TN · Chattanooga · Updated October 15, 2026

Registered Nurse jobs in Chattanooga, TN

Pay for registered nurses in the Chattanooga area centers on $36.96 per hour, or about $76,870 a year. The lower quarter earns under $31.87 and the upper quarter over $39.20. The CMS hospital directory lists 5 hospitals in Chattanooga. That ranks 321st of 379 U.S. metro areas for registered nurse pay, and 274th of 335 once local prices are factored in. Your free pay report adds named employers and the roles open near Chattanooga.

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Open Registered Nurse roles in Chattanooga

PermanentPosted 2 days ago

Oncology Registered Nurse

CommonSpirit Health · Chattanooga, TN

$33.11–$49.25/ hour
  • Full Time
  • Req 101907025344
New this week
View role
PermanentPosted 2 days ago

Endoscopy RN

CommonSpirit Health · Chattanooga, TN

$33.11–$49.25/ hour
  • Full Time
  • Req 101915993360
New this week
View role
PermanentPosted 2 days ago

Medical Surgical RN

CommonSpirit Health · Chattanooga, TN

$30.76–$45.76/ hour
  • Full Time
  • Req 101921173040
New this week
View role
PermanentPosted 3 days ago

Periop RN

CommonSpirit Health · Chattanooga, TN

$33.11–$49.25/ hour
  • Part Time
  • Req 101875227648
New this week
View role
PermanentPosted 3 days ago

Emergency Svcs RN

CommonSpirit Health · Chattanooga, TN

$33.11–$49.25/ hour
  • Full Time
  • Req 101880187456
New this week
View role
PermanentPosted 6 days ago

Wound Ostomy II RN

CommonSpirit Health · Chattanooga, TN

$37.22–$55.37/ hour
  • Full Time
  • Req 101751300448
Top 25% payNew this week
View role
PermanentPosted 6 days ago

Cardiac RN

CommonSpirit Health · Chattanooga, TN

$34.69–$51.59/ hour
  • Full Time
  • Req 101756254240
Top 25% payNew this week
View role
PermanentPosted 6 days ago

Care Coordinator RN

CommonSpirit Health · Chattanooga, TN

$33.84–$50.34/ hour
  • Full Time
  • Req 101751307744
New this week
View role
PermanentPosted 6 days ago

Critical Care RN

CommonSpirit Health · Chattanooga, TN

$33.11–$49.25/ hour
  • Full Time
  • Req 101751301632
New this week
View role
PermanentPosted 6 days ago

ED Float Pool RN

CommonSpirit Health · Chattanooga, TN

$30.76–$45.76/ hour
  • Part Time
  • Req 101751301504
New this week
View role
PermanentPosted 6 days ago

Telemetry RN

CommonSpirit Health · Chattanooga, TN

$30.76–$45.76/ hour
  • Full Time
  • Req 101751307696
New this week
View role
PermanentPosted 6 days ago

Imaging Specialist RN

CommonSpirit Health · Chattanooga, TN

$31.39–$45.05/ hour
  • Part Time
  • Req 101742555744
New this week
View role
PermanentPosted 28 days ago

Cardiac ICU RN

CommonSpirit Health · Chattanooga, TN

$34.69–$51.59/ hour
  • Full Time
  • Req 100782916400
Top 25% pay
View role
PermanentPosted 28 days ago

Neuro ICU RN

CommonSpirit Health · Chattanooga, TN

$34.69–$51.59/ hour
  • Full Time
  • Req 100782916448
Top 25% pay
View role
PermanentPosted 28 days ago

CVICU RN

CommonSpirit Health · Chattanooga, TN

$34.69–$51.59/ hour
  • Full Time
  • Req 100782916512
Top 25% pay
View role
PermanentPosted 28 days ago

Cardiovascular ICU RN

CommonSpirit Health · Chattanooga, TN

$34.69–$51.59/ hour
  • Part Time
  • Req 100782916544
Top 25% pay
View role
PermanentPosted 28 days ago

IMCU RN

CommonSpirit Health · Chattanooga, TN

$33.11–$49.25/ hour
  • Full Time
  • Req 100782915600
View role
PermanentPosted 30+ days ago

Clinical Decision Unit RN

CommonSpirit Health · Chattanooga, TN

$49.00–$49.00/ hour
  • Full Time
  • Req 100369296832
Top 25% pay
View role
PermanentPosted 30+ days ago

Short Stay RN

CommonSpirit Health · Chattanooga, TN

$34.69–$51.59/ hour
  • Full Time
  • Req 100369291328
Top 25% pay
View role

More open Registered Nurse roles in Chattanooga

11 more open roles from employers in Chattanooga. Each employer’s range arrives with your free pay report.

PermanentPosted 3 days ago

Clinical Specialist - RN

BrightSpring Health Services · Chattanooga, TN

Pay range with your report
  • FULL_TIME
  • Req 197609
New this week
View role
PermanentPosted 22 days ago

RN - Admissions Acute

Acadia Healthcare · Chattanooga, TN

Pay range with your report
  • FULL_TIME
  • Req 109885
View role

Get the Chattanooga Registered Nurse pay report

Named employers near Chattanooga, what they pay and the roles open now. Free for candidates, email only.

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Who is hiring registered nurses near Chattanooga

EmployerRolesMedian pay / hour
CommonSpirit Health22$41.18
AccentCare1$39.42

Registered Nurse pay in Chattanooga, TN

The metro median is 3% below the Tennessee statewide median of $38.00 per hour. Nationally the median is $45.00 per hour. BLS counts about 5,940 registered nurses employed in the Chattanooga metro area, 22.1 per 1,000 jobs. Employment is about as concentrated here than in the country as a whole (location quotient 1.04).

LevelPer hourPer yearCompared with U.S.
Lowest 10%$29.39$61,13035% below U.S. median
Lower quartile$31.87$66,29029% below U.S. median
Median$36.96$76,87018% below U.S. median
Upper quartile$39.20$81,54013% below U.S. median
Top 10%$47.80$99,4206% above U.S. median

How Chattanooga ranks

  • 321st of 379 U.S. metro areas by median hourly pay
  • 274th of 335 after adjusting for local prices
  • 4th of 10 Tennessee 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.

What your pay buys in Chattanooga

  • Overall prices in Chattanooga run 9% below the U.S. average (index 91.5, U.S. = 100).
  • Housing is the biggest driver: 23% below the U.S. average (index 76.5).
  • Adjusted for local prices, a $36.96 median hour buys what $40.41 buys at the national price level, 10% 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 Chattanooga paycheck

Estimated weekly gross$1,331
  • Per year: $66,528
  • Per month: $5,544
  • Tennessee has no state income tax on wages.

Gross pay before taxes and benefits, from BLS pay levels for the Chattanooga metro area. For take-home pay use the take-home pay calculator.

Travel assignment per diem in Chattanooga

ItemFederal rate
Lodging per night$117
Meals and incidentals per day$74
Per week (7 nights, 7 days)$1,337
13-week assignment$17,381

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).

Hospitals in Chattanooga

CMS lists 5 hospitals in Chattanooga, 3 of the 3 rated ones with 4 or 5 stars. Hospitals are a major employer of registered nurses.

HospitalTypeOwnershipCMS ratingEmergency
Memorial Healthcare System, Inc
Chattanooga, TN		Acute careNonprofit5 of 5No
Erlanger Medical Center
Chattanooga, TN		Acute careGovernment and federal4 of 5Yes
Parkridge Medical Center
Chattanooga, TN		Acute careFor-profit4 of 5Yes
Erlanger Behavioral Hospital, Llc
Chattanooga, TN		PsychiatricFor-profitNot ratedNo
Moccasin Bend Mental Health Institute
Chattanooga, TN		PsychiatricGovernment and federalNot ratedNo

Source: CMS Hospital General Information, public data. A directory of hospitals, not a list of our clients.

Primary care shortage areas in Hamilton County

HRSA lists 4 active primary care shortage designations that include Hamilton County (1 population-group, 3 facility). The highest-scoring one rates 17 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

CityDistanceMedian payPopulation
Cleveland, TN23 mi$36.65/hr50,232
Huntsville, AL85 mi$31.75/hr230,402
Murfreesboro, TN86 mi$39.02/hr168,387
Marietta, GA87 mi$46.33/hr63,122
Roswell, GA87 mi$46.33/hr92,227
Alpharetta, GA88 mi$46.33/hr67,275

Registered Nurse jobs in Tennessee · Registered Nurse jobs nationwide

License and tax basics in Tennessee

Tennessee 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 Tennessee license by endorsement.

Tennessee does not tax wage income at the state level, so take-home pay is higher than the same gross pay in a state that does.

Tennessee state guide · Nurse Licensure Compact guide

Other healthcare roles in Chattanooga

Chattanooga city guide: hospitals, employers and licensing

Common questions

How much do registered nurses make in Chattanooga, TN?

Registered Nurses in the Chattanooga metro area have a median pay of $36.96 per hour, about $76,870 a year. The middle half earn between $31.87 and $39.20 per hour (BLS, May 2024).

Is Chattanooga a good place for registered nurses once cost of living is counted?

Chattanooga ranks 274th of 335 metro areas for registered nurse pay after adjusting for local prices, and 321st of 379 before adjusting. Overall prices run 9% below the U.S. average.

Who is hiring registered nurses in Chattanooga?

We list 23 open roles with published pay from 2 employers in Chattanooga. Your free report adds named employers and pay near Chattanooga.

Do I need a Tennessee license to work in Chattanooga as a registered nurse?

Tennessee 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 Tennessee license by endorsement. Confirm with the board before you accept a role.

Is Chattanooga in a shortage area?

HRSA lists 4 active primary care shortage designations that include Hamilton 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 Chattanooga?

The federal per diem benchmark in Chattanooga is $117 a night for lodging and $74 a day for meals and incidentals, about $1,337 a week (GSA, fiscal year 2026). Your actual stipend depends on the assignment and your tax home.

Does Valorem Health place registered nurses in Chattanooga?

Yes. We place healthcare staff in Chattanooga and across Tennessee. Tell us your profession and we email the roles open near Chattanooga.

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What do employers near Chattanooga 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.

  1. 1
    Pay for your role at other hospitals

    The hourly pay at named employers near you, so you see who pays most.

  2. 2
    What they are offering now

    The pay range and median across current postings, and how many were posted this month.

  3. 3
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    Every current opening near you with pay, shift and start date. Reply with one click.

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Pay report · RN near Chattanooga, TN
Valorem Health Shift ReportFrom your recruiting team · [email protected]

Your RN pay reportChattanooga, TN · pay published by employers and employer-reported wage offers in federal filings

1Pay for your role at other employers

  • CommonSpirit HealthCHATTANOOGA, TN · 26 postings$41.18/ hr$25–$55
  • Select MedicalNashville, TN · 3 postings$46.94/ hr$40–$54
  • Methodist Le Bonheur HealthcareMemphis, TN · 2 wage offers$41.69/ hr$36–$46
  • Acadia HealthcareNashville, TN · 3 postings$40.54/ hr$34–$47

Median pay per hour, with the range each employer published or reported in federal filings.

2What they are offering now

Low$33Median$40.77High$51

46 RN postings with published pay in Tennessee, 40 of them posted in the last 30 days. Month-by-month history by employer comes with your full report.

3Open now: 46 RN roles

  1. Registered Nurse-Emergency Department (ED)Permanent
    $67k–$126k/ year
    Veterans Health Administration · Johnson City, TN · posted today
  2. Interventional Cardiology RNPermanent
    $33.39–$47.92/ hour
    CommonSpirit Health · Chattanooga, TN · posted today

+ 44 more in your report. Each one has pay, shift and start date.

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