Registered Nurse Jobs in Colorado Springs, CO
Registered nurses in Colorado Springs start at about $32 an hour in UCHealth's new graduate residency, and specialty night nurses at Penrose post up to about $60. Two hospital systems, a pediatric hospital and Fort Carson all compete for RNs. Here are the current openings, then who is hiring and how to get licensed.
Current registered nurse Openings in Colorado Springs, CO
Listings marked External are sponsored openings provided by the Jobs2Careers network.
Registered Nurse Work in Colorado Springs
Much of the RN hiring in Colorado Springs runs through two hospital systems. UCHealth runs Memorial Hospital Central on East Boulder Street, the only Level I trauma center in southern Colorado, plus Memorial Hospital North on Briargate Parkway and Grandview Hospital off North Nevada. CommonSpirit runs Penrose Hospital on North Nevada Avenue, St. Francis Hospital on Woodmen Road and the smaller St. Francis Interquest on the north side. The north-side cluster around Briargate and Interquest, where Children's Hospital Colorado opened its Golisano Children's Hospital, is home to several of the city's newest hospitals.
Fort Carson adds a federal track. Evans Army Community Hospital hires civilian RNs through USAJOBS at federal pay grades, and the VA runs clinics on Centennial Boulevard, Union Boulevard and Space Center Drive. Because Colorado belongs to the Nurse Licensure Compact, military spouses arriving with a multistate license from another compact state can start work without a new Colorado license.
Top Colorado Springs Employers Hiring Registered Nurses
These employers posted RN openings in Colorado Springs on their own career sites this month:
- UCHealth - Memorial Central, Memorial North and Grandview hire ED, cardiovascular ICU, mom-baby, OR and acute care RNs, and run a New Graduate RN Residency.
- CommonSpirit Penrose-St. Francis - Penrose, St. Francis and St. Francis Interquest post ICU, ER, labor and delivery, med-surg, rehab and long-term care RN jobs.
- Children's Hospital Colorado - the Golisano Children's Hospital on Briargate Parkway hires med-surg, PICU and new-to-NICU pediatric nurses.
- Peak Vista Community Health Centers - the community health center network hires care team RNs for its primary care and pediatric clinics, a daytime alternative to hospital shifts.
- Evans Army Community Hospital - the Fort Carson hospital fills civilian inpatient and OB nursing jobs through USAJOBS.
Registered Nurse Salaries in Colorado Springs
- Entry level: about $32 to $39 an hour, the range UCHealth posts for its new graduate residency in southern Colorado.
- Experienced: about $32 to $48 an hour for clinic and hospital staff nurses, depending on years and unit.
- Senior / specialty: up to about $60 an hour for ICU nights at Penrose, and $105,000 to $137,000 a year for a GS-12 nurse at Evans Army Community Hospital.
These are estimates drawn from pay ranges employers posted this year; Colorado law requires a range on every job ad. Critical care, nights, a BSN and specialty certification move pay the most, and Penrose has offered sign-on bonuses up to $20,000 for hard-to-fill units.
How to Become a Registered Nurse in Colorado Springs
You need an associate or bachelor's degree in nursing, a passing score on the NCLEX-RN, and a license from the Colorado State Board of Nursing in the Division of Professions and Occupations, or a multistate license from another compact state. Pikes Peak State College runs an ACEN-accredited Associate Degree in Nursing at its CHES campus on Cypress Semi Drive, with advanced placement for LPNs and paramedics. UCCS offers a four-year BSN, an accelerated option and an RN-to-BSN track at the Johnson Beth-El College of Nursing on Austin Bluffs Parkway. Many local postings ask for a current BLS card at hire and prefer a BSN.
What the Job Involves
Registered nurses assess patients, give medications and IV therapy, monitor vital signs and respond when a patient's condition changes. They chart in the electronic health record, coordinate with physicians, therapists and case managers, teach patients and families before discharge, and supervise nursing assistants and techs. Hospital nurses usually work three 12-hour shifts a week, including nights, weekends and holidays.
Skills Employers Look For
- A Colorado or multistate RN license and a current BLS card
- ACLS, PALS or NRP for critical care, pediatric and maternity units
- Strong assessment and critical-thinking skills
- Electronic health record charting
- Calm communication with patients and families
- Willingness to work nights and rotating weekends
Career Path and Advancement
A common Colorado Springs path starts in the UCHealth New Graduate RN Residency or a med-surg unit at Penrose, then moves into ICU, emergency, OR or maternity after a year or two. Nurses who start with an associate degree from Pikes Peak State College can finish a BSN at UCCS while working, and UCCS runs an RN-to-BSN track for UCHealth southern Colorado employees. From there the ladder runs to charge nurse, clinical educator and nurse manager, or to advanced practice through the UCCS post-BSN DNP.
Related Careers in Colorado Springs
If nursing interests you, start with the full overview of local healthcare work:
Frequently Asked Questions
How much do registered nurses make in Colorado Springs?
Posted ranges this year start around $32 an hour for new graduates at UCHealth and run to about $48 for experienced staff nurses. ICU night nurses at Penrose post up to about $60 an hour, and federal nurses at Fort Carson earn over $100,000 a year.
Can I work in Colorado Springs with a nursing license from another state?
Yes, if you hold a multistate license from a Nurse Licensure Compact state, because Colorado is a compact member. If your license is single-state, apply for a Colorado license by endorsement through the Colorado State Board of Nursing. Federal jobs at Evans Army Community Hospital accept any current, unrestricted US state RN license.
Do Colorado Springs hospitals hire new graduate nurses?
Yes. UCHealth runs a New Graduate RN Residency that places nurses at Memorial Central, Memorial North, Grandview and Pikes Peak Regional in Woodland Park, and Children's Hospital Colorado runs its own nurse residency.
Where can I go to nursing school in Colorado Springs?
Pikes Peak State College offers an associate degree in nursing at its CHES campus, plus a practical nursing certificate that can feed into it. UCCS offers a BSN, an accelerated BSN and RN-to-BSN through the Johnson Beth-El College of Nursing.
Do I need a BSN to get hired in Colorado Springs?
Not always. Many postings accept an associate degree with a valid RN license, but they often list a BSN as preferred, and some ask associate-degree nurses to finish a BSN within a few years of hire.
Ready to apply? Browse all Registered Nurse jobs in Colorado Springs, CO on LocalJobPage and apply today.