Registered Nurses Salary
Registered Nurses in Minnesota make a median of $101,510 a year, or about $48.8 an hour. The range runs from $80K at the entry level to $132K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 92.6), which stretches that salary to about $109,622 in buying power. Rent on a 2-bedroom averages $1,384/month, or 22.2% of estimated take-home pay.
Statewide average. Salary and cost of living vary significantly across Minnesota. Jump to a metro for precise data:
So what does $102K get you in Minnesota?
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What this looks like in Minnesota
Registered nurses pay in Minnesota tracks closely to the national median, $102K locally vs. $98K nationwide, a 4% difference. Housing is manageable: a 2-bedroom at the HUD median costs $1,384/month, 22.3% of take-home, well inside the 30% guideline. Regional Price Parity sits at 92.6 (national = 100), meaning everyday costs run about 7% 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, Minnesota
Entry-level registered nurses (10th percentile) start around $80K. Mid-career wages sit at $102K. Top earners bring in $132K or more, a $52K spread from bottom to top.
Registered Nurses salary by metro in Minnesota
5 metro areas with BLS data, ranked by median pay
| Metro area | Median salary | vs. state | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| St. Cloud | $105K | +4% | 2,910 |
| Mankato | $103K | +2% | 1,570 |
| Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington | $103K | +2% | 43,600 |
| Rochester | $102K | +0% | 6,390 |
| Duluth | $97K | -5% | 4,410 |
Compare to other states
Track registered nurses salary changes
BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when Minnesota numbers change.
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Frequently asked questions
Can a registered nurse afford a 2BR apartment alone in Minnesota?
Yes — at the median salary of $102K, rent takes 22.3% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,384/month. That stays under the 30% guideline most financial planners use.
What’s the entry-level salary for registered nurses in Minnesota?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new registered nurses typically earn — is $80K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $4,798/month. At HUD’s $1,384/month FMR, rent would take 29% of that take-home — manageable on an entry-level income.
Is registered nurse a high-paying job in Minnesota?
Pay here is roughly in line with the national average — $102K locally vs. $98K nationally, a 4% difference.
How does Minnesota compare to the national average for registered nurses?
Minnesota pays $102K median vs. the U.S. average of $98K — that’s +4%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 92.6), the purchasing-power equivalent is $110K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do registered nurses make in Minnesota?
The median is $101,510 a year, that works out to about $49 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $79,960, and experienced registered nurses can clear $132,430. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $102K enough to live in Minnesota?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $6,194/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,384/month, which eats 22.3% 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 Minnesota?
Minnesota has a Regional Price Parity of 92.6 (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 $109,622 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.