SOC 29-1141

Registered Nurse (RN) Salary in Washington, DC-VA-MD-WV (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 + DC
COL Index: 158.92 (+58.9% vs US)
Net Compensation Yield 69.2% Realized
$71,042 / net annual direct deposit
Gross Adjusted $102,710 $49.38/hr
Effective Tax Drag 24.83% Combined Jurisdictions
Marginal Top Bracket 22% Federal Statutory
Total Withheld -$25,506 $980.99/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 $49.38 / hour
0 hrs/wk (+$0/yr)
0 hrs (Standard) 10 hrs OT 20 hrs OT 25 hrs Max
6% (-$6,163/yr)
0% Tax Shield: ~$1,356/yr 15% (IRS limit: $24,500)
Itemized Statutory Withholdings Ledger
Federal Income Tax (IRS)
Progressive 10%–37%
-$12,410
Social Security (FICA OASDI)
Statutory 6.20% (Cap $184,500)
-$6,368
Medicare Hospital Insurance
Statutory 1.45%
-$1,489
District of Columbia Individual Income Tax
State Marginal Bracket
-$5,238
Net Take-Home Annual Realized
$71,042 ($2,732.37 / check)
Category 2 of 6

Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV Registered Nurse (RN) Wage Distribution

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

Your Salary: $102,710
MIDDLE 50% (IQR RANGE) 10th $80.8k 25th $84.6k Median: $102,710 50th (Median) $103k 75th $120k 90th $133k You: $102,710
10th (Entry) $80,750 $38.82/hr
25th (Junior) $84,610 $40.68/hr
50th (Median) $102,710 $49.38/hr
75th (Senior) $119,620 $57.51/hr
90th (Lead/Master) $132,900 $63.89/hr
Career Progression & Licensing Milestones for Registered Nurse (RN) in Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV
1
Staff Nurse (Med-Surg RN)ADN or BSN, passing NCLEX-RN exam, state licensing
$73,176$35.18/hr · 0-2 Years
2
Specialty RN (ICU / ER / OR)BLS/ACLS certifications, critical care nursing experience
$93,708$45.05/hr · 2-5 Years
3
Charge Nurse / Nurse SupervisorClinical leadership, unit patient flow management, staffing oversight
$110,554$53.15/hr · 5-8 Years
4
Nurse Practitioner (MSN/DNP)Master''s/Doctorate in Nursing, advanced prescriptive authority
$135,297$65.05/hr · 7+ Years
Scaled to the Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV 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 Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV under the HUD 30% housing cost guideline.

Rent-to-Take-Home Ratio (HUD 30% Standard)
37% of Net Income
⚠️ Cost-Burdened (Exceeds 30% Rule)
HUD Fair Market Rent (1-Bedroom) $2,204/month Requires minimum annual gross of $88,160
HUD Fair Market Rent (2-Bedroom) $2,438/month Requires minimum annual gross of $97,520
Hourly Living Wage Benchmark (EPI model)
1 Adult Earner: $35.15/hr
Per adult, 2 working adults + 1 child: $29.27/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 Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV.

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$102,710-$25,506$71,042$2,732.37
+5h Overtime/Wk45 hrs$121,968-$32,500$82,150$3,159.60
+10h Overtime/Wk50 hrs$141,226-$39,714$93,039$3,578.41
+15h Overtime/Wk55 hrs$160,484-$47,071$103,785$3,991.72
+20h Overtime/Wk60 hrs$179,743-$54,427$114,531$4,405.03
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 Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV: Compensation & Purchasing Power Briefing (2026)

Estimates compiled from BLS OEWS wages, IRS 2026 withholding rules, HUD Fair Market Rents, and District of Columbia tax codes.

Market Baseline
$102,710/yr
$49.38/hr · SOC 29-1141
Statutory Tax Drag
24.83% Effective
-$25,506 in Total Taxes
HUD 1BR Shelter Ratio
37% Net Pay
⚠️ Exceeds 30% HUD Rule
Monthly Discretionary
+$3,716/mo
Post-$2,204/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 Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV: Market Snapshot

Registered Nurse (RN) roles in Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV report a median annual wage of $102,710, 5.3% above the national median of $97,550. The 10th to 90th percentile band runs from $80,750 to $132,900, and HUD’s $2,204 monthly one-bedroom fair market rent equals 25.8% of that median gross pay. The single-adult living wage benchmark for the area is $35.15 per hour.

Highest-paying metropolitan areas for Registered Nurse (RN)

Metropolitan areaMedian annual wageVs this market
San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA$216,740+111.0%
Vallejo, CA$203,290+97.9%
San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA$186,610+81.7%
Santa Rosa-Petaluma, CA$174,550+69.9%
Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom, CA$171,460+66.9%
Santa Cruz-Watsonville, CA$170,960+66.4%
Yuba City, CA$149,320+45.4%
Kahului-Wailuku, HI$144,350+40.5%
San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA$139,520+35.8%
Urban Honolulu, HI$139,260+35.6%

Top-paying occupations benchmarked in Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV

OccupationMedian annual wageMedian hourly
Computer and Information Systems Managers$195,190$93.84/hr
Public Relations Managers$195,190$93.84/hr
Financial Manager$185,270$89.07/hr
Architectural and Engineering Managers$185,220$89.05/hr
Marketing Managers$181,260$87.14/hr
Human Resources Managers$177,960$85.56/hr
Sales Managers$175,820$84.53/hr
Purchasing Managers$172,150$82.76/hr
Compensation and Benefits Managers$171,950$82.67/hr
Natural Sciences Managers$169,060$81.28/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 Washington, DC-VA-MD-WV (2026) Overview

Registered Nurse (RN) median pay in Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV is $102,710 a year ($49.38/hr). See take-home pay after 2026 taxes, BLS wage. Official 2026 economic data for Registered Nurse (RN) in Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV 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 Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV?

The median annual wage is $102,710 ($49.38 per hour). The middle 80% of earners make between $80,750 and $132,900. Source: BLS OEWS (May 2025).

What is the take-home pay for a Registered Nurse (RN) in Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV after taxes?

On the median wage of $102,710, a single filer with no pre-tax deductions takes home about $75,325 a year ($6,277 a month) after $27,385 in federal, FICA, state and local taxes, an effective rate of 26.66%, using 2026 tax rules.