Executive and key department head salaries at nursing homes increased in 2026 as turnover rates and the use of sign-on bonuses continued to decline.
This is according to the 2026-2027 Nursing Home Salary & Benefits Report from the Hospital & Healthcare Compensation Service (HCS) released Thursday.
The report found that compensation growth was concentrated among core administrative and operational leaders.
Executive Directors/CEOs, Nursing Home Administrators, CFOs, Human Resource Directors, Directors of Staff Development, Life Enrichment Directors, MDS coordinators, Directors of Social Services and Directors of Facility/Plant Operations received some of the largest increases.
Among the positions tracked in both the 2025 and 2026 studies, MDS coordinators saw the largest average salary increase nationwide, with salaries rising 4.25% to an average of $92,666. Executive directors/CEOs followed with a 4.08% increase, bringing their average salaries to $173,884.
Salaries for nursing home administrators rose 3.71% to $139,630. Social services directors also saw a sharp increase in salary growth. Their average reached $73,125 nationally.
In terms of aggregate salary, CFOs continued to have the highest average salaries in 2026 at $198,264, a 3.50% increase from 2025.
Staff registered nurse (RN) positions saw a roughly 3% increase in average hourly pay, from $40.68 to $41.90. Licensed practical nurses (LPNs) received a 3.15% average increase, with hourly wages rising to $33.19. Meanwhile, certified nurse aides (CNAs) received 2.68% increase, bringing average hourly wages to $20.77.
Overall, use of sign-on bonuses decreased, with 54.38% of respondents reporting their use in 2026, compared with 55.61% in 2025 and 65.44% in 2024.
For the sign-on bonuses, RNs, LPNs and CNAs remained the primary recipients, while fewer facilities offered bonuses to medication techs, resident assistants and dining and kitchen staff.
Turnover continued to decline after peaking in 2022, indicating improving workforce stability.
The HCS report is produced in cooperation with LeadingAge and supported by the American Health Care Association (AHCA).
About 950 nursing homes participated in the study and provided compensation data on more than 126,050 employees, covering 47 management and 55 nonmanagement positions. About 58.50% of study participants were not‑for‑profit facilities, while 41.50% were for-profit facilities. The results are reported according to revenue size, profit type, bed-size, region, state, and CBSA.
The report includes 18 fringe benefits, as well as shift differentials, actual/projected salary increases by department for 2026 to 2027, turnover/vacancy rates, and sign-on bonuses. Data in the study are effective as of March 2026.
