The average salary for a Registered Nurse in Durham is 78,809 $ per year on a 40-hour full-time equivalent, or 6,567 $ gross per month and 37.89 $ gross per hour. The reported full-time salary range is 46,000 $ to 108,889 $. The analysis is based on 30 salary reports from workers and employers in Durham. Part-time salaries are proportionally converted to 40 weekly hours so the values are comparable.
| Date | Job title | Weekly hours | Reported gross/year | Normalized to 40h/year | Gross/month 40h | Gross/hour 40h | Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 06/28/2026 | Registered Nurse (Medical-Surgical) | 38.0 h | 88,000 $ | 92,632 $ | 7,719 $ | 44.53 $ | I'm an experienced bedside RN who recently took a market-adjusted raise. I work 38 hours/week and this is my reported annual pay. |
| 12/01/2025 | Nurse Manager | 44.0 h | 118,000 $ | 107,273 $ | 8,939 $ | 51.57 $ | I manage a unit and have direct reports and budget responsibilities. I work about 44 hours/week in this leadership role and this is my annual gross salary. |
| 04/09/2025 | Registered Nurse (OR Nurse, Senior) | 40.0 h | 103,000 $ | 103,000 $ | 8,583 $ | 49.52 $ | I'm a senior OR nurse with specialty certifications and about 12 years' experience. I work 40 hours/week and this is my annual gross salary. |
| 09/23/2024 | Registered Nurse (Telemetry) | 40.0 h | 90,000 $ | 90,000 $ | 7,500 $ | 43.27 $ | I'm a senior telemetry RN with specialty training. I work full-time at 40 hours/week and this is my annual gross salary. |
| 01/18/2024 | Registered Nurse (Outpatient Specialty) | 40.0 h | 85,000 $ | 85,000 $ | 7,083 $ | 40.87 $ | I work in an outpatient specialty clinic with advanced competencies. I'm full-time 40 hours/week and this is my annual gross pay. |
| 11/30/2023 | Registered Nurse (Pediatric ICU, Senior) | 38.0 h | 96,000 $ | 101,053 $ | 8,421 $ | 48.58 $ | I'm a senior PICU nurse with specialized certifications. I work about 38 hours/week and this is my annual gross salary. |
| 06/05/2023 | Assistant Director / Senior RN | 42.0 h | 110,000 $ | 104,762 $ | 8,730 $ | 50.37 $ | I hold a senior leadership role overseeing several units. I'm scheduled around 42 hours/week and this is my reported annual gross salary. |
| 11/29/2022 | Per Diem Registered Nurse | 20.0 h | 48,000 $ | 96,000 $ | 8,000 $ | 46.15 $ | I work per diem for multiple units and average about 20 hours/week. I'm paid at higher hourly rates but only work part-time; this is my annual gross income. |
| 08/11/2022 | Registered Nurse (Nurse Educator) | 40.0 h | 87,000 $ | 87,000 $ | 7,250 $ | 41.83 $ | I work as a nurse educator in a large health system. I'm full-time 40 hours/week and this is my yearly gross salary reflecting several years of experience. |
| 02/14/2022 | Travel Registered Nurse | 40.0 h | 95,000 $ | 95,000 $ | 7,917 $ | 45.67 $ | I took a year of travel assignments and averaged 40 hours/week on contract; this is my annual gross pay for that period. |
| 10/22/2021 | Charge Nurse / Shift Lead | 42.0 h | 88,000 $ | 83,810 $ | 6,984 $ | 40.29 $ | I was promoted to charge nurse and work as a shift lead with supervisory responsibilities. I'm scheduled about 42 hours/week and this is my annual gross salary. |
| 06/16/2021 | Registered Nurse (ED) | 36.0 h | 74,000 $ | 82,222 $ | 6,852 $ | 39.53 $ | I work in the emergency department with irregular shifts. I'm scheduled around 36 hours/week and this is my gross annual pay. |
| 03/04/2021 | Registered Nurse (Evening/Part-time) | 30.0 h | 53,000 $ | 70,667 $ | 5,889 $ | 33.97 $ | I'm a mid-level RN working evenings part-time (30 hours/week) at an outpatient facility; this is my annual pay including shift differential. |
| 11/02/2020 | Charge Nurse / Day Lead | 45.0 h | 87,000 $ | 77,333 $ | 6,444 $ | 37.18 $ | I serve as a day charge nurse with significant administrative responsibilities. I routinely work about 45 hours/week and this is my annual pay. |
| 09/18/2020 | Travel Registered Nurse (Per-diem/Contract) | 36.0 h | 98,000 $ | 108,889 $ | 9,074 $ | 52.35 $ | I worked as a travel/contract RN through an agency in 2020 and billed as a contractor. I averaged 36 hours/week and this is the annual gross I reported. |
| 06/30/2020 | Registered Nurse (ICU) | 36.0 h | 73,000 $ | 81,111 $ | 6,759 $ | 39.00 $ | During 2020 I worked as an ICU RN through the pandemic. I'm full-time at 36 hours/week due to scheduling and this is my annual gross salary. |
| 12/10/2019 | Registered Nurse (Senior) | 40.0 h | 78,000 $ | 78,000 $ | 6,500 $ | 37.50 $ | I've been an RN for over ten years and have a senior bedside role in a specialty unit. I'm full-time 40 hours and this is my reported annual pay. |
| 10/05/2019 | Registered Nurse (Float Pool) | 35.0 h | 64,000 $ | 73,143 $ | 6,095 $ | 35.16 $ | I work in the float pool covering different units with a 35-hour schedule. This is my reported annual gross income. |
| 07/07/2019 | Registered Nurse (Outpatient, Part-time) | 32.0 h | 50,400 $ | 63,000 $ | 5,250 $ | 30.29 $ | I work part-time at an outpatient clinic, averaging 32 hours per week. This is my annual gross salary in that role. |
| 03/15/2019 | Registered Nurse (Pediatrics) | 40.0 h | 68,000 $ | 68,000 $ | 5,667 $ | 32.69 $ | I work in pediatrics with several certifications and four years in the role. I'm full-time at 40 hours/week and this is my yearly gross pay. |
| 10/30/2018 | Registered Nurse (Night Shift) | 36.0 h | 65,000 $ | 72,222 $ | 6,019 $ | 34.72 $ | I primarily work night shift in a surgical unit. I'm scheduled for 36 hours/week and receive night differential; this number is my annual gross salary. |
| 07/22/2018 | Registered Nurse (Long-term Care) | 40.0 h | 56,000 $ | 56,000 $ | 4,667 $ | 26.92 $ | I work in long-term care with stable 40-hour weeks. Pay in this setting is lower than acute care; this is my annual gross salary. |
| 05/21/2018 | Registered Nurse (Night Shift) | 40.0 h | 66,000 $ | 66,000 $ | 5,500 $ | 31.73 $ | I work nights in a busy unit and have three years of experience. I'm 40 hours/week and receive night differential; this is my gross annual salary. |
| 01/29/2018 | Registered Nurse (Community Health) | 35.0 h | 58,000 $ | 66,286 $ | 5,524 $ | 31.87 $ | I'm a community health RN working a 35-hour week with outreach responsibilities. This is my annual gross salary. |
| 11/03/2017 | Registered Nurse | 38.0 h | 62,000 $ | 65,263 $ | 5,439 $ | 31.38 $ | I've been at this hospital for four years in a general med/surg role. I'm full-time at 38 hours per week, no direct reports, and this is what I earn annually. |
| 09/12/2017 | Registered Nurse (Small Clinic, Part-time) | 30.0 h | 34,500 $ | 46,000 $ | 3,833 $ | 22.12 $ | I work part-time (30 hours/week) at a small clinic and handle multiple roles. This is my yearly gross salary. |
| 08/01/2017 | Registered Nurse | 37.5 h | 61,500 $ | 65,600 $ | 5,467 $ | 31.54 $ | I'm a mid-level RN with five years' experience working 37.5 hours/week on a general medicine unit. This is my annual gross salary. |
| 12/20/2016 | Per Diem Registered Nurse | 16.0 h | 22,800 $ | 57,000 $ | 4,750 $ | 27.40 $ | I work PRN/float with about 16 hours per week. Hours fluctuate but this is what I made in the reported year as gross pay. |
| 09/30/2016 | Registered Nurse (Charge, Med/Surg) | 40.0 h | 65,000 $ | 65,000 $ | 5,417 $ | 31.25 $ | I worked as a charge nurse on a med/surg floor early in my career. I was full-time at 40 hours/week and this was my annual pay at the time. |
| 08/12/2016 | Registered Nurse (Entry-level, Med/Surg) | 24.0 h | 34,200 $ | 57,000 $ | 4,750 $ | 27.40 $ | I'm an entry-level RN with about 1 year here working part-time on a medical-surgical floor. I work 24 hours per week and this is my annual gross pay. |
Durham, North Carolina sits at the center of the Research Triangle, with a healthcare system anchored by academic medicine, federal facilities, and a growing network of outpatient clinics. For Registered Nurses, the area offers a wide range of roles across high-acuity hospital units, ambulatory care, community health, behavioral health, and research. Employers often note steady hiring needs driven by regional population growth, an aging demographic, and continued expansion of specialty services.
The local market is influenced by Durham’s role as a referral hub. Duke University Hospital provides advanced and quaternary care, while nearby systems and community providers extend access to primary care, home-based services, and long-term care. This mix typically creates opportunities for both experienced nurses and new graduates, with many organizations offering residency or transition-to-practice programs.
Healthcare is a leading sector in the Durham–Chapel Hill metropolitan area, and RNs generally find consistent demand across inpatient and outpatient settings. Academic and teaching hospitals in the region frequently hire for specialty areas such as critical care, oncology, cardiology, perioperative services, and pediatrics. Employers also report ongoing needs in behavioral health, home health, and case management as care continues shifting beyond hospital walls.
Durham’s market often reflects national patterns: stable long-term demand, periodic fluctuations in travel and per diem usage, and a gradual rise in outpatient and community-based roles. Many hospital units operate 12-hour shifts, while clinics and procedural areas typically run daytime schedules, which can appeal to nurses seeking more predictable hours. North Carolina participates in the Nurse Licensure Compact (NLC), allowing multistate-licensed RNs to move into the area more easily, which can help employers fill openings but also raises competition for desirable roles.
Employers commonly prefer or require a BSN for hospital roles, especially in teaching environments. Specialty certifications (such as CCRN, CNOR, OCN, PCCN, or CEN) can strengthen candidacy. Local schools and residencies help maintain a pipeline of new nurses, while experienced RNs may find advancement tracks in leadership, education, informatics, quality, and clinical research.
Durham’s RN hiring is concentrated among these organizations and facilities:
RNs in Durham can grow their careers in several directions:
Overall, Durham’s blend of academic medicine, federal service, community care, and research creates a resilient market for Registered Nurses. Candidates who are flexible with shifts and specialties, pursue relevant certifications, and consider both hospital and outpatient settings generally find strong opportunities across the metro area.
The average salary for a Registered Nurse in Durham is 78,809 $ per year on a 40-hour basis, or 6,567 $ gross per month.
Part-time and full-time reports are normalized to a 40-hour workweek so salary reports can be compared fairly.
You can find more comparisons on the profession overview for Registered Nurse and the city overview for Durham. They show reported cities or jobs with their difference from the average.
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