Registered Nurses pay in North Carolina
$90,470avg. a year
$43.50 an hour · 111,120 employed
Registered Nurses in North Carolina earn an average of $90,470 a year. That is $10,950 (11%) less than the U.S. average of $101,420. The best-paying metro area is Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC at $93,240.
$84,350Median pay
$43.50Average hourly
+31%Avg. pay since 2020
#33Of 50 states + D.C.
Top-paying North Carolina metro areas
Average pay for registered nurses by metro area. Swipe to see all 15.
127,010 jobs
Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC
$93,240
$44.83 an hour
21,080 jobs
Burlington, NC
$92,600
$44.52 an hour
33,770 jobs
Greenville, NC
$92,160
$44.31 an hour
43,430 jobs
Fayetteville, NC
$91,990
$44.23 an hour
512,780 jobs
Raleigh-Cary, NC
$91,890
$44.18 an hour
610,180 jobs
Winston-Salem, NC
$91,430
$43.96 an hour
76,240 jobs
Greensboro-High Point, NC
$90,430
$43.48 an hour
816,870 jobs
Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk, VA-NC
$89,350
$42.96 an hour
94,680 jobs
Asheville, NC
$89,130
$42.85 an hour
10950 jobs
Goldsboro, NC
$88,800
$42.69 an hour
11870 jobs
Jacksonville, NC
$88,250
$42.43 an hour
125,040 jobs
Wilmington, NC
$87,900
$42.26 an hour
131,180 jobs
Rocky Mount, NC
$86,170
$41.43 an hour
141,510 jobs
Pinehurst-Southern Pines, NC
$85,000
$40.86 an hour
153,020 jobs
Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton, NC
$84,510
$40.63 an hour
Why people trust JobPayFacts
Official government dataEvery number comes from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics wage survey of employers, not self-reported salaries.
Every state and city830 jobs across all 50 states, D.C. and 199 large metro areas.
Updated every yearNew figures each spring when BLS releases them. This site uses May 2025 data.
Registered Nurses pay in North Carolina, charted
Pay over time
North Carolina, annual wage, May of each year
AverageMedian
Where North Carolina registered nurses work
Employment by metro area, May 2025
Average pay by state
May 2025 · North Carolina highlighted · tap a state
AKMEWIVTNHWAIDMTNDMNILMINYMAORNVWYSDIAINOHPANJCTRICAUTCONEMOKYWVVAMDDEAZNMKSARTNNCSCDCOKLAMSALGAHITXFL
Under $87k$87k–$94k$94k–$101k$101k+North Carolina
North Carolina vs. neighbors
Average pay, May 2025
| Area | Avg. pay | Hourly |
|---|---|---|
| United States | $101,420 | $48.76 |
| North Carolina | $90,470 | $43.50 |
| Georgia | $95,080 | $45.71 |
| Virginia | $93,850 | $45.12 |
| South Carolina | $87,670 | $42.15 |
| Tennessee | $85,390 | $41.05 |
Related jobs in North Carolina
- Physicians, All Other$247,750
- Nurse Practitioners$130,870
- Pharmacists$137,990
- Physical Therapists$100,010
- Dental Hygienists$93,640
- Speech-Language Pathologists$88,640
Average pay, North Carolina, May 2025
Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS
Questions and answers
How much do registered nurses make in North Carolina?
The average is $90,470 a year, and the median is $84,350. That is $10,950 (11%) less than the U.S. average of $101,420.
What is the hourly wage in North Carolina?
$43.50 an hour on average; the median is $40.56.
Where in North Carolina do they earn the most?
Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC ($93,240), followed by Burlington, NC ($92,600). The lowest average among 15 metro areas with data is Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton, NC ($84,510).
How does North Carolina rank?
North Carolina ranks #33 of 51 states (including D.C.) with published data for this job, by average pay.
Sources and notes. U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2025 (trend: May 2020–May 2025), occupation code 29-1141. State rank compares average pay across states with published data. Metro figures cover metropolitan statistical areas; a metro area can cross state lines. See also the national registered nurses page. Wages are gross pay before taxes and don't include overtime premiums, tips, bonuses or benefits; self-employed workers aren't included. Year-to-year changes can partly reflect survey method changes, so treat the trend as a guide. How we use the data. JobPayFacts isn't affiliated with BLS.