How Much Does an RN Make in East Lansing, MI in 2026?
Typical pay for RNs in East Lansing, from federal wage data (May 2025), with the ten-year trend and how the city compares across Michigan.
BLS OES May 2025 · Lansing · East Lansing metro area
A typical RN in East Lansing, Michigan earns $40.54 per hour, or $84,320 per year, according to the latest government wage data for the area (May 2025). Calculated from the annual figure, that is roughly $7,027 a month. Entry-level positions typically offer around $77,900, and the top 10% of earners make over $100,600.
That pay is 11% below the Michigan figure of $94,300 and 14% below the national figure of $97,550. East Lansing ranks 9th of 12 metro areas in Michigan for RN pay. About 4,120 RNs work in the Lansing · East Lansing area. East Lansing is part of the Lansing · East Lansing metro area, and BLS reports pay for the metro as a whole, so Lansing share these figures.
RN pay in East Lansing at a glance
- Typical pay is $40.54 an hour, or $84,320 a year.
- That is 11% below the Michigan figure, ranking 9th of 12 metro areas in the state.
- Entry-level positions typically offer around $77,900; the top 10% make over $100,600.
- Typical pay rose +17% from 2016 to 2025, against +43% for Michigan as a whole.
BLS OES May 2025
How much does an RN make in East Lansing?
Pay in East Lansing runs from entry-level positions at around $37.45 an hour to more than $48.37 for the top 10% of earners. The table sets each career stage against the Michigan and national figures.
RN pay by career stage in East Lansing
| Career stage | East Lansing | Michigan | United States |
|---|---|---|---|
| Starting out | $77,900$37.45 an hour | $77,260$37.14 an hour | $68,940$33.14 an hour |
| First years | $79,550$38.24 an hour | $82,080$39.46 an hour | $80,330$38.62 an hour |
| Typical RN | $84,320$40.54 an hour | $94,300$45.34 an hour | $97,550$46.90 an hour |
| Experienced | $100,600$48.37 an hour | $103,450$49.74 an hour | $112,350$54.02 an hour |
| Top 10% | $100,600$48.37 an hour | $116,710$56.11 an hour | $137,470$66.09 an hour |
BLS OES May 2025 · city figures cover the Lansing · East Lansing area as BLS defines it
RN pay growth in East Lansing
Typical (median) annual wage for RNs in the Lansing · East Lansing area · BLS OES May estimates, 2016 to 2025 · hover a bar for the year-over-year change
In 2016, typical RN pay in East Lansing was $72,250 a year. By 2025 it had reached $84,320, a change of +17%, compared with +43% for Michigan over the same years.
How East Lansing compares with other Michigan cities
Ann Arbor pays RNs the most in Michigan at $103,450 a year, $19,130 more than East Lansing. The lowest-paying area in the state is Monroe at $82,170.
| # | City | Typical pay | Hourly | Vs East Lansing | RNs employed |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Ann Arbor | $103,450 | $49.74 | +23% | 10,980 |
| 2 | Flint | $97,780 | $47.01 | +16% | 3,910 |
| 3 | Battle Creek | $97,520 | $46.89 | +16% | 1,480 |
| 4 | Warren | $97,280 | $46.77 | +15% | 44,310 |
| 5 | Saginaw | $95,160 | $45.75 | +13% | 2,570 |
| 6 | Mishawaka | $93,540 | $44.97 | +11% | 3,370 |
| 7 | Kalamazoo metro incl. Portage | $88,200 | $42.40 | +5% | 3,300 |
| 8 | Midland | $86,360 | $41.52 | +2% | 1,380 |
| 9 | East Lansing metro incl. Lansing | $84,320 | $40.54 | this city | 4,120 |
| 10 | Grand Rapids | $83,920 | $40.35 | 0% | 13,740 |
| 11 | Traverse City | $83,690 | $40.24 | -1% | 2,020 |
| 12 | Monroe | $82,170 | $39.50 | -3% | 630 |
Every metro area in Michigan with RN wage data · BLS OES May 2025 · Michigan typical pay $94,300
Is East Lansing a good place to work as an RN?
RNs in East Lansing earn less than the national figure: typical pay is $84,320 a year, 14% below the national rate. For every 1,000 jobs in the Lansing · East Lansing 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 East Lansing, MI?
- A typical RN in East Lansing earns $84,320 a year, or $40.54 an hour, according to BLS wage data for May 2025. Entry-level pay runs about $77,900 and the top 10% earn over $100,600.
- How much does an RN make an hour in East Lansing?
- Typical hourly pay for RNs in East Lansing is $40.54. Entry-level hourly pay runs about $37.45, and the top 10% earn over $48.37 an hour.
- What is the starting pay for an RN in East Lansing?
- Entry-level RN positions in East Lansing typically offer around $37.45 an hour, or $77,900 a year.
- Is RN pay in East Lansing higher than in the rest of Michigan?
- East Lansing pay is 11% below the Michigan figure of $94,300 a year, ranking 9th of 12 metro areas in the state. Ann Arbor pays the most in Michigan at $103,450.