Registered Nurses Salary
Registered Nurses in Connecticut make a median of $102,740 a year, or about $49.39 an hour. The range runs from $80K at the entry level to $135K for experienced workers. Adjusted for local prices (RPP 102.88), that's roughly $99,864 in purchasing power. Rent on a 2-bedroom averages $1,679/month, or 26.6% of estimated take-home pay.
Statewide average. Salary and cost of living vary significantly across Connecticut. Jump to a metro for precise data:
So what does $103K get you in Connecticut?
About registered nurses
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What this looks like in Connecticut
Registered nurses pay in Connecticut tracks closely to the national median, $103K locally vs. $98K nationwide, a 5% difference. Rent runs $1,679/month for a 2-bedroom (HUD FMR), taking 26.7% of the median take-home. That's within the 30% rule, though not by much. Cost of living (RPP 102.88) is near the national average, so spending patterns here track the typical American budget fairly closely. Pay and costs are both near average, leaving limited margin for savings at the median wage.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Connecticut
Entry-level registered nurses (10th percentile) start around $80K. Mid-career wages sit at $103K. Top earners bring in $135K or more, a $55K spread from bottom to top.
Registered Nurses salary by metro in Connecticut
5 metro areas with BLS data, ranked by median pay
| Metro area | Median salary | vs. state | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bridgeport-Stamford-Danbury | $106K | +3% | 8,370 |
| New Haven | $104K | +2% | 10,050 |
| Waterbury-Shelton | $102K | -1% | 3,050 |
| Hartford-West Hartford-East Hartford | $101K | -1% | 13,850 |
| Norwich-New London-Willimantic | $101K | -1% | 2,460 |
Compare to other states
Track registered nurses salary changes
BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when Connecticut numbers change.
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Frequently asked questions
Can a registered nurse afford a 2BR apartment alone in Connecticut?
Yes — at the median salary of $103K, rent takes 26.7% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,679/month. That stays under the 30% guideline most financial planners use.
What’s the entry-level salary for registered nurses in Connecticut?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new registered nurses typically earn — is $80K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $4,821/month. At HUD’s $1,679/month FMR, rent would take 35% 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 Connecticut?
Pay here is roughly in line with the national average — $103K locally vs. $98K nationally, a 5% difference.
How does Connecticut compare to the national average for registered nurses?
Connecticut pays $103K median vs. the U.S. average of $98K — that’s +5%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 102.88), the purchasing-power equivalent is $100K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do registered nurses make in Connecticut?
The median is $102,740 a year, that works out to about $49 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $80,350, and experienced registered nurses can clear $134,870. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $103K enough to live in Connecticut?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $6,287/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,679/month, which eats 26.7% 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 Connecticut?
Connecticut has a Regional Price Parity of 102.88 (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 $99,864 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.