PermanentPosted today
Registered Nurse (RN) Med-Surg
WakeMed Health and Hospitals · Cary, NC
Pay range with your report
New this week
Registered Nurse jobs in Cary, NC
Pay for registered nurses in the Cary area centers on $40.80 per hour, or about $84,870 a year. The lower quarter earns under $37.27 and the upper quarter over $51.13. That ranks 142nd of 379 U.S. metro areas for registered nurse pay, and 231st of 335 once local prices are factored in. The CMS hospital directory lists 1 hospital in Cary. The free report below lists employers near Cary and what they pay.
- $40.80median pay per hour, Raleigh
- $37–$51typical range per hour
- 12,820registered nurses employed in the metro area
- 98cost of living index (U.S. = 100)
More open Registered Nurse roles in Cary
19 more open roles from employers in Cary. Each employer’s range arrives with your free pay report.
PermanentPosted today
Patient Navigator, RN
WakeMed Health and Hospitals · Cary, NC
Pay range with your report
New this week
PermanentPosted yesterday
Registered Nurse - PreOp/PACU - Duke Health Cary
Duke Health · Cary, NC
Pay range with your report
New this week
PermanentPosted yesterday
Registered Nurse First Assistant - Duke Health Cary
Duke Health · Cary, NC
Pay range with your report
New this week
PermanentPosted yesterday
Registered Nurse - Operating Room - Duke Health Cary
Duke Health · Cary, NC
Pay range with your report
New this week
PermanentPosted yesterday
Registered Nurse (RN) PACU
WakeMed Health and Hospitals · Cary, NC
Pay range with your report
New this week
PermanentPosted yesterday
Registered Nurse (RN) Cath Lab Cary
WakeMed Health and Hospitals · Cary, NC
Pay range with your report
New this week
PermanentPosted yesterday
Registered Nurse (RN), Neonatal ICU
WakeMed Health and Hospitals · Cary, NC
Pay range with your report
New this week
PermanentPosted 2 days ago
Registered Nurse (RN) Heart & Vascular
WakeMed Health and Hospitals · Cary, NC
Pay range with your report
New this week
PermanentPosted 7 days ago
Registered Nurse II-Duke Primary Care Peds Cary
Duke Health · Cary, NC
Pay range with your report
New this week
PermanentPosted 7 days ago
Registered Nurse (RN) Emergency Department
WakeMed Health and Hospitals · Cary, NC
Pay range with your report
New this week
PermanentPosted 9 days ago
Registered Nurse (RN) ICU
WakeMed Health and Hospitals · Cary, NC
Pay range with your report
Registered Nurse pay in Cary, NC
The metro median is 4% above the North Carolina statewide median of $39.36 per hour. Nationally the median is $45.00 per hour. BLS counts about 12,820 registered nurses employed in the Raleigh-Cary metro area, 17.7 per 1,000 jobs. Employment is less concentrated here than in the country as a whole (location quotient 0.83).
| Level | Per hour | Per year | Compared with U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lowest 10% | $32.43 | $67,450 | 28% below U.S. median |
| Lower quartile | $37.27 | $77,520 | 17% below U.S. median |
| Median | $40.80 | $84,870 | 9% below U.S. median |
| Upper quartile | $51.13 | $106,350 | 14% above U.S. median |
| Top 10% | $51.83 | $107,810 | 15% above U.S. median |
How Cary ranks
- 142nd of 379 U.S. metro areas by median hourly pay
- 231st of 335 after adjusting for local prices
- 2nd of 12 North Carolina metro areas
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2024, Registered Nurses (SOC 29-1141), all industries. This is what employers report paying, not an offer for a specific role.
Get the Cary Registered Nurse pay report
Named employers near Cary, what they pay and the roles open now. Free for candidates, email only.
Get my free pay reportWhat your pay buys in Cary
- Overall prices in Raleigh-Cary run 2% below the U.S. average (index 98.2, U.S. = 100).
- Housing is the biggest driver: 3% above the U.S. average (index 103.5).
- Adjusted for local prices, a $40.80 median hour buys what $41.57 buys at the national price level, 8% below the national median.
Source: U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis, Regional Price Parities by metropolitan area, 2024. Prices are for the metro area, not for a single neighborhood.
Estimate your Cary paycheck
Estimated weekly gross$1,469
- Per year: $73,440
- Per month: $6,120
Gross pay before taxes and benefits, from BLS pay levels for the Raleigh-Cary metro area. For take-home pay use the take-home pay calculator.
Travel assignment per diem in Cary
| Item | Federal rate |
|---|---|
| Lodging per night | $131 |
| Meals and incidentals per day | $74 |
| Per week (7 nights, 7 days) | $1,435 |
| 13-week assignment | $18,655 |
Travel registered nurse assignments commonly pay housing and meals stipends. The GSA per diem is the federal benchmark for what those stipends can be tax-free. Whether a stipend is tax-free for you depends on keeping a valid tax home, so confirm with your recruiter and a tax professional. Compare with your offer in the travel pay calculator.
Source: U.S. General Services Administration per diem rates, fiscal year 2026 (average across months).
Open Registered Nurse roles in North Carolina
Nearest open roles with published pay. Your free report adds roles in Cary as they open.
PermanentPosted today
Registered Nurse - Veterans Affairs Surgery Quality Improvement Program Quality Consultant (VASQIP)
Veterans Health Administration · Fayetteville, NC
$86k–$144k/ year
Top 25% payNew this week
PermanentPosted today
Clinical Nurse Specialist - Cardiac
ECU Health · Greenville, NC
$92k–$134k/ year
Top 25% payNew this week
For youUpdated weekly
1,100+ more Registered Nurse roles for you in North Carolina
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PermanentPosted today
Registered Nurse (RN) Emergency Department (ED)
Sentara Healthcare · Elizabeth City, NC
$41.93–$61.01/ hour
Top 25% payNew this week
PermanentPosted today
Registered Nurse (RN) - Radiology Vascular Access
ECU Health · Greenville, NC
$41.00–$56.38/ hour
Top 25% payNew this week
Per diemPosted today
NURSE
Department of War Education Activity · Fort Bragg, NC
$38.86–$57.05/ hour
Top 25% payNew this week
PermanentPosted today
Registered Nurse (RN) - Joint Replacement
Advocate Health · North Carolina
$38.20–$57.30/ hour
Top 25% payNew this week
Hospitals in Cary
CMS lists 1 hospital in Cary, 1 of the 1 rated ones with 4 or 5 stars. Hospitals are a major employer of registered nurses.
| Hospital | Type | Ownership | CMS rating | Emergency |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wakemed, Cary Hospital Cary, NC | Acute care | Nonprofit | 5 of 5 | Yes |
Source: CMS Hospital General Information, public data. A directory of hospitals, not a list of our clients.
Primary care shortage areas in Wake County
HRSA lists 6 active primary care shortage designations that include Wake County (2 population-group, 4 facility). The highest-scoring one rates 20 on a 0 to 25 scale, where a higher score means a greater shortage.
Shortage areas are where demand for nurses, nurse practitioners, physician assistants and other clinicians is greatest. Federal loan repayment programs such as the NHSC and Nurse Corps cover some clinicians who work at eligible shortage-area sites. Eligibility is set by each program and by the site, so ask your recruiter before you plan around it.
Source: HRSA Health Professional Shortage Areas data warehouse, designated areas only. A designation can cover part of a county.
Registered Nurse pay in nearby cities
| City | Distance | Median pay | Population |
|---|---|---|---|
| Apex, NC | 5 mi | $40.80/hr | 75,977 |
| Raleigh, NC | 11 mi | $40.80/hr | 499,825 |
| Durham, NC | 14 mi | $39.36/hr | 301,870 |
| Chapel Hill, NC | 16 mi | $39.36/hr | 64,028 |
| Burlington, NC | 41 mi | $41.88/hr | 61,365 |
| Fayetteville, NC | 49 mi | $39.07/hr | 209,496 |
Registered Nurse jobs in North Carolina · Registered Nurse jobs nationwide
License and tax basics in North Carolina
North Carolina is in the Nurse Licensure Compact, so an RN or LPN/LVN with a multistate license from another compact state can work here without a new license. Nurses whose home state is not in the compact apply for a North Carolina license by endorsement.
North Carolina taxes wage income. Use your own rates in the take-home pay calculator.
Other healthcare roles in Cary
Cary city guide: hospitals, employers and licensing
Common questions
How much do registered nurses make in Cary, NC?
Registered Nurses in the Raleigh-Cary metro area have a median pay of $40.80 per hour, about $84,870 a year. The middle half earn between $37.27 and $51.13 per hour (BLS, May 2024).
Is Cary a good place for registered nurses once cost of living is counted?
Raleigh-Cary ranks 231st of 335 metro areas for registered nurse pay after adjusting for local prices, and 142nd of 379 before adjusting. Overall prices run 2% below the U.S. average.
Where do registered nurses work in Cary?
CMS lists 1 hospital in Cary, led by Wakemed, Cary Hospital. Ask for the free report to see current openings and pay.
Do I need a North Carolina license to work in Cary as a registered nurse?
North Carolina is in the Nurse Licensure Compact, so an RN or LPN/LVN with a multistate license from another compact state can work here without a new license. Nurses whose home state is not in the compact apply for a North Carolina license by endorsement. Confirm with the board before you accept a role.
Is Cary in a shortage area?
HRSA lists 6 active primary care shortage designations that include Wake County. Shortage areas often have more openings, and some loan repayment programs cover clinicians who work at eligible sites.
What is the per diem for a travel assignment in Cary?
The federal per diem benchmark in Cary is $131 a night for lodging and $74 a day for meals and incidentals, about $1,435 a week (GSA, fiscal year 2026). Your actual stipend depends on the assignment and your tax home.
Does Valorem Health place registered nurses in Cary?
Yes. We place healthcare staff in Cary and across North Carolina. Tell us your profession and we email the roles open near Cary.
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What do employers near Cary pay registered nurses? Get the report.
Tell us your role and city. Within 24 hours you get an email with three things, by employer name. It costs you nothing, because employers pay us.
- 1Pay for your role at other hospitals
The hourly pay at named employers near you, so you see who pays most.
- 2What they are offering now
The pay range and median across current postings, and how many were posted this month.
- 3Roles open for you right now
Every current opening near you with pay, shift and start date. Reply with one click.
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Valorem Health Shift ReportFrom your recruiting team · [email protected]
Your RN pay reportCary, NC · pay published by hospitals, collected October 15, 2026
1Pay for your role at other hospitals
- Veterans Health AdministrationFayetteville, NC · 2 postings$56.27/ hr$40–$75
- Sentara HealthcareElizabeth City, NC · 12 postings$51.47/ hr$36–$61
- Advocate HealthCharlotte, NC · 194 postings$47.75/ hr$36–$77
- BrightSpring Health ServicesWINSTON-SALEM, NC · 4 postings$43.75/ hr$39–$48
Median posted pay per hour, with the range each employer published.
2What they are offering now
Low$36Median$47.75High$57
261 RN postings with published pay in North Carolina, 255 of them posted in the last 30 days. Month-by-month history by employer comes with your full report.
3Open now: 261 RN roles
- Registered Nurse - Veterans Affairs Surgery Quality Improvement Program Quality Consultant (VASQIP)Permanent$86k–$144k/ year
- Clinical Nurse Specialist - CardiacPermanent$92k–$134k/ year
+ 259 more in your report. Each one has pay, shift and start date.
I'm interestedOne click. A recruiter writes only after you reply.