Registered Nurses Salary
Registered Nurses in Alaska make a median of $109,480 a year, or about $52.64 an hour. The range runs from $85K at the entry level to $149K for experienced workers. Adjusted for local prices (RPP 104.31), that's roughly $104,956 in purchasing power. Rent on a 2-bedroom averages $1,643/month, or 22.4% of estimated take-home pay.
Statewide average. Salary and cost of living vary significantly across Alaska. Jump to a metro for precise data:
So what does $109K get you in Alaska?
About registered nurses
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What this looks like in Alaska
Alaska sits well above the national pay line for registered nurses, local pay runs about 12% higher than the U.S. median of $98K. Housing is manageable: a 2-bedroom at the HUD median costs $1,643/month, 23.1% of take-home, well inside the 30% guideline. Cost of living (RPP 104.31) is near the national average, so spending patterns here track the typical American budget fairly closely. Combined with manageable housing costs, Alaska offers a genuinely strong financial position for registered nursess at the median.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Alaska
Entry-level registered nurses (10th percentile) start around $85K. Mid-career wages sit at $109K. Top earners bring in $149K or more, a $64K spread from bottom to top.
Registered Nurses salary by metro in Alaska
1 metro area with BLS data, ranked by median pay
| Metro area | Median salary | vs. state | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Anchorage | $115K | +5% | 4,990 |
Compare to other states
Track registered nurses salary changes
BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when Alaska numbers change.
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Frequently asked questions
Can a registered nurse afford a 2BR apartment alone in Alaska?
Yes — at the median salary of $109K, rent takes 23.1% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,643/month. That stays under the 30% guideline most financial planners use.
What’s the entry-level salary for registered nurses in Alaska?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new registered nurses typically earn — is $85K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $5,102/month. At HUD’s $1,643/month FMR, rent would take 32% of that take-home — above the 30% guideline, so a 1-bedroom or shared housing is likely necessary starting out.
Is registered nurse a high-paying job in Alaska?
Local pay is 12% above the national median — $109K here vs. $98K nationally.
How does Alaska compare to the national average for registered nurses?
Alaska pays $109K median vs. the U.S. average of $98K — that’s +12%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 104.31), the purchasing-power equivalent is $105K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do registered nurses make in Alaska?
The median is $109,480 a year, that works out to about $53 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $85,030, and experienced registered nurses can clear $149,070. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $109K enough to live in Alaska?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $7,117/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,643/month, which eats 23.1% of your paycheck. That's under the 30% guideline most financial planners use, so the numbers work.
How far does a registered nurses salary go in Alaska?
Alaska has a Regional Price Parity of 104.31 (100 is the national average). Prices are above average here, so your dollar buys less than the same salary would in a cheaper metro. After cost-of-living adjustment, the median registered nurses salary is worth about $104,956 in national-average purchasing power.
Where do registered nurses get paid the most?
The table above ranks every state by median pay for this role. Keep in mind that the highest-paying states tend to have the highest costs of living, so the top salary doesn't always mean the most money in your pocket.