How Much Does an RN Make in Columbus, OH in 2026?
Typical pay for RNs in Columbus, from federal wage data (May 2025), with the ten-year trend and how the city compares across Ohio.
BLS OES May 2025 · Columbus metro area
A typical RN in Columbus, Ohio earns $40.34 per hour, or $83,900 per year, according to the latest government wage data for the area (May 2025). Calculated from the annual figure, that is roughly $6,992 a month. Entry-level positions typically offer around $67,720, and the top 10% of earners make over $105,770.
That pay is 2% above the Ohio figure of $82,510 and 14% below the national figure of $97,550. Columbus ranks 2nd of 13 metro areas in Ohio for RN pay. About 30,510 RNs work in the Columbus area.
RN pay in Columbus at a glance
- Typical pay is $40.34 an hour, or $83,900 a year.
- That is 2% above the Ohio figure, ranking 2nd of 13 metro areas in the state.
- Entry-level positions typically offer around $67,720; the top 10% make over $105,770.
- Typical pay rose +37% from 2015 to 2025, against +35% for Ohio as a whole.
BLS OES May 2025
How much does an RN make in Columbus?
Pay in Columbus runs from entry-level positions at around $32.56 an hour to more than $50.85 for the top 10% of earners. The table sets each career stage against the Ohio and national figures.
RN pay by career stage in Columbus
| Career stage | Columbus | Ohio | United States |
|---|---|---|---|
| Starting out | $67,720$32.56 an hour | $66,980$32.20 an hour | $68,940$33.14 an hour |
| First years | $80,070$38.49 an hour | $79,200$38.08 an hour | $80,330$38.62 an hour |
| Typical RN | $83,900$40.34 an hour | $82,510$39.67 an hour | $97,550$46.90 an hour |
| Experienced | $101,360$48.73 an hour | $99,030$47.61 an hour | $112,350$54.02 an hour |
| Top 10% | $105,770$50.85 an hour | $105,290$50.62 an hour | $137,470$66.09 an hour |
BLS OES May 2025 · city figures cover the Columbus area as BLS defines it
RN pay growth in Columbus
Typical (median) annual wage for RNs in the Columbus area · BLS OES May estimates, 2015 to 2025 · hover a bar for the year-over-year change
In 2015, typical RN pay in Columbus was $61,330 a year. By 2025 it had reached $83,900, a change of +37%, compared with +35% for Ohio over the same years.
How Columbus compares with other Ohio cities
Cleveland pays RNs the most in Ohio at $83,940 a year, $40 more than Columbus. The lowest-paying area in the state is Steubenville at $77,400.
| # | City | Typical pay | Hourly | Vs Columbus | RNs employed |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Cleveland | $83,940 | $40.36 | 0% | 28,240 |
| 2 | Columbus | $83,900 | $40.34 | this city | 30,510 |
| 3 | Cincinnati | $83,650 | $40.22 | 0% | 28,520 |
| 4 | Dayton metro incl. Beavercreek · Kettering | $82,510 | $39.67 | -2% | 11,640 |
| 5 | Lima | $81,440 | $39.15 | -3% | 1,630 |
| 6 | Sandusky | $81,310 | $39.09 | -3% | 940 |
| 7 | Mansfield | $81,300 | $39.09 | -3% | 1,160 |
| 8 | Toledo | $81,050 | $38.96 | -3% | 7,890 |
| 9 | Akron | $80,770 | $38.83 | -4% | 8,040 |
| 10 | Springfield | $80,060 | $38.49 | -5% | 1,060 |
| 11 | Massillon metro incl. Canton | $79,610 | $38.27 | -5% | 3,830 |
| 12 | Youngstown metro incl. Warren | $78,680 | $37.83 | -6% | 4,090 |
| 13 | Steubenville | $77,400 | $37.21 | -8% | 1,190 |
Every metro area in Ohio with RN wage data · BLS OES May 2025 · Ohio typical pay $82,510
Is Columbus a good place to work as an RN?
RNs in Columbus earn less than the national figure: typical pay is $83,900 a year, 14% below the national rate. For every 1,000 jobs in the Columbus area, about 28 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 Columbus, OH?
- A typical RN in Columbus earns $83,900 a year, or $40.34 an hour, according to BLS wage data for May 2025. Entry-level pay runs about $67,720 and the top 10% earn over $105,770.
- How much does an RN make an hour in Columbus?
- Typical hourly pay for RNs in Columbus is $40.34. Entry-level hourly pay runs about $32.56, and the top 10% earn over $50.85 an hour.
- What is the starting pay for an RN in Columbus?
- Entry-level RN positions in Columbus typically offer around $32.56 an hour, or $67,720 a year.
- Is RN pay in Columbus higher than in the rest of Ohio?
- Columbus pay is 2% above the Ohio figure of $82,510 a year, ranking 2nd of 13 metro areas in the state. Cleveland pays the most in Ohio at $83,940.