Registered Nurses Salary
Registered Nurses in Worcester, MA make a median of $100,240 a year, or about $48.19 an hour. The range runs from $80K at the entry level to $169K for experienced workers. Adjusted for local prices (RPP 102.52), that's roughly $97,776 in purchasing power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $2,056/month, about 32.4% of take-home, which is tight.
So what does $100K get you in Worcester?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Worcester’s Regional Price Parity (102.52). 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 Worcester
Registered nurses pay in Worcester tracks closely to the national median, $100K locally vs. $98K nationwide, a 3% difference. Rent runs $2,056/month for a 2-bedroom (HUD FMR), taking 33.4% of the median take-home. That's within the 30% rule, though not by much. Cost of living (RPP 102.52) is near the national average, so spending patterns here track the typical American budget fairly closely. Pay and costs are both near average, leaving limited margin for savings at the median wage.
Compared to nearby metros
Median pay for registered nurses in metros near Worcester, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Boston-Cambridge-Newton | $106K | $98K |
| Springfield | $98K | $102K |
| Barnstable Town | $103K | $105K |
| Pittsfield | $105K | $110K |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Worcester, MA
Entry-level registered nurses (10th percentile) start around $80K. Mid-career wages sit at $100K. Top earners bring in $169K or more, a $89K 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 Worcester numbers change.
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Frequently asked questions
Can a registered nurse afford a 2BR apartment alone in Worcester?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $100K, rent takes 33.4% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $2,056/month. The 30% guideline puts the comfortable ceiling at roughly $1,800/month in rent — so roommates or a 1-bedroom would ease the math significantly.
What’s the entry-level salary for registered nurses in Worcester?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new registered nurses typically earn — is $80K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $4,796/month. At HUD’s $2,056/month FMR, rent would take 43% 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 Worcester?
Pay here is roughly in line with the national average — $100K locally vs. $98K nationally, a 3% difference.
How does Worcester compare to the national average for registered nurses?
Worcester pays $100K median vs. the U.S. average of $98K — that’s +3%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 102.52), the purchasing-power equivalent is $98K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do registered nurses make in Worcester, MA?
The median is $100,240 a year, that works out to about $48 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $79,940, and experienced registered nurses can clear $168,870. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $100K enough to live in Worcester?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $6,158/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $2,056/month, which eats 33.4% 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 Worcester?
Worcester has a Regional Price Parity of 102.52 (100 is the national average). Prices are above average here, so your dollar buys less than the same salary would in a cheaper metro. After cost-of-living adjustment, the median registered nurses salary is worth about $97,776 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.