WI · Appleton · Updated October 15, 2026

Registered Nurse jobs in Appleton, WI

Registered Nurses in the Appleton area earn a median of $39.35 per hour, about $81,850 a year, and the middle half of them earn between $37.77 and $47.43. That ranks 191st of 379 U.S. metro areas for registered nurse pay, and 179th of 335 once local prices are factored in. The CMS hospital directory lists 2 hospitals in Appleton. Tell us your role and we email current openings near Appleton.

More open Registered Nurse roles in Appleton

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

PermanentPosted today

Registered Nurse

Ascension Health · Appleton, WI

Pay range with your report
  • Full Time
  • Req 17375
New this week
View role
PermanentPosted today

Registered Nurse NICU

Ascension Health · Appleton, WI

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  • Part Time
  • Req 17392
New this week
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PermanentPosted today

L&D RN - Full Time

ThedaCare · Appleton, WI

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  • Full time
  • Req 26-28449
New this week
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PermanentPosted 2 days ago

Endoscopy RN - Days

ThedaCare · Appleton, WI

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  • Part time
  • Req 26-28123
New this week
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All Registered Nurse jobs in Wisconsin

Registered Nurse pay in Appleton, WI

The metro median is 5% below the Wisconsin statewide median of $41.38 per hour. Nationally the median is $45.00 per hour. BLS counts about 2,040 registered nurses employed in the Appleton metro area, 16.4 per 1,000 jobs. Employment is less concentrated here than in the country as a whole (location quotient 0.77).

LevelPer hourPer yearCompared with U.S.
Lowest 10%$33.49$69,66026% below U.S. median
Lower quartile$37.77$78,56016% below U.S. median
Median$39.35$81,85013% below U.S. median
Upper quartile$47.43$98,6505% above U.S. median
Top 10%$50.58$105,21012% above U.S. median

How Appleton ranks

  • 191st of 379 U.S. metro areas by median hourly pay
  • 179th of 335 after adjusting for local prices
  • 7th of 12 Wisconsin 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.

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

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What your pay buys in Appleton

  • Overall prices in Appleton run 8% below the U.S. average (index 92.4, U.S. = 100).
  • Housing is the biggest driver: 29% below the U.S. average (index 70.8).
  • Adjusted for local prices, a $39.35 median hour buys what $42.58 buys at the national price level, 5% 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 Appleton paycheck

Estimated weekly gross$1,417
  • Per year: $70,830
  • Per month: $5,902

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

Travel assignment per diem in Appleton

ItemFederal rate
Lodging per night$110
Meals and incidentals per day$68
Per week (7 nights, 7 days)$1,246
13-week assignment$16,198

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 (this is the standard rate that applies here). 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 Wisconsin

Nearest open roles with published pay. Your free report adds roles in Appleton as they open.

PermanentPosted today

Float Pool RN (Night Shift)

Veterans Health Administration · Madison, WI

$86k–$149k/ year
  • Part-time
  • Req 888891100
Top 25% payNew this week
View role
PermanentPosted today

Nurse

Veterans Health Administration · Middleton, WI

$71k–$141k/ year
  • Full-time
  • Req 889156800
Top 25% payNew this week
View role

All Registered Nurse jobs in Wisconsin

Hospitals in Appleton

CMS lists 2 hospitals in Appleton, 2 of the 2 rated ones with 4 or 5 stars. Hospitals are a major employer of registered nurses.

HospitalTypeOwnershipCMS ratingEmergency
Ascension Ne Wisconsin - St Elizabeth Campus
Appleton, WI
Acute careNonprofit4 of 5Yes
Thedacare Regional Medical Center - Appleton Inc
Appleton, WI
Acute careNonprofit4 of 5Yes

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

Primary care shortage areas in Outagamie County

HRSA lists 1 active primary care shortage designation that include Outagamie County (1 facility). The highest-scoring one rates 13 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
Oshkosh, WI20 mi$39.90/hr67,242
Green Bay, WI26 mi$38.24/hr106,311
Milwaukee, WI87 mi$40.38/hr563,531
Waukesha, WI88 mi$40.38/hr71,461
West Allis, WI90 mi$40.38/hr59,784
Madison, WI97 mi$43.26/hr285,300

Registered Nurse jobs in Wisconsin · Registered Nurse jobs nationwide

License and tax basics in Wisconsin

Wisconsin 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 Wisconsin license by endorsement.

Wisconsin taxes wage income. Use your own rates in the take-home pay calculator.

Wisconsin state guide · Nurse Licensure Compact guide

Other healthcare roles in Appleton

Appleton city guide: hospitals, employers and licensing

Common questions

How much do registered nurses make in Appleton, WI?

Registered Nurses in the Appleton metro area have a median pay of $39.35 per hour, about $81,850 a year. The middle half earn between $37.77 and $47.43 per hour (BLS, May 2024).

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

Appleton ranks 179th of 335 metro areas for registered nurse pay after adjusting for local prices, and 191st of 379 before adjusting. Overall prices run 8% below the U.S. average.

Where do registered nurses work in Appleton?

CMS lists 2 hospitals in Appleton, led by Ascension Ne Wisconsin - St Elizabeth Campus. Ask for the free report to see current openings and pay.

Do I need a Wisconsin license to work in Appleton as a registered nurse?

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

Is Appleton in a shortage area?

HRSA lists 1 active primary care shortage designation that include Outagamie 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 Appleton?

The federal per diem benchmark in Appleton is $110 a night for lodging and $68 a day for meals and incidentals, about $1,246 a week (GSA, fiscal year 2026). Your actual stipend depends on the assignment and your tax home.

Does Valorem Health place registered nurses in Appleton?

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

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What do employers near Appleton pay registered nurses? Get the report.

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  1. 1
    Pay for your role at other hospitals

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

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    What they are offering now

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The Joint Commission Gold Seal of Approval: Health Care Staffing Services Certification, since 2022American Staffing Association memberNATHO member: National Association of Travel Healthcare OrganizationsNALTO member: National Association of Locum Tenens Organizations

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

Your RN pay reportAppleton, WI · pay published by hospitals, collected October 15, 2026

1Pay for your role at other hospitals

  • Essentia HealthSuperior, WI · 2 postings$56.95/ hr$45–$69
  • Veterans Health AdministrationMilwaukee, WI · 13 postings$52.90/ hr$34–$74
  • Select MedicalMadison, WI · 3 postings$51.43/ hr$34–$60
  • Hospital Sisters Health SystemGreen Bay, WI · 50 postings$46.00/ hr$31–$56

Median posted pay per hour, with the range each employer published.

2What they are offering now

Low$34Median$45.50High$56

147 RN postings with published pay in Wisconsin, 118 of them posted in the last 30 days. Month-by-month history by employer comes with your full report.

3Open now: 147 RN roles

  1. Float Pool RN (Night Shift)Permanent
    $86k–$149k/ year
    Veterans Health Administration · Madison, WI · posted today
  2. Registered Nurse - Outpatient Mental HealthPermanent
    $72k–$152k/ year
    Veterans Health Administration · Madison, WI · posted today

+ 145 more in your report. Each one has pay, shift and start date.

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