Registered Nurse Salary in Pittsburgh, PA
Registered Nurses in the Pittsburgh, PA metro area earn a median $82,370 a year — 16% less than the national median. After 2026 taxes, that is $64,249 take-home, or $5,354 a month.
Take-home pay calculator
Pre-filled with the median registered nurse salary in Pittsburgh, PA. Enter your own offer to see your paycheck.
- Federal income tax$9,291
- Social Security (6.2%)$5,107
- Medicare (1.45%)$1,194
- Pennsylvania income tax$2,529
- Take-home pay$64,249
Marginal rate: 22% federal + 3.07% state
Living in Pittsburgh? City residents also pay Pittsburgh’s 1% city + 2% school district — about $2,471 a year on this salary — which lowers take-home pay to $61,777 ($5,148 a month). Choose “Pittsburgh” under City income tax in the calculator. Suburban residents usually don’t pay it.
Got an offer somewhere else? Compare it with this one after taxes and rent →
Registered Nurse pay by experience in Pittsburgh, PA
| Percentile | Salary | Hourly | Take-home / yr | Per month |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile (entry level) | $67,910 | $32.65 | $54,520 | $4,543 |
| 25th percentile | $78,700 | $37.84 | $61,779 | $5,148 |
| Median (50th) | $82,370 | $39.60 | $64,249 | $5,354 |
| 75th percentile | $101,010 | $48.56 | $76,790 | $6,399 |
| 90th percentile (top earners) | $111,790 | $53.75 | $84,042 | $7,004 |
Wages: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025. Take-home: single filer, Pennsylvania resident, 2026 tax rules.
What $82,370 buys in Pittsburgh, PA
Prices in Pittsburgh, PA are 5.3% lower than the U.S. average (housing costs are 28% below the national average). Adjusted for local prices, a median registered nurse's $64,249 take-home pay has the buying power of $67,865 in a typical American city.
Rents: HUD Fair Market Rents, FY2026 (40th-percentile gross rent incl. utilities). Price levels: BEA Regional Price Parities, 2024.
Pittsburgh, PA has 1.2× the national concentration of registered nurse jobs — a strong local market for this occupation.
Best-paying cities for registered nurses, adjusted for cost of living
Pittsburgh, PA ranks #172 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 |
| 172 | Pittsburgh, PA | $82,370 | $64,249 | $67,865 |
*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 Pennsylvania
- Reading, PA — $98,470
- Allentown, PA — $101,440
- York, PA — $96,210
- Philadelphia, PA — $101,180
- Harrisburg, PA — $96,770
- Lancaster, PA — $89,620
- Erie, PA — $80,000
- Scranton, PA — $82,650
Frequently asked questions
How much does a registered nurse make in Pittsburgh, PA?
The median registered nurse salary in the Pittsburgh, PA metro area is $82,370 a year, or about $39.60 an hour, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (May 2025). The middle half earn between $78,700 and $101,010.
What is a registered nurse’s take-home pay in Pittsburgh, PA?
On the median $82,370 salary, a single filer living in Pennsylvania takes home about $64,249 a year ($5,354 a month) after federal tax, Social Security, Medicare and $2,529 in Pennsylvania taxes in 2026.
Is Pittsburgh, PA a good place to work as a registered nurse?
Pay here is 16% below the national median of $97,550. Local prices are 5.3% below the U.S. average, so the take-home pay buys what $67,865 would in a typical U.S. city. Pittsburgh, PA ranks #172 of 206 metro areas for cost-of-living-adjusted pay in this job.
Can a registered nurse afford rent in Pittsburgh, PA?
HUD’s fair market rent for a one-bedroom in Pittsburgh, PA is $1,058 a month ($1,281 for two bedrooms) — 20% of a median registered nurse’s monthly take-home pay. Financial planners usually suggest keeping rent under about 30%.
Related jobs in Pittsburgh, PA
- Physicians, All Other — $187,680
- Pharmacist — $134,180
- Physician Assistant — $125,230
- Licensed Practical and Licensed Vocational Nurse — $63,060
- Clinical Laboratory Technologist and Technician — $47,610
- Health Technologists and Technicians, All Other — $45,210
- Pharmacy Technician — $41,780