How Much Does an RN Make in Atlanta, GA in 2026?
Typical pay for RNs in Atlanta, from federal wage data (May 2025), with the ten-year trend and how the city compares across Georgia.
BLS OES May 2025 · Atlanta · Sandy Springs · Roswell metro area
A typical RN in Atlanta, Georgia earns $48.31 per hour, or $100,490 per year, according to the latest government wage data for the area (May 2025). Calculated from the annual figure, that is roughly $8,374 a month. Entry-level positions typically offer around $77,510, and the top 10% of earners make over $132,230.
That pay is 7% above the Georgia figure of $93,550 and 3% above the national figure of $97,550. Atlanta ranks 1st of 13 metro areas in Georgia for RN pay. About 56,460 RNs work in the Atlanta · Sandy Springs · Roswell area. Atlanta is part of the Atlanta · Sandy Springs · Roswell metro area, and BLS reports pay for the metro as a whole, so Roswell and Sandy Springs share these figures.
RN pay in Atlanta at a glance
- Typical pay is $48.31 an hour, or $100,490 a year.
- That is 7% above the Georgia figure, ranking 1st of 13 metro areas in the state.
- Entry-level positions typically offer around $77,510; the top 10% make over $132,230.
- Typical pay rose +50% from 2015 to 2025, against +48% for Georgia as a whole.
BLS OES May 2025
How much does an RN make in Atlanta?
Pay in Atlanta runs from entry-level positions at around $37.27 an hour to more than $63.57 for the top 10% of earners. The table sets each career stage against the Georgia and national figures.
RN pay by career stage in Atlanta
| Career stage | Atlanta | Georgia | United States |
|---|---|---|---|
| Starting out | $77,510$37.27 an hour | $68,920$33.14 an hour | $68,940$33.14 an hour |
| First years | $82,500$39.66 an hour | $79,090$38.02 an hour | $80,330$38.62 an hour |
| Typical RN | $100,490$48.31 an hour | $93,550$44.98 an hour | $97,550$46.90 an hour |
| Experienced | $108,680$52.25 an hour | $106,330$51.12 an hour | $112,350$54.02 an hour |
| Top 10% | $132,230$63.57 an hour | $128,640$61.84 an hour | $137,470$66.09 an hour |
BLS OES May 2025 · city figures cover the Atlanta · Sandy Springs · Roswell area as BLS defines it
RN pay growth in Atlanta
Typical (median) annual wage for RNs in the Atlanta · Sandy Springs · Roswell area · BLS OES May estimates, 2015 to 2025 · hover a bar for the year-over-year change
In 2015, typical RN pay in Atlanta was $67,010 a year. By 2025 it had reached $100,490, a change of +50%, compared with +48% for Georgia over the same years.
How Atlanta compares with other Georgia cities
Atlanta pays RNs the most of any metro area in Georgia. The lowest-paying area in the state is Valdosta at $74,360.
| # | City | Typical pay | Hourly | Vs Atlanta | RNs employed |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Atlanta metro incl. Roswell · Sandy Springs | $100,490 | $48.31 | this city | 56,460 |
| 2 | Richmond County metro incl. Augusta | $87,760 | $42.19 | -13% | 6,880 |
| 3 | Savannah | $86,760 | $41.71 | -14% | 4,200 |
| 4 | Macon metro incl. Bibb County | $85,070 | $40.90 | -15% | 3,100 |
| 5 | Rome | $83,880 | $40.33 | -17% | 1,740 |
| 6 | Dalton | $83,290 | $40.04 | -17% | 1,000 |
| 7 | Brunswick metro incl. St. Simons | $82,630 | $39.72 | -18% | 1,010 |
| 8 | Columbus | $82,500 | $39.66 | -18% | 2,790 |
| 9 | Hinesville | $82,490 | $39.66 | -18% | 270 |
| 10 | Clarke County metro incl. Athens | $82,200 | $39.52 | -18% | 2,400 |
| 11 | Albany | $80,390 | $38.65 | -20% | — |
| 12 | Warner Robins | $78,980 | $37.97 | -21% | 1,090 |
| 13 | Valdosta | $74,360 | $35.75 | -26% | 1,110 |
Every metro area in Georgia with RN wage data · BLS OES May 2025 · Georgia typical pay $93,550
Is Atlanta a good place to work as an RN?
RN pay in Atlanta sits close to the national figure: $100,490 a year, 3% above the national rate. For every 1,000 jobs in the Atlanta · Sandy Springs · Roswell area, about 20 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 Atlanta, GA?
- A typical RN in Atlanta earns $100,490 a year, or $48.31 an hour, according to BLS wage data for May 2025. Entry-level pay runs about $77,510 and the top 10% earn over $132,230.
- How much does an RN make an hour in Atlanta?
- Typical hourly pay for RNs in Atlanta is $48.31. Entry-level hourly pay runs about $37.27, and the top 10% earn over $63.57 an hour.
- What is the starting pay for an RN in Atlanta?
- Entry-level RN positions in Atlanta typically offer around $37.27 an hour, or $77,510 a year.
- Is RN pay in Atlanta higher than in the rest of Georgia?
- Atlanta pay is 7% above the Georgia figure of $93,550 a year, ranking 1st of 13 metro areas in the state.