Average Salary Per Hour for an RN
Registered nurses usually have excellent job opportunities. This career also boasts attractive benefits, such as flexible schedules and bonuses. Registered nurses are considered the largest health care occupation, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. A career as a registered nurse is ideal for those who are compassionate and caring, since nurses often provide ongoing and direct patient care.
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National Salary
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According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics in May 2009, the mean hourly wage for registered nurses was $31.99 and the mean annual wage, or average annual salary, was $66,530, Annual wages for registered nurses ranged from approximately $21.14 to $45.05 per hour. The lowest 10 percent of employees earn less than $21.14, and the top 10 percent of employees earn more than $45.05 per hour.
Starting Salary
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The PayScale website, reporting on its own employment survey, lists the average starting salary of registered nurses. In October 27, 2010, registered nurses with less than one year of experience earned $19.58 to $25.09 per hour. Those with one to four years earned $20.94 to $27.27. Those with five to nine years earned $23.79 to $31.53 and with 10 to 19 years, $25.68 to $34.25. Those with 20 years or more earned $26.86 to $35.97 per hour.
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High Employment
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General medical and surgical hospitals employed the largest number of registered nurses, with 1,492,000 nurses employed and paid an average $32.57 per hour, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics in May 2009. Other industries that employed large numbers of RNs were physician's offices, paying $32.35 per hour; home health care services, paying $30.43 per hour; nursing care facilities, paying $28.52 per hour; and outpatient care centers, paying $31.58 per hour. These are average hourly rates.
Top-Paying Industries
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Medical equipment and supplies manufacturing paid the highest average wage above all other industries to registered nurses, at $37.44 per hour, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. Other industries that offered high pay were the Federal Executive Branch at $37.42 per hour; civic and social organizations at $37.42; newspaper, periodical, book and directory publishers at $36.05; and business, professional, labor, political and similar organizations at $35.88.
Top-Paying Locations
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According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the highest average pay for RNs was in the state of California at $40.90 per hour. Other states averaging high pay were Massachusetts at $39.32 per hour, Hawaii at $38.47, Maryland at $36.70 and New Jersey at $36.05.
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