If you're a nurse in Maryland considering school-based work — whether you're coming from a hospital, long-term care, clinic, or agency setting — one of the first questions is pay. Here's exactly what school nurses earn at Frederick County Public Schools through Eaglewings Allied Health Staffing Agency in 2026.
School Nurse Pay Rates at FCPS (2026)
| Role | Hourly Rate | Type |
|---|---|---|
| Registered Nurse (RN) — Private Duty | $46–48/hr | W-2, Full-Time |
| Licensed Practical Nurse (LPN) — Private Duty | $38–40/hr | W-2, Full-Time |
These are private duty nursing assignments — one-to-one care for medically fragile students who need skilled nursing throughout the school day. Tasks vary by student but may include tracheostomy care, ventilator management, seizure monitoring, medication administration, tube feedings, catheterization, and vital sign monitoring.
What's Included Beyond the Hourly Rate
Total Compensation Package (No Cost to You)
Free medical insurance (SBMA/PHCS) · Free dental insurance (Aflac) · Free vision insurance (Aflac) · Workers' compensation · MarylandSaves 401(k) · Weekly pay every Thursday via Gusto · GPS-verified timekeeping via Homebase · Clinical supervision by RN with 25+ years experience
The free health insurance is a meaningful differentiator. Many staffing agencies either don't offer benefits or charge significant premiums. At Eaglewings, medical, dental, and vision coverage is included with every position at no payroll deduction.
Schedule and Work-Life Balance
One of the biggest draws of school nursing is the schedule. Your hours follow the FCPS academic calendar: approximately 7 hours per school day plus a half-hour lunch, Monday through Friday. When students are off, you're off — that includes winter break, spring break, summer, and all federal holidays.
For nurses coming from hospital or LTC settings with rotating shifts, mandatory overtime, and holiday coverage, the predictability is a significant quality-of-life upgrade — and you're not trading pay to get it.
How School Nurse Pay Compares
Maryland per-diem RN rates at hospitals and skilled nursing facilities typically range from $40–55/hr depending on shift, specialty, and overtime. FCPS rates through Eaglewings ($46–48/hr for RNs) land squarely in that range — without the night shifts, weekend rotations, or floating between units.
LPN per-diem rates in Maryland LTC facilities typically run $32–42/hr. FCPS rates ($38–40/hr) are at the upper end of that range, again with a better schedule.
The total compensation comparison tilts further toward school nursing when you factor in the free insurance, no commute variability (same school every day), and the school calendar schedule.
Do I Need Pediatric Experience?
Most nurses considering school-based work worry about this. The answer: pediatric experience helps but isn't required. If you have strong clinical skills from any setting — hospital, LTC, clinic, home health — the transition is manageable. Eaglewings provides onboarding specific to school-based pediatric care and pairs new school nurses with experienced colleagues during the first days.
What you do need: a current Maryland RN or LPN license and CPR/BLS certification. That's the baseline.
About the FCPS Contract
This isn't a short-term per-diem gig. Eaglewings has an awarded contract with Frederick County Public Schools — a 3-year base with a 2-year renewal option through 2031. That means assignment stability: you're placed at a school, you build relationships with your student and the school team, and you're there for the duration.
FCPS covers approximately 70 schools across Frederick County, from Emmitsburg in the north through Frederick City to Urbana in the south. Your assignment is matched based on student need, your credentials, and your location preference.
Frequently Asked Questions
Ready to Make the Move to School Nursing?
We're hiring RNs and LPNs for Frederick County Public Schools — SY 2026–2027 and beyond.