RN Salaries at Nursing Homes Most RN’s work in a hospital setting because of the wide-range of patient services which provides the most diverse specialization opportunities. The median hourly rate is higher for RN’s that work in a hospital or surgery center. But there are a few other settings to work in and one of those is a nursing home. Nursing homes are often overlooked as a setting where a RN would choose to work. You would typically work with geriatric patients and patients who are unable to live and care for themselves. The work can also be very demanding physically. The salary can range from $49,191 to $55,466. It is not one of the highest paying RN specialty jobs but it can be very rewarding. Remember that even if your interest in nursing is not directly related to patient care, it is always a good idea to have experience as a direct patient care nurse. Also, it is required in many situations.