SOC 29-1141 · May 2025 · BLS OEWS
Registered Nurses — Salem
Salem, OR · 6 metro areas compared
In Salem, OR the median wage for Registered Nurses reaches $131,750 a year.
Wage distribution · annual
Shaded band holds the middle 50% of earners
Salary overview
In Salem, OR the median wage for Registered Nurses reaches $131,750 a year. That is 35.1% more than the national median of $97,550. The middle half of workers in this occupation earn between $109,870 and $132,930. The lowest tenth earn under $101,180, while the highest tenth earn more than $157,970.
The area has 4,010 jobs in this occupation, giving a location quotient of 0.98 — a measure of how concentrated the occupation is here relative to the country as a whole. Bend leads the state's metro areas for this occupation, at $135,010. Set against every other occupation measured in the same area, it ranks 29th of 434 by median pay.
Percentile breakdown
| Percentile | Annual | vs US median |
|---|---|---|
| 10th | $101,180 | +3.7% |
| 25th | $109,870 | +12.6% |
| Median (50th) | $131,750 | +35.1% |
| 75th | $132,930 | +36.3% |
| 90th | $157,970 | +61.9% |
| Mean | $125,750 | +28.9% |
Other metro areas in Oregon
What the pay is worth locally
Prices in Salem run 3.4% above the national average, so the median of $131,750 buys what $127,418 would elsewhere in the country. Measured that way the gap against the national median narrows to 30.6% above the national median in real terms.
Published median
$131,750as reported by BLSLocal price level
103.4US average = 100 · BEA 2024Adjusted for local prices
$127,418US average = 100 · BEA 2024Key takeaways
- Median pay is $131,750 a year, 35.1% above the national median.
- Published pay spans $101,180 to $157,970 between the tenth and ninetieth percentiles.
- The area has 4,010 jobs in this occupation.
- The highest-paying metro area covered is Bend, at $135,010.
Frequently asked questions
What is the median wage for Registered Nurses in Salem, OR?
The median annual wage is $131,750, or $63.34 per hour, as of May 2025. Half of the workers in this occupation earn more than that and half earn less.
Is that higher than the national average?
The national median for this occupation is $97,550, so pay in Salem, OR is 35.1% higher. These figures are medians, not averages: half of workers fall on each side.
What do the top earners make?
The top tenth of this occupation in Salem, OR earns more than $157,970 per year. The ninetieth percentile is the highest figure the survey publishes.
What is the starting range?
The tenth percentile wage is $101,180 per year. The survey measures wages actually paid rather than experience level, so this reflects the lowest-paid tenth rather than entry-level pay specifically.
Which area nearby pays the most?
The highest median for this occupation among the metro areas covered is in Bend, at $135,010 per year.
How many jobs are there in this occupation here?
The survey estimates 4,010 jobs in this occupation in Salem, OR. Self-employed workers are not included.
Source and methodology
U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025 Wages are for wage-and-salary workers; self-employed workers are not included. Salary Explorer is an independent project. It is not affiliated with, or endorsed by, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics or any government agency. Full methodology.
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