Clinical nurse specialist salary in United States

The average salary for a Clinical Nurse Specialist is $120,699 per year in the United States. This figure is based on 274 salaries taken from job postings on Indeed in the past 36 months, last updated on September 6, 2026.

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Clinical Nurse Specialist salaries typically range between a low of $67,966 and a high of $214,345 per year, depending on experience, location, and the hiring company.

Some of the highest-paying cities for Clinical Nurse Specialist include San Francisco, CA at $236,728 per year, San Jose, CA at $208,919 per year, and Santa Clara, CA at $193,384 per year.

Based on recent job postings on Indeed, some of the top-paying companies for Clinical Nurse Specialist include MERCOR ($499,200 per year) and Wake County Schools ($394,006 per year).