Registered Nurse Salary in Cincinnati, OH
Registered Nurses in the Cincinnati, OH-KY-IN metro area earn a median $83,650 a year — 14% less than the national median. After 2026 taxes, that is $66,160 take-home, or $5,513 a month.
Take-home pay calculator
Pre-filled with the median registered nurse salary in Cincinnati, OH. Enter your own offer to see your paycheck.
- Federal income tax$9,573
- Social Security (6.2%)$5,186
- Medicare (1.45%)$1,213
- Ohio income tax$1,518
- Take-home pay$66,160
Marginal rate: 22% federal + 2.75% state
Living in Cincinnati? City residents also pay Cincinnati’s city income tax — about $1,506 a year on this salary — which lowers take-home pay to $64,654 ($5,388 a month). Choose “Cincinnati” under City income tax in the calculator. Suburban residents usually don’t pay it.
The Cincinnati, OH-KY-IN metro spans Ohio, Kentucky, Indiana. Pick the state you live in — state income tax follows your residence.
Got an offer somewhere else? Compare it with this one after taxes and rent →
Registered Nurse pay by experience in Cincinnati, OH
| Percentile | Salary | Hourly | Take-home / yr | Per month |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile (entry level) | $67,820 | $32.61 | $55,459 | $4,622 |
| 25th percentile | $80,530 | $38.72 | $64,051 | $5,338 |
| Median (50th) | $83,650 | $40.22 | $66,160 | $5,513 |
| 75th percentile | $102,620 | $49.34 | $78,983 | $6,582 |
| 90th percentile (top earners) | $107,190 | $51.53 | $82,073 | $6,839 |
Wages: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025. Take-home: single filer, Ohio resident, 2026 tax rules.
What $83,650 buys in Cincinnati, OH
Prices in Cincinnati, OH are 4.6% lower than the U.S. average (housing costs are 12% below the national average). Adjusted for local prices, a median registered nurse's $66,160 take-home pay has the buying power of $69,372 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 Cincinnati, OH as in the U.S. overall (location quotient 1.19).
Best-paying cities for registered nurses, adjusted for cost of living
Cincinnati, OH ranks #143 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 |
| 143 | Cincinnati, OH | $83,650 | $66,160 | $69,372 |
*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 Ohio
- Youngstown, OH — $78,680
- Canton, OH — $79,610
- Cleveland, OH — $83,940
- Dayton, OH — $82,510
- Toledo, OH — $81,050
- Columbus, OH — $83,900
- Akron, OH — $80,770
Frequently asked questions
How much does a registered nurse make in Cincinnati, OH?
The median registered nurse salary in the Cincinnati, OH-KY-IN metro area is $83,650 a year, or about $40.22 an hour, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (May 2025). The middle half earn between $80,530 and $102,620.
What is a registered nurse’s take-home pay in Cincinnati, OH?
On the median $83,650 salary, a single filer living in Ohio takes home about $66,160 a year ($5,513 a month) after federal tax, Social Security, Medicare and $1,518 in Ohio taxes in 2026.
Is Cincinnati, OH a good place to work as a registered nurse?
Pay here is 14% below the national median of $97,550. Local prices are 4.6% below the U.S. average, so the take-home pay buys what $69,372 would in a typical U.S. city. Cincinnati, OH ranks #143 of 206 metro areas for cost-of-living-adjusted pay in this job.
Can a registered nurse afford rent in Cincinnati, OH?
HUD’s fair market rent for a one-bedroom in Cincinnati, OH is $1,043 a month ($1,342 for two bedrooms) — 19% of a median registered nurse’s monthly take-home pay. Financial planners usually suggest keeping rent under about 30%.
Related jobs in Cincinnati, OH
- Physicians, All Other — $239,200+
- Pharmacist — $140,200
- Nurse Practitioner — $128,700
- Clinical Laboratory Technologist and Technician — $65,370
- Licensed Practical and Licensed Vocational Nurse — $64,180
- Pharmacy Technician — $40,490