Registered Nurses Salary
Registered Nurses in Utah make a median of $84,600 a year, or about $40.67 an hour. The range runs from $69K at the entry level to $109K for experienced workers. Adjusted for local prices (RPP 98.54), that's roughly $85,853 in purchasing power. Rent on a 2-bedroom averages $1,350/month, or 25.2% of estimated take-home pay.
Statewide average. Salary and cost of living vary significantly across Utah. Jump to a metro for precise data:
So what does $85K get you in Utah?
About registered nurses
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What this looks like in Utah
Pay for registered nurses in Utah runs about 13% below the U.S. median of $98K. Rent runs $1,350/month for a 2-bedroom (HUD FMR), taking 25.3% of the median take-home. That's within the 30% rule, though not by much. Cost of living (RPP 98.54) 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.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Utah
Entry-level registered nurses (10th percentile) start around $69K. Mid-career wages sit at $85K. Top earners bring in $109K or more, a $40K spread from bottom to top.
Registered Nurses salary by metro in Utah
5 metro areas with BLS data, ranked by median pay
| Metro area | Median salary | vs. state | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| St. George | $86K | +2% | 1,910 |
| Logan | $86K | +2% | 830 |
| Salt Lake City-Murray | $86K | +2% | 14,070 |
| Ogden | $82K | -3% | 3,890 |
| Provo-Orem-Lehi | $82K | -3% | 4,770 |
Compare to other states
Track registered nurses salary changes
BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when Utah numbers change.
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Frequently asked questions
Can a registered nurse afford a 2BR apartment alone in Utah?
Yes — at the median salary of $85K, rent takes 25.3% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,350/month. That stays under the 30% guideline most financial planners use.
What’s the entry-level salary for registered nurses in Utah?
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 $1,350/month FMR, rent would take 33% 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 Utah?
Local pay runs 13% below the national median — $85K here vs. $98K nationally.
How does Utah compare to the national average for registered nurses?
Utah pays $85K median vs. the U.S. average of $98K — that’s -13%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 98.54), the purchasing-power equivalent is $86K — below the national median.
How much do registered nurses make in Utah?
The median is $84,600 a year, that works out to about $41 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $68,920, and experienced registered nurses can clear $109,050. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $85K enough to live in Utah?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $5,331/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,350/month, which eats 25.3% 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 Utah?
Utah has a Regional Price Parity of 98.54 (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 $85,853 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.