How Much Does an RN Make in Tacoma, WA in 2026?
Typical pay for RNs in Tacoma, from federal wage data (May 2025), with the ten-year trend and how the city compares across Washington.
BLS OES May 2025 · Seattle · Tacoma · Bellevue metro area
A typical RN in Tacoma, Washington earns $61.66 per hour, or $128,260 per year, according to the latest government wage data for the area (May 2025). Calculated from the annual figure, that is roughly $10,688 a month. Entry-level positions typically offer around $99,020, and the top 10% of earners make over $163,890.
That pay is 3% above the Washington figure of $124,200 and 31% above the national figure of $97,550. Tacoma ranks 2nd of 10 metro areas in Washington for RN pay. About 39,900 RNs work in the Seattle · Tacoma · Bellevue area. Tacoma is part of the Seattle · Tacoma · Bellevue metro area, and BLS reports pay for the metro as a whole, so Seattle and Bellevue share these figures.
RN pay in Tacoma at a glance
- Typical pay is $61.66 an hour, or $128,260 a year.
- That is 3% above the Washington figure, ranking 2nd of 10 metro areas in the state.
- Entry-level positions typically offer around $99,020; the top 10% make over $163,890.
- Typical pay rose +58% from 2015 to 2025, against +61% for Washington as a whole.
BLS OES May 2025
How much does an RN make in Tacoma?
Pay in Tacoma runs from entry-level positions at around $47.61 an hour to more than $78.79 for the top 10% of earners. The table sets each career stage against the Washington and national figures.
RN pay by career stage in Tacoma
| Career stage | Tacoma | Washington | United States |
|---|---|---|---|
| Starting out | $99,020$47.61 an hour | $89,630$43.09 an hour | $68,940$33.14 an hour |
| First years | $104,540$50.26 an hour | $103,100$49.57 an hour | $80,330$38.62 an hour |
| Typical RN | $128,260$61.66 an hour | $124,200$59.71 an hour | $97,550$46.90 an hour |
| Experienced | $136,780$65.76 an hour | $134,240$64.54 an hour | $112,350$54.02 an hour |
| Top 10% | $163,890$78.79 an hour | $161,910$77.84 an hour | $137,470$66.09 an hour |
BLS OES May 2025 · city figures cover the Seattle · Tacoma · Bellevue area as BLS defines it
RN pay growth in Tacoma
Typical (median) annual wage for RNs in the Seattle · Tacoma · Bellevue area · BLS OES May estimates, 2015 to 2025 · hover a bar for the year-over-year change
In 2015, typical RN pay in Tacoma was $80,960 a year. By 2025 it had reached $128,260, a change of +58%, compared with +61% for Washington over the same years.
How Tacoma compares with other Washington cities
Hillsboro pays RNs the most in Washington at $130,310 a year, $2,050 more than Tacoma. The lowest-paying area in the state is Yakima at $102,950.
| # | City | Typical pay | Hourly | Vs Tacoma | RNs employed |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Hillsboro metro incl. Vancouver | $130,310 | $62.65 | +2% | 24,220 |
| 2 | Tacoma | $128,260 | $61.66 | this city | 39,900 |
| 3 | Tumwater | $125,020 | $60.11 | -3% | 2,250 |
| 4 | Walla Walla | $116,970 | $56.24 | -9% | 810 |
| 5 | Wenatchee metro incl. East Wenatchee | $112,280 | $53.98 | -12% | 1,330 |
| 6 | Spokane metro incl. Spokane Valley | $111,750 | $53.73 | -13% | 6,850 |
| 7 | Port Orchard metro incl. Silverdale · Bremerton | $107,220 | $51.55 | -16% | 1,410 |
| 8 | Mount Vernon metro incl. Anacortes | $106,730 | $51.31 | -17% | 1,190 |
| 9 | Kennewick metro incl. Richland | $106,410 | $51.16 | -17% | 2,560 |
| 10 | Yakima | $102,950 | $49.50 | -20% | 1,610 |
Every metro area in Washington with RN wage data · BLS OES May 2025 · Washington typical pay $124,200
Is Tacoma a good place to work as an RN?
RNs in Tacoma earn a strong wage by national standards: typical pay is $128,260 a year, 31% above the national figure. For every 1,000 jobs in the Seattle · Tacoma · Bellevue area, about 19 are RN positions; nationally, the figure is closer to 22. RN jobs make up about the same share of the job market as they do across the country.
Frequently asked questions
- How much does an RN make in Tacoma, WA?
- A typical RN in Tacoma earns $128,260 a year, or $61.66 an hour, according to BLS wage data for May 2025. Entry-level pay runs about $99,020 and the top 10% earn over $163,890.
- How much does an RN make an hour in Tacoma?
- Typical hourly pay for RNs in Tacoma is $61.66. Entry-level hourly pay runs about $47.61, and the top 10% earn over $78.79 an hour.
- What is the starting pay for an RN in Tacoma?
- Entry-level RN positions in Tacoma typically offer around $47.61 an hour, or $99,020 a year.
- Is RN pay in Tacoma higher than in the rest of Washington?
- Tacoma pay is 3% above the Washington figure of $124,200 a year, ranking 2nd of 10 metro areas in the state. Hillsboro pays the most in Washington at $130,310.