do oncology nurses get paid the most in the U.S.?
Based on Vivian Health's salary data for the week ending April 22, 2023, California was the highest-paying state for staff oncology nurses. The Golden State offers an average hourly wage of $56.70. However, California's overall cost of living is 49.9% higher than the national average, so employers must offer higher wages to attract qualified applicants.
What types of employers/facilities have the most oncology nurses?
According to 2021 BLS data, hospitals employ the majority of RNs, including oncology nurses, accounting for 60% of all RN employment. Ambulatory healthcare centers employ about 18% of RNs. As an oncology nurse, you may also find work with nursing facilities, residential care settings or government agencies.
Which employers/facilities have the highest pay?
Government agencies offer the highest salaries, but you may have to perform research or other nonclinical duties to land this type of employment. Hospitals and ambulatory care centers have similar compensation levels, followed by nursing and residential care facilities in fourth place.
How does oncology nurse pay compare to similar healthcare jobs?
Oncology nurse pay was similar to the compensation offered for other nursing specialties on April 22, 2023, per Vivian Health’s salary data. For example, staff obstetrics and gynecology nurses earned an average of $40.19 per hour, just 2 cents more per hour than oncology nurses. Travel obstetrics and gynecology nurses earned an average of $2,396 per week. Although this is higher than the average salary for travel oncology nurses, it's only a difference of $105 per week.
Featured Blog Posts
Featured Blog Posts
Oncology Nurse FAQs
What is an Oncology RN?
Oncology nurses, also called hematology/oncology nurses, work within an interdisciplinary team in a challenging, yet rewarding field that offers career-long learning and professional growth. Due to an ever-rising number of cancer patients, oncology RNs are always in demand. They commonly work at hospitals with oncology departments and dedicated cancer treatment centers. Salaries for oncology RNs typically rank above national averages but actual wages vary based on several factors.
Oncology nurses are registered nurses who specialize in treating patients with various types of cancer and blood disorders. They care for patients of all ages by providing curative and palliative treatments and helping them manage their cancer symptoms and cancer treatment side effects. Oncology RNs develop and implement care plans to reach specific goals and provide the best outcomes.
Prospective oncology nurses must earn an associate or a bachelor’s degree from a program accredited by the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE) or the Accreditation Commission for Education in Nursing (ACEN). Some employers prefer BSN-educated oncology RNs. All nursing school graduates must pass the NCLEX-RN licensing exam to become registered nurses.
How an Oncology RN salary is based
Oncology nurse salaries can vary by facility because they each have unique criteria of how salaries are based. Factors such as experience, certifications, training, and specializations can have a significant impact on how well oncology RNs are compensated.
Experience is often one of the biggest components of an oncology nurse’s salary. Becoming a certified oncology nurse requires at least two years of nursing experience. Both the experience and certification enhance your career growth and salary. However, entering the oncology field doesn't necessarily require certification. New nurses can begin working in entry-level oncology positions, but their starting salary will likely reflect their inexperience.
As you gain experience, you also develop valuable knowledge and skills that may factor into your base salary. Oncology nurses with in-depth knowledge of all types of cancers and common side effects of cancer treatments and possess advanced clinical skills to treat these cancers and side effects are generally rewarded with a solid salary.
Facilities require oncology RNs to have Basic Life Support certification and some may require Advanced Cardiovascular Life Support certification. Required certifications generally won’t factor into base salaries. However, voluntarily pursuing professional certifications that aren’t required could lead to a noticeable uptick in pay. Specialized training within the oncology practice can also enhance your career and potentially increase your base salary while providing you with additional skills. Consider relevant courses like Essentials in Advanced Practice Cancer Care or the Chemotherapy Immunotherapy Certificate Course, among others.
In the oncology field, specializing in treating patients with a certain type of cancer or treating specific patient populations may change how your salary is based. For example, you may specialize in pediatric oncology nursing and become a certified pediatric oncology nurse who cares for children and adolescents with cancer. You can specialize even further within this patient population by becoming a certified pediatric hematology oncology nurse and treating children with leukemia and other blood cancers.
How to increase your Oncology RN salary
Professional certifications are usually a guaranteed way to give your oncology RN salary a boost. The Oncology Nursing Certification Corporation (ONCC) offers the Oncology Certified Nurse credential through examination to help you demonstrate your advanced knowledge in oncology. To sit for the exam, you must have at least two years of nursing experience and 2,000 hours of adult oncology nursing practice within the past four years and at least 10 contact hours of continuing education in oncology within the last three years.
Because oncology nursing involves career-long learning, there’s always further education available. However, if you want to pursue an advanced practice role and a substantial bump in salary, consider earning a Master of Science in Nursing. Some of these programs even offer oncology as a concentration. Upon graduation, complete the steps to become certified as a nurse practitioner in oncology through the ONCC.
Two pathways lead to the Advanced Oncology Certified Nurse Practitioner credential. Both require you to earn a graduate degree from an accredited NP program. If your concentration is in oncology, you must complete 500 supervised clinical practice hours as an adult oncology NP. If your concentration is in adult, family, gerontology, or women’s health, you must complete 1,000 supervised clinical practice hours as an adult oncology NP. Both pathways also require you to complete one graduate-level oncology course of two or more credits or 30 hours of oncology continuing education within the previous five years.
Where can I learn more about working as a Oncology Nurse?
Take a look at Vivian's Oncology Nurse Career Guide for more information, including required education, responsibilities, pros and cons and more.