Registered nurse pay in Seattle, WA
Registered nurses in the Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA metro area earn a typical $128,260 a year. The middle half earn $104,540 to $136,780, and the top 10% earn more than $163,890. About 39,900 people do this job there.
Source: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025 (occupation: Registered Nurses, SOC 29-1141).
Pay range
| Bottom 10% earn less than | $99,020 |
| 25th percentile | $104,540 |
| Median (typical) | $128,260 |
| 75th percentile | $136,780 |
| Top 10% earn more than | $163,890 |
Typical pay here ranks No. 8 of 50 large metros for registered nurses before taxes and prices.
After taxes and cost of living
At the typical $128,260, a single filer keeps about $98,900 a year after federal, Social Security, Medicare, and Washington state income tax. Prices in Seattle are 11% above the US average, so that take-home buys what $89,000 would in a typical US city. That ranks Seattle No. 4 of 50 large metros for registered nurses after cost of living.
Where registered nurses’ pay goes furthest
- San Jose, CA$216,740 typical · worth $132k
- Sacramento, CA$171,460 typical · worth $109k
- San Francisco, CA$186,610 typical · worth $109k
- Riverside, CA$133,940 typical · worth $88.9k
All 50 metros for registered nurses →
Where does your salary land?
Add your salary and experience to see your percentile among registered nurses in Seattle. Free and private. (Different city? Use the main checker.)
Common questions
How much does a registered nurse make in Seattle, WA?
The typical (median) registered nurse in the Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA metro area earns $128,260 a year. The middle half earn between $104,540 and $136,780, and the top 10% earn more than $163,890. Source: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025.
What is a good salary for a registered nurse in Seattle?
Anything above $128,260 pays more than half of registered nurses in Seattle. $136,780 or more puts you in the top quarter, and $163,890 in the top 10%. Experience and employer move where you should be in that range.
How much does a registered nurse in Seattle take home after taxes?
At the typical $128,260, a single filer keeps about $98,900 a year ($8,240 a month) after federal, Social Security, Medicare, Washington state income tax. With local prices 11% above the US average, that buys what $89,000 would in a typical US city.
Where do registered nurses get paid the most after cost of living?
Among the 50 largest US metros, typical registered nurse pay goes furthest after taxes and prices in San Jose, CA, Sacramento, CA, San Francisco, CA. Seattle, WA ranks No. 4.
More: Registered nurse pay in every large metro · Pay for other jobs in Seattle, WA
Local prices: BEA regional price parities, 2024. Updated November 2026.