GNM Nursing Salary in India: State-Wise Pay for Freshers & Experienced Nurses
By [Pranav Paramedical & Nursing College] | Last updated: [Sept 2026]
Short answer: GNM nursing salary in India usually falls between ₹8,000 and ₹30,000 a month for freshers, and between ₹14,000 and ₹48,000 for experienced nurses. Government jobs pay clearly more than private hospitals, and the state you work in changes the number a lot.
GNM (General Nursing and Midwifery) is a shorter, more affordable route into nursing, and thousands of students choose it every year. Here’s what it actually pays: state by state, sector by sector, and how you can move that number up.
What is GNM, and who hires GNM nurses?
GNM Nursing is a diploma of about three and a half years, including a six-month internship. After you register with your State Nursing Council, you can work as a staff nurse in government and private hospitals, nursing homes, clinics, community health centres, and home-care services.
Three things drive a GNM nurse’s pay. The first is the sector: government, private, or a corporate chain. The second is the city, because metros pay more but cost more too. The third is experience and skill, and a nurse comfortable in ICU or emergency work is easier to hire and easier to pay well.
State-wise GNM nursing salary in India
These are approximate monthly ranges in rupees. Real offers depend on the hospital, the city, and your experience.
State/UT | Govt Entry-Level | Govt Experienced | Private Entry-Level | Private Experienced |
Andhra | ₹20,000 – 26,000 | ₹29,000 – 38,000 | ₹9,000 – 14,000 | ₹17,000 – 26,000 |
Arunachal | ₹19,000 – 24,000 | ₹27,000 – 35,000 | ₹9,000 – 13,000 | ₹15,000 – 22,000 |
Assam | ₹19,000 – 24,000 | ₹27,000 – 35,000 | ₹9,000 – 13,000 | ₹15,000 – 23,000 |
Bihar | ₹19,000 – 25,000 | ₹28,000 – 36,000 | ₹8,000 – 12,000 | ₹14,000 – 22,000 |
Chhattisgarh | ₹19,000 – 25,000 | ₹28,000 – 36,000 | ₹8,000 – 13,000 | ₹15,000 – 23,000 |
Goa | ₹20,000 – 26,000 | ₹30,000 – 40,000 | ₹10,000 – 15,000 | ₹18,000 – 27,000 |
Gujarat | ₹21,000 – 27,000 | ₹31,000 – 41,000 | ₹10,000 – 16,000 | ₹19,000 – 28,000 |
Haryana | ₹21,000 – 27,000 | ₹32,000 – 42,000 | ₹10,000 – 16,000 | ₹19,000 – 28,000 |
Himachal | ₹20,000 – 25,000 | ₹29,000 – 37,000 | ₹9,000 – 14,000 | ₹16,000 – 24,000 |
Jharkhand | ₹19,000 – 25,000 | ₹28,000 – 36,000 | ₹8,000 – 13,000 | ₹15,000 – 23,000 |
Karnataka | ₹21,000 – 27,000 | ₹31,000 – 41,000 | ₹11,000 – 17,000 | ₹20,000 – 30,000 |
Kerala | ₹20,000 – 26,000 | ₹29,000 – 38,000 | ₹9,000 – 14,000 | ₹16,000 – 25,000 |
Madhya | ₹19,000 – 25,000 | ₹28,000 – 36,000 | ₹8,000 – 13,000 | ₹15,000 – 23,000 |
Maharashtra | ₹22,000 – 28,000 | ₹34,000 – 44,000 | ₹12,000 – 18,000 | ₹22,000 – 32,000 |
Manipur | ₹18,000 – 23,000 | ₹26,000 – 34,000 | ₹8,000 – 12,000 | ₹14,000 – 21,000 |
Meghalaya | ₹18,000 – 23,000 | ₹26,000 – 34,000 | ₹8,000 – 12,000 | ₹14,000 – 21,000 |
Mizoram | ₹18,000 – 23,000 | ₹26,000 – 34,000 | ₹8,000 – 12,000 | ₹14,000 – 21,000 |
Nagaland | ₹18,000 – 23,000 | ₹26,000 – 34,000 | ₹8,000 – 12,000 | ₹14,000 – 21,000 |
Odisha | ₹20,000 – 25,000 | ₹29,000 – 37,000 | ₹9,000 – 14,000 | ₹16,000 – 24,000 |
Punjab | ₹20,000 – 26,000 | ₹30,000 – 40,000 | ₹9,000 – 14,000 | ₹17,000 – 26,000 |
Rajasthan | ₹20,000 – 26,000 | ₹29,000 – 38,000 | ₹9,000 – 14,000 | ₹17,000 – 25,000 |
Sikkim | ₹19,000 – 24,000 | ₹27,000 – 35,000 | ₹9,000 – 13,000 | ₹15,000 – 22,000 |
Tamil Nadu | ₹21,000 – 27,000 | ₹31,000 – 41,000 | ₹10,000 – 16,000 | ₹19,000 – 28,000 |
Telangana | ₹21,000 – 27,000 | ₹31,000 – 41,000 | ₹10,000 – 16,000 | ₹19,000 – 28,000 |
Tripura | ₹18,000 – 23,000 | ₹26,000 – 34,000 | ₹8,000 – 12,000 | ₹14,000 – 21,000 |
Uttar Pradesh | ₹20,000 – 26,000 | ₹29,000 – 38,000 | ₹9,000 – 14,000 | ₹17,000 – 26,000 |
Uttarakhand | ₹20,000 – 25,000 | ₹29,000 – 37,000 | ₹9,000 – 14,000 | ₹16,000 – 24,000 |
West Bengal | ₹19,000 – 25,000 | ₹28,000 – 37,000 | ₹9,000 – 14,000 | ₹16,000 – 25,000 |
Union Territories | ||||
Andaman & | ₹19,000 – 24,000 | ₹27,000 – 35,000 | ₹9,000 – 13,000 | ₹15,000 – 23,000 |
Chandigarh | ₹22,000 – 28,000 | ₹32,000 – 42,000 | ₹11,000 – 17,000 | ₹20,000 – 30,000 |
Dadra & Nagar | ₹19,000 – 25,000 | ₹28,000 – 36,000 | ₹10,000 – 15,000 | ₹17,000 – 25,000 |
Delhi | ₹24,000 – 30,000 | ₹36,000 – 48,000 | ₹12,000 – 18,000 | ₹22,000 – 32,000 |
Jammu & Kashmir | ₹20,000 – 25,000 | ₹29,000 – 37,000 | ₹9,000 – 13,000 | ₹15,000 – 23,000 |
Ladakh | ₹20,000 – 25,000 | ₹28,000 – 36,000 | ₹8,000 – 12,000 | ₹14,000 – 22,000 |
Lakshadweep | ₹19,000 – 24,000 | ₹27,000 – 35,000 | ₹8,000 – 12,000 | ₹14,000 – 22,000 |
Puducherry | ₹20,000 – 25,000 | ₹29,000 – 37,000 | ₹10,000 – 15,000 | ₹17,000 – 25,000 |
Which states pay GNM nurses the most?
Delhi leads for both government and private roles, followed by Maharashtra, Chandigarh, Haryana, Karnataka, and Gujarat. The Northeast and a few smaller UTs sit lower on paper, though living costs there are often lower as well.
A quick look at five big states:
- Delhi: Many government and private hospitals compete for staff, which lifts pay. Rent takes a chunk of it.
- Maharashtra: Mumbai and Pune have dense hospital networks, so private GNM pay is the strongest here.
- Karnataka: Bengaluru’s corporate hospitals pay more to nurses with ICU or OT experience.
- Kerala: Many trained nurses compete for local jobs, so pay stays modest, and a lot of GNMs look abroad or to other states.
- Uttar Pradesh: Plenty of openings, but pay swings widely from one city to the next.
Government vs. private: what to expect
Government jobs come with fixed pay scales, allowances, job security, and retirement benefits, but selection is competitive, and vacancies depend on state recruitment drives. Private hospitals hire quickly and pay less at the start. Many GNM nurses begin in a private hospital, build experience, and then apply for government posts.
Some central government roles, including certain railway and AIIMS-type nursing posts, may accept GNM holders who meet the experience and registration rules in the notification. Pay there is far higher than in the state table above. Always read the latest official notification for eligibility before you plan around it.
How GNM pay grows with experience
Experience | Typical role | Approx. monthly pay |
0–2 years | Staff nurse | ₹9,000 – 28,000 |
3–5 years | Senior staff nurse | ₹15,000 – 36,000 |
6–10 years | Ward in-charge | ₹22,000 – 45,000 |
10+ years | Senior in-charge | ₹30,000 – 55,000 |
Growth is steady rather than fast. Bigger jumps usually come from changing employers, gaining a specialty, or moving into government service.
GNM vs BSc Nursing salary
BSc Nursing generally pays more, both at the start and over time, and it opens more senior and teaching roles. The gap is real but not fixed. A GNM nurse with strong clinical skills in a good hospital can out-earn a fresher BSc graduate. And you can close the gap later: many GNM nurses complete a Post Basic BSc Nursing while working, which raises both pay and promotion prospects.
In-hand vs gross salary
A job ad might say ₹22,000, and your account might show ₹19,000. Gross pay includes basic salary plus allowances such as DA, HRA, and night duty. In-hand pay is what’s left after deductions like provident fund and tax. Ask for the salary breakup in writing before you accept an offer. It’s the only fair way to compare two jobs.
Stipend, contract and probation pay
Many freshers start on a stipend, a contract, or a probation period, and pay can be lower than the ranges above for the first six to twelve months.
How to increase your GNM nursing salary
- Spend two to three years in a busy unit such as ICU, OT, or emergency. It builds skills faster than anything else.
- Add a certification or short specialty course.
- Prepare for state and central government nursing exams.
- Complete a Post Basic BSc Nursing to move into the higher pay bracket.
- Look at overseas opportunities if they suit you, keeping in mind that licensing rules differ by country.
How we put this together
We compared official pay notifications, current job listings, and placement data from our own graduates, and rounded everything into ranges. Salaries change, so treat these as a guide and confirm with the employer.
Final word
GNM nursing salary in India isn’t a single number. It moves with your state, your sector, and the skills you build, and most of those are in your hands. Use the table to compare regions, pick a direction, and grow from there. If you’re ready to start, have a look at our GNM programme at PPNC.
Disclaimer: Figures are approximate and can change with government notifications and hospital policies.
1. What is the average GNM nursing salary in India?
Freshers commonly earn ₹8,000–₹30,000 a month, and experienced nurses ₹14,000–₹48,000, depending on state and sector.
2. Which state pays GNM nurses the most?
Delhi generally leads, followed by Maharashtra, Chandigarh, Haryana and Karnataka.
3. Is GNM salary lower than BSc Nursing?
Usually yes, but skills, experience and a later Post Basic BSc can narrow the gap.
4. Do government GNM jobs pay more than private ones?
Yes, in most states, they add allowances and job security.
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