Salary Data
Registered Nurse Salary in Raleigh
$81,000
median salary, 1% below the national average
According to Orbyt's 2026 salary analysis, the average Registered Nurse salary in Raleigh is $81,000. Salaries range from $61,000 (25th percentile) to $104,000 (75th percentile), adjusted for Raleigh's cost of living.
Salary range
How Raleigh compares
Raleigh, NC
$81,000
Cost of living: 1% below average
National Average
$82,000
Raleigh is $1,000 below
Registered Nurse job market in Raleigh
Raleigh market overview
Raleigh sits at the heart of the Research Triangle, one of America's premier tech and life sciences corridors. Cisco, Red Hat, Epic Games, and numerous biotech firms drive strong demand for engineering, research, and product roles. The combination of top tier universities and moderate living costs creates an exceptionally favorable salary to expense ratio.
What drives Registered Nurse salaries
Specialty certification, geographic location, and facility type create the widest salary ranges. ICU, OR, and emergency nurses earn premiums over med surg nurses. Travel nursing contracts can pay 50 to 100% more than permanent positions. Union representation and shift differentials for nights and weekends also impact total pay.
Beyond base salary
Total compensation
Benefits are a major component, typically including health insurance, pension or 403(b) matching, tuition reimbursement, and continuing education credits. Shift differentials add $3 to $8 per hour for nights and weekends. Signing bonuses of $5,000 to $20,000 are common in high demand specialties.
Tax considerations in Raleigh
North Carolina's flat 4.5% income tax keeps the burden low. Raleigh has no city income tax, and the Triangle's affordable housing amplifies your take home purchasing power.
Career progression
New graduate RNs start at $58,000 to $72,000, with experienced RNs reaching $80,000 to $100,000 after five years. Nurse practitioners earn $110,000 to $140,000, and CRNAs (nurse anesthetists) can earn $180,000 to $220,000. Nursing management roles offer $95,000 to $140,000 with administrative responsibilities.
Top industries in Raleigh
Negotiating in Raleigh
Cite Research Triangle talent competition in your negotiation. Employers here compete directly with each other and with remote offers, creating favorable leverage for candidates.