What Is the Starting Salary for an RN in Washington?

Only 10 states have higher average salaries for registered nurses than Washington.

Washington's average salary for registered nurses is one of the highest in the nation, so those who start careers there can expect to earn starting salaries in line with the national average for new nurses, which is over $50,000 per year.

Salaries

The average salary of a registered nurse in Washington was $34.83 per hour, or $72,450 annually, as of May 2009, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS). Salaries ranged from $49,690 or less for the lowest-paid 10 percent of Washington registered nurses to $98,650 and up for the best-paid 10 percent. According to a PayScale survey of more than 48,000 registered nurses, the median salary range for nurses with less than one year of experience is $19.58 to $25.10 per hour. PayScale's 2010-11 College Salary Report reported that the median starting salary for newly graduated nurses was $52,700.

State Ranking

Washington was the 11th highest-paying state in the nation for registered nurses in May 2009, the BLS reports, behind Alaska, California, the District of Columbia, Hawaii, Maryland, Minnesota, Nevada, New Jersey, New York and Oregon.

City Comparison

Mount Vernon-Anaacortes was the highest-paying metropolitan area in Washington for registered nurses in May 2009, BLS figures show, with an average annual income of $76,830. Lewiston, on the Washington-Idaho border, was the lowest-paying, with an average salary of $55,230 per year, just slightly less than in Bellingham, where the average was $55,330.

References

• Occupational Employment and Wages, May 2009:Registered Nurses
• PayScale 2010-11 College Salary Report:Best Undergrad College Degrees By Salary
• Median Hourly Rate by Years Experience:Registered Nurse