How Much Does an RN Make in Vermont in 2026?

A typical registered nurse in Vermont earns about $46.86 per hour, or $97,460 per year, according to the latest government wage data (May 2025). Based on that annual figure, pay works out to roughly $8,122 a month or $1,874 a week. Those figures represent typical pay across the state, before overtime, shift differentials, or benefits. They give a baseline for comparing pay by experience, city, and nearby states.

Vermont's typical RN pay is almost identical to the national figure of $97,550, less than half a percent below it. That puts Vermont 19th among the 50 states and Washington, D.C. for RN pay. About 7,410 registered nurses work in Vermont, a modest workforce reflecting the state's small population. Pay this close to the national figure is uncommon for a state Vermont's size.

Entry-level positions in Vermont typically offer around $37.34 an hour, or $77,670 a year. Nurses in these roles are usually newer to the field or working in lower-acuity settings. Pay tends to move toward the statewide typical figure of $97,460 within the first few years of experience. Facility type and shift assignment also shape where a nurse lands early on.

Experienced RNs in Vermont often earn upwards of $105,210 a year, and the top 10% of earners make over $126,100 a year (about $60.63 an hour). That leaves a spread of $48,430 between entry-level and top-tier pay. Setting, years of experience, and city of employment tend to separate nurses at the entry level from those earning the most.

Vermont's RN pay has climbed steadily over the past decade, from $62,770 in 2015 to $97,460 in 2025. That's a gain of $34,690, or 55%, over ten years. The increase reflects broader wage trends in nursing and healthcare staffing rather than any single event. Pay in Vermont rose in nearly every year of the decade, with the steepest jump in 2025.

That 55% rise outpaces the national decade increase of 45%, meaning Vermont's RN pay grew faster than the country as a whole. For someone starting a nursing career in Vermont now, the numbers show pay has moved up substantially over the past ten years. Past growth doesn't guarantee future increases, but the trend line for Vermont nursing pay has been consistently upward.

RN pay in Vermont is fairly uniform across the state's metro areas that report separate wage data. Burlington, the state's largest metro area by RN employment, reports typical pay of $98,330 a year ($47.28 an hour), about 1% above the statewide figure of $97,460. South Burlington, part of the same metro region, reports identical typical pay.

There's no meaningful city spread in Vermont's published figures: Burlington and South Burlington both list the same $98,330 typical pay, a difference of $0. Burlington carries the largest RN workforce in the state, with about 3,150 nurses. City figures cover each full metro area, not just the city center. Higher pay in a metro area like Burlington usually tracks a higher cost of living, not a special premium for the work.

Vermont's RN pay trails New Hampshire, Massachusetts, and New York, all of which sit close by. New Hampshire's typical pay runs about 2% higher at $99,700, Massachusetts about 7% higher at $104,550, and New York the highest of the three at $109,440, roughly 12% above Vermont. Nursing licenses can often be transferred or endorsed between neighboring states, so a Vermont RN considering a move nearby isn't usually starting from scratch.

Registered nurses in Vermont typically earn $97,460 a year, essentially in line with the national figure, after a 55% rise over the past decade. Pay varies little by city within the state but climbs noticeably in nearby New York and Massachusetts. Readers weighing a move or a new license should check Vermont's state nursing board for licensing requirements and review city-level pages for local pay figures before deciding where to work.