Health care staff pay up 4.3% in 2025 amid labor market pressures

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Median base pay for health care staff rose 4.3% in 2025, according to new data from consulting firm SullivanCotter. The increase, up from 2.7% in 2024, reflects continued labor market strain as hospitals and health systems compete to recruit and retain employees.

The “2025 Health Care Staff Compensation Survey” compiled responses from more than 2,660 organizations, representing nearly 2.5 million employees across clinical and non-clinical roles in health care. SullivanCotter called it the largest dataset of its kind in the industry.

Frontline positions see sharper gains

The pay bumps were not evenly distributed. Hourly base pay for clinical technician positions climbed 5.5% compared with last year, demonstrating the difficulty in filling surgical tech, respiratory therapist and radiology tech roles.

Security officers also ranked among the hardest-to-staff positions, according to SullivanCotter’s separate “Frontline Staffing and Solutions Pulse Survey.”

Registered nurses (RNs) saw national median pay grow by 3.1%. Most organizations (about 75%) apply a single market pay strategy for non-executive employees, but 56% reported a separate pay structure for RNs. Those structures often aim above the 50^th percentile to remain competitive.

Regional differences

Geography continues to shape compensation, as well. The survey found that RNs in the New York City metro area earn a median base pay 45% above the national median, and Los Angeles nurses earn 48% more. Similar gaps were noted in research, supply chain, diagnostics and other medical specialties.

These disparities complicate efforts to set fair and sustainable compensation policies. They also highlight the challenge of balancing national benchmarks with local market realities.

Organizations eye 2026 adjustments

Looking ahead, health systems are rethinking compensation strategies to control costs while addressing recruitment and retention. Some are tightening premium pay policies and moderating annual raises. Others are targeting base pay increases for roles that have historically lagged in compensation.

“Looking ahead to the coming year, it will be important for organizations to sharpen their market compensation strategy, reallocate budget resources, invest in compensation expertise and continue building advancement opportunities to keep employees engaged and retained,” said Steve Meyers, consulting principal at SullivanCotter.

Meyers said these adjustments will be critical to balancing financial sustainability with the need to reward staff in a competitive labor market.