Registered Nurses salary in Columbus, OH
Median pay for registered nurses in Columbus, OH: $81,020/yr
Typical range (10th–90th percentile): $66,300 – $99,770 · about 24,510 employed locally
Above the typical metro median ($80,810) by +$210 (+0%).
What it's really worth in Columbus
With Columbus's cost of living at 95 (US=100), that $81,020 has the buying power of about $85,618 in an average-cost US metro.
Local context: median household income $76,541 · median home $333,537 · median rent $1,524/mo.
How Columbus ranks for this job
On raw pay, Columbus, OH is 90th of the 187 metros we hold registered nurses wages for. Once Columbus's cost of living is applied, it ranks 107th.
Pay and living costs are roughly in step here, so Columbus sits in much the same place whether you look at raw salary or spending power.
What that salary buys in Columbus
A median home in Columbus, OH costs $333,537 — about 4.1× this salary, against a typical US metro figure of 4.7×. Buying is more attainable here than in the average metro on this income.
Median rent of $1,524/mo works out at 23% of gross pay — inside the conventional 30% affordability ceiling.
Where registered nurses earn more
Pay on its own is only half the picture, so each row shows what rent costs there relative to Columbus.
| Metro | Median pay | vs Columbus | Rent vs Columbus |
|---|---|---|---|
| Vallejo, CA | $187,080 | +131% | 1.6× |
| San Francisco, CA | $181,240 | +124% | 2.1× |
| San Jose, CA | $179,210 | +121% | 2.4× |
| Sacramento, CA | $157,810 | +95% | 1.5× |
Same job elsewhere in OH
| Metro | Median pay | vs Columbus | Rent vs Columbus |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cincinnati, OH | $80,810 | +0% | 1× |
| Cleveland, OH | $80,240 | −1% | 1× |
| Akron, OH | $79,770 | −2% | 0.8× |
| Toledo, OH | $78,280 | −3% | 0.9× |
Staying in OH keeps state income tax and licensing the same, which makes these the most directly comparable moves.
Who hires registered nurses around Columbus
Large local employers in sectors that typically employ this role.
- Ohio State University · Education
- OhioHealth · Healthcare
- Cardinal Health · Healthcare
Other jobs in Columbus
Source: US BLS OEWS (May 2023) median annual wage; cost of living from BEA; home price and rent from Zillow; household income from US Census ACS. Rankings are across the 187 metros we hold wage data for in this occupation. Estimates for guidance only. See methodology.