Every CE requirement verified against official state nursing board sources. How RenewRN verifies the data →
Every CE requirement verified against official state nursing board sources. How RenewRN verifies the data →
Nurse salary data
Built by Keegan, a travel RN · verified against official board sources
The median registered nurse salary in North Carolina is $84,350 a year (about $43.50/hour), per the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (May 2025 OEWS). That is about 14% lower than the national median of $97,550, ranking North Carolina #33 of 51 for RN pay.
$84,350
Median (annual)
$90,470
Mean (annual)
$43.50
Mean hourly
111,120
RNs employed
These are BLS occupational wage figures for Registered Nurses (SOC 29-1141): averages across all RN settings and experience levels in North Carolina, not a starting salary. Pay closely tracks local cost of living, so a higher headline number does not always mean more buying power. Specialty, shift, and years of experience move individual pay well above or below these medians.
Median annual wage for each rung of the North Carolina nursing career ladder (BLS OEWS, May 2025). Advancing a rung usually means more schooling and a separate national credential.
| Role | Median pay | |
|---|---|---|
| Licensed Practical Nurse (LPN) | $63,270 | North Carolina data |
| Registered Nurse (RN)This page | $84,350 | |
| Nurse Practitioner (NP) | $128,990 | North Carolina data |
| Nurse Anesthetist (CRNA) | $224,610 | North Carolina data |
The median RN salary in North Carolina is $84,350 per year and the mean (average) is $90,470, per the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (May 2025 OEWS). The mean hourly wage is about $43.50.
North Carolina's median RN salary of $84,350 is about 14% lower than the national median of $97,550. It ranks #33 of 51 U.S. jurisdictions by median RN pay. Remember that pay tracks cost of living, so a higher number does not always mean more buying power.
North Carolina employs about 111,120 registered nurses, per the BLS OEWS May 2025 release.
Among LPNs, RNs, and advanced-practice nurses in North Carolina, CRNAs report the highest median pay at $224,610, compared with $84,350 for RNs. Moving up the ladder generally means graduate education and a separate national credential, per BLS OEWS May 2025.
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Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS (Registered Nurses (SOC 29-1141), May 2025 release).