10. Typical differential ranges — $3 to $8 per hour above base
Night shift differentials are the base building block of every other night-shift pay calculation. Most US hospitals pay between $3 and $8 per hour above the day-shift base for hours worked between 7 PM and 7 AM, according to Vivian Health and Nurse.com salary surveys aggregated across hospital systems.
The variation depends on region, hospital system, and specialty. Rural hospitals commonly pay $3 to $5 per hour differential; large urban academic centers pay $5 to $8 per hour, sometimes higher for critical-care units. Some Magnet-designated hospitals structure differentials as percentages — usually 10 to 15 percent of base wage.
Multiplied over a full year of 36-hour night workweeks, a $5-per-hour differential adds approximately $9,000 in additional gross wages. A $7-per-hour differential adds roughly $13,000. These are before overtime, weekend stacking, or holiday premiums, all of which compound significantly for full-time night-shift nurses.
