Registered Nurses Salary
Registered Nurses in Anchorage, AK make a median of $115,290 a year, or about $55.43 an hour. The range runs from $86K at the entry level to $155K for experienced workers. Prices run high here (RPP 105.42), so that salary is closer to $109,363 in real purchasing power. Rent on a 2-bedroom averages $1,376/month, or 17.8% of estimated take-home pay.
So what does $115K get you in Anchorage?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Anchorage’s Regional Price Parity (105.42). Rent from HUD Fair Market Rents. Taxes estimated for single filer, standard deduction. * Healthcare is the employee-paid share only (premiums + out-of-pocket). Actual costs vary by coverage type: employer-sponsored, ACA marketplace, or uninsured.
About registered nurses
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What this looks like in Anchorage
Anchorage sits well above the national pay line for registered nurses, local pay runs about 18% higher than the U.S. median of $98K. Housing is manageable: a 2-bedroom at the HUD median costs $1,376/month, 18.4% of take-home, well inside the 30% guideline. Cost-of-living overall is 5% above the national average (BEA RPP 105.42), so groceries and services cost more too. Combined with manageable housing costs, Anchorage offers a genuinely strong financial position for registered nursess at the median.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Anchorage, AK
Entry-level registered nurses (10th percentile) start around $86K. Mid-career wages sit at $115K. Top earners bring in $155K or more, a $69K spread from bottom to top.
Registered Nurses pay across states
Median income ranked highest to lowest, compared to the national figure
View Registered Nurses salary in all states
| State | Median salary | vs. national | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| California | $140K | +44% | 338,940 |
| Hawaii | $136K | +40% | 12,940 |
| Oregon | $129K | +32% | 39,730 |
| Washington | $124K | +27% | 69,260 |
| Alaska | $109K | +12% | 7,510 |
| New York | $109K | +12% | 205,810 |
| New Jersey | $107K | +9% | 92,680 |
| Massachusetts | $105K | +7% | 88,200 |
| Nevada | $104K | +6% | 27,070 |
| Connecticut | $103K | +5% | 40,110 |
| District of Columbia | $103K | +5% | 11,440 |
| Minnesota | $102K | +4% | 70,110 |
| Rhode Island | $101K | +3% | 10,090 |
| Colorado | $100K | +3% | 54,490 |
| Maryland | $100K | +2% | 52,910 |
| New Hampshire | $100K | +2% | 15,390 |
| Delaware | $100K | +2% | 14,290 |
| Arizona | $100K | +2% | 73,150 |
| Vermont | $97K | -0% | 7,410 |
| Pennsylvania | $96K | -1% | 146,520 |
| Illinois | $96K | -2% | 138,910 |
| Texas | $96K | -2% | 271,380 |
| Wisconsin | $96K | -2% | 68,060 |
| New Mexico | $94K | -3% | 17,980 |
| Michigan | $94K | -3% | 104,950 |
| Virginia | $94K | -4% | 77,490 |
| Georgia | $94K | -4% | 100,950 |
| Idaho | $92K | -5% | 16,880 |
| Maine | $87K | -11% | 16,540 |
| Montana | $85K | -13% | 10,950 |
| Nebraska | $85K | -13% | 24,720 |
| Utah | $85K | -13% | 27,420 |
| North Carolina | $84K | -14% | 111,120 |
| Florida | $84K | -14% | 229,940 |
| Wyoming | $84K | -14% | 5,330 |
| Indiana | $84K | -14% | 68,980 |
| Oklahoma | $83K | -15% | 38,270 |
| Ohio | $83K | -15% | 143,730 |
| South Carolina | $82K | -16% | 49,750 |
| Missouri | $82K | -16% | 76,310 |
| Tennessee | $82K | -16% | 72,200 |
| Kentucky | $81K | -17% | 50,300 |
| North Dakota | $81K | -17% | 11,340 |
| Louisiana | $80K | -18% | 48,970 |
| West Virginia | $80K | -18% | 23,430 |
| Kansas | $79K | -19% | 33,800 |
| Arkansas | $79K | -19% | 29,400 |
| Iowa | $79K | -19% | 34,420 |
| South Dakota | $78K | -20% | 14,710 |
| Mississippi | $77K | -21% | 29,060 |
| Alabama | $77K | -21% | 54,340 |
Showing 1–10 of 51 (all 50 states + DC)
Track registered nurses salary changes
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Frequently asked questions
Can a registered nurse afford a 2BR apartment alone in Anchorage?
Yes — at the median salary of $115K, rent takes 18.4% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,376/month. That stays under the 30% guideline most financial planners use.
What’s the entry-level salary for registered nurses in Anchorage?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new registered nurses typically earn — is $86K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $5,150/month. At HUD’s $1,376/month FMR, rent would take 27% of that take-home — manageable on an entry-level income.
Is registered nurse a high-paying job in Anchorage?
Local pay is 18% above the national median — $115K here vs. $98K nationally. Keep in mind cost of living here is 5% above the national average, which offsets some of that premium.
How does Anchorage compare to the national average for registered nurses?
Anchorage pays $115K median vs. the U.S. average of $98K — that’s +18%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 105.42), the purchasing-power equivalent is $109K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do registered nurses make in Anchorage, AK?
The median is $115,290 a year, that works out to about $55 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $85,840, and experienced registered nurses can clear $155,150. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $115K enough to live in Anchorage?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $7,458/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,376/month, which eats 18.4% 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 Anchorage?
Anchorage has a Regional Price Parity of 105.42 (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 $109,363 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.