Registered Nurses Salary
Registered Nurses in North Carolina make a median of $84,350 a year, or about $40.56 an hour. The range runs from $68K at the entry level to $110K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 92.66), which stretches that salary to about $91,032 in buying power. Rent on a 2-bedroom averages $1,284/month, or 23.6% of estimated take-home pay.
Statewide average. Salary and cost of living vary significantly across North Carolina. Jump to a metro for precise data:
So what does $84K get you in North Carolina?
About registered nurses
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What this looks like in North Carolina
Pay for registered nurses in North Carolina runs about 14% below the U.S. median of $98K. Housing is manageable: a 2-bedroom at the HUD median costs $1,284/month, 24.1% of take-home, well inside the 30% guideline. Regional Price Parity sits at 92.66 (national = 100), meaning everyday costs run about 7% cheaper here. Your dollar stretches further than the headline salary suggests. Lower pay, lower costs, North Carolina can be a reasonable trade-off for registered nursess who value affordability over top-dollar markets.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, North Carolina
Entry-level registered nurses (10th percentile) start around $68K. Mid-career wages sit at $84K. Top earners bring in $110K or more, a $43K spread from bottom to top.
Registered Nurses salary by metro in North Carolina
14 metro areas with BLS data, ranked by median pay
| Metro area | Median salary | vs. state | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia | $91K | +7% | 27,010 |
| Winston-Salem | $86K | +2% | 10,180 |
| Raleigh-Cary | $85K | +1% | 12,780 |
| Jacksonville | $85K | +0% | 870 |
| Burlington | $84K | -0% | 1,080 |
| Fayetteville | $83K | -2% | 3,430 |
| Greensboro-High Point | $83K | -2% | 6,240 |
| Goldsboro | $83K | -2% | 950 |
| Rocky Mount | $82K | -2% | 1,180 |
| Greenville | $82K | -3% | 3,770 |
| Asheville | $82K | -3% | 4,680 |
| Pinehurst-Southern Pines | $82K | -3% | 1,510 |
| Wilmington | $81K | -4% | 5,040 |
| Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton | $80K | -5% | 3,020 |
Showing 1–10 of 14 metros
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BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when North Carolina numbers change.
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Frequently asked questions
Can a registered nurse afford a 2BR apartment alone in North Carolina?
Yes — at the median salary of $84K, rent takes 24.1% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,284/month. That stays under the 30% guideline most financial planners use.
What’s the entry-level salary for registered nurses in North Carolina?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new registered nurses typically earn — is $68K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $4,060/month. At HUD’s $1,284/month FMR, rent would take 32% 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 North Carolina?
Local pay runs 14% below the national median — $84K here vs. $98K nationally. Cost of living is 7% below the national average, which narrows that gap in real purchasing power.
How does North Carolina compare to the national average for registered nurses?
North Carolina pays $84K median vs. the U.S. average of $98K — that’s -14%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 92.66), the purchasing-power equivalent is $91K — below the national median.
How much do registered nurses make in North Carolina?
The median is $84,350 a year, that works out to about $41 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $67,660, and experienced registered nurses can clear $110,220. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $84K enough to live in North Carolina?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $5,328/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,284/month, which eats 24.1% 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 North Carolina?
North Carolina has a Regional Price Parity of 92.66 (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 $91,032 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.