SOC 29-1141

Registered Nurse (RN) Salary in Winston-Salem, NC (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 + NC
COL Index: 102.58 (+2.6% vs US)
Net Compensation Yield 72.8% Realized
$62,664 / net annual direct deposit
Gross Adjusted $86,120 $41.40/hr
Effective Tax Drag 21.24% Combined Jurisdictions
Marginal Top Bracket 22% Federal Statutory
Total Withheld -$18,289 $703.43/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 $41.40 / hour
0 hrs/wk (+$0/yr)
0 hrs (Standard) 10 hrs OT 20 hrs OT 25 hrs Max
6% (-$5,167/yr)
0% Tax Shield: ~$1,137/yr 15% (IRS limit: $24,500)
Itemized Statutory Withholdings Ledger
Federal Income Tax (IRS)
Progressive 10%–37%
-$8,980
Social Security (FICA OASDI)
Statutory 6.20% (Cap $184,500)
-$5,339
Medicare Hospital Insurance
Statutory 1.45%
-$1,249
North Carolina Individual Income Tax
State Marginal Bracket
-$2,721
Net Take-Home Annual Realized
$62,664 ($2,410.14 / check)
Category 2 of 6

Winston-Salem, NC Registered Nurse (RN) Wage Distribution

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

Your Salary: $86,120
MIDDLE 50% (IQR RANGE) 10th $71.5k 25th $78.8k Median: $86,120 50th (Median) $86.1k 75th $104k 90th $105k You: $86,120
10th (Entry) $71,550 $34.40/hr
25th (Junior) $78,820 $37.89/hr
50th (Median) $86,120 $41.40/hr
75th (Senior) $103,600 $49.81/hr
90th (Lead/Master) $105,490 $50.72/hr
Career Progression & Licensing Milestones for Registered Nurse (RN) in Winston-Salem, NC
1
Staff Nurse (Med-Surg RN)ADN or BSN, passing NCLEX-RN exam, state licensing
$61,357$29.50/hr · 0-2 Years
2
Specialty RN (ICU / ER / OR)BLS/ACLS certifications, critical care nursing experience
$78,572$37.77/hr · 2-5 Years
3
Charge Nurse / Nurse SupervisorClinical leadership, unit patient flow management, staffing oversight
$92,697$44.57/hr · 5-8 Years
4
Nurse Practitioner (MSN/DNP)Master''s/Doctorate in Nursing, advanced prescriptive authority
$113,444$54.54/hr · 7+ Years
Category 3 of 6

HUD Fair Market Rent & EPI Living Wage Affordability Index

Evaluating housing affordability vs. net take-home pay in Winston-Salem, NC under the HUD 30% housing cost guideline.

Rent-to-Take-Home Ratio (HUD 30% Standard)
23% of Net Income
✓ Passes 30% Housing Affordability Standard
HUD Fair Market Rent (1-Bedroom) $1,224/month Requires minimum annual gross of $48,960
HUD Fair Market Rent (2-Bedroom) $1,332/month Requires minimum annual gross of $53,280
Hourly Living Wage Benchmark (EPI model)
1 Adult Earner: $22.69/hr
Per adult, 2 working adults + 1 child: $19.52/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 Winston-Salem, NC.

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$86,120-$18,289$62,664$2,410.14
+5h Overtime/Wk45 hrs$102,268-$23,469$72,662$2,794.70
+10h Overtime/Wk50 hrs$118,415-$28,650$82,661$3,179.25
+15h Overtime/Wk55 hrs$134,563-$33,924$92,565$3,560.20
+20h Overtime/Wk60 hrs$150,710-$39,407$102,260$3,933.08
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 Winston-Salem, NC: Compensation & Purchasing Power Briefing (2026)

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

Market Baseline
$86,120/yr
$41.40/hr · SOC 29-1141
Statutory Tax Drag
21.24% Effective
-$18,289 in Total Taxes
HUD 1BR Shelter Ratio
23% Net Pay
✓ Passes 30% HUD Rule
Monthly Discretionary
+$3,998/mo
Post-$1,224/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 Winston-Salem, NC: Market Snapshot

Registered Nurse (RN) roles in Winston-Salem, NC report a median annual wage of $86,120, 11.7% below the national median of $97,550. The 10th to 90th percentile band runs from $71,550 to $105,490, and HUD’s $1,224 monthly one-bedroom fair market rent equals 17.1% of that median gross pay. The single-adult living wage benchmark for the area is $22.69 per hour.

Highest-paying metropolitan areas for Registered Nurse (RN)

Metropolitan areaMedian annual wageVs this market
San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA$216,740+151.7%
Vallejo, CA$203,290+136.1%
San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA$186,610+116.7%
Santa Rosa-Petaluma, CA$174,550+102.7%
Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom, CA$171,460+99.1%
Santa Cruz-Watsonville, CA$170,960+98.5%
Yuba City, CA$149,320+73.4%
Kahului-Wailuku, HI$144,350+67.6%
San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA$139,520+62.0%
Urban Honolulu, HI$139,260+61.7%

Top-paying occupations benchmarked in Winston-Salem, NC

OccupationMedian annual wageMedian hourly
Chief Executives$273,710$131.59/hr
Computer and Information Systems Managers$160,900$77.36/hr
Marketing Managers$160,570$77.20/hr
Fundraising Managers$158,460$76.18/hr
Architectural and Engineering Managers$155,200$74.62/hr
Financial Manager$155,030$74.53/hr
Natural Sciences Managers$148,710$71.50/hr
Public Relations Managers$140,680$67.63/hr
Human Resources Managers$137,110$65.92/hr
Sales Managers$132,550$63.73/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 Winston-Salem, NC (2026) Overview

Registered Nurse (RN) median pay in Winston-Salem, NC is $86,120 a year ($41.40/hr). See take-home pay after 2026 taxes, BLS wage percentiles, HUD rents. Official 2026 economic data for Registered Nurse (RN) in Winston-Salem, NC 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 Winston-Salem, NC?

The median annual wage is $86,120 ($41.40 per hour). The middle 80% of earners make between $71,550 and $105,490. Source: BLS OEWS (May 2025).

What is the take-home pay for a Registered Nurse (RN) in Winston-Salem, NC after taxes?

On the median wage of $86,120, a single filer with no pre-tax deductions takes home about $66,488 a year ($5,541 a month) after $19,632 in federal, FICA, state and local taxes, an effective rate of 22.8%, using 2026 tax rules.