Based on the latest Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS data — updated September 10, 2026.
| Washington | National | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median annual salary | $124,200 | $98,331 | +26% |
| Median hourly wage | $59.71 | $47.27 | +26% |
Adjusted for local price levels (100 = national average), the cost-adjusted median is $116,075.
| City | Median | Entry Level | Experienced | Cost of Living |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Seattle | $113,612 | $85,800 | $138,600 | 165 |
The median annual salary for a Registered Nurse in Washington is $124,200, or about $59.71 per hour, according to BLS OEWS data.
The national median for Registered Nurses is $98,331. Washington is +26% above the national median.
Entry-level registered nurses in Washington typically earn from $85,800 depending on the city and employer.
With 69,260 registered nurse jobs on record and a median salary of $124,200, Washington offers above-average pay compared to the rest of the country.
By median annual wage, registered nurses rank 106 of the 757 occupations reported in Washington — higher than 86% of them.
Among occupations in the same job family, Cardiologists at $656,330, Orthopedic Surgeons, Except Pediatric at $553,310, Dermatologists at $526,170 — all figures are median annual wages for Washington.
No. Every figure on this page is a gross (pre-tax) wage. Washington has no state income tax on wages, so take-home pay is closer to the gross figures shown here. The state's cost of living index is 115.0 (100 = national average).
By median annual wage, registered nurses rank 106 of the 757 occupations reported in Washington — higher than 86% of them.
| Occupation in the same job family | Median in Washington | Jobs |
|---|---|---|
| Cardiologists | $656,330 | $200 |
| Orthopedic Surgeons, Except Pediatric | $553,310 | $290 |
| Dermatologists | $526,170 | $170 |
| Anesthesiologists | $499,990 | $1,540 |
| Surgeons, All Other | $479,460 | $370 |
| Emergency Medicine Physicians | $380,870 | — |
Washington has no state income tax on wages, so take-home pay is closer to the gross figures shown here. The state's cost of living index is 115.0 (100 = national average).
Ranking and comparison figures come from the same BLS OEWS release as the rest of this page, which covers 757 occupations in Washington.