Overview
Registered nurses are in high demand and are one of the most in-demand health care professionals. They provide and coordinate patient care, educate patients and the public about various medical conditions. This subject matter covers an evidence-based approach to discovering what a registered nurse earns in the USA.
Key Points
- Decide if the process is worth it.
- Get tips on which industries pay the most.
- Learn ways to boost your income as an RN.
The average salary for a registered nurse in the United States is about $82,750 per year or $39.78 per hour.[i] This calculation is based on a Bachelor's degree for typical entry- level education. To be fair, there are variations depending on the state, type of facility, industry, specializations and years of experience.
In this section, we take a look at what registered nurses earn. My goal is to show you how much cash you can save after earnings and what factors play a role in earning higher salaries for registered nurses for those who are considering career development possibilities.
Job Outlook
Employment of registered nurses is projected to grow 6 percent from 2021 to 2031 which equates to about 203,200 new openings for registered nurses being projected each year.
States With The Highest Employment Level
A Day in the Life of a Registered Nurse
A nurse typically works 12-hour shifts with at least one day off after every two or three shift days. This means a nurse usually works only four days a week. These long shifts involve standing on your feet for extended periods of time and caring for multiple patients throughout your work hours. Nurses may even work over their planned hours as they update the incoming nurse with patient information.[ii]
How To Boost Your Income as An RN?
There are a some top specializations for registered nurses that are sure to shoot you up to the top tier of a registered nurse salary range. The differentiation in competencies are:
Industries With the Highest Levels of RNs
Top Paying Industries for Registered Nurses
Standard Employment Taxes and Withholdings
Employers are required by law to withhold employment taxes which include federal income tax, Social Security and Medicare Taxes.24
The amount of income tax your employer withholds from your regular pay depends on two things:
- The amount you earn.
- The information you give your employer on Form W–4.
To determine your withholdings use the withholding table to get an idea of what will be deducted from your salaries.
Prevailing Wages for RNs
As the number of registered nurses in the United States reaches an all-time high, so too does the demand for their services. This is especially true in the case of foreign nurse recruitment, as the nursing shortage in the United States is becoming increasingly dire.
In order to ensure that registered nurses are fairly compensated for their work, the U.S. Department of Labor has set forth a prevailing wage determination for all RN positions. The prevailing wage is the average wage paid to similar workers in the same geographic area.
The data below provides the latest update of the prevailing wage for registered nurses as at January 04, 2023.
29-1141.00 Registered Nurses
Assess patient health problems and needs, develop and implement nursing care plans, and maintain medical records. Administer nursing care to ill, injured, convalescent, or disabled patients. May advise patients on health maintenance and disease prevention or provide case management. Licensing or registration required.
How Are Prevailing Wages Determined?
Employers can obtain this wage rate by submitting a request to the National Prevailing Wage Center (NPWC), or by accessing other legitimate sources of information such as the Online Wage Library, available for use in some programs.
The requirement to pay prevailing wages as a minimum is true of most employment-based visa programs involving the U.S. Department of Labor. In addition, the H-1B, H-1B1, and E-3 programs require the employer to pay the prevailing wage or the actual wage paid by the employer to workers with similar skills and qualifications, whichever is higher.
The U.S. Department of Labor's Bureau of Labor Statistics has provided wage data collected under the Occupational Employment Statistics (OES) program for use in the foreign labor certification process since 1998. The wage data is available on the Foreign Labor Certification Data Center Online Wage Library website.
How Much Does An RN Earn in FL?
The average base salary for an RN in Florida is similar to the national average with overtime accumulating to about $10,327 per year.
South Florida Stats
Salaries By Years of Experience in Florida
Common Health Benefits for a Registered Nurse
Skills That Affect Registered Nurse’s Salary
Different skills can affect your salary. Below are the most popular skills and their effect on salary.
Typical Living Expenses
Supporting Documentation
Forms
Frequently Asked Questions
Which Registered Nurse gets paid the most?
Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetists
What is the highest-paid nurse? Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetists! Earning $195,610 annually, CRNAs earn significantly more than any other type of nurse or nursing specialty.
How can a registered nurse make 100k?
HOW TO MAKE SIX FIGURES AS A NURSE?
- Become a Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetist (CRNA) ...
- Become a Nurse Practitioner (NP) ...
- Become a Nurse Midwife. ...
- Advance in Nurse Leadership. ...
- Begin travel nursing assignment. ...
- Change Nursing specialties. ...
- Relocate to a higher paying state. ...
- Make sacrifices.
What city in Florida pays nurses the most?
Highest paying cities for Registered Nurses - Florida
- Ocala, FL. $43.53 per hour. 597 salaries reported.
- Orlando, FL. $41.89 per hour. 1.3k salaries reported.
- West Palm Beach, FL. $39.29 per hour. 597 salaries reported.
- Tampa, FL. $38.35 per hour. 1.4k salaries reported.
- Miami, FL. $38.34 per hour. ...
- Show more nearby cities.
[1]Cost of Living in Broward County, Florida (bestplaces.net)