How Much Does an RN Make in Waterbury, CT in 2026?
Typical pay for RNs in Waterbury, from federal wage data (May 2025), with the ten-year trend and how the city compares across Connecticut.
BLS OES May 2025 · Waterbury · Shelton metro area
A typical RN in Waterbury, Connecticut earns $48.89 per hour, or $101,690 per year, according to the latest government wage data for the area (May 2025). Calculated from the annual figure, that is roughly $8,474 a month. Entry-level positions typically offer around $81,600, and the top 10% of earners make over $134,890.
That pay is 1% below the Connecticut figure of $102,740 and 4% above the national figure of $97,550. Waterbury ranks 3rd of 5 metro areas in Connecticut for RN pay. About 3,050 RNs work in the Waterbury · Shelton area. Waterbury is part of the Waterbury · Shelton metro area, and BLS reports pay for the metro as a whole, so Shelton share these figures.
RN pay in Waterbury at a glance
- Typical pay is $48.89 an hour, or $101,690 a year.
- That is 1% below the Connecticut figure, ranking 3rd of 5 metro areas in the state.
- Entry-level positions typically offer around $81,600; the top 10% make over $134,890.
- Typical pay rose +35% from 2015 to 2025, against +34% for Connecticut as a whole.
BLS OES May 2025
How much does an RN make in Waterbury?
Pay in Waterbury runs from entry-level positions at around $39.23 an hour to more than $64.85 for the top 10% of earners. The table sets each career stage against the Connecticut and national figures.
RN pay by career stage in Waterbury
| Career stage | Waterbury | Connecticut | United States |
|---|---|---|---|
| Starting out | $81,600$39.23 an hour | $80,350$38.63 an hour | $68,940$33.14 an hour |
| First years | $86,380$41.53 an hour | $86,120$41.40 an hour | $80,330$38.62 an hour |
| Typical RN | $101,690$48.89 an hour | $102,740$49.39 an hour | $97,550$46.90 an hour |
| Experienced | $107,880$51.87 an hour | $121,840$58.58 an hour | $112,350$54.02 an hour |
| Top 10% | $134,890$64.85 an hour | $134,870$64.84 an hour | $137,470$66.09 an hour |
BLS OES May 2025 · city figures cover the Waterbury · Shelton area as BLS defines it
RN pay growth in Waterbury
Typical (median) annual wage for RNs in the Waterbury · Shelton area · BLS OES May estimates, 2015 to 2025 · hover a bar for the year-over-year change
In 2015, typical RN pay in Waterbury was $75,480 a year. By 2025 it had reached $101,690, a change of +35%, compared with +34% for Connecticut over the same years.
How Waterbury compares with other Connecticut cities
Bridgeport pays RNs the most in Connecticut at $105,660 a year, $3,970 more than Waterbury. The lowest-paying area in the state is Norwich at $101,330.
| # | City | Typical pay | Hourly | Vs Waterbury | RNs employed |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Bridgeport | $105,660 | $50.80 | +4% | 8,370 |
| 2 | New Haven | $104,490 | $50.24 | +3% | 10,050 |
| 3 | Waterbury metro incl. Shelton | $101,690 | $48.89 | this city | 3,050 |
| 4 | Hartford metro incl. West Hartford · East Hartford | $101,470 | $48.78 | 0% | 13,850 |
| 5 | Willimantic metro incl. New London · Norwich | $101,330 | $48.72 | 0% | 2,460 |
Every metro area in Connecticut with RN wage data · BLS OES May 2025 · Connecticut typical pay $102,740
Is Waterbury a good place to work as an RN?
RN pay in Waterbury sits close to the national figure: $101,690 a year, 4% above the national rate. For every 1,000 jobs in the Waterbury · Shelton area, about 19 are RN positions; nationally, the figure is closer to 22. RN jobs make up about the same share of the job market as they do across the country.
Frequently asked questions
- How much does an RN make in Waterbury, CT?
- A typical RN in Waterbury earns $101,690 a year, or $48.89 an hour, according to BLS wage data for May 2025. Entry-level pay runs about $81,600 and the top 10% earn over $134,890.
- How much does an RN make an hour in Waterbury?
- Typical hourly pay for RNs in Waterbury is $48.89. Entry-level hourly pay runs about $39.23, and the top 10% earn over $64.85 an hour.
- What is the starting pay for an RN in Waterbury?
- Entry-level RN positions in Waterbury typically offer around $39.23 an hour, or $81,600 a year.
- Is RN pay in Waterbury higher than in the rest of Connecticut?
- Waterbury pay is 1% below the Connecticut figure of $102,740 a year, ranking 3rd of 5 metro areas in the state. Bridgeport pays the most in Connecticut at $105,660.