How Much Does an RN Make in Washington in 2026?

A typical registered nurse in Washington earns about $59.71 per hour ($124,200 per year), according to the latest government wage data (May 2025). Calculated from that annual figure, pay works out to roughly $10,350 a month and $2,388 a week. Those figures represent typical pay across the state, not entry-level or top earners specifically.

That typical pay is 27% higher than the national figure of $97,550 a year ($46.90 an hour). Washington ranks 4th among all 51 states for registered nurse pay, trailing only a few states nationwide. About 69,260 registered nurses work across the state, giving these figures a broad base. That combination of high pay and a large workforce is uncommon among states.

Entry-level positions for registered nurses in Washington typically offer around $43.09 an hour, or about $89,630 a year, according to May 2025 wage data. That is a starting point, not a fixed rate: pay tends to climb toward the state's typical figure of $59.71 an hour ($124,200 a year) within a few years on the job. New nurses often reach that typical level faster in hospital settings than in outpatient clinics.

Experienced registered nurses often earn upwards of $64.54 an hour ($134,240 a year), and the top 10% of earners make over $77.84 an hour ($161,910 a year). The gap between entry-level and top pay comes to $72,280 a year. Setting, years of experience, and city location account for most of that difference. A nurse in a specialized unit or a high-paying metro area tends to sit at the upper end.

Washington's typical pay for registered nurses rose from $77,020 in 2015 to $124,200 in 2025, a gain of $47,180. That is a 61% increase over the decade. The rise was steady in most years, with a sharper jump between 2020 and 2021 as pay moved from $89,650 to $96,980.

Nationally, typical RN pay rose 45% over the same decade, meaning Washington's growth outpaced the country as a whole. Pay in the state has moved up consistently across each of the last ten years without a single decline. For someone starting a nursing career in Washington now, that history shows steady gains, though it does not guarantee future increases.

Vancouver, part of the Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro metro area that spans the Washington-Oregon border, pays registered nurses the most in the state, at $130,310 a year ($62.65 an hour). That is about 5% above Washington's typical figure of $124,200. Bellevue and Tacoma follow closely, both reporting $128,260 a year, the same figure as Seattle's metro area.

Yakima pays the least among the state's metro areas, at $102,950 a year ($49.50 an hour), putting the spread between Washington's highest- and lowest-paying cities at $27,360. Seattle has the largest registered nurse workforce in the state, with 39,900 employed, even though its pay of $128,260 sits below Vancouver's. Higher pay in cities like Vancouver and Seattle generally tracks a higher cost of living in those areas.

Oregon pays registered nurses slightly more than Washington, at $129,010 a year, about 4% above Washington's figure. Alaska and Idaho both pay less: Alaska's $109,480 runs about 12% below Washington, and Idaho's $92,460 sits 26% lower. Nursing licenses obtained in Washington can often be endorsed or transferred into neighboring states, which can ease a move across state lines.

Registered nurses in Washington typically earn $124,200 a year ($59.71 an hour), up 61% over the past decade from $77,020 in 2015. Pay varies by city, experience, and setting, but the statewide figures give a reliable starting point for planning a move or a career change. For exact requirements, check the Washington state board of nursing's licensing page, and for local pay details, see the city-specific pages for Vancouver, Seattle, and other Washington metro areas.