How Much Does an RN Make in Athens, GA in 2026?
Typical pay for RNs in Athens, from federal wage data (May 2025), with the ten-year trend and how the city compares across Georgia.
BLS OES May 2025 · Athens · Clarke County metro area
A typical RN in Athens, Georgia earns $39.52 per hour, or $82,200 per year, according to the latest government wage data for the area (May 2025). Calculated from the annual figure, that is roughly $6,850 a month. Entry-level positions typically offer around $69,310, and the top 10% of earners make over $101,260.
That pay is 12% below the Georgia figure of $93,550 and 16% below the national figure of $97,550. Athens ranks 10th of 13 metro areas in Georgia for RN pay. About 2,400 RNs work in the Athens · Clarke County area. Athens is part of the Athens · Clarke County metro area, and BLS reports pay for the metro as a whole, so Clarke County share these figures.
RN pay in Athens at a glance
- Typical pay is $39.52 an hour, or $82,200 a year.
- That is 12% below the Georgia figure, ranking 10th of 13 metro areas in the state.
- Entry-level positions typically offer around $69,310; the top 10% make over $101,260.
- Typical pay rose +36% from 2015 to 2025, against +48% for Georgia as a whole.
BLS OES May 2025
How much does an RN make in Athens?
Pay in Athens runs from entry-level positions at around $33.32 an hour to more than $48.68 for the top 10% of earners. The table sets each career stage against the Georgia and national figures.
RN pay by career stage in Athens
| Career stage | Athens | Georgia | United States |
|---|---|---|---|
| Starting out | $69,310$33.32 an hour | $68,920$33.14 an hour | $68,940$33.14 an hour |
| First years | $78,990$37.98 an hour | $79,090$38.02 an hour | $80,330$38.62 an hour |
| Typical RN | $82,200$39.52 an hour | $93,550$44.98 an hour | $97,550$46.90 an hour |
| Experienced | $99,810$47.99 an hour | $106,330$51.12 an hour | $112,350$54.02 an hour |
| Top 10% | $101,260$48.68 an hour | $128,640$61.84 an hour | $137,470$66.09 an hour |
BLS OES May 2025 · city figures cover the Athens · Clarke County area as BLS defines it
RN pay growth in Athens
Typical (median) annual wage for RNs in the Athens · Clarke County area · BLS OES May estimates, 2015 to 2025 · hover a bar for the year-over-year change
In 2015, typical RN pay in Athens was $60,440 a year. By 2025 it had reached $82,200, a change of +36%, compared with +48% for Georgia over the same years.
How Athens compares with other Georgia cities
Atlanta pays RNs the most in Georgia at $100,490 a year, $18,290 more than Athens. The lowest-paying area in the state is Valdosta at $74,360.
| # | City | Typical pay | Hourly | Vs Athens | RNs employed |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Atlanta metro incl. Roswell · Sandy Springs | $100,490 | $48.31 | +22% | 56,460 |
| 2 | Richmond County metro incl. Augusta | $87,760 | $42.19 | +7% | 6,880 |
| 3 | Savannah | $86,760 | $41.71 | +6% | 4,200 |
| 4 | Macon metro incl. Bibb County | $85,070 | $40.90 | +3% | 3,100 |
| 5 | Rome | $83,880 | $40.33 | +2% | 1,740 |
| 6 | Dalton | $83,290 | $40.04 | +1% | 1,000 |
| 7 | Brunswick metro incl. St. Simons | $82,630 | $39.72 | +1% | 1,010 |
| 8 | Columbus | $82,500 | $39.66 | 0% | 2,790 |
| 9 | Hinesville | $82,490 | $39.66 | 0% | 270 |
| 10 | Athens metro incl. Clarke County | $82,200 | $39.52 | this city | 2,400 |
| 11 | Albany | $80,390 | $38.65 | -2% | — |
| 12 | Warner Robins | $78,980 | $37.97 | -4% | 1,090 |
| 13 | Valdosta | $74,360 | $35.75 | -10% | 1,110 |
Every metro area in Georgia with RN wage data · BLS OES May 2025 · Georgia typical pay $93,550
Is Athens a good place to work as an RN?
RNs in Athens earn less than the national figure: typical pay is $82,200 a year, 16% below the national rate. For every 1,000 jobs in the Athens · Clarke County area, about 25 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 Athens, GA?
- A typical RN in Athens earns $82,200 a year, or $39.52 an hour, according to BLS wage data for May 2025. Entry-level pay runs about $69,310 and the top 10% earn over $101,260.
- How much does an RN make an hour in Athens?
- Typical hourly pay for RNs in Athens is $39.52. Entry-level hourly pay runs about $33.32, and the top 10% earn over $48.68 an hour.
- What is the starting pay for an RN in Athens?
- Entry-level RN positions in Athens typically offer around $33.32 an hour, or $69,310 a year.
- Is RN pay in Athens higher than in the rest of Georgia?
- Athens pay is 12% below the Georgia figure of $93,550 a year, ranking 10th of 13 metro areas in the state. Atlanta pays the most in Georgia at $100,490.