Registered Nurse Salary in Texas + Job Outlook – 2024

Written By: Editorial Staff @ NursingProcess.org

Of all the exciting professions to pursue in Texas, the registered nursing career is one of the best and most lucrative. The average annual registered nurse salary in Texas is $84,320, which will allow you to earn an excellent living when compared to the state’s overall cost of living. Your job outlook is outstanding in TX, too, with anticipated growth of 8.87% over the next five years. The information below will help you better understand the average salary and outlook associated with working as an RN in TX.

How Many Registered Nurses are Currently Employed in TX?

231,060

What is the Salary of an RN in Texas?

Starting Salary

Immediately after graduating your registered nursing program and obtaining your licensure, you can earn a starting RN salary in Texas of roughly $61,950 – much more than the starting salary in many other states.

Average Salary

The average RN pay in Texas for all registered nurses in all cities is $84,320, which is equal to about $40.54 a year. This lucrative salary offers you plenty of opportunity to make an above-average living in the state.

Estimated Total Annual Compensation (Salary + Benefits)

When averaging your registered nurse income in TX, it is also important to think about benefits like insurance, retirement plans, and paid leave. RNs in TX receive an average of $35,274 in benefits alone, and that is on top of their salaries.

Percentile Wage Estimates of all RN Workers in TX & Factors That Play a Role

Half of all the RNs in TX earn an RN average salary in TX of anywhere from $66,810 to $96,230 a year depending on factors like experience, location, employer, and specific position. Nurse managers and educators tend to earn more than RNs working directly with patients, and those who have more experience earn far more than those who are just entering the workforce.

In fact, 10% of all the RNs in the state earn less than $61,950, and they are likely inexperienced RNs who work in rural areas or in outpatient care facilities. On the other hand, 10% of all RNs earn more than $105,270 a year, and this represents the more experienced RNs working as managers or educators in highly populated metro areas.

Salary Trend (2018-2022)

Between 2018 and 2022, the average RN salary across the state of Texas grew by a total of 17.00%, which falls in line with the state’s overall cost of living. What’s more, as the number of BSN-educated RNs continues to climb, so does the average pay these nurses receive to compensate them for their enhanced skills and abilities.

Salary Projection (2023-2027)

Between 2023 and 2027, salaries for RNs in Texas are expected to grow by another 16.56%, which is again due in part to the state’s cost of living and the number of RNs returning to school to earn baccalaureate degrees. As more studies show that BSN-educated RNs help drive better patient outcomes, employers increasingly prefer to hire nurses with higher education, and this demands higher pay.

Texas BSN Degree Holders vs ADN Degree Holders – Who Earns More?

To show the impact having a baccalaureate degree can truly make in your salary, consider that ADN-educated RNs in Texas earn an average of $72,160 a year. BSN-educated RNs earn $13,690 a year more at $85,850 a year, on average.

Texas RN vs National RN

The average annual salary for all RNs across the country is $89,010, and the average salary for Texas RNs is just 5.27% less at $84,320.

RN Salary vs All Occupations in TX

RN Salary vs All Nursing Occupations in TX

RN Salary vs Similar Healthcare Occupations in TX

RN Employment & Pay in Different Healthcare Facilities of TX

Choosing an employer as an RN in Texas can have a huge effect on your salary. Hospitals and Home Health Care centers, urgent care facilities and clinics pay the highest salaries at $85,830, $78,550 and $92,080, respectively. However, while 129,680 RNs across the state are employed in hospitals, only 9,380 are employed in Nursing Care Facilities. Conversely, even though 15,700 RNs in Texas work in physicians’ offices, they earn a much lower average salary of $75,600 a year. For this reason, it is very important to balance your job opportunities with your salary.

Registered Nurse Salary in 10 Major Cities of Texas

1. Houston

With a population of roughly 2.32 million people, Houston is home to numerous excellent facilities for RNs to consider for employment. Hospitals like Texas Children’s Hospital, Houston Methodist Hospital, and Kindred Hospital are all popular RN employers in TX. You can also seek employment in medical centers like The Women’s Hospital of Texas or the St. Luke’s Health Medical center. Houston-based RNs earn $88,880 a year.

2. San Antonio

If you choose to work in San Antonio, you will have your choice of employment available to you – especially once you gain some experience. There are nearly 1.5 million people here, and they are served by hospitals like University Hospital, Methodist Hospital, and Children’s Hospital of San Antonio. St. Francis Nursing Home and Memorial Medical Nursing Center are also big RN employers in the city. On average, you will earn $83,040 a year if you choose to work here.

3. Dallas

You can expect to earn a salary of about $87,850 a year if you work in Dallas, which is home to 1.34 million people. Here, hospitals are still the biggest employer of RNs, and some of the most popular among nurses include the incredibly high-tech Baylor University Medical Center, Texas Health Presbyterian Hospital, and The Kindred Hospital Dallas Central. You might also choose to work at a facility like The Traymore at Park Cities, which is a long-term care facility.

4. Austin

RNs who work in Austin, Texas earn $86,720 a year and do their part to provide exemplary healthcare to more than 950,000 people. Places like Cornerstone Hospital of Austin, Ascension Seton Northwest, and St. David’s Children’s Hospital are popular employers here. RNs also work at one of Texas’s largest psychiatric hospitals, Austin Lakes Hospital. Finally, First Choice Emergency Room and other urgent care/express care centers are very popular among the people of Austin, so they employ many RNs in the city, as well.

5. Fort Worth

Texas Health has a huge presence in Fort Worth, which means Texas Health Harris Methodist Hospital Southwest is one of the largest RN employers in the city. Aside from this, you might also choose to seek employment at John Peter Smith Hospital, Cook Children’s Medical Center, or Kindred Hospital Fort Worth. The Baylor Scott & White All Saints Medical Center complex is another option, as is one of the dozens of nursing homes. In Fort Worth, you can earn an average annual salary of $87,850 a year.

6. El Paso

The 683,577 people who call El Paso home rely upon various facilities to keep them healthy and treat their illnesses and injuries. RNs work in places like The Hospitals of Providence, which is an entire network of facilities catering to different specialties, including pediatrics. Del Sol Medical Center and Kindred Hospital El Paso are also popular employers in this beautiful city. You can expect a salary of $75,630 in El Paso.

7. Arlington

Arlington, TX is a popular tourist destination thanks to its immortal place in the history books, and about 396,000 people are permanent residents. RNs in Arlington earn $87,850 a year, on average, and most of them work in hospitals such as USMD at Arlington, Texas Heart Health & Vascular Hospital, and Texas Health Arlington Memorial Hospital, among others. The Sundance Behavioral and Mental Health Hospital is also a popular place for RNs.

8. Corpus Christi

Corpus Christi is home to 325,000 people, many of whom are retirees. This means that many RNs in the city work in nursing and rehabilitation homes like Windsor Nursing & Rehab or Woolridge Place. Far more registered nurses are employees of CHRISTUS Spohn Hospital, the Corpus Christi Medical Center, Driscoll Children’s Hospital, and South Texas Surgical Hospital, all of which offer top-notch regional services in their respective fields. You can earn a salary of $77,050 if you choose to work here.

9. Laredo

Laredo is smaller than many of the other major cities in Texas with a population of just 260,000, and RNs here earn $76,390 a year, on average. Laredo is not as affluent as many other parts of the state and serves numerous people who live well below the poverty line. The Doctors Hospital of Laredo, Laredo Specialty Hospital, and Driscoll Children’s Specialty Center are all excellent choices for RNs who are looking for employment here.

10. Lubbock

Finally, Lubbock, Texas boasts a population of just over 253,000 people and is home to the prestigious Texas Tech University. RNs who work here earn an average annual salary of $77,710 and tend to work in hospitals more than any other type of facility. University Medical Center is one of the biggest RN employers in the area, as is Covenant Hospital and the Lubbock Heart and Surgical Hospital. Raider Ranch assisted living facility, Lubbock Health Care Center, and Lubbock Hospitality House all provide outstanding long-term care and employ a number of RNs, as well.

Which Texas Cities are Paying Registered Nurses the Most?

The amount of money you can earn as an RN will vary a great deal based on the city in which you work. In Houston, for example, you can earn an average of $88,880 a year, but in Abilene, that salary falls to $71,440 a year – a more than $17,000 difference for the same job. This is caused by many factors, but the most influential is the responsibility of taking on a huge case load in bigger metro areas.

Employment Trend (2018-2022)

RN Job Outlook in Texas (2023-2027)

Over the next five years, the employment of RNs across the state is expected to explode and grow by 8.02%. This is being driven by numerous factors, but of these, the state’s drive to provide better overall care to its residents leads the way. Texas employers increasingly prefer more experienced and highly educated RNs over LPNs/LVNs and other healthcare professionals.

Texas has also been at the forefront of a nursing shortage for many years, and as the state’s population continues to grow, it is feared that there will not be enough RNs to provide care. Now that the state’s employers have created a more attractive environment, and now that RNs can achieve their BSN degrees with relative ease, the number of nurses in the state will continue to climb.

Projected Annual RN Job Openings (New + Replacement) in Texas

Which Texas Metro Areas are Hiring the Highest Number of RNs?

In Texas, the bigger the city or metro area, the more RNs will be needed to provide care. It is important to remember that as an RN, you will be on the front lines of health care, and employers know that RNs are vital to their success. The Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington area employs more RNs than any other region in Texas, followed closely by Houston-The Woodlands-Sugar Land with 58,620 RNs.

People these days have more affordable access to health insurance, and that means more people than ever are seeking care in hospitals, clinics, and even nursing homes. Because RNs are so vital to all of these, it comes as no surprise that more RNs are found working in densely-populated areas across the state. They are necessary for providing adequate care, promoting good patient outcomes, and keeping patients happy.