How Much Does an RN Make in Raleigh, NC in 2026?
Typical pay for RNs in Raleigh, from federal wage data (May 2025), with the ten-year trend and how the city compares across North Carolina.
BLS OES May 2025 · Raleigh · Cary metro area
A typical RN in Raleigh, North Carolina earns $40.78 per hour, or $84,830 per year, according to the latest government wage data for the area (May 2025). Calculated from the annual figure, that is roughly $7,069 a month. Entry-level positions typically offer around $72,460, and the top 10% of earners make over $110,220.
That pay is 1% above the North Carolina figure of $84,350 and 13% below the national figure of $97,550. Raleigh ranks 4th of 15 metro areas in North Carolina for RN pay. About 12,780 RNs work in the Raleigh · Cary area. Raleigh is part of the Raleigh · Cary metro area, and BLS reports pay for the metro as a whole, so Cary share these figures.
RN pay in Raleigh at a glance
- Typical pay is $40.78 an hour, or $84,830 a year.
- That is 1% above the North Carolina figure, ranking 4th of 15 metro areas in the state.
- Entry-level positions typically offer around $72,460; the top 10% make over $110,220.
- Typical pay rose +41% from 2015 to 2025, against +43% for North Carolina as a whole.
BLS OES May 2025
How much does an RN make in Raleigh?
Pay in Raleigh runs from entry-level positions at around $34.84 an hour to more than $52.99 for the top 10% of earners. The table sets each career stage against the North Carolina and national figures.
RN pay by career stage in Raleigh
| Career stage | Raleigh | North Carolina | United States |
|---|---|---|---|
| Starting out | $72,460$34.84 an hour | $67,660$32.53 an hour | $68,940$33.14 an hour |
| First years | $78,430$37.71 an hour | $78,770$37.87 an hour | $80,330$38.62 an hour |
| Typical RN | $84,830$40.78 an hour | $84,350$40.56 an hour | $97,550$46.90 an hour |
| Experienced | $104,040$50.02 an hour | $102,040$49.06 an hour | $112,350$54.02 an hour |
| Top 10% | $110,220$52.99 an hour | $110,220$52.99 an hour | $137,470$66.09 an hour |
BLS OES May 2025 · city figures cover the Raleigh · Cary area as BLS defines it
RN pay growth in Raleigh
Typical (median) annual wage for RNs in the Raleigh · Cary area · BLS OES May estimates, 2015 to 2025 · hover a bar for the year-over-year change
In 2015, typical RN pay in Raleigh was $60,090 a year. By 2025 it had reached $84,830, a change of +41%, compared with +43% for North Carolina over the same years.
How Raleigh compares with other North Carolina cities
Charlotte pays RNs the most in North Carolina at $90,620 a year, $5,790 more than Raleigh. The lowest-paying area in the state is Hickory at $80,060.
| # | City | Typical pay | Hourly | Vs Raleigh | RNs employed |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Charlotte | $90,620 | $43.57 | +7% | 27,010 |
| 2 | Norfolk metro incl. Chesapeake | $89,450 | $43.00 | +5% | 16,870 |
| 3 | Salem metro incl. Winston | $86,120 | $41.40 | +2% | 10,180 |
| 4 | Raleigh metro incl. Cary | $84,830 | $40.78 | this city | 12,780 |
| 5 | Jacksonville | $84,750 | $40.74 | 0% | 870 |
| 6 | Burlington | $84,180 | $40.47 | -1% | 1,080 |
| 7 | Fayetteville | $83,060 | $39.93 | -2% | 3,430 |
| 8 | High Point metro incl. Greensboro | $82,860 | $39.84 | -2% | 6,240 |
| 9 | Goldsboro | $82,740 | $39.78 | -2% | 950 |
| 10 | Rocky Mount | $82,300 | $39.57 | -3% | 1,180 |
| 11 | Greenville | $81,670 | $39.26 | -4% | 3,770 |
| 12 | Asheville | $81,590 | $39.22 | -4% | 4,680 |
| 13 | Pinehurst metro incl. Southern Pines | $81,520 | $39.19 | -4% | 1,510 |
| 14 | Wilmington | $80,970 | $38.93 | -5% | 5,040 |
| 15 | Lenoir | $80,060 | $38.49 | -6% | 3,020 |
Every metro area in North Carolina with RN wage data · BLS OES May 2025 · North Carolina typical pay $84,350
Is Raleigh a good place to work as an RN?
RNs in Raleigh earn less than the national figure: typical pay is $84,830 a year, 13% below the national rate. For every 1,000 jobs in the Raleigh · Cary area, about 17 are RN positions; nationally, the figure is closer to 22. That makes RNs a smaller part of the local job market than usual, so employers draw from a smaller pool of qualified candidates.
Frequently asked questions
- How much does an RN make in Raleigh, NC?
- A typical RN in Raleigh earns $84,830 a year, or $40.78 an hour, according to BLS wage data for May 2025. Entry-level pay runs about $72,460 and the top 10% earn over $110,220.
- How much does an RN make an hour in Raleigh?
- Typical hourly pay for RNs in Raleigh is $40.78. Entry-level hourly pay runs about $34.84, and the top 10% earn over $52.99 an hour.
- What is the starting pay for an RN in Raleigh?
- Entry-level RN positions in Raleigh typically offer around $34.84 an hour, or $72,460 a year.
- Is RN pay in Raleigh higher than in the rest of North Carolina?
- Raleigh pay is 1% above the North Carolina figure of $84,350 a year, ranking 4th of 15 metro areas in the state. Charlotte pays the most in North Carolina at $90,620.