The ranking below draws on patient-experience data from the HCAHPS patient survey and the American Hospital Association's annual report on hospital payroll, admissions, and personnel. Hospitals are ranked on overall patient experience, admissions per staff member, and total payroll per staff member. Figures reflect data accessed June 2021, so treat them as a snapshot of that period.
Registered nurse salary, New York City metro area
$94,920 average annual salary, $45.63 average hourly. Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, 2021. For current context, the national median RN wage was $93,600 in May 2024 (Bureau of Labor Statistics), and the New York-Newark-Jersey City metro remains one of the highest-paying RN markets in the country per the BLS May 2024 wage release.
Best hospitals for nurses in NYC
1. Lenox Hill Hospital
Lenox Hill Hospital is a magnet hospital in the Northwell Health system, consistently rated among the best for heart and lung conditions. It has a long history of firsts in medicine, including the first physical therapy department. Its Center for Maternal-Fetal Medicine is a Center of Excellence, which makes it appealing for obstetrics nursing.
- Overall Patient Experience Score: 87
- Nurse Communication Score: 90
- Staff Responsiveness Score: 83
- Personnel: 5,754
- Payroll: $759,376,000
2. New York-Presbyterian Hospital
New York-Presbyterian Hospital is an academic medical center and magnet hospital affiliated with two Ivy League schools, Columbia University Vagelos College of Physicians and Surgeons and Weill Cornell Medicine. U.S. News & World Report consistently ranks it among the best hospitals in the country and often the best in NYC. Its facilities include a behavioral health center and a children's hospital, and it delivers roughly 15,000 babies a year.
- Overall Patient Experience Score: 89
- Nurse Communication Score: 91
- Staff Responsiveness Score: 82
- Personnel: 26,045
- Payroll: $3,130,235,364
3. Hospital for Special Surgery
The Hospital for Special Surgery is a specialty hospital for orthopedics and rheumatology, the oldest orthopedic hospital in the country and nationally ranked for orthopedics, rheumatology, and pediatric orthopedics. Alongside the flagship in NYC, it has facilities in New Jersey, Connecticut, and Florida. It is a magnet hospital and earned its first magnet designation in 2002.
- Overall Patient Experience Score: 95
- Nurse Communication Score: 95
- Staff Responsiveness Score: 90
- Personnel: 5,325
- Payroll: $578,600,000
4. Mount Sinai Hospital
Mount Sinai Hospital is a health system formed in the 2013 merger of Mount Sinai Medical Center and Continuum Health Partners. It includes the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, eight hospital campuses, and outpatient facilities with 13 standalone joint-venture centers. It handles roughly 500,000 emergency department visits a year, which makes it a strong option for critical care nursing.
- Overall Patient Experience Score: 87
- Nurse Communication Score: 89
- Staff Responsiveness Score: 81
- Personnel: 10,729
- Payroll: $1,139,068,000
5. NYU Langone Medical Center
NYU Langone Medical Center has six inpatient facilities and nursing roles across many additional locations. It is an academic medical center and the site of many medical advances. The Kimmel Pavilion, a digitally integrated facility, and the Skirball Institute of Biomolecular Medicine make it a strong fit for nurses interested in the future of medicine. It is also a magnet hospital.
- Overall Patient Experience Score: 89
- Nurse Communication Score: 92
- Staff Responsiveness Score: 85
- Personnel: 22,269
- Payroll: $2,159,640,400
6. Mount Sinai Beth Israel
Mount Sinai Beth Israel, part of the Mount Sinai Health System, sits on the Lower East Side. It is a strong option for alternative and complementary medicine, especially substance misuse, psychiatric disorders, pain management, and palliative care. It is home to the Louis Armstrong Department of Music Therapy and offers acupuncture among its complementary treatments.
- Overall Patient Experience Score: 83
- Nurse Communication Score: 89
- Staff Responsiveness Score: 78
- Personnel: 5,211
- Payroll: $379,751,000
7. Bellevue Hospital Center
Bellevue Hospital Center, part of NYC Health + Hospitals, runs a level I trauma center with treatment in cardiology, neurology, toxicology, and neonatology, making it attractive for emergency nursing. It is the designated medical facility for many U.S. and international officials, including the President of the United States and United Nations diplomats.
- Overall Patient Experience Score: 84
- Nurse Communication Score: 85
- Staff Responsiveness Score: 76
- Personnel: 4,193
- Payroll: $364,326,684
8. Metropolitan Hospital Center
The Metropolitan Hospital Center, also known as NYC Health + Hospitals/Metropolitan, is one of the smaller hospitals on this list. Located in Harlem, it is part of the New York City Health and Hospitals Corporation. It is a recognized Patient Centered Medical Home, focused on overall wellness rather than mostly episodic acute care.
- Overall Patient Experience Score: 86
- Nurse Communication Score: 86
- Staff Responsiveness Score: 80
- Personnel: 1,774
- Payroll: $144,378,640
9. Mount Sinai West
Mount Sinai St. Luke's Roosevelt Hospital, now Mount Sinai West, is part of the Mount Sinai system. It holds certification in total hip and knee replacement, is a level III perinatal center and a primary stroke center, and ranks among the best for hand surgery. Like many Mount Sinai hospitals, it is a teaching hospital for the Icahn School of Medicine.
- Overall Patient Experience Score: 86
- Nurse Communication Score: 89
- Staff Responsiveness Score: 78
- Personnel: N/A
- Payroll: N/A
10. VA New York Harbor Healthcare System
The VA New York Harbor Healthcare System runs three hospitals in Brooklyn, Manhattan, and Queens, plus clinics in Harlem and Staten Island. It was named to the Hospitals & Health Networks Most Wireless list, a plus for nurses who want to work with current technology. It holds multiple accreditations, including FDA accreditation for mammography and accreditation for its human research protection program.
- Overall Patient Experience Score: 87
- Nurse Communication Score: 89
- Staff Responsiveness Score: 80
- Personnel: N/A
- Payroll: N/A
Methodology
This ranking combines data from HCAHPS and the AHA, accessed June 22, 2021.
The HCAHPS patient survey is a random survey of recently discharged hospital patients. They answer questions on nurse communication, staff responsiveness, facility cleanliness, transition of care, and communication about medications. Sample size per hospital ranges from 290 to 3,876, with a median of 650.
The AHA surveys more than 6,200 hospitals each year on patient satisfaction, readmissions, mortality, and quality, and provides data on hospital personnel and payroll. Hospitals were ranked on overall patient experience score, average annual admissions divided by total personnel, and total payroll divided by total personnel.
Frequently Asked Questions
What are the best hospitals for nurses in NYC? Top choices on this list include Lenox Hill, New York-Presbyterian, the Hospital for Special Surgery, Mount Sinai, and NYU Langone, ranked on patient-experience scores and staffing data. Most carry magnet designation, a recognized marker of nursing excellence.
How were these hospitals ranked? On three measures: overall patient experience from the HCAHPS survey, average annual admissions per staff member, and total payroll per staff member, using American Hospital Association data accessed June 2021.
What does a magnet hospital mean for nurses? Magnet designation, awarded for nursing excellence, often signals better staffing ratios, stronger professional development, and higher nurse satisfaction. Several hospitals here, including Lenox Hill, New York-Presbyterian, and NYU Langone, hold it.
How much do nurses earn in New York City? The article's hospital figures are a 2021 snapshot. For current context, the national median RN wage was $93,600 in May 2024 (Bureau of Labor Statistics), and the New York-Newark-Jersey City metro is among the highest-paying RN markets nationally (BLS May 2024).
Is NYC a good place to start a nursing career? Yes. The city concentrates academic medical centers, level I trauma centers, and specialty hospitals, which means a wide range of units to learn in and strong demand for nurses across settings.