Registered Nurse Salary: New York, NY vs Seattle, WA
Side-by-side comparison of wages and local price levels for Registered Nurses in New York, NY and Seattle, WA, based on BLS OEWS May 2025 wage data and BEA regional price parities for 2024.
1Which City Pays More?
Detailed Comparison
| Metric | New York, NY | Seattle, WA | Diff |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median Annual Salary | $119,720 | $128,260▲ | -$8,540 |
| 25th Percentile | $103,970 | $104,540▲ | -$570 |
| 75th Percentile | $133,230 | $136,780▲ | -$3,550 |
| 90th Percentile | $159,240 | $163,890▲ | -$4,650 |
| Price Level (BEA 2024, US = 100) | 112.6 | 111.1 | +1.5 |
| Median at National-Average Prices | $106,358 | $115,411▲ | -$9,053 |
| Total Employment | 197,740 | 39,900 | +157,840 |
3Summary Analysis
On paper, Seattle, WA pays $8,540 more (median: $119,720 vs $128,260). BEA's regional price parity is 112.6 in New York, NY and 111.1 in Seattle, WA (United States = 100). At national-average prices the medians are $106,358 and $115,411, so Seattle, WA comes out ahead once local prices are counted.
4More Registered Nurse City Comparisons
5Reading This Comparison
The $8,540 gap between the two medians is a gap in dollars, not in what those dollars buy. Dividing each median by its area's regional price parity restates it at national-average prices: $106,358 for New York and $115,411 for Seattle, a difference of $9,053.
The price levels come from the U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis, which describes them this way: “Regional price parities (RPPs) measure the differences in price levels across states and metropolitan areas for a given year and are expressed as a percentage of the overall national price level.” The figures used here are the all-items index for each whole metropolitan area (New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ; Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA) and cover prices only, not taxes.
BLS estimates 197,740 Registered Nurse jobs in the New York area and 39,900 in the Seattle area. For broader context, see our New York overview and the full Registered Nurse city ranking.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Registered Nurse salary higher in New York, NY or Seattle, WA?
Seattle, WA has the higher median wage for Registered Nurses ($128,260 per year, against $119,720 in New York, NY; BLS OEWS May 2025). Restated at national-average prices using BEA regional price parities, the medians are $106,358 in New York, NY and $115,411 in Seattle, WA.
How do prices compare between New York, NY and Seattle, WA?
The U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis puts the 2024 regional price parity at 112.6 for the New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ metropolitan area and 111.1 for the Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA metropolitan area, where the United States is 100. That is 12.6% above the national level for New York, NY and 11.1% above the national level for Seattle, WA.
Which city pays Registered Nurses more once local prices are counted?
Seattle, WA: at national-average prices its median Registered Nurse wage is $115,411, against $106,358 for New York, NY. The adjustment divides each median by the area's BEA regional price parity and covers prices only, not taxes.