Registered Nurses salary in Charlotte, NC
Median pay for registered nurses in Charlotte, NC: $81,190/yr
Typical range (10th–90th percentile): $64,240 – $103,130 · about 24,400 employed locally
Above the typical metro median ($80,810) by +$380 (+0%).
What it's really worth in Charlotte
With Charlotte's cost of living at 97 (US=100), that $81,190 has the buying power of about $83,423 in an average-cost US metro.
Local context: median household income $76,177 · median home $390,321 · median rent $1,740/mo.
How Charlotte ranks for this job
On raw pay, Charlotte, NC is 87th of the 187 metros we hold registered nurses wages for. Once Charlotte's cost of living is applied, it ranks 132nd.
The headline number flatters Charlotte. Once housing and everyday costs are taken into account, registered nurses here keep less of what they earn than the raw salary implies.
What that salary buys in Charlotte
A median home in Charlotte, NC costs $390,321 — about 4.8× this salary, against a typical US metro figure of 4.7×. Buying is harder here than in the average metro on this income.
Median rent of $1,740/mo works out at 26% of gross pay — inside the conventional 30% affordability ceiling.
Where registered nurses earn more
Pay on its own is only half the picture, so each row shows what rent costs there relative to Charlotte.
| Metro | Median pay | vs Charlotte | Rent vs Charlotte |
|---|---|---|---|
| Vallejo, CA | $187,080 | +130% | 1.4× |
| San Francisco, CA | $181,240 | +123% | 1.9× |
| San Jose, CA | $179,210 | +121% | 2.1× |
| Sacramento, CA | $157,810 | +94% | 1.3× |
Same job elsewhere in NC
| Metro | Median pay | vs Charlotte | Rent vs Charlotte |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fayetteville, NC | $87,190 | +7% | 0.9× |
| Winston-Salem, NC | $83,020 | +2% | 0.9× |
| Raleigh, NC | $81,910 | +1% | 1× |
| Greensboro, NC | $80,950 | +0% | 0.8× |
Staying in NC keeps state income tax and licensing the same, which makes these the most directly comparable moves.
Who hires registered nurses around Charlotte
Large local employers in sectors that typically employ this role.
- Novant Health · Healthcare
Other jobs in Charlotte
Source: US BLS OEWS (May 2023) median annual wage; cost of living from BEA; home price and rent from Zillow; household income from US Census ACS. Rankings are across the 187 metros we hold wage data for in this occupation. Estimates for guidance only. See methodology.