Average Registered Nurse Salary in North Carolina

Registered nurses in North Carolina earn an average of $71,200 per year (or $34.23 per hour).

Nationwide
United States
$82,750
North Carolina
13% lower than the national average
$71,200
Your personal salary estimate
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North Carolina registered nurses earn 13% lower than the national average salary for RNs, at $82,750 (or $39.78 per hour).

Registered nurse salary range in North Carolina

10%
$51,420
MEDIAN
$72,220
90%
$95,360
Annual Salary Hourly Wage
90th Percentile $95,360 $45
75th Percentile $78,670 $37
Median $72,220 $34
25th Percentile $60,550 $29

80% of North Carolina RNs earn between $51,420 and $95,360.

Cost-of-living adjusted registered nurse salary in North Carolina

Cost-Of-Living Adjusted
North Carolina
$77,559
Overall Average
North Carolina
$71,200

Adjusted for cost-of-living, North Carolina RNs earn about $77,559 per year. Cost-of-living in North Carolina is 8% lower than the national average, meaning they face lower prices for food, housing, and transportation compared to other states.

Highest paying cities in North Carolina for registered nurses

Fayetteville, NC $74,650 per year
Gastonia, NC $73,260 per year
Winston-Salem, NC $73,030 per year
Durham, NC $73,000 per year
Greensboro, NC $72,370 per year
Raleigh, NC $72,280 per year
Burlington, NC $71,460 per year
Greenville, NC $70,630 per year
Asheville, NC $70,050 per year
Wilmington, NC $68,440 per year

North Carolina nursing salaries vary from region to region across the state. The area where registered nurses are paid the highest is Fayetteville, where the average RNs salary is $74,650 and 3,010 registered nurses are currently employed. The Gastonia area comes in second, with a $73,260 average RN salary and 24,630 registered nurses employed.

How much do similar professions get paid in North Carolina?

Nurse Anesthetist $206,450 per year
Nurse Practitioner $112,730 per year
Nurse Midwife $102,960 per year
Physical Therapist $86,890 per year
Dental Hygienist $72,500 per year
Licensed Practical Nurse $49,210 per year
Pharmacy Technician $34,780 per year

At a $71,200 average annual salary, RNs in North Carolina tend to earn less than nurse anesthetists ($206,450), nurse practitioners ($112,730), nurse midwives ($102,960), physical therapists ($86,890), and dental hygienists ($72,500). They tend to earn more than licensed practical nurses ($49,210) and pharmacy technicians ($34,780).

More about registered nurses

Registered nurses are licensed practitioners who help provide crucial care to patients in a wide variety of settings. Generally, they work under the supervision of a doctor or a nurse practitioner. Their day-to-day responsibilities depend on the specialty in which they choose to practice. Some of the most common specialties include ICU, pediatric, and medical-surgical nurses.

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