How Much Does an RN Make in Cleveland, TN in 2026?
Typical pay for RNs in Cleveland, from federal wage data (May 2025), with the ten-year trend and how the city compares across Tennessee.
BLS OES May 2025 · Cleveland metro area
A typical RN in Cleveland, Tennessee earns $35.00 per hour, or $72,800 per year, according to the latest government wage data for the area (May 2025). Calculated from the annual figure, that is roughly $6,067 a month. Entry-level positions typically offer around $56,220, and the top 10% of earners make over $79,730.
That pay is 11% below the Tennessee figure of $81,500 and 25% below the national figure of $97,550. Cleveland ranks 10th of 10 metro areas in Tennessee for RN pay. About 630 RNs work in the Cleveland area.
RN pay in Cleveland at a glance
- Typical pay is $35.00 an hour, or $72,800 a year.
- That is 11% below the Tennessee figure, ranking 10th of 10 metro areas in the state.
- Entry-level positions typically offer around $56,220; the top 10% make over $79,730.
- Typical pay rose +34% from 2016 to 2025, against +43% for Tennessee as a whole.
BLS OES May 2025
How much does an RN make in Cleveland?
Pay in Cleveland runs from entry-level positions at around $27.03 an hour to more than $38.33 for the top 10% of earners. The table sets each career stage against the Tennessee and national figures.
RN pay by career stage in Cleveland
| Career stage | Cleveland | Tennessee | United States |
|---|---|---|---|
| Starting out | $56,220$27.03 an hour | $63,970$30.76 an hour | $68,940$33.14 an hour |
| First years | $72,800$35.00 an hour | $75,460$36.28 an hour | $80,330$38.62 an hour |
| Typical RN | $72,800$35.00 an hour | $81,500$39.18 an hour | $97,550$46.90 an hour |
| Experienced | $74,020$35.59 an hour | $95,250$45.79 an hour | $112,350$54.02 an hour |
| Top 10% | $79,730$38.33 an hour | $104,920$50.44 an hour | $137,470$66.09 an hour |
BLS OES May 2025 · city figures cover the Cleveland area as BLS defines it
RN pay growth in Cleveland
Typical (median) annual wage for RNs in the Cleveland area · BLS OES May estimates, 2016 to 2025 · hover a bar for the year-over-year change
In 2016, typical RN pay in Cleveland was $54,250 a year. By 2025 it had reached $72,800, a change of +34%, compared with +43% for Tennessee over the same years.
How Cleveland compares with other Tennessee cities
Franklin pays RNs the most in Tennessee at $84,040 a year, $11,240 more than Cleveland. The lowest-paying area in the state is Cleveland at $72,800.
| # | City | Typical pay | Hourly | Vs Cleveland | RNs employed |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Franklin | $84,040 | $40.40 | +15% | 25,100 |
| 2 | Memphis | $81,500 | $39.18 | +12% | 13,760 |
| 3 | Chattanooga | $79,770 | $38.35 | +10% | 6,460 |
| 4 | Clarksville | $79,450 | $38.20 | +9% | 1,670 |
| 5 | Johnson City | $77,660 | $37.34 | +7% | 2,740 |
| 6 | Knoxville | $77,240 | $37.13 | +6% | 9,500 |
| 7 | Kingsport metro incl. Bristol | $76,730 | $36.89 | +5% | 2,660 |
| 8 | Morristown | $75,680 | $36.38 | +4% | 710 |
| 9 | Jackson | $75,610 | $36.35 | +4% | 1,930 |
| 10 | Cleveland | $72,800 | $35.00 | this city | 630 |
Every metro area in Tennessee with RN wage data · BLS OES May 2025 · Tennessee typical pay $81,500
Is Cleveland a good place to work as an RN?
RNs in Cleveland earn less than the national figure: typical pay is $72,800 a year, 25% below the national rate. For every 1,000 jobs in the Cleveland area, about 15 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 Cleveland, TN?
- A typical RN in Cleveland earns $72,800 a year, or $35.00 an hour, according to BLS wage data for May 2025. Entry-level pay runs about $56,220 and the top 10% earn over $79,730.
- How much does an RN make an hour in Cleveland?
- Typical hourly pay for RNs in Cleveland is $35.00. Entry-level hourly pay runs about $27.03, and the top 10% earn over $38.33 an hour.
- What is the starting pay for an RN in Cleveland?
- Entry-level RN positions in Cleveland typically offer around $27.03 an hour, or $56,220 a year.
- Is RN pay in Cleveland higher than in the rest of Tennessee?
- Cleveland pay is 11% below the Tennessee figure of $81,500 a year, ranking 10th of 10 metro areas in the state. Franklin pays the most in Tennessee at $84,040.