Registered Nurses Salary
Registered Nurses in Maine make a median of $86,990 a year, or about $41.82 an hour. The range runs from $74K at the entry level to $107K for experienced workers. Adjusted for local prices (RPP 97.7), that's roughly $89,038 in purchasing power. Rent on a 2-bedroom averages $1,281/month, or 23.5% of estimated take-home pay.
Statewide average. Salary and cost of living vary significantly across Maine. Jump to a metro for precise data:
So what does $87K get you in Maine?
About registered nurses
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What this looks like in Maine
Pay for registered nurses in Maine runs about 11% below the U.S. median of $98K. Housing is manageable: a 2-bedroom at the HUD median costs $1,281/month, 23.7% of take-home, well inside the 30% guideline. Cost of living (RPP 97.7) is near the national average, so spending patterns here track the typical American budget fairly closely. Lower pay, lower costs, Maine can be a reasonable trade-off for registered nursess who value affordability over top-dollar markets.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Maine
Entry-level registered nurses (10th percentile) start around $74K. Mid-career wages sit at $87K. Top earners bring in $107K or more, a $33K spread from bottom to top.
Registered Nurses salary by metro in Maine
3 metro areas with BLS data, ranked by median pay
| Metro area | Median salary | vs. state | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bangor | $94K | +8% | 2,190 |
| Portland-South Portland | $88K | +2% | 6,970 |
| Lewiston-Auburn | $86K | -1% | 1,280 |
Compare to other states
Track registered nurses salary changes
BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when Maine numbers change.
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Frequently asked questions
Can a registered nurse afford a 2BR apartment alone in Maine?
Yes — at the median salary of $87K, rent takes 23.7% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,281/month. That stays under the 30% guideline most financial planners use.
What’s the entry-level salary for registered nurses in Maine?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new registered nurses typically earn — is $74K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $4,450/month. At HUD’s $1,281/month FMR, rent would take 29% of that take-home — manageable on an entry-level income.
Is registered nurse a high-paying job in Maine?
Local pay runs 11% below the national median — $87K here vs. $98K nationally.
How does Maine compare to the national average for registered nurses?
Maine pays $87K median vs. the U.S. average of $98K — that’s -11%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 97.7), the purchasing-power equivalent is $89K — below the national median.
How much do registered nurses make in Maine?
The median is $86,990 a year, that works out to about $42 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $74,160, and experienced registered nurses can clear $106,950. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $87K enough to live in Maine?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $5,406/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,281/month, which eats 23.7% 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 Maine?
Maine has a Regional Price Parity of 97.7 (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 $89,038 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.