Registered Nurses Salary in North Carolina
Registered Nurses in North Carolina have a median of $84,350 a year, below the national $97,550 (−14%); the state ranks 33rd of 51 states by median. Registered Nurses earn 76% more than the median across all occupations in North Carolina ($47,970). Among neighbouring states, Virginia and Georgia pay more (up to $93,600 in Virginia) and South Carolina and Tennessee pay less (down to $81,500 in Tennessee). North Carolina employs 111,120 registered nurses, 22.5 per 1,000 jobs, the 8th largest count of any state. A location quotient of 1.03 is close to the national share.
North Carolina vs the United States, May 2025
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||||
| North Carolina | Hourly | $32.53 | $37.87 | $40.56 | $49.06 | $52.99 | $43.50 | 111,120 | 22.49 | 1.03 |
| Annual | $67,660 | $78,770 | $84,350 | $102,040 | $110,220 | $90,470 | ||||
| United States | Hourly | $33.14 | $38.62 | $46.90 | $54.02 | $66.09 | $48.76 | 3,379,720 | – | – |
| Annual | $68,940 | $80,330 | $97,550 | $112,350 | $137,470 | $101,420 | ||||
- Rank by median
- 33rd of 51 states
- Rank by employment
- 8th of 51 states
- Location quotient
- 1.03
- Jobs per 1,000
- 22.49
Ranks count the 50 states and DC with a published value. The location quotient is the occupation's share of North Carolina's employment divided by its national share; 1.00 means the same share as the nation. Take-home pay at these wages: FastCalc's take-home pay calculator.
Metropolitan areas in North Carolina
15 metropolitan areas and 3 nonmetropolitan areas touching North Carolina publish a row for registered nurses, sorted by median. Areas crossing a state line are listed under every state they touch; a linked metro has its own profile.
| Area | Median hourly | Median annual | 10th pct (annual) | 90th pct (annual) | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC | $43.57 | $90,620 | $69,680 | $110,020 | 27,010 | 19.89 | 0.91 |
| Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk, VA-NC | $43.00 | $89,450 | $63,750 | $114,610 | 16,870 | 22.11 | 1.02 |
| Winston-Salem, NC | $41.40 | $86,120 | $71,550 | $105,490 | 10,180 | 37.43 | 1.72 |
| Raleigh-Cary, NC | $40.78 | $84,830 | $72,460 | $110,220 | 12,780 | 17.20 | 0.79 |
| Jacksonville, NC | $40.74 | $84,750 | $66,760 | $122,430 | 870 | 16.59 | 0.76 |
| Burlington, NC | $40.47 | $84,180 | $67,710 | $124,050 | 1,080 | 15.92 | 0.73 |
| Fayetteville, NC | $39.93 | $83,060 | $63,730 | $123,090 | 3,430 | 26.08 | 1.20 |
| Greensboro-High Point, NC | $39.84 | $82,860 | $66,400 | $122,560 | 6,240 | 17.06 | 0.79 |
| Goldsboro, NC | $39.78 | $82,740 | $68,950 | $104,720 | 950 | 23.54 | 1.08 |
| Rocky Mount, NC | $39.57 | $82,300 | $65,350 | $103,720 | 1,180 | 21.52 | 0.99 |
| Greenville, NC | $39.26 | $81,670 | $67,540 | $127,330 | 3,770 | 46.69 | 2.15 |
| Asheville, NC | $39.22 | $81,590 | $65,100 | $118,330 | 4,680 | 25.91 | 1.19 |
| Pinehurst-Southern Pines, NC | $39.19 | $81,520 | $66,360 | $100,790 | 1,510 | 35.23 | 1.62 |
| Wilmington, NC | $38.93 | $80,970 | $67,510 | $103,250 | 5,040 | 26.36 | 1.21 |
| Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton, NC | $38.49 | $80,060 | $66,020 | $100,990 | 3,020 | 19.61 | 0.90 |
| Western North Carolina nonmetropolitan area | $39.47 | $82,100 | $63,980 | $103,360 | 4,760 | 18.81 | 0.87 |
| Central North Carolina nonmetropolitan area | $39.17 | $81,470 | $64,490 | $106,060 | 4,210 | 17.70 | 0.81 |
| Eastern North Carolina nonmetropolitan area | $38.89 | $80,890 | $62,930 | $100,980 | 4,950 | 18.71 | 0.86 |
Neighbouring states
| State | Median hourly | Median annual | Employment | Location quotient |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| North Carolina | $40.56 | $84,350 | 111,120 | 1.03 |
| Georgia | $44.98 | $93,550 | 100,950 | 0.95 |
| South Carolina | $39.60 | $82,360 | 49,750 | 0.99 |
| Tennessee | $39.18 | $81,500 | 72,200 | 1.01 |
| Virginia | $45.00 | $93,600 | 77,490 | 0.87 |
See the national page for Registered Nurses (every state ranked) and the North Carolina wage profile (every occupation in the state).
Source and notes
Data: BLS OEWS May 2025, released 2026-05-15. Cross-industry estimates, all ownerships. BLS page: OEWS North Carolina estimates.
- Annual wages assume 2,080 hours a year at the hourly rate; occupations BLS publishes on one basis only show an en dash (–) on the other.
- Employment is rounded to the nearest 10 by BLS. Where BLS withholds a cell, nothing is estimated in its place.