Registered Nurses salary · North Carolina
Registered Nurses Salary in North Carolina
Registered Nurses in North Carolina earn a median of $84,350 a year, which is $40.56 an hour. That is $13,200 below the national median of $97,550, a difference of 14 percent. The state employs 111,120.
North Carolina against the US May 2025
| Figure | North Carolina | United States |
|---|---|---|
| Median annual | $84,350 | $97,550 |
| Median hourly | $40.56 | $46.90 |
| Mean annual | $90,470 | $101,420 |
| 10th percentile | $67,660 | $68,940 |
| 90th percentile | $110,220 | $137,470 |
| Employment | 111,120 | 3,379,720 |
How North Carolina compares
By median pay, North Carolina ranks 10 of the 12 states this site reports for registered nurses. Ranking is on the published median only. It says nothing about how far that salary goes once housing, state income tax and commuting are paid, and those differences between states are frequently larger than the pay gap itself.
Other states for registered nurses May 2025
| State | Median | Hourly | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| California | $140,270 | $67.44 | 338,940 |
| New York | $109,440 | $52.62 | 205,810 |
| New Jersey | $106,500 | $51.20 | 92,680 |
| Massachusetts | $104,550 | $50.27 | 88,200 |
| Pennsylvania | $96,430 | $46.36 | 146,520 |
| Illinois | $95,990 | $46.15 | 138,910 |
| Texas | $95,970 | $46.14 | 271,380 |
| Michigan | $94,300 | $45.34 | 104,950 |
| Georgia | $93,550 | $44.98 | 100,950 |
| Florida | $84,190 | $40.48 | 229,940 |
| Ohio | $82,510 | $39.67 | 143,730 |
Common questions
How much do registered nurses make in North Carolina?
The median salary for registered nurses in North Carolina is $84,350 a year, or $40.56 an hour. That is $13,200 below the national median of $97,550, a difference of 14 percent. North Carolina employs 111,120 of them.
Is North Carolina a good state to work as a registered nurse?
On pay alone, North Carolina ranks 10 of the 12 states this site reports for the occupation, by median salary. Pay is only half the question though: a state with a higher median can still leave you with less once housing and taxes are counted, and this site does not adjust for cost of living.
What is the pay range for registered nurses in North Carolina?
The lowest-paid 10 percent earn $67,660 or less and the highest-paid 10 percent earn $110,220 or more. The middle half falls between $78,770 and $102,040.
Where these numbers come from
Published by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2025 release, for SOC code 29-1141 in North Carolina. Nothing on this page is interpolated or averaged by this site. See the national registered nurses salary page for the full picture, or how to read these figures for what the survey covers.