Registered nurses in the state of New York earn an average salary of $89,760 per year (or $43.16 per hour) as of May 2020, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. 80% of New York RNs earn between $57,990 and $126,660.
On average, RNs in New York earn about 11% more than the national average salary for nurses, at $80,010 (or $38.47 per hour).
Among other factors, the cost of living in a given region can impact what nurses tend to earn working in those areas. With a Cost of Living Index of 146.6 in 2020, New York nurses face prices for things like food, housing, and transportation that are much higher than in other states. When adjusted for this higher cost of living, New York’s nursing salaries are actually below the national average.
| State | Avg. RN Salary | Avg. RN Salary (adjusted for COL) | Local Estimates |
|---|---|---|---|
| New York | $89,760 | $61,228 | Get Local Estimate |
| Nationwide | $80,010 | - | Get Local Estimate |
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RN salary across New York cities
New York nursing salaries vary quite a bit from region to region across the state. The area where nurses are paid the highest is, unsurprisingly, New York City, where the average RN salary is $94,920 and where over 170,000 nurses are currently employed. Other relatively large metro areas like Buffalo ($77,580 average RN salary) and Albany ($73,160 average RN salary) also have relatively high wages, though lower total numbers of employed nurses.
| Metro Area | RNs Employed | Avg. RN Salary |
|---|---|---|
| New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ-PA | 173,570 | $94,920 |
| Rochester, NY | 11,320 | $68,540 |
| Buffalo-Cheektowaga-Niagara Falls, NY | 12,280 | $77,580 |
| Albany-Schenectady-Troy, NY | 9,670 | $73,160 |
| Syracuse, NY | 7,350 | $69,840 |
| Capital/Northern New York nonmetropolitan area | 3,530 | $72,200 |
| Central East New York nonmetropolitan area | 2,850 | $68,910 |
| Southwest New York nonmetropolitan area | 2,870 | $66,020 |
| Utica-Rome, NY | 2,470 | $70,130 |
| Binghamton, NY | 2,350 | $70,890 |
| Kingston, NY | 1,050 | $81,660 |
| Elmira, NY | 920 | $65,830 |
| Ithaca, NY | 810 | $69,290 |
| Watertown-Fort Drum, NY | 850 | $70,990 |
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RN salary vs similar healthcare professions in New York
Overall, “Healthcare Practitioners and Technical Occupations” workers in New York earn an average salary of $95,870, according to the BLS. Here’s how a sample of these other types of healthcare professions compare to RN salaries in the state:
| Profession | # Employed in NY | Avg. Salary |
|---|---|---|
| Registered Nurses | 178,550 | $89,760 |
| LPNs / LVNs | 44,440 | $51,300 |
| Pharmacy Technicians | 18,970 | $37,100 |
| Dental Hygienists | 9,190 | $76,890 |
| Physical Therapists | 16,150 | $92,860 |
| Nurse Practitioners | 14,850 | $126,440 |
Job outlook for Registered Nurses in New York
There are over 170,000 registered nurses in the state of New York. Yet, nursing jobs in the state are still projected to increase by at least 24% from 2018 to 2028 – an increase of more than 40,000 new RNs in the state in the coming years.
