Registered Nurses Salary
Registered Nurses in Nashville-Davidson--Murfreesboro--Franklin, TN make a median of $84,040 a year, or about $40.4 an hour. The range runs from $69K at the entry level to $112K for experienced workers. Adjusted for local prices (RPP 96.34), that's roughly $87,233 in purchasing power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $1,730/month, about 30.7% of take-home, which is tight.
So what does $84K get you in Nashville-Davidson--Murfreesboro--Franklin?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Nashville-Davidson--Murfreesboro--Franklin’s Regional Price Parity (96.34). 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 Nashville-Davidson--Murfreesboro--Franklin
Pay for registered nurses in Nashville-Davidson--Murfreesboro--Franklin runs about 14% below the U.S. median of $98K. Rent runs $1,730/month for a 2-bedroom (HUD FMR), taking 30.8% of the median take-home. That's within the 30% rule, though not by much. Cost of living (RPP 96.34) is near the national average, so spending patterns here track the typical American budget fairly closely. Use the affordability calculator above to model your specific situation.
Compared to nearby metros
Median pay for registered nurses in metros near Nashville-Davidson--Murfreesboro--Franklin, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Memphis | $82K | $88K |
| Knoxville | $77K | $83K |
| Chattanooga | $80K | $87K |
| Johnson City | $78K | $88K |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Nashville-Davidson--Murfreesboro--Franklin, TN
Entry-level registered nurses (10th percentile) start around $69K. Mid-career wages sit at $84K. Top earners bring in $112K or more, a $43K 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
BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when Nashville-Davidson--Murfreesboro--Franklin numbers change.
Related careers in Healthcare
Frequently asked questions
Can a registered nurse afford a 2BR apartment alone in Nashville-Davidson--Murfreesboro--Franklin?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $84K, rent takes 30.8% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,730/month. The 30% guideline puts the comfortable ceiling at roughly $1,700/month in rent — so roommates or a 1-bedroom would ease the math significantly.
What’s the entry-level salary for registered nurses in Nashville-Davidson--Murfreesboro--Franklin?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new registered nurses typically earn — is $69K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $4,169/month. At HUD’s $1,730/month FMR, rent would take 41% 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 Nashville-Davidson--Murfreesboro--Franklin?
Local pay runs 14% below the national median — $84K here vs. $98K nationally.
How does Nashville-Davidson--Murfreesboro--Franklin compare to the national average for registered nurses?
Nashville-Davidson--Murfreesboro--Franklin pays $84K median vs. the U.S. average of $98K — that’s -14%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 96.34), the purchasing-power equivalent is $87K — below the national median.
How much do registered nurses make in Nashville-Davidson--Murfreesboro--Franklin, TN?
The median is $84,040 a year, that works out to about $40 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $69,480, and experienced registered nurses can clear $112,030. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $84K enough to live in Nashville-Davidson--Murfreesboro--Franklin?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $5,626/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,730/month, which eats 30.8% of your paycheck. That's above the 30% rule of thumb, housing will be a stretch at the median salary, though you can manage with roommates or a smaller place.
How far does a registered nurses salary go in Nashville-Davidson--Murfreesboro--Franklin?
Nashville-Davidson--Murfreesboro--Franklin has a Regional Price Parity of 96.34 (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 $87,233 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.