SOC 29-1141

Registered Nurse (RN) Salary in Buffalo-Cheektowaga, NY (2026)

Data updated · Sources: BLS OEWS May 2025, HUD FY 2027 Fair Market Rents, EPI 2026 Family Budget, 2026 tax tables · Methodology

Tax Tables: 2026 Fed + NY
COL Index: 105.65 (+5.7% vs US)
Net Compensation Yield 70.1% Realized
$69,429 / net annual direct deposit
Gross Adjusted $99,060 $47.63/hr
Effective Tax Drag 23.91% Combined Jurisdictions
Marginal Top Bracket 22% Federal Statutory
Total Withheld -$23,687 $911.05/check
Category 1 of 6

Wage Benchmarking & After-Tax Paycheck Engine

Dynamic statutory tax calculations based on IRS Publication 15-T and state statutory schedules.

$
2,080 annual statutory base hours $47.63 / hour
0 hrs/wk (+$0/yr)
0 hrs (Standard) 10 hrs OT 20 hrs OT 25 hrs Max
6% (-$5,944/yr)
0% Tax Shield: ~$1,308/yr 15% (IRS limit: $24,500)
Itemized Statutory Withholdings Ledger
Federal Income Tax (IRS)
Progressive 10%–37%
-$11,656
Social Security (FICA OASDI)
Statutory 6.20% (Cap $184,500)
-$6,142
Medicare Hospital Insurance
Statutory 1.45%
-$1,436
New York Individual Income Tax
State Marginal Bracket
-$4,454
Net Take-Home Annual Realized
$69,429 ($2,670.35 / check)
Category 2 of 6

Buffalo-Cheektowaga, NY Registered Nurse (RN) Wage Distribution

Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) Percentiles & Career Ladders

Your Salary: $99,060
MIDDLE 50% (IQR RANGE) 10th $78.5k 25th $85.3k Median: $99,060 50th (Median) $99.1k 75th $109k 90th $118k You: $99,060
10th (Entry) $78,490 $37.74/hr
25th (Junior) $85,350 $41.03/hr
50th (Median) $99,060 $47.63/hr
75th (Senior) $108,560 $52.19/hr
90th (Lead/Master) $117,980 $56.72/hr
Career Progression & Licensing Milestones for Registered Nurse (RN) in Buffalo-Cheektowaga, NY
1
Staff Nurse (Med-Surg RN)ADN or BSN, passing NCLEX-RN exam, state licensing
$70,576$33.93/hr · 0-2 Years
2
Specialty RN (ICU / ER / OR)BLS/ACLS certifications, critical care nursing experience
$90,378$43.45/hr · 2-5 Years
3
Charge Nurse / Nurse SupervisorClinical leadership, unit patient flow management, staffing oversight
$106,625$51.26/hr · 5-8 Years
4
Nurse Practitioner (MSN/DNP)Master''s/Doctorate in Nursing, advanced prescriptive authority
$130,489$62.74/hr · 7+ Years
Scaled to the Buffalo-Cheektowaga, NY medianView National Registered Nurse (RN) Salary Data
Category 3 of 6

HUD Fair Market Rent & EPI Living Wage Affordability Index

Evaluating housing affordability vs. net take-home pay in Buffalo-Cheektowaga, NY under the HUD 30% housing cost guideline.

Rent-to-Take-Home Ratio (HUD 30% Standard)
21% of Net Income
✓ Passes 30% Housing Affordability Standard
HUD Fair Market Rent (1-Bedroom) $1,203/month Requires minimum annual gross of $48,120
HUD Fair Market Rent (2-Bedroom) $1,423/month Requires minimum annual gross of $56,920
Hourly Living Wage Benchmark (EPI model)
1 Adult Earner: $23.36/hr
Per adult, 2 working adults + 1 child: $22.99/hr
Category 4 of 6

Hourly Wage to Annual & Overtime Matrix

Translating base hourly pay and 1.5× overtime into net take-home pay based on 2,080 annual work hours in Buffalo-Cheektowaga, NY.

Swipe horizontally to inspect full pay schedule
Schedule Total Hours/Wk Gross Annual Est. Taxes Net Take-Home Bi-Weekly Check
Standard (40 hrs)40 hrs$99,060-$23,687$69,429$2,670.35
+5h Overtime/Wk45 hrs$117,634-$30,013$80,563$3,098.58
+10h Overtime/Wk50 hrs$136,208-$36,628$91,407$3,515.66
+15h Overtime/Wk55 hrs$154,781-$43,467$102,027$3,924.11
+20h Overtime/Wk60 hrs$173,355-$50,247$112,707$4,334.88
Category 5 of 6

Interstate MSA Relocation & State Tax Migration Comparator

Calculate required compensation, cost-of-living differences, and annual state/local tax savings between two metropolitan areas.

Equivalent Salary in Austin, TX $83,505 Cost of Living Ratio: 69.6%
Annual State & Local Tax Delta +$8,331/yr Tax savings in Austin-Round Rock-San Marcos, TX
Annual Rent Difference (1BR) -$17,676/yr Based on HUD Fair Market Rents
Net Discretionary Cash Flow Impact

Combining state tax savings and annual rent variance when relocating from San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA to Austin-Round Rock-San Marcos, TX.

+$26,007/year
Category 6 of 6 · Executive Economic Briefing
2026 Fiscal Intelligence

Registered Nurse (RN) in Buffalo-Cheektowaga, NY: Compensation & Purchasing Power Briefing (2026)

Estimates compiled from BLS OEWS wages, IRS 2026 withholding rules, HUD Fair Market Rents, and New York tax codes.

Market Baseline
$99,060/yr
$47.63/hr · SOC 29-1141
Statutory Tax Drag
23.91% Effective
-$23,687 in Total Taxes
HUD 1BR Shelter Ratio
21% Net Pay
✓ Passes 30% HUD Rule
Monthly Discretionary
+$4,583/mo
Post-$1,203/mo 1BR Rent

Key Economic & Compensation Takeaways

Statutory Withholding Architecture

Frequently Asked Questions

Verified Government Data Sources & Statutory Attribution

Wages sourced from US Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS OEWS). Rents calibrated to HUD Fair Market Rents. Tax schedules calibrated to IRS IRC Title 26, IRS Pub 15-T, and state statutory revenue codes.

BLS OEWS May 2025 HUD FY2027 FMR IRS 15-T
Metro Pay Comparison SOC 29-1141
2026 Statutory Thresholds
  • Federal Standard Deduction (Single) $16,100
  • FICA OASDI Wage Base Cap $184,500
  • Pre-Tax 401(k) Elective Deferral $24,500
  • HSA Individual Annual Limit $4,400

Registered Nurse (RN) in Buffalo-Cheektowaga, NY: Market Snapshot

Registered Nurse (RN) roles in Buffalo-Cheektowaga, NY report a median annual wage of $99,060, 1.5% above the national median of $97,550. The 10th to 90th percentile band runs from $78,490 to $117,980, and HUD’s $1,203 monthly one-bedroom fair market rent equals 14.6% of that median gross pay. The single-adult living wage benchmark for the area is $23.36 per hour.

Highest-paying metropolitan areas for Registered Nurse (RN)

Metropolitan areaMedian annual wageVs this market
San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA$216,740+118.8%
Vallejo, CA$203,290+105.2%
San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA$186,610+88.4%
Santa Rosa-Petaluma, CA$174,550+76.2%
Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom, CA$171,460+73.1%
Santa Cruz-Watsonville, CA$170,960+72.6%
Yuba City, CA$149,320+50.7%
Kahului-Wailuku, HI$144,350+45.7%
San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA$139,520+40.8%
Urban Honolulu, HI$139,260+40.6%

Top-paying occupations benchmarked in Buffalo-Cheektowaga, NY

OccupationMedian annual wageMedian hourly
Chief Executives$239,990$115.38/hr
Computer and Information Systems Managers$172,650$83.00/hr
Financial Manager$164,230$78.96/hr
Architectural and Engineering Managers$164,120$78.90/hr
Sales Managers$163,090$78.41/hr
Advertising and Promotions Managers$156,500$75.24/hr
Human Resources Managers$150,180$72.20/hr
Compensation and Benefits Managers$144,510$69.48/hr
Marketing Managers$144,390$69.42/hr
Natural Sciences Managers$139,570$67.10/hr

Wage data: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS May 2025, 380 metropolitan areas publishing this occupation; HUD FY2027 Fair Market Rents; EPI Family Budget Calculator. Taxes use 2026 federal and state rules. Data last updated .

Regional Labor Market & Career Mobility Network

Explore adjacent occupations and neighboring metropolitan wage benchmarks for peer compensation analysis.

Registered Nurse (RN) Salary in Buffalo-Cheektowaga, NY (2026) Overview

Registered Nurse (RN) median pay in Buffalo-Cheektowaga, NY is $99,060 a year ($47.63/hr). See take-home pay after 2026 taxes, BLS wage percentiles, HUD rents. Official 2026 economic data for Registered Nurse (RN) in Buffalo-Cheektowaga, NY compiled from Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS surveys, HUD Fair Market Rents, and statutory tax codes.

Quick answers
What is the median salary for a Registered Nurse (RN) in Buffalo-Cheektowaga, NY?

The median annual wage is $99,060 ($47.63 per hour). The middle 80% of earners make between $78,490 and $117,980. Source: BLS OEWS (May 2025).

What is the take-home pay for a Registered Nurse (RN) in Buffalo-Cheektowaga, NY after taxes?

On the median wage of $99,060, a single filer with no pre-tax deductions takes home about $73,714 a year ($6,143 a month) after $25,346 in federal, FICA, state and local taxes, an effective rate of 25.59%, using 2026 tax rules.