How Much Does an RN Make in Arizona in 2026?

A typical RN in Arizona earns about $47.84 per hour ($99,500 per year), according to the latest government wage data (May 2025). That works out to roughly $8,292 a month and $1,913 a week, figures calculated from the annual figure. Individual pay still varies by employer, shift, and city within the state.

Statewide, RN pay in Arizona runs 2% above the national figure of $97,550, according to the same May 2025 data. That places Arizona 18th out of 51 states and the District of Columbia for RN pay. Arizona's 73,150 registered nurses make up a sizable share of the state's health care workforce.

Entry-level positions for RNs in Arizona typically offer around $33.91 an hour, or about $70,540 a year, according to the May 2025 data. New nurses usually start near this figure while completing orientation and building clinical experience. Within a few years, pay tends to move up toward the state's typical figure of $99,500 a year. Additional certifications and specialty units can speed that progression.

Experienced RNs in Arizona often earn upwards of $52.20 an hour, or $108,580 a year. The top 10% of earners make over $130,930 a year ($62.95 an hour), a spread of $60,390 from entry-level pay. That gap tends to reflect years on the job, the clinical setting, and which Arizona city a nurse works in.

Arizona RN pay rose from $71,510 in 2015 to $99,500 in 2025, a gain of $27,990 over the decade. That's a 39% increase in typical pay across ten years. The rise was not perfectly steady; pay dipped slightly in 2021 before climbing sharply from 2022 onward.

Nationally, RN pay climbed 45% over the same ten years, a faster pace than Arizona's rise. Even so, Arizona pay grew every year on net, moving from $71,510 to $99,500 as increases outweighed the one small dip. For someone starting an RN career in Arizona now, pay has moved up steadily over the past decade, though future gains are not guaranteed.

Pay runs highest in Prescott, where RNs typically earn $104,980 a year ($50.47 an hour), about 6% above the statewide figure. Flagstaff and the Phoenix metro area, which includes Chandler, Mesa, and Phoenix itself, pay close behind at $100,830 a year. These figures cover each city's full metro area, not just the city limits.

At the other end, Douglas pays RNs the least in the state, with a typical wage of $85,380 a year ($41.05 an hour), a spread of $19,600 between the highest- and lowest-paying areas. Chandler carries the largest RN workforce among Arizona's metro areas, with 53,700 registered nurses. Lower pay in cities like Douglas and Sierra Vista tends to track a lower cost of living rather than any other factor.

Among Arizona's neighbors, California pays the most, at $140,270 a year (41% above Arizona), while Utah pays the least, at $84,600 (15% below). Nevada ($103,670, 4% above), Colorado ($100,260, 1% above), and New Mexico ($94,340, 5% below) fall closer to Arizona's figure. RN licenses can often be endorsed or transferred between neighboring states, which can simplify a move across state lines.

Registered nurses in Arizona typically earn $99,500 a year ($47.84 an hour), up 39% over the past decade from $71,510 in 2015. Pay varies by city, experience, and setting, but the overall direction has been upward. Readers weighing a move to Arizona or a career in nursing there can check the state licensing and registry pages for requirements, and the city pages for local pay figures.