How Much Does an RN Make in Tucson, AZ in 2026?
Typical pay for RNs in Tucson, from federal wage data (May 2025), with the ten-year trend and how the city compares across Arizona.
BLS OES May 2025 · Tucson metro area
A typical RN in Tucson, Arizona earns $45.25 per hour, or $94,110 per year, according to the latest government wage data for the area (May 2025). Calculated from the annual figure, that is roughly $7,843 a month. Entry-level positions typically offer around $65,880, and the top 10% of earners make over $128,540.
That pay is 5% below the Arizona figure of $99,500 and 4% below the national figure of $97,550. Tucson ranks 5th of 7 metro areas in Arizona for RN pay. About 10,120 RNs work in the Tucson area.
RN pay in Tucson at a glance
- Typical pay is $45.25 an hour, or $94,110 a year.
- That is 5% below the Arizona figure, ranking 5th of 7 metro areas in the state.
- Entry-level positions typically offer around $65,880; the top 10% make over $128,540.
- Typical pay rose +39% from 2015 to 2025, against +39% for Arizona as a whole.
BLS OES May 2025
How much does an RN make in Tucson?
Pay in Tucson runs from entry-level positions at around $31.67 an hour to more than $61.80 for the top 10% of earners. The table sets each career stage against the Arizona and national figures.
RN pay by career stage in Tucson
| Career stage | Tucson | Arizona | United States |
|---|---|---|---|
| Starting out | $65,880$31.67 an hour | $70,540$33.91 an hour | $68,940$33.14 an hour |
| First years | $78,290$37.64 an hour | $81,810$39.33 an hour | $80,330$38.62 an hour |
| Typical RN | $94,110$45.25 an hour | $99,500$47.84 an hour | $97,550$46.90 an hour |
| Experienced | $104,720$50.35 an hour | $108,580$52.20 an hour | $112,350$54.02 an hour |
| Top 10% | $128,540$61.80 an hour | $130,930$62.95 an hour | $137,470$66.09 an hour |
BLS OES May 2025 · city figures cover the Tucson area as BLS defines it
RN pay growth in Tucson
Typical (median) annual wage for RNs in the Tucson area · BLS OES May estimates, 2015 to 2025 · hover a bar for the year-over-year change
In 2015, typical RN pay in Tucson was $67,590 a year. By 2025 it had reached $94,110, a change of +39%, compared with +39% for Arizona over the same years.
How Tucson compares with other Arizona cities
Prescott pays RNs the most in Arizona at $104,980 a year, $10,870 more than Tucson. The lowest-paying area in the state is Douglas at $85,380.
| # | City | Typical pay | Hourly | Vs Tucson | RNs employed |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Prescott metro incl. Prescott Valley | $104,980 | $50.47 | +12% | 1,510 |
| 2 | Chandler | $100,830 | $48.48 | +7% | 53,700 |
| 3 | Flagstaff | $100,780 | $48.45 | +7% | 1,570 |
| 4 | Yuma | $94,320 | $45.35 | 0% | 1,640 |
| 5 | Tucson | $94,110 | $45.25 | this city | 10,120 |
| 6 | Kingman metro incl. Lake Havasu City | $93,990 | $45.19 | 0% | 1,290 |
| 7 | Sierra Vista metro incl. Douglas | $85,380 | $41.05 | -9% | 560 |
Every metro area in Arizona with RN wage data · BLS OES May 2025 · Arizona typical pay $99,500
Is Tucson a good place to work as an RN?
RN pay in Tucson sits close to the national figure: $94,110 a year, 4% below the national rate. For every 1,000 jobs in the Tucson area, about 26 are RN positions; nationally, the figure is closer to 22. That makes the local economy more reliant on RNs than most places, and turnover keeps positions opening through the year.
Frequently asked questions
- How much does an RN make in Tucson, AZ?
- A typical RN in Tucson earns $94,110 a year, or $45.25 an hour, according to BLS wage data for May 2025. Entry-level pay runs about $65,880 and the top 10% earn over $128,540.
- How much does an RN make an hour in Tucson?
- Typical hourly pay for RNs in Tucson is $45.25. Entry-level hourly pay runs about $31.67, and the top 10% earn over $61.80 an hour.
- What is the starting pay for an RN in Tucson?
- Entry-level RN positions in Tucson typically offer around $31.67 an hour, or $65,880 a year.
- Is RN pay in Tucson higher than in the rest of Arizona?
- Tucson pay is 5% below the Arizona figure of $99,500 a year, ranking 5th of 7 metro areas in the state. Prescott pays the most in Arizona at $104,980.