The median Registered Nurse (rn) salary is $47.50 per hour, or $98,800 per year, based on 46,675 job postings across 108 states. Compare pay by location, employer, shift, and contract type.
$47.50
Median hourly
$98,800
Annual salary
$38-$74
Pay range
108
States tracked
Salary guide
A typical Registered Nurse (rn) earns $47.50/hr, with most posted roles landing between $42.00 and $60.00/hr.
Recent posted pay is down, with the last 30 days showing -10.6% movement versus the prior period.
Location matters: San Francisco, CA is currently among the highest-paying cities, while Tallahassee, FLORIDA sits near the lower end.
30-day market pulse
Compare the most recent 30 days of job postings against the previous 30 days. Use this as a quick read on whether pay and hiring volume are moving together.
Posted pay
-10.6%
Current median: $46.50/hr
Prior period: $52.00/hr
Job openings
-2.6%
14,271 recent postings
Previous period: 14,645 postings
Daily pay signal
$44.50/hr latest
Year-over-year
Building
We are collecting enough historical Registered Nurse (rn) postings to show a reliable year-over-year pay comparison.
Pay is moving down in recent listings, falling from $52.00/hr to $46.50/hr.
Pay range
The middle band is usually the most useful offer benchmark. The 10th and 90th percentiles show the broader market floor and ceiling.
Entry / low
$37.50
$78,000/yr
Median
$47.50
$98,800/yr
Top earners
$73.59
$153,067/yr
MARKET TRENDS
Month-over-month median hourly pay and posting volume.
| Month | Median Hourly | Postings |
|---|---|---|
Apr 2026Current | $46.50/hr | 13,604 |
Mar 2026 | $51.75/hr | 15,312 |
Feb 2026 | $50.50/hr | 3,593 |
Jan 2026 | $47.50/hr | 4,692 |
Dec 2025 | $45.00/hr | 5,987 |
Nov 2025 | $54.50/hr | 3,487 |
BY LOCATION
See how pay varies across the country. Ranked by job volume.
312 postings · 81 companies
$38.50
$36-$47
255 postings · 59 companies
$74.78
$66-$80
1,490 postings · 109 companies
$44.00
$44-$47
142 postings · 56 companies
$50.67
$39-$72
2,464 postings · 380 companies
$64.72
$56-$78
726 postings · 180 companies
$46.00
$42-$55
358 postings · 60 companies
$54.50
$52-$76
308 postings · 48 companies
$47.50
$42-$54
226 postings · 48 companies
$53.50
$50-$65
1,016 postings · 253 companies
$41.50
$36-$43
1,396 postings · 170 companies
$47.50
$45-$54
124 postings · 56 companies
$57.20
$49-$68
76 postings · 42 companies
$47.75
$42-$55
2,609 postings · 272 companies
$44.50
$41-$60
606 postings · 126 companies
$43.50
$38-$59
599 postings · 130 companies
$57.81
$41-$65
334 postings · 89 companies
$49.35
$37-$60
211 postings · 72 companies
$44.50
$38-$57
122 postings · 45 companies
$54.86
$39-$61
225 postings · 60 companies
$62.25
$51-$69
1,025 postings · 143 companies
$46.00
$43-$51
1,446 postings · 218 companies
$53.00
$47-$68
653 postings · 119 companies
$59.56
$44-$74
641 postings · 127 companies
$44.50
$40-$57
83 postings · 35 companies
$52.78
$42-$56
518 postings · 125 companies
$54.31
$41-$64
128 postings · 65 companies
$65.00
$58-$70
266 postings · 75 companies
$58.07
$43-$64
87 postings · 49 companies
$46.00
$38-$57
258 postings · 66 companies
$50.50
$47-$62
2,071 postings · 191 companies
$55.00
$50-$62
202 postings · 66 companies
$43.56
$38-$55
1,870 postings · 273 companies
$58.63
$46-$68
1,185 postings · 162 companies
$44.50
$41-$51
208 postings · 62 companies
$58.23
$43-$74
1,262 postings · 182 companies
$54.81
$43-$73
437 postings · 66 companies
$61.20
$56-$65
299 postings · 85 companies
$61.50
$55-$68
1,206 postings · 209 companies
$47.00
$41-$72
64 postings · 26 companies
$45.00
$40-$47
450 postings · 115 companies
$50.25
$40-$67
274 postings · 58 companies
$40.00
$34-$60
434 postings · 116 companies
$50.75
$39-$58
636 postings · 171 companies
$40.00
$35-$51
38 postings · 19 companies
$37.50
$35-$40
296 postings · 65 companies
$63.25
$54-$75
553 postings · 136 companies
$51.50
$41-$63
805 postings · 135 companies
$52.50
$40-$61
337 postings · 67 companies
$56.06
$40-$63
1,626 postings · 150 companies
$47.50
$44-$54
54 postings · 27 companies
$49.25
$41-$61
BY CITY
See which cities offer the highest and lowest Registered Nurse (rn) salaries.
San Francisco
Ca · 45 postings
$97.00/hr
Fremont
Ca · 17 postings
$96.00/hr
Vallejo
California · 15 postings
$93.28/hr
Castro Valley
Ca · 14 postings
$93.00/hr
Antioch
Ca · 10 postings
$92.00/hr
Tallahassee
Florida · 27 postings
$33.00/hr
Fort Walton Beach
Florida · 10 postings
$33.25/hr
Moorhead
Minnesota · 10 postings
$34.25/hr
Saint Petersburg
Florida · 10 postings
$34.50/hr
Miami
Florida · 16 postings
$34.50/hr
BY EMPLOYER
See which companies pay the most and least for Registered Nurse (rn) positions.
Heroes Healthcare Inc.
10 postings
$135.00/hr
Evolve Home Health
7 postings
$125.00/hr
Blue Dove Home Health Services A Medicare Certified Home Health Agency
26 postings
$112.50/hr
Medville Medical Supplies
7 postings
$112.50/hr
Washington Hospital Healthcare System
9 postings
$101.50/hr
Medical University Of South Carolina
18 postings
$5.50/hr
Dermave Spa
8 postings
$22.00/hr
Renewaskin Spa
6 postings
$22.00/hr
Prime Iv Hydration & Wellness
11 postings
$28.50/hr
Holton Manor
27 postings
$29.00/hr
RELATED POSITIONS
| Job Title | Postings | Median |
|---|---|---|
| Behavioral Health Registered Nurse | 88 | $52.31/hr |
| Acute Care Rn Case Manager | 56 | $75.28/hr |
| Acute Care Med Surg Rn | 30 | $62.36/hr |
| Advanced Care Registered Nurse | 27 | $67.11/hr |
| Acute Rehab Registered Nurse | 24 | $62.53/hr |
| Aesthetic Registered Nurse | 22 | $52.25/hr |
| Acute Inpatient Registered Nurse - Rn | 22 | $45.00/hr |
| Acute Care Medical-surgical Rn | 20 | $55.13/hr |
| Ambulatory Care Registered Nurse | 19 | $59.71/hr |
| Cardiothoracic Or Registered Nurse | 19 | $77.00/hr |
EDUCATION & LICENSING
Registered Nurses provide and coordinate patient care, educate patients about health conditions, and provide emotional support to patients and their families.
Minimum: ADN
ADN
Associate Degree in Nursing
BSN
Bachelor of Science in Nursing
MSN
Master of Science in Nursing
Direct-Entry MSN
Direct-Entry MSN
Most RNs complete either an ADN or BSN program, then pass the NCLEX-RN exam. Many employers now prefer or require a BSN, and some ADN nurses pursue RN-to-BSN programs while working.
RN License
RequiredRegistered Nurse License
BLS
RequiredBasic Life Support
Compact License
Nurse Licensure Compact (NLC)
New Graduate RN
0-1 years experience
Staff RN
1-3 years experience
Senior RN / Charge Nurse
3-5 years experience
Clinical Nurse Specialist / Nurse Educator
5-8 years experience
Nurse Manager / Director
8+ years experience
Certifications can significantly increase earning potential
CCRN
+8-15%Critical Care Registered Nurse
CEN
+5-10%Certified Emergency Nurse
PCCN
+5-10%Progressive Care Certified Nurse
OCN
+5-10%Oncology Certified Nurse
Job Outlook
Strong Growth (6% (2022-2032))
Nursing remains one of the fastest-growing occupations due to aging population, increased chronic conditions, and healthcare expansion. Over 175,000 RN openings projected annually.
PAY FACTORS
How shift type, contract length, and employment type impact Registered Nurse (rn) salaries.
FAQ
The median Registered Nurse (rn) salary is $47.50 per hour, or $98,800 annually. Pay ranges from $37.50/hr (10th percentile) to $73.59/hr (90th percentile) depending on location, experience, and employer.
Based on 46,675 job postings, the highest paying states for Registered Nurse (rn)s include Alaska, Montana, California. Pay rates vary based on cost of living, demand, and state regulations.
There are currently 46,675 Registered Nurse (rn) job postings across 108 states, from 4582 different healthcare employers.
Registered Nurse (rn) pay varies based on geographic location, years of experience, certifications, shift differentials (nights/weekends), employment type (travel vs. staff), facility type, and specialized skills. Travel contracts typically pay higher hourly rates.
Registered Nurse (rn) pay is currently trending downward. Over the past 30 days, median hourly rates decreased 10.6%.
Registered Nurse (rn) pay varies by specialty and setting. Travel positions typically pay $12.50 to $26.09 more per hour than staff positions. Night shifts and weekend differentials also increase earnings.
Pay varies significantly by location. Top paying cities like San Francisco offer $97.00/hr, while lower cost areas may pay around $33.00/hr. However, rural areas often offer signing bonuses and housing stipends to attract talent.
Entry-level Registered Nurse (rn)s typically earn around $37.50 to $42.00 per hour ($78,000 to $87,360 annually). With experience, pay increases toward the median of $47.50/hr.
DATA METHOD
Source
Based on 46,675 active postings with listed compensation for Registered Nurse (rn). We prioritize postings with explicit hourly or annual pay and exclude rows without usable compensation signals from salary percentiles.
Range
Percentiles show the spread of posted pay, not a guaranteed offer or take-home pay after taxes. State and city views use available market observations and label estimated values when direct samples are limited.
Freshness
Current dataset window: 2025-11-01 to 2026-04-30. Recent trend cards compare the latest posting window with the prior period so short-term pay movement is separated from the full historical median.
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