How Much Does an RN Make in Kalamazoo, MI in 2026?
Typical pay for RNs in Kalamazoo, from federal wage data (May 2025), with the ten-year trend and how the city compares across Michigan.
BLS OES May 2025 · Kalamazoo · Portage metro area
A typical RN in Kalamazoo, Michigan earns $42.40 per hour, or $88,200 per year, according to the latest government wage data for the area (May 2025). Calculated from the annual figure, that is roughly $7,350 a month. Entry-level positions typically offer around $65,140, and the top 10% of earners make over $106,080.
That pay is 6% below the Michigan figure of $94,300 and 10% below the national figure of $97,550. Kalamazoo ranks 7th of 12 metro areas in Michigan for RN pay. About 3,300 RNs work in the Kalamazoo · Portage area. Kalamazoo is part of the Kalamazoo · Portage metro area, and BLS reports pay for the metro as a whole, so Portage share these figures.
RN pay in Kalamazoo at a glance
- Typical pay is $42.40 an hour, or $88,200 a year.
- That is 6% below the Michigan figure, ranking 7th of 12 metro areas in the state.
- Entry-level positions typically offer around $65,140; the top 10% make over $106,080.
- Typical pay rose +35% from 2015 to 2025, against +43% for Michigan as a whole.
BLS OES May 2025
How much does an RN make in Kalamazoo?
Pay in Kalamazoo runs from entry-level positions at around $31.32 an hour to more than $51.00 for the top 10% of earners. The table sets each career stage against the Michigan and national figures.
RN pay by career stage in Kalamazoo
| Career stage | Kalamazoo | Michigan | United States |
|---|---|---|---|
| Starting out | $65,140$31.32 an hour | $77,260$37.14 an hour | $68,940$33.14 an hour |
| First years | $77,970$37.49 an hour | $82,080$39.46 an hour | $80,330$38.62 an hour |
| Typical RN | $88,200$42.40 an hour | $94,300$45.34 an hour | $97,550$46.90 an hour |
| Experienced | $101,400$48.75 an hour | $103,450$49.74 an hour | $112,350$54.02 an hour |
| Top 10% | $106,080$51.00 an hour | $116,710$56.11 an hour | $137,470$66.09 an hour |
BLS OES May 2025 · city figures cover the Kalamazoo · Portage area as BLS defines it
RN pay growth in Kalamazoo
Typical (median) annual wage for RNs in the Kalamazoo · Portage area · BLS OES May estimates, 2015 to 2025 · hover a bar for the year-over-year change
In 2015, typical RN pay in Kalamazoo was $65,490 a year. By 2025 it had reached $88,200, a change of +35%, compared with +43% for Michigan over the same years.
How Kalamazoo compares with other Michigan cities
Ann Arbor pays RNs the most in Michigan at $103,450 a year, $15,250 more than Kalamazoo. The lowest-paying area in the state is Monroe at $82,170.
| # | City | Typical pay | Hourly | Vs Kalamazoo | RNs employed |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Ann Arbor | $103,450 | $49.74 | +17% | 10,980 |
| 2 | Flint | $97,780 | $47.01 | +11% | 3,910 |
| 3 | Battle Creek | $97,520 | $46.89 | +11% | 1,480 |
| 4 | Warren | $97,280 | $46.77 | +10% | 44,310 |
| 5 | Saginaw | $95,160 | $45.75 | +8% | 2,570 |
| 6 | Mishawaka | $93,540 | $44.97 | +6% | 3,370 |
| 7 | Kalamazoo metro incl. Portage | $88,200 | $42.40 | this city | 3,300 |
| 8 | Midland | $86,360 | $41.52 | -2% | 1,380 |
| 9 | Lansing metro incl. East Lansing | $84,320 | $40.54 | -4% | 4,120 |
| 10 | Grand Rapids | $83,920 | $40.35 | -5% | 13,740 |
| 11 | Traverse City | $83,690 | $40.24 | -5% | 2,020 |
| 12 | Monroe | $82,170 | $39.50 | -7% | 630 |
Every metro area in Michigan with RN wage data · BLS OES May 2025 · Michigan typical pay $94,300
Is Kalamazoo a good place to work as an RN?
RNs in Kalamazoo earn less than the national figure: typical pay is $88,200 a year, 10% below the national rate. For every 1,000 jobs in the Kalamazoo · Portage area, about 27 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 Kalamazoo, MI?
- A typical RN in Kalamazoo earns $88,200 a year, or $42.40 an hour, according to BLS wage data for May 2025. Entry-level pay runs about $65,140 and the top 10% earn over $106,080.
- How much does an RN make an hour in Kalamazoo?
- Typical hourly pay for RNs in Kalamazoo is $42.40. Entry-level hourly pay runs about $31.32, and the top 10% earn over $51.00 an hour.
- What is the starting pay for an RN in Kalamazoo?
- Entry-level RN positions in Kalamazoo typically offer around $31.32 an hour, or $65,140 a year.
- Is RN pay in Kalamazoo higher than in the rest of Michigan?
- Kalamazoo pay is 6% below the Michigan figure of $94,300 a year, ranking 7th of 12 metro areas in the state. Ann Arbor pays the most in Michigan at $103,450.