Registered Nurse Salary in Memphis, TN: 2026
Registered Nurse salary data for Memphis, TN, adjusted for local cost of living. Entry-level to senior pay ranges, take-home pay calculator, and local job market insights.
The median Registered Nurse salary in Memphis, TN is $81,500 per year ($6,792/month, $39.18/hr). That is the BLS OEWS May 2025 median annual wage for Registered Nurses in the Memphis, TN-MS-AR metropolitan area, which covers Memphis. Salario's cost-of-living model (index 86) would have estimated $83,893; the entry, senior and top tiers below are Salario estimates rescaled to the BLS median.
Also known as: RN, Staff Nurse, Clinical Nurse. The estimates on this page are used for these related job titles in Memphis, TN, although actual pay can differ by title and scope.
Median: BLS OEWS May 2025, Registered Nurses (SOC 29-1141), Memphis, TN-MS-AR MSA. Entry, senior and top earner are Salario estimates rescaled to the BLS median.
Registered Nurse Take-Home Pay in Memphis
Tax Breakdown (Median Salary)
| Gross Annual | $81,500 |
| Federal Tax | -$9,100 |
| State Tax (0.0% eff.) | -$0 |
| FICA (SS + Medicare) | -$6,235 |
| Annual Take-Home | $66,165 |
| Monthly Take-Home | $5,514 |
Living Cost Comparison
Registered Nurse Requirements
Key Skills
Registered Nurse salary search terms in Memphis
People comparing Registered Nurse pay in Memphis, TN may use related job-title wording. Salario keeps the main estimate tied to the Registered Nurse role, then treats the terms below as comparison phrases that should be checked for licensing, employer type, seniority, and role scope.
| Comparison point | How to use it |
|---|---|
| Primary local answer | $81,500 median salary, $53,700-$105,400 modeled range, and $66,165 estimated take-home pay in Memphis. |
| Title variants | RN, Staff Nurse, Clinical Nurse can point to similar searches, but some variants may represent a narrower specialty or a higher/lower seniority band. |
| Offer comparison | Compare base salary, hourly equivalent, take-home pay, certifications, local cost of living, and whether the job is employee, contractor, public-sector, commission-heavy, or management-level. |
Memphis Job Market Overview
Memphis, Tennessee has a population of 633,104 and an unemployment rate of 4.2%. The top industries are Logistics, Healthcare, Manufacturing. The local job growth rate is 1.0%, and the average commute time is 24minutes. These local figures come from Salario's city dataset; verify current values with BLS Local Area Unemployment Statistics and Census QuickFacts.
Related Healthcare Salaries in Memphis
Registered Nurse Salary in Nearby Tennessee Cities
Salary Percentile Breakdown: Registered Nurse in Memphis
Based on Salario's cost-of-living-adjusted salary tiers for Registered Nurse in Memphis, TN, here is an estimated percentile breakdown:
| Percentile | Annual Salary | Hourly Equivalent | Career Stage |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10th (lowest) | $53,700 | $26/hr | Entry-level, < 1 yr exp. |
| 25th | $67,600 | $33/hr | Junior, 1-3 yrs exp. |
| 50th (median) | $81,500 | $39/hr | Mid-career, 0-2 years |
| 75th | $105,400 | $51/hr | Senior, 5-10 yrs exp. |
| 90th (top) | $120,800 | $58/hr | Lead/Principal, 10+ yrs |
P50 is the measured BLS OEWS May 2025 metro median; P10, P25, P75 and P90 are approximations, not measured local percentiles: they map to Salario's entry, senior and top tiers rescaled to the BLS median, with P25 interpolated halfway between entry and median. Top earners (P90) typically include managers, specialists with rare skills, or those at high-paying employers in Memphis's Logistics sector.
5-Year Salary Trajectory
Salario's national dataset models approximately 16.0% salary growth for Registered Nurses over the past 5 years. That national assumption is applied to the Memphis estimate below; it is not a measured local trend, and it should be compared with cumulative CPI inflation before treating it as a real-terms gain:
Year-over-year, an average Registered Nurse can expect a 18.4% annual increase moving from entry to senior level over 4 years in Memphis. Negotiation, certifications (NCLEX-RN, BLS Certification), and changing employers strategically can accelerate this trajectory.
Memphis vs National Average
The national median Registered Nurse salary is $97,550 (BLS OEWS May 2025, Registered Nurses). In the Memphis, TN-MS-AR metro, the BLS median of $81,500 is 16.5% below the national figure. Memphis's cost of living index is 86 (lower than the national average of 100), so the wage premium and the cost premium do not necessarily cancel out.
For Registered Nurses, this means: rent typically consumes 18.1% of take-home pay (households spending >30% are considered affordable), and a median home in Memphis costs about 2.6× annual take-home. Homeownership is relatively attainable on this salary in Memphis.
Industry Context: Logistics in Memphis
Memphis's economy is anchored by Logistics, Healthcare, Manufacturing, with 633,104 residents and an unemployment rate of 4.2% in Salario's city dataset. Pay for Registered Nurses can differ by sector, so compare Logistics employers with other local employers. The local job growth rate in Salario's city dataset is 1.0%, and Salario's job dataset lists a 6.0% growth outlook for Registered Nurse roles; check the BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook for the official 2024-2034 projection for the closest matching occupation.
Methodology & Data Sources
How we calculate Registered Nurse salaries in Memphis, TN:
- Local median is the BLS OEWS May 2025 median annual wage for Registered Nurses (SOC 29-1141) in the Memphis, TN-MS-AR metropolitan statistical area, retrieved from the BLS Public Data API on September 17, 2026. BLS reports by metro area, so this is a regional figure, not a Memphis-only wage.
- Cost-of-living adjustment is shown only for comparison ($83,893 modeled) using the Memphis index of 86 relative to the national baseline of 100, with local rent, home price, unemployment, and tax inputs stored separately in Salario's city dataset.
- Percentile distribution (P10-P90) estimated from the entry, median, senior, and top compensation tiers in the Salario salary model rescaled to the BLS metro median rather than claimed as exact employer payroll data.
- Take-home pay calculated using 2026 federal tax brackets (10%-37%), TN 2026 state income tax brackets after the standard deduction (top rate 0.0%), and FICA (Social Security 6.2% + Medicare 1.45%).
- Tax brackets and standard deduction ($16,100 single filer for tax year 2026) sourced from IRS Revenue Procedure 2025-32 and updated annually.
Authoritative data sources:
- BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, national and metro-area salary data
- O*NET OnLine, occupation tasks, alternate job titles, skills, and SOC crosswalks
- BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook, occupation outlook where a matching profile is available
- BLS Consumer Price Index (CPI-U), regional inflation data (CPI measures price changes, not city-to-city price levels)
- U.S. Census Bureau, Memphis QuickFacts, population and demographic data
- IRS Revenue Procedure 2025-32 summary, 2026 federal tax brackets and standard deductions
- BLS Local Area Unemployment Statistics, official local unemployment rates to verify the Memphis figure above
Last reviewed: 2026. Salario's salary dataset is refreshed periodically, not automatically; check the linked BLS releases for the latest official data. Registered Nurse salaries can vary significantly based on employer, sector (Logistics vs others in Memphis), specific skill set (Patient Care, IV Therapy, EHR Systems), and individual negotiation. Always verify current compensation through multiple sources before making career decisions.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the average Registered Nurse salary in Memphis, TN?
How much does a Registered Nurse take home in Memphis after taxes?
Is Memphis a good city for Registered Nurses?
What skills are needed for a Registered Nurse in Memphis?
How does Registered Nurse salary in Memphis compare to the national average?
What job titles are similar to Registered Nurse in Memphis?
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Frequently Asked Questions
What is the average Registered Nurse salary in Memphis, TN?
The median Registered Nurse salary in Memphis, TN is $81,500 per year: the BLS OEWS May 2025 median annual wage for Registered Nurses (SOC 29-1141) in the Memphis, TN-MS-AR metropolitan area. BLS publishes wages by metro area, not by city. The entry-level estimate of around $53,700 and the senior estimate of $105,400 or more are Salario tiers calibrated to that BLS median, not BLS percentiles.
How much does a Registered Nurse take home in Memphis after taxes?
A Registered Nurse earning the median salary of $81,500 in Memphis, TN takes home approximately $66,165 per year ($5,514/month) after federal, state, and local taxes. The effective tax rate is 18.8%.
Is Memphis a good city for Registered Nurses?
Memphis, TN has a cost of living index of 86 (below national average). Registered Nurses here earn above the city median. The local unemployment rate is 4.2% and top industries include Logistics, Healthcare, Manufacturing.
What skills are needed for a Registered Nurse in Memphis?
Key skills for Registered Nurses include Patient Care, IV Therapy, EHR Systems, Critical Thinking, BLS/ACLS. Typical education requirement is Bachelor's Degree (BSN). Valuable certifications include NCLEX-RN, BLS Certification, ACLS.
How does Registered Nurse salary in Memphis compare to the national average?
The national median for Registered Nurses is $97,550 (BLS OEWS May 2025). In the Memphis, TN-MS-AR metro, the BLS median is $81,500, which is 16.5% lower than the national figure. For comparison, Salario's cost-of-living model (index 86) would have estimated $83,893.
What job titles are similar to Registered Nurse in Memphis?
Related search terms for Registered Nurse in Memphis, TN include RN, Staff Nurse, Clinical Nurse. Use them as comparison terms, not always exact matches: licensing, employer type, seniority, public-sector rules, and whether the role is W-2, contractor, clinical, technical, management, or sales-focused can change the salary range.