Registered Nurse Salary in Salt Lake City, UT
Registered Nurses in the Salt Lake City-Murray, UT metro area earn a median $85,890 a year — 12% less than the national median. After 2026 taxes, that is $66,355 take-home, or $5,530 a month.
Take-home pay calculator
Pre-filled with the median registered nurse salary in Salt Lake City, UT. Enter your own offer to see your paycheck.
- Federal income tax$10,066
- Social Security (6.2%)$5,325
- Medicare (1.45%)$1,245
- Utah income tax$2,899
- Take-home pay$66,355
Marginal rate: 22% federal + 4.50% state
Got an offer somewhere else? Compare it with this one after taxes and rent →
Registered Nurse pay by experience in Salt Lake City, UT
| Percentile | Salary | Hourly | Take-home / yr | Per month |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile (entry level) | $71,700 | $34.47 | $57,010 | $4,751 |
| 25th percentile | $80,900 | $38.89 | $63,069 | $5,256 |
| Median (50th) | $85,890 | $41.29 | $66,355 | $5,530 |
| 75th percentile | $105,550 | $50.75 | $79,301 | $6,608 |
| 90th percentile (top earners) | $115,460 | $55.51 | $85,826 | $7,152 |
Wages: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025. Take-home: single filer, Utah resident, 2026 tax rules.
What $85,890 buys in Salt Lake City, UT
Prices in Salt Lake City, UT are 0.9% higher than the U.S. average (housing costs are 1.23× the national average). Adjusted for local prices, a median registered nurse's $66,355 take-home pay has the buying power of $65,784 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 less concentrated in Salt Lake City, UT than nationally (location quotient 0.78), so openings may be scarcer.
Best-paying cities for registered nurses, adjusted for cost of living
Salt Lake City, UT ranks #195 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 |
| 195 | Salt Lake City, UT | $85,890 | $66,355 | $65,784 |
*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 Utah
Frequently asked questions
How much does a registered nurse make in Salt Lake City, UT?
The median registered nurse salary in the Salt Lake City-Murray, UT metro area is $85,890 a year, or about $41.29 an hour, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (May 2025). The middle half earn between $80,900 and $105,550.
What is a registered nurse’s take-home pay in Salt Lake City, UT?
On the median $85,890 salary, a single filer living in Utah takes home about $66,355 a year ($5,530 a month) after federal tax, Social Security, Medicare and $2,899 in Utah taxes in 2026.
Is Salt Lake City, UT a good place to work as a registered nurse?
Pay here is 12% below the national median of $97,550. Local prices are 0.9% above the U.S. average, so the take-home pay buys what $65,784 would in a typical U.S. city. Salt Lake City, UT ranks #195 of 206 metro areas for cost-of-living-adjusted pay in this job.
Can a registered nurse afford rent in Salt Lake City, UT?
HUD’s fair market rent for a one-bedroom in Salt Lake City, UT is $1,426 a month ($1,717 for two bedrooms) — 26% of a median registered nurse’s monthly take-home pay. Financial planners usually suggest keeping rent under about 30%.
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