Salary report · Houston, TX

What is the average Registered Nurse salary in Houston, TX?

Registered Nurses in Houston earn a median of $89,500 per year — about 4% above the national average. Pay ranges from $64,400 (25th percentile) to $138,700 (90th percentile).

25th percentile
$64,400
Median
$89,500
75th percentile
$114,600
90th percentile
$138,700
YoY change
+3.9%

Registered Nurse salary by experience level

Entry · 0–2 yrs
$58,200
Mid · 3–5 yrs
$89,500
Senior · 6–8 yrs
$114,600
Lead · 8+ yrs
$129,800

How Houston pay compares

Houston median$89,500
National median$86,070
Cost-of-living adjusted(COL index 96)$93,200

Cost-of-living adjusted is the Houston salary translated into equivalent purchasing power vs the US average (COL index 100). Useful for comparing offers across cities.

5-year salary trend

$77K
2022
$80K
2023
$83K
2024
$86K
2025
$90K
2026

Trend extrapolated from BLS May 2024 BLS OEWS OEWS data using the latest year-over-year growth rate of 3.9%.

Registered Nurse job market in Houston

Houston is dominated by energy, healthcare and aerospace. Texas has no state income tax, which boosts effective take-home pay vs coastal cities.

An estimated 13,000 registered nurses work in the Houston metro. Daily responsibilities typically include:

  • Administer medications
  • Monitor patient vitals
  • Document patient care
  • Coordinate with physicians
  • Educate patients on conditions

Related job salaries in Houston

Registered Nurse salary in other cities

FAQ

How much does a Registered Nurse make in Houston, TX?+

Registered Nurses in Houston earn a median of $89,500 per year — about 4% above the national average of $86,070.

What's the entry-level Registered Nurse salary in Houston?+

Entry-level Registered Nurses in Houston typically earn around $58,200 per year. Salaries scale to about $129,800 at the senior level with 8+ years of experience.

Is $89,500 a good Registered Nurse salary in Houston?+

$89,500 is the median, meaning half of Registered Nurses in Houston earn more and half earn less. Adjusted for the city's cost-of-living index of 96, that's roughly $93,200 in nationally-equivalent purchasing power.

How fast is Registered Nurse pay growing in Houston?+

Registered Nurse salaries in Houston grew about 3.9% year-over-year in the latest BLS data. The 10-year national outlook for this role is +6%.

Where do Registered Nurses in Houston get paid the most?+

The 90th percentile Registered Nurse salary in Houston is around $138,700. These typically include senior, lead, or specialist roles at major employers.

Are you being paid fairly in Houston?

Run a free comparison against BLS data — see if your salary is below, at, or above the Houston median.

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