Registered Nurses Salary
Registered Nurses in Georgia make a median of $93,550 a year, or about $44.98 an hour. The range runs from $69K at the entry level to $129K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 91.89), which stretches that salary to about $101,807 in buying power. Rent on a 2-bedroom averages $1,434/month, or 24.3% of estimated take-home pay.
Statewide average. Salary and cost of living vary significantly across Georgia. Jump to a metro for precise data:
So what does $94K get you in Georgia?
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What this looks like in Georgia
Registered nurses pay in Georgia tracks closely to the national median, $94K locally vs. $98K nationwide, a 4% difference. Housing is manageable: a 2-bedroom at the HUD median costs $1,434/month, 24.8% of take-home, well inside the 30% guideline. Regional Price Parity sits at 91.89 (national = 100), meaning everyday costs run about 8% cheaper here. Your dollar stretches further than the headline salary suggests. Use the affordability calculator above to model your specific situation.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Georgia
Entry-level registered nurses (10th percentile) start around $69K. Mid-career wages sit at $94K. Top earners bring in $129K or more, a $60K spread from bottom to top.
Registered Nurses salary by metro in Georgia
13 metro areas with BLS data, ranked by median pay
| Metro area | Median salary | vs. state | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell | $100K | +7% | 56,460 |
| Augusta-Richmond County | $88K | -6% | 6,880 |
| Savannah | $87K | -7% | 4,200 |
| Macon-Bibb County | $85K | -9% | 3,100 |
| Rome | $84K | -10% | 1,740 |
| Dalton | $83K | -11% | 1,000 |
| Brunswick-St. Simons | $83K | -12% | 1,010 |
| Columbus | $83K | -12% | 2,790 |
| Hinesville | $82K | -12% | 270 |
| Athens-Clarke County | $82K | -12% | 2,400 |
| Albany | $80K | -14% | N/A |
| Warner Robins | $79K | -16% | 1,090 |
| Valdosta | $74K | -21% | 1,110 |
Showing 1–10 of 13 metros
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BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when Georgia numbers change.
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Frequently asked questions
Can a registered nurse afford a 2BR apartment alone in Georgia?
Yes — at the median salary of $94K, rent takes 24.8% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,434/month. That stays under the 30% guideline most financial planners use.
What’s the entry-level salary for registered nurses in Georgia?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new registered nurses typically earn — is $69K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $4,135/month. At HUD’s $1,434/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 Georgia?
Pay here is roughly in line with the national average — $94K locally vs. $98K nationally, a 4% difference.
How does Georgia compare to the national average for registered nurses?
Georgia pays $94K median vs. the U.S. average of $98K — that’s -4%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 91.89), the purchasing-power equivalent is $102K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do registered nurses make in Georgia?
The median is $93,550 a year, that works out to about $45 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $68,920, and experienced registered nurses can clear $128,640. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $94K enough to live in Georgia?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $5,793/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,434/month, which eats 24.8% 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 Georgia?
Georgia has a Regional Price Parity of 91.89 (100 is the national average). That's below average, your money stretches further here than the raw salary number suggests. After cost-of-living adjustment, the median registered nurses salary is worth about $101,807 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.