Registered Nurse Salary in Atlanta, GA
Registered Nurses in the Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA metro area earn a median $100,490 a year — 3% more than the national median. After 2026 taxes, that is $74,932 take-home, or $6,244 a month.
Take-home pay calculator
Pre-filled with the median registered nurse salary in Atlanta, GA. Enter your own offer to see your paycheck.
- Federal income tax$13,278
- Social Security (6.2%)$6,230
- Medicare (1.45%)$1,457
- Georgia income tax$4,593
- Take-home pay$74,932
Marginal rate: 22% federal + 5.19% state
Got an offer somewhere else? Compare it with this one after taxes and rent →
Registered Nurse pay by experience in Atlanta, GA
| Percentile | Salary | Hourly | Take-home / yr | Per month |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile (entry level) | $77,510 | $37.26 | $59,958 | $4,997 |
| 25th percentile | $82,500 | $39.66 | $63,210 | $5,267 |
| Median (50th) | $100,490 | $48.31 | $74,932 | $6,244 |
| 75th percentile | $108,680 | $52.25 | $80,269 | $6,689 |
| 90th percentile (top earners) | $132,230 | $63.57 | $95,405 | $7,950 |
Wages: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025. Take-home: single filer, Georgia resident, 2026 tax rules.
What $100,490 buys in Atlanta, GA
Prices in Atlanta, GA are 0.1% higher than the U.S. average (housing costs are 1.11× the national average). Adjusted for local prices, a median registered nurse's $74,932 take-home pay has the buying power of $74,889 in a typical American city.
Rents: HUD Fair Market Rents, FY2026 (40th-percentile gross rent incl. utilities). Price levels: BEA Regional Price Parities, 2024.
Registered Nurse jobs are about as common in Atlanta, GA as in the U.S. overall (location quotient 0.90).
Best-paying cities for registered nurses, adjusted for cost of living
Atlanta, GA ranks #67 of 206 metro areas once taxes and local prices are taken into account.
| # | Metro area | Median salary | Take-home | Real value* |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | San Jose, CA | $216,740 | $142,511 | $129,059 |
| 2 | Vallejo, CA | $203,290 | $134,031 | $123,555 |
| 3 | Santa Rosa, CA | $174,550 | $116,298 | $107,899 |
| 4 | Sacramento, CA | $171,460 | $114,514 | $107,353 |
| 5 | San Francisco, CA | $186,610 | $123,394 | $106,730 |
| 6 | Bend, OR | $135,010 | $92,480 | $89,260 |
| 7 | Bakersfield, CA | $128,810 | $89,883 | $89,094 |
| 8 | Seattle, WA | $128,260 | $98,932 | $89,021 |
| 67 | Atlanta, GA | $100,490 | $74,932 | $74,889 |
*Take-home pay divided by the BEA price level, so every city is measured in U.S.-average dollars. See all 206 metros →
About the job: registered nurses
Assess patient health problems and needs, develop and implement nursing care plans, and maintain medical records. Administer nursing care to ill, injured, convalescent, or disabled patients. May advise patients on health maintenance and disease prevention or provide case management. Licensing or registration required.
- Typical education
- Bachelor's degree
- Work experience
- None required
- On-the-job training
- None
- Job outlook, 2025–35
- +5.6% (faster than average)
Source: BLS Standard Occupational Classification and Employment Projections, 2025–35.
Registered Nurse salaries elsewhere in Georgia
- Macon, GA — $85,070
- Augusta, GA — $87,760
- Columbus, GA — $82,500
- Savannah, GA — $86,760
- Athens, GA — $82,200
Frequently asked questions
How much does a registered nurse make in Atlanta, GA?
The median registered nurse salary in the Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA metro area is $100,490 a year, or about $48.31 an hour, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (May 2025). The middle half earn between $82,500 and $108,680.
What is a registered nurse’s take-home pay in Atlanta, GA?
On the median $100,490 salary, a single filer living in Georgia takes home about $74,932 a year ($6,244 a month) after federal tax, Social Security, Medicare and $4,593 in Georgia taxes in 2026.
Is Atlanta, GA a good place to work as a registered nurse?
Pay here is 3% above the national median of $97,550. Local prices are 0.1% above the U.S. average, so the take-home pay buys what $74,889 would in a typical U.S. city. Atlanta, GA ranks #67 of 206 metro areas for cost-of-living-adjusted pay in this job.
Can a registered nurse afford rent in Atlanta, GA?
HUD’s fair market rent for a one-bedroom in Atlanta, GA is $1,646 a month ($1,806 for two bedrooms) — 26% of a median registered nurse’s monthly take-home pay. Financial planners usually suggest keeping rent under about 30%.
Related jobs in Atlanta, GA
- Physicians, All Other — $239,200+
- Pharmacist — $139,870
- Healthcare Diagnosing or Treating Practitioners, All Other — $133,060
- Nurse Practitioner — $132,500
- Physician Assistant — $111,810
- Physical Therapist — $103,440
- Speech-Language Pathologist — $102,860
- Dental Hygienist — $100,370
- Respiratory Therapist — $95,520
- Radiologic Technologist and Technician — $80,710
- Surgical Technologist — $67,570
- Clinical Laboratory Technologist and Technician — $65,530