Being high in hierarchy, the salary of registered nurses is more than the salary of CNAs. As per the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the average income for registered nurses was $75,510 per annum, in May 2018. The mean hourly wages was reported to be $36.30. The total number of RNs employed throughout the USA was 2,951,960. As per the statistics of Indeed.com, registered nurses earned $33.40 per hour as on July 21, 2019. It was 15% higher than the average salaries for all other occupations. Indeed has accumulated the data from 48,567 salaries submitted by actual registered nurses.
For those, who are looking for a rewarding and fast growing career in the healthcare field, becoming a registered nurse (RN) is a lucrative option. It’s a high responsibility job where you improve the quality of life of people by promoting health and wellness. With the expansion in the healthcare industry, the demand for these professionals is increasing day by day and the number of jobs available is more than the number of qualified candidates to occupy it.
Annual RN Salary on Different Percentile Brackets
- The salary of 90% RNs was less than $106,530; while the salary of 10% RNs was more than $106,530.
- 75% made below $88,350; 25% made more than $88,350.
- 50% earned less than $71,730; the other 50% got above $71,730.
- 25% were remunerated less than $58,770; while remaining 75% were compensated more than $58,770.
- 10% were salaried below $50,800; 90% were paid above $50,800.
| Percentile Bracket | Annual Wages |
|---|---|
| 90% | $106,530 |
| 75% | $88,350 |
| 50% | $71,730 |
| 25% | $58,770 |
| 10% | $50,800 |
Information Source– The Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) (as of May 2018)
Hourly RN Salary on Different Percentile Brackets
- 90% RNs made less than $51.22 per hour; 10% RNs made above $51.22.
- 75% earned less than $42.47; 25% earned more than $42.47.
- The income of 50% employees was below $34.48 per hour; while the other 50% enjoyed hourly salary more than $34.48.
- The hourly wages of 25% RNs was below $28.25; 75% were offered more than $28.25.
- 10% were remunerated below $24.42 per hour; 90% were salaried more than $24.42.
| Percentile Bracket | Hourly Wages |
|---|---|
| 90% | $51.22 |
| 75% | $42.47 |
| 50% | $34.48 |
| 25% | $28.25 |
| 10% | $24.42 |
Information Source– BLS (as of May 2018)
Salary of Professionals with Related Job Designations
Your job designation plays an important role in deciding your salary. For example, on July 23, 2019, Clinical Nurse Managers earned $78,993 per year, RN First Assistants made $37.09 per hour, and Cardiovascular Operating Room Nurses took home $1,555 per week.
| RN First Assistant | $37.09 per hour |
| Pediatric Operating Room Nurse | $37.09 per hour |
| Interventional Radiology Nurse | $40.60 per hour |
| RN Outpatient Oncology | $37.61 per hour |
| Cardiac Electrophysiology Lab Nurse | $1,965 per week |
| Psychiatric Nurse | $110,262 per year |
| Renal Dialysis Nurse | $39.50 per hour |
| Endoscopy Nurse | $1,821 per week |
| Clinical Nurse Manager | $78,993 per year |
| Postpartum Nurse | $1,875 per week |
| Pediatric Nurse | $1,707 per week |
| Cardiovascular Operating Room Nurse | $1,555 per week/p> |
| Progressive Care Nurse | $1,509 per month |
| Ambulatory Nurse | $41.09 per hour |
| Home Health Nurse | $68,887 per year |
Information Source-indeed.com (as of July 23, 2019)
Factors Affecting Registered Nurse’s Salary
There are many factors that have direct or indirect influence on RN’s salary. Some of the major factors are described below.
Location
- Location is one of the major factors in deciding how much you will make as an RN. Depending on the cost of living, some states pay higher salaries than others. Even income of RNs in different cities of the same state varies significantly.
In May 2018, the top paying states for registered nurses were:
| State | Annual Mean Wage | Hourly Mean Wage |
|---|---|---|
| California | $106,950 | $51.42 |
| Hawaii | $98,080 | $47.16 |
| District of Columbia | $92,350 | $44.40 |
| Massachusetts | $92,140 | $44.30 |
| Oregon | $91,080 | $43.79 |
Information Source– The Bureau of Labor Statistics (as of May 2018)
California, being the largest state of the USA, offered the highest annual and hourly salaries to RNs, i.e., $106,950 and $51.42, respectively. Other top paying states for these professionals were Hawaii, Massachusetts, District of Columbia and Oregon.
Industry
- The healthcare industry is quite wide and has many areas where you can work as a registered nurse, like personal care services, general and surgical hospitals, government sector, physician’s offices, etc. Here is an estimate of the average salary you can expect in various sectors.
| Industry | Annual Mean Wage | Hourly Mean Wage |
|---|---|---|
| Outpatient Care Centers | $79,230 | $38.09 |
| Nursing Care Facilities | $67,370 | $32.39 |
| Home Health Care Services | $71,850 | $34.54 |
| Offices of Physicians | $67,790 | $32.59 |
| Speciality Hospitals | $78,500 | $37.74 |
| Psychiatric and Substance Abuse Hospitals | $73,590 | $35.38 |
| Business and Management Schools | $85,920 | $41.31 |
| Pharmaceutical and Medicine Manufacturing | $95,400 | $45.87 |
| General Medical and Surgical Hospitals | $77,730 | $37.37 |
| Legal Services | $82,790 | $39.80 |
| Aerospace Product and Parts Manufacturing | $84,530 | $40.64 |
| Federal Executive Branch | $89,430 | $42.99 |
Information Source– Bureau of Labor Statistics (as of May 2018)
Education and Experience
- Another important factor is your education and level of experience. Those with a bachelor degree in nursing earn much better than those with an associate degree or diploma. Apart from that, the more years of experience you’ll have; the better paid jobs you’ll get.
Other Benefits
Registered nurses work 24/7 in rotating shifts to assist doctors while taking care of patients. It is not only a noble occupation, but also offers you several other benefits apart from handsome salary. Keep in mind that it’s not necessary that you receive all these benefits since it completely depends on the employer’s discretion.
- Health Insurance
Most of the RN jobs offer a health insurance for you and your family.
- Paid Time-off (PTO)
Paid time-off means you get paid for a few hours off per hours you’ve worked. In most hospitals, you get 160 to 180 hours of paid time off for working an entire year. To simplify, you can take 13 to 15 days off in a year and get paid for it.
- Pension Plan
Many employers provide pension to their employees after retirement. You can increase your pension by working longer with the organization.
- Dental and Vision Insurance
Most health care facilities offer it as one of the privileges.
- Tuition Fee Reimbursement
Some healthcare facilities also provide you financial assistance for further nursing education. For instance, if you are planning to do MBA in nursing services, its cost will be covered by the hospital. Though, there might be some terms and conditions that you need to adhere to.
Besides, the above mentioned benefits, some other perks that you can get are:
- Travel benefits
- Life insurance
- Child care or adoption assistance
Job Outlook
According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, the jobs for registered nurses are anticipated to grow by 15 percent from 2012 to 2026, which is much faster than other occupations. According to the BLS, there will be 526,800 new openings for RNs by the year 2022. The overall job prospects for these professionals are expected to be exceptionally good.
