How much does a Register Nurse RN make in the United States?
As of September 01, 2026, the average salary for a Register Nurse RN in the United States is $82,868 per year, which breaks down to an hourly rate of $40.
However, a Register Nurse RN's salary can vary significantly. Here’s a look at the typical salary range:
Top Earners (90th percentile): $97,630
Majority Range (25th-75th percentile): $77,356 to $90,595
Key Factors That Influence Register Nurse RN Salaries
A Register Nurse RN's salary isn't a fixed number. It's shaped by several important factors.
Below, we'll explore how geographic location, education
and company size
can directly affect your earning potential.
How Do Register Nurse RN Salaries Vary from State to State?
Your salary can change significantly depending on where you work. States with a higher cost of living and strong industrial sectors often pay more to attract Register Nurse RNs. For example, consider the average annual salaries in these key locations:
District of Columbia: $91,751.
California: $91,403.
Massachusetts: $90,185.
District of Columbia$91,751
California$91,403
Massachusetts$90,185
Washington$89,854
New Jersey$89,820
Alaska$89,704
Connecticut$88,561
New York$88,097
Hawaii$86,613
Rhode Island$85,917
Maryland$85,445
Minnesota$84,799
Colorado$84,550
Illinois$84,467
Oregon$84,152
Delaware$83,920
New Hampshire$83,774
Virginia$83,448
Pennsylvania$82,495
Nevada$82,014
North Dakota$81,857
Michigan$81,608
Wisconsin$81,517
Vermont$81,335
Texas$80,829
Maine$80,796
Arizona$80,746
Ohio$80,688
Georgia$79,926
Indiana$79,545
Wyoming$79,470
Utah$79,354
Iowa$79,304
Kansas$78,907
Louisiana$78,791
North Carolina$78,749
Missouri$78,733
Florida$78,410
Montana$78,235
Nebraska$78,070
Kentucky$77,979
South Carolina$77,647
Tennessee$77,440
Idaho$77,357
New Mexico$76,752
Oklahoma$76,620
Alabama$76,131
South Dakota$75,310
Arkansas$74,863
West Virginia$74,622
Mississippi$73,902
Top Paying Cities for Register Nurse RNs
Salaries can also vary between different cities.
Major metropolitan areas or cities with a high demand for technicians often offer more competitive pay.
Here are a few examples of average annual salaries in different U.S. cities:
San Jose: $104,521
San Francisco: $103,377
Oakland: $101,198
San Jose, CA$104,521
San Francisco, CA$103,377
Oakland, CA$101,198
New York, NY$95,413
Paramus, NJ$94,253
Queens Village, NY$94,249
Passaic, NJ$94,170
Bergenfield, NJ$94,163
Stamford, CT$93,980
Huntington, NY$93,946
Newark, NJ$93,334
Bridgeport, CT$93,159
Vallejo, CA$92,994
New Brunswick, NJ$92,961
Petaluma, CA$92,911
Middlesex, NJ$92,754
Somerset, NJ$92,696
Santa Cruz, CA$92,588
Boston, MA$92,083
Monterey, CA$91,792
Seattle, WA$91,602
Santa Rosa, CA$91,585
Los Angeles, CA$91,561
Juneau, AK$91,345
Washington, DC$91,254
Orange, CA$90,959
Santa Ana, CA$90,740
Long Beach, CA$90,657
Anaheim, CA$90,641
Anchorage, AK$90,599
Santa Maria, CA$90,351
Everett, WA$90,334
Danbury, CT$90,042
Bremerton, WA$89,928
Tacoma, WA$89,630
New Suffolk, NY$89,628
Sacramento, CA$89,605
Santa Barbara, CA$89,514
Trenton, NJ$89,423
San Diego, CA$89,423
Brockton, MA$89,331
Fairbanks, AK$89,128
Lompoc, CA$88,917
Lowell, MA$88,850
Ventura, CA$88,834
Nashua, NH$88,818
Stockton, CA$88,809
Modesto, CA$88,204
Poughkeepsie, NY$88,022
Olympia, WA$87,865
Kennewick, WA$87,865
New Haven, CT$87,832
Lawrence, MA$87,533
Hartford, CT$87,450
Riverside, CA$87,434
New Bedford, MA$87,351
Richland, WA$87,351
Bakersfield, CA$87,235
San Bernardino, CA$87,202
New Britain, CT$87,193
Atlantic City, NJ$87,193
New London, CT$87,160
Norwich, CT$87,135
Portsmouth, NH$87,119
Boulder, CO$86,943
Portland, OR$86,829
Worcester, MA$86,821
Minneapolis, MN$86,564
Philadelphia, PA$86,448
Honolulu, HI$86,174
Saint Paul, MN$86,134
Vineland, NJ$86,116
Providence, RI$85,876
Chicago, IL$85,636
Bellingham, WA$85,536
Springfield, MA$85,470
Baltimore, MD$85,445
Chico, CA$85,238
Pittsfield, MA$85,014
Manchester, NH$84,857
Spokane, WA$84,492
Denver, CO$84,484
Albany, NY$84,094
Troy, NY$84,061
Nassau, NY$83,972
Schenectady, NY$83,887
Wilmington, DE$83,821
Burlington, VT$83,705
Salem, OR$83,672
Portland, ME$83,415
Yakima, WA$83,332
Rochester, MN$83,075
Reno, NV$83,034
Fresno, CA$83,034
Milwaukee, WI$82,959
Detroit, MI$82,876
Ann Arbor, MI$82,862
Allentown, PA$82,851
Colorado Springs, CO$82,710
Syracuse, NY$82,669
Carson City, NV$82,669
Houston, TX$82,553
Eugene, OR$82,511
Gary, IN$82,412
Springfield, OR$82,346
Bismarck, ND$82,329
Galveston, TX$82,271
Medford, OR$82,147
Fort Collins, CO$82,114
Concord, NH$82,072
Austin, TX$82,047
Mesa, AZ$81,873
Reading, PA$81,865
Phoenix, AZ$81,857
Dallas, TX$81,832
Saint Cloud, MN$81,752
Madison, WI$81,641
Utica, NY$81,418
Rochester, NY$81,285
Des Moines, IA$81,277
Raleigh, NC$81,268
Atlanta, GA$81,144
Battle Creek, MI$81,119
Salt Lake City, UT$81,094
Lancaster, PA$80,970
Harrisburg, PA$80,854
Kansas City, MO$80,771
Champaign, IL$80,755
Kansas City, KS$80,755
Fort Worth, TX$80,746
Columbus, OH$80,732
Boca Raton, FL$80,713
Pittsburgh, PA$80,680
Richmond, VA$80,647
Indianapolis, IN$80,630
Cleveland, OH$80,622
Las Vegas, NV$80,523
Cincinnati, OH$80,523
Petersburg, VA$80,398
Huntsville, AL$80,274
Lansing, MI$80,219
Lebanon, PA$80,208
Pueblo, CO$80,199
Appleton, WI$80,175
Buffalo, NY$80,141
Dayton, OH$80,117
Racine, WI$80,100
Charlotte, NC$80,092
Saint Louis, MO$80,067
York, PA$80,017
Elkhart, IN$80,017
Gastonia, NC$80,001
Billings, MT$79,982
Beaumont, TX$79,959
Lorain, OH$79,943
Benton Harbor, MI$79,926
Toledo, OH$79,909
Binghamton, NY$79,868
Rock Hill, SC$79,860
Rockford, IL$79,818
Springfield, IL$79,785
Elyria, OH$79,777
Fargo, ND$79,777
Flagstaff, AZ$79,719
Fort Lauderdale, FL$79,669
Duluth, MN$79,619
Miami, FL$79,619
Cheyenne, WY$79,561
Grand Forks, ND$79,561
Bangor, ME$79,379
Cedar Rapids, IA$79,288
Durham, NC$79,253
Louisville, KY$79,246
Grand Rapids, MI$79,230
Hialeah, FL$79,222
Casper, WY$79,106
Scranton, PA$79,006
New Orleans, LA$78,981
Virginia Beach, VA$78,973
Akron, OH$78,932
Peoria, IL$78,824
Sarasota, FL$78,807
Nashville, TN$78,749
Omaha, NE$78,749
Green Bay, WI$78,749
Baton Rouge, LA$78,708
Charleston, SC$78,691
Jamestown, NY$78,650
Davenport, IA$78,650
Tucson, AZ$78,608
Saint Petersburg, FL$78,559
Tampa, FL$78,542
Evansville, IN$78,492
Port Arthur, TX$78,492
Bradenton, FL$78,459
Santa Fe, NM$78,310
Orlando, FL$78,161
Clearwater, FL$78,136
Canton, OH$77,962
La Crosse, WI$77,962
Albuquerque, NM$77,912
Newport News, VA$77,904
High Point, NC$77,879
Ogden, UT$77,846
Corpus Christi, TX$77,780
Norfolk, VA$77,730
Laramie, WY$77,730
Rock Island, IL$77,680
Saginaw, MI$77,664
Jacksonville, FL$77,655
Salisbury, NC$77,639
Boise, ID$77,622
Moline, IL$77,581
Fort Myers, FL$77,556
Memphis, TN$77,539
Tulsa, OK$77,498
Waterloo, IA$77,448
Spartanburg, SC$77,365
Lincoln, NE$77,324
Fort Wayne, IN$77,307
Provo, UT$77,299
Cedar Falls, IA$77,200
San Antonio, TX$77,166
Greensboro, NC$77,133
South Bend, IN$77,125
Savannah, GA$77,034
Muskegon, MI$77,001
Birmingham, AL$76,992
Winston Salem, NC$76,952
Lake Charles, LA$76,752
Anderson, IN$76,736
Lexington, KY$76,711
Augusta, GA$76,686
Greenville, SC$76,686
Lima, OH$76,620
Wichita, KS$76,611
Tuscaloosa, AL$76,611
Columbia, SC$76,537
Springfield, OH$76,520
Asheville, NC$76,388
Bloomington, IN$76,330
Knoxville, TN$76,031
Shreveport, LA$76,023
Wilmington, NC$75,915
Roanoke, VA$75,915
Topeka, KS$75,766
Frankfort, KY$75,757
Oklahoma City, OK$75,700
Chillicothe, OH$75,667
Longview, TX$75,658
Melbourne, FL$75,650
Sioux Falls, SD$75,517
Mobile, AL$75,509
Terre Haute, IN$75,476
Altoona, PA$75,426
Amarillo, TX$75,368
Killeen, TX$75,343
Fayetteville, AR$75,277
Chattanooga, TN$75,252
Sioux City, IA$75,178
Idaho Falls, ID$75,161
Lynchburg, VA$75,095
Gainesville, FL$74,987
Portsmouth, OH$74,946
Little Rock, AR$74,929
Lafayette, LA$74,896
Youngstown, OH$74,896
Daytona Beach, FL$74,846
Clarksville, TN$74,838
Pensacola, FL$74,830
Temple, TX$74,824
Hopkinsville, KY$74,581
Erie, PA$74,564
Florence, SC$74,531
Charleston, WV$74,399
Great Falls, MT$74,357
Macon, GA$74,241
Tallahassee, FL$74,233
Fayetteville, NC$74,216
Waco, TX$74,200
Helena, MT$74,142
Pine Bluff, AR$74,110
Vincennes, IN$74,009
Lubbock, TX$73,976
Alamogordo, NM$73,926
Twin Falls, ID$73,852
Rapid City, SD$73,827
Jackson, MS$73,678
Huntington, WV$73,672
Greenville, MS$73,669
Parkersburg, WV$73,585
Montgomery, AL$73,570
Wichita Falls, TX$73,487
Springfield, MO$73,487
Biloxi, MS$73,446
Monroe, LA$73,363
Johnstown, PA$73,305
Sumter, SC$73,272
Columbus, GA$73,263
Pascagoula, MS$73,106
Abilene, TX$73,106
Kingsport, TN$72,891
Albany, GA$72,891
Gulfport, MS$72,866
Alexandria, LA$72,592
Fort Smith, AR$72,385
El Paso, TX$72,161
Las Cruces, NM$71,788
Harlingen, TX$71,578
Pocatello, ID$71,565
Florence, AL$71,457
Brownsville, TX$71,440
Mcallen, TX$71,266
Dothan, AL$71,150
Columbus, MS$70,658
Altus, OK$70,272
Lawton, OK$70,114
Pierre, SD$69,816
What Skills Can Increase a Register Nurse RN's Salary?
Demanded Skills for the Role:
Planning (Mentioned in 5.16% Job Postings): An act or process of making or carrying out plans. Establishment of goals, policies, and procedures for a social or economic unit city planning business planning.
Nursing Process (Mentioned in 3.34% Job Postings): The nursing process is a modified scientific method. Nursing practise was first described as a four-stage nursing process by Ida Jean Orlando in 1958.
Long Term Care (Mentioned in 1.96% Job Postings): Long-term care (LTC) is a variety of services which help meet both the medical and non-medical needs of people with a chronic illness or disability who cannot care for themselves for long periods. Long term care is focused on individualized and coordinated services that promote independence, maximize patients' quality of life, and meet patients' needs over a period of time. It is common for long-term care to provide custodial and non-skilled care, such as assisting with normal daily tasks like dressing, feeding, using the bathroom. Increasingly, long-term care involves providing a level of medical care that requires the expertise of skilled practitioners to address the multiple chronic conditions associated with older populations. Long-term care can be provided at home, in the community, in assisted living facilities or in nursing homes. Long-term care may be needed by people of any age, although it is a more common need for senior citizens.
Mastering certain specialized skills can lead to a significant increase in pay.
Here are examples of skills and the potential impact they can have on a Register Nurse RN's salary.
Telemetry: Can increase your salary by up to 3%.
Accountability: Can increase your salary by up to 2%.
Register Nurse RN Salary by Industry: Top Paying Sectors
For Register Nurse RN roles, the industry you choose can affect earning potential
by as much as 35% (the gap between the highest and lowest paying industries).
Data shows that the Software & Networking and Biotechnology
sectors offer the strongest compensation, at 15% above the average.
In contrast, Register Nurse RN positions in Edu., Gov't. & Nonprofit or MFG Nondurable typically offer lower base pay,
as these industries often view Register Nurse RN as a support function rather than a direct revenue driver.
The top paying industries for a Register Nurse RN
Industry Sector
Average Annual Salary
Average Hourly Rate
Pay vs.Avg
Software & Networking
$95,298
$46.0
15%
Biotechnology
$93,226
$45.0
12%
Energy & Utilities
$89,083
$43.0
7%
Insurance
$87,011
$42.0
5%
How Education impacts a Register Nurse RN's Salary?
Your level of education can impact your salary potential.
While many Register Nurse RNs enter the field with a Associate's Degree degree,
higher education can lead to more specialized and higher-paying roles.
According to our 100% employer-reported salary data,
the median salary for a Register Nurse RN with a Associate's Degree is between
$81,300
and $85,864).
Understanding how a Register Nurse RN's annual salary breaks down can help with budgeting.
Below, you can see the average hourly rate, weekly pay, and monthly pay for this role.
Use the buttons to switch between different pay periods.
Hourly
Monthly
Weekly
Yearly
Table View
Last Updated on September 01, 2026
$77,356
Average$82,868/year
$90,595
$6,446
Average$6,906/month
$7,550
$1,488
Average$1,594/week
$1,742
$37
Average$40/hour
$44
Annual Salary
Monthly Pay
Weekly Pay
Hourly Wage
75th Percentile
$90,595
$7,550
$1,742
$44
Average
$82,868
$6,906
$1,594
$40
25th Percentile
$77,356
$6,446
$1,488
$37
Salaries of Jobs related to Register Nurse RN
Travel Nurse - RN$149,533
Forensic Nurse - RN$116,024
Nurse Navigator - RN$107,815
Float Nurse - RN$100,675
Staff Nurse - RN - Research$94,789
Staff Nurse - RN - Hospice$87,658
Staff Nurse - RN - Geriatric$84,405
Staff Nurse - RN - Burn$83,271
Nurse, RN$74,193
Register Nurse$74,043
In- School Nurse (RN)$62,500
Salary Trends for Register Nurse RN
Salaries for a Register Nurse RN can change over time,
reflecting shifts in market demand and the overall economy.
The median salary increased from $72,530 in 2023
to around $72,691 in 2025,
reflecting changes in demand, location, experience, and the wider economy.
For a detailed analysis of Register Nurse RN salary trends,
.
Average Annual Salary of Register Nurse RN Over Time
$???
$72,530
$73,154
$72,691
$???
$???
2022
2023
2024
2025
2026
2027
Year
Average Annual Salary
2022
View More
2023
$72,530
2024
$73,154
2025
$72,691
2026
View More
2027
View More
Most common benefits for Register Nurse RN
Social Security
401 (k)
Disability
Healthcare
Pension
Time Off (days)
Common company salaries for Register Nurse RN
Here are companies hiring for Register Nurse RN and their salaries, click below for more details.
C$128,509/per year
C R Bard IncBiotechnologythe United States
H$124,697/per year
Henry Schein CanadaBiotechnologythe United States
N$123,899/per year
Nordex IncBiotechnologythe United States
N$120,416/per year
Nipro CorpBiotechnologythe United States
E$115,870/per year
EnovisBiotechnologythe United States
A$114,553/per year
Advanced Research Projects Agency - EnergyBiotechnologythe United States
M$112,110/per year
MiniMed IncBiotechnologythe United States
L$111,500/per year
Labcorp Drug DevelopmentBiotechnologythe United States
L$110,229/per year
Life Technologies CorpBiotechnologythe United States
Z$106,224/per year
Zimmer BiometBiotechnologythe United States
P$103,077/per year
Promontory TherapeuticsBiotechnologythe United States
S$102,181/per year
Steris PLCBiotechnologythe United States
G$97,274/per year
Gavin Conferences Pty LtdBiotechnologythe United States
E$94,764/per year
Endeavor BioMedicinesBiotechnologythe United States
R$94,402/per year
Replay Holdings LLCBiotechnologythe United States
P$94,235/per year
Pleno IncBiotechnologythe United States
S$93,666/per year
Simulaids IncBiotechnologythe United States
N$88,880/per year
NOIRLab/CASBiotechnologythe United States
O$86,468/per year
Onward TechnologyBiotechnologythe United States
L$84,895/per year
LED Medical Diagnostics IncBiotechnologythe United States
E$84,682/per year
Eyeco LtdBiotechnologythe United States
P$84,523/per year
PaerosolBiotechnologythe United States
I$83,525/per year
IONIQ Sciences IncBiotechnologythe United States
S$82,815/per year
Stateside PPEBiotechnologythe United States
D$82,041/per year
Digi BioBiotechnologythe United States
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FAQ about Register Nurse RN
1. What industry pays the highest salary for Register Nurse RN?
The Software & Networking industry offers the highest average compensation for Register Nurse RN roles,
with salaries approximately 15% above the market median.
Where Does Our Salary Data Come From?
Salary.com provides salary estimates, histograms, trends, and comparisons using data from employer job postings and third-party sources.
