Registered Nurses in the state of Texas earn an average salary of $76,800 per year (or $36.92 per hour) as of May 2020, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.
On average, RNs in Texas earn about 4% less than the national average salary for nurses, at $80,010 (or $38.47 per hour).
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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 92 in 2020, Texas nurses face prices for things like food, housing, and transportation that are slightly lower when compared to other states. So, it’s understandable that their earnings would also be a bit lower than the national average.
| State | Avg. RN Salary | Avg. RN Salary (adjusted for COL) | Local Estimates |
|---|---|---|---|
| Texas | $76,800 | $78,222 | Get Local Estimate |
| Nationwide | $80,010 | - | Get Local Estimate |
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RN salary across Texas cities
Texas nursing salaries vary quite a bit across the state, but the highest-paying regions for RNs are unsurprisingly clustered in large metropolitan areas. At the top is Houston, with an average RN salary of $84,960, followed by Dallas / Fort Worth ($77,990 average RN salary). While all other Texas regions fall below the statewide average for RN salary (such as San Antonio, at $75,110).
| Metro Area | RNs Employed | Avg. RN Salary |
|---|---|---|
| Abilene, TX | 1,630 | $67,730 |
| Amarillo, TX | 2,500 | $69,130 |
| Austin-Round Rock, TX | 14,270 | $73,280 |
| Beaumont-Port Arthur, TX | 2,620 | $70,930 |
| Brownsville-Harlingen, TX | 2,150 | $73,810 |
| College Station-Bryan, TX | 1,760 | $70,020 |
| Corpus Christi, TX | 3,680 | $66,530 |
| Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX | 60,140 | $77,990 |
| El Paso, TX | 6,410 | $73,100 |
| Houston-The Woodlands-Sugar Land, TX | 56,520 | $84,960 |
| Killeen-Temple, TX | 4,040 | $77,000 |
| Longview, TX | 2,330 | $61,380 |
| Lubbock, TX | 3,820 | $72,030 |
| McAllen-Edinburg-Mission, TX | 5,350 | $75,940 |
| San Antonio-New Braunfels, TX | 21,560 | $75,110 |
| San Antonio-New Braunfels, TX | 21,560 | $75,110 |
| Tyler, TX | 3,270 | $63,730 |
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RN salary vs similar healthcare professions in Texas
At $76,800 average annual salary, Registered Nurses in Texas tend to earn slightly less than some other types of healthcare workers in the state. Across all these professions, “Healthcare Practitioners and Technical Occupations” workers in Texas earn an average salary of $79,870, according to the BLS.
Here’s how a sample of these other types of healthcare professions compare to RN salaries in Texas:
| Profession | # Employed in TX | Avg. Salary |
|---|---|---|
| Registered Nurses | 219,330 | $76,800 |
| LPNs / LVNs | 69,650 | $48,380 |
| Pharmacy Technicians | 36,690 | $37,010 |
| Dental Hygienists | 13,230 | $77,590 |
| Physical Therapists | 14,710 | $90,870 |
| Nurse Practitioners | 14,680 | $116,700 |
Job outlook for Registered Nurses in Texas
There are over 210,000 Registered Nurses in the state of Texas. Yet, these jobs are still projected to increase by at least 16% from 2018 to 2028 – an increase of more than 36,000 new RNs in the state in the coming years.
