Registered Nurse Salary: $86K US Median

The 2026 US national median Registered Nurse salary is $86,070 per year. Entry-level (25th percentile) starts at $63,720, while experienced professionals (90th percentile) earn $132,680 or more. Source: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, blended with 2026 market data from Levels.fyi, Glassdoor, and Robert Half.

Yes — Registered Nurse salaries grew approximately 560.0% year-over-year, from $13,041 in 2025 to $86,070 in 2026 (+$73,029). This reflects the Healthcare sector's 2025-2026 wage growth, driven by demand for Telehealth and Epic EHR.

The 5 highest-paying US cities for Registered Nurses: San Francisco, CA ($133K); Oakland, CA ($120K); New York, NY ($116K); Seattle, WA ($114K); Washington, DC ($112K). Note these higher salaries usually correspond to higher cost-of-living — see individual city pages for purchasing-power-adjusted figures.

Lowest-paying metros for Registered Nurses: Wichita ($73K), El Paso ($73K), Tulsa ($76K). However, these cities also have proportionally lower cost-of-living, so real purchasing power may exceed expensive metros.

RN employment projected to grow 6% through 2034, with 194,500 openings annually. Chronic shortage continues, driving competitive salaries and signing bonuses. BLS projects 6% employment growth from 2024-2034 — faster than average compared to all US occupations.

The hottest 2026 skills are: Telehealth, Epic EHR, BSN credential, Specialty certifications, NLC compact license. These appear in the highest-paying job listings, command 15-30% salary premiums, and are heavily weighted by ATS keyword filters. Adding them to your resume — naturally and in context — significantly improves your match rate.

BSN (Bachelor of Science in Nursing) increasingly preferred over ADN. However, the 2026 market increasingly values demonstrable skills, portfolios, and certifications alongside (or in place of) traditional degrees — particularly in Healthcare. Top recognized credentials: NCLEX-RN, BLS/ACLS, CCRN (critical care).

Given the current shortage in this specialty and my certifications, I'm looking for $X base plus shift differential and a sign-on bonus. What flexibility do you have on those line items? Key leverage points for Healthcare: Specialty certifications (CCRN, OCS, BCPS, FNP) command 8-15% premiums; Compact license / multi-state authority and willingness to float between units; Night, weekend, and holiday shift differentials add up to $10K-$25K annually. Beyond base salary, negotiate: Sign-on bonus ($10K-$30K, often $50K+ for hard-to-fill roles), Tuition reimbursement and certification stipends, Loan repayment programs (especially federal/HRSA-eligible), Shift differentials (nights +15%, weekends +10%).

Major US employers hiring Registered Nurses include: HCA Healthcare, Kaiser Permanente, Mayo Clinic, Cleveland Clinic, CommonSpirit Health, Veterans Health. Most use ATS software (Workday, Greenhouse, Taleo, iCIMS) to screen resumes — meaning your resume must be ATS-optimized to even reach a human recruiter.

Entry-level (0–1 year) Registered Nurses typically earn around $59,800. By year 2–3, salary climbs to $65,000. With 7–10 years of experience, Registered Nurses earn $105,000 on average. Senior/lead roles (15+ years) reach $118,840 or more.