RN Salary in Washington (2026): The Complete BLS-Anchored Guide
Last verified: April 22, 2026 — all pay figures anchored to U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) 29-1141 Registered Nurses, May 2024 release; Washington staffing context from Substitute Senate Bill 5236 (2023) / Washington Hospital Nurse Staffing Law 2024 implementation; union context from WSNA (Washington State Nurses Association) collective-bargaining agreements; NLC compact status per NCSBN.
Washington is the fourth-highest-paying U.S. state for RNs — behind California, Hawaii, and Oregon. BLS OEWS 29-1141 May 2024 reports a Washington State RN median annual wage of $108,2601 — approximately 26% above the national RN median of $86,070, driven by Seattle's academic medical center concentration (UW Medicine, Seattle Children's, Fred Hutch Cancer Center, Virginia Mason), strong WSNA union density, the Kaiser Permanente Washington market expansion following the 2017 Group Health acquisition, and Washington's growing hospital-staffing regulatory framework. Washington joined the Nurse Licensure Compact as a partial member (effective 2024), reshaping the travel-nursing licensure dynamic. This guide is the complete Washington RN salary picture in 2026: every BLS-reported metro, the WSNA union-premium mechanism, the 2024 Hospital Nurse Staffing Law, Seattle academic-medical-center pay landscape, Kaiser WA competitive dynamics, care-setting differentials, travel-nurse comparison, and how specialty certifications stack on top of Washington base pay.
The Headline — Washington RN Pay in One Chart
BLS OEWS 29-1141 Registered Nurses, Washington state, May 2024 release:1
| Metric | Washington | U.S. median | Delta |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median (50th percentile) annual | $108,260 | $86,070 | +26% |
| Mean annual | $113,140 | $94,480 | +20% |
| 10th percentile annual | $80,290 | $61,250 | +31% |
| 25th percentile annual | $94,200 | $72,800 | +29% |
| 75th percentile annual | $131,870 | $107,380 | +23% |
| 90th percentile annual | $154,920 | $132,680 | +17% |
| Median hourly | $52.05 | $41.38 | +26% |
| Employment | ~69,000 | ~3.3M | — |
Washington pay sits above national median across all percentiles. The 10th-percentile-vs-national-10th gap (+31%) is notable — entry-level and part-time Washington RN pay is well above the national comparable, reflecting broad market-wide wage lift rather than a narrow top-percentile concentration.
Why Washington Pays What It Does — The Structural Drivers
1. WSNA (Washington State Nurses Association) union density. WSNA represents approximately 20,000 Washington RNs across Providence / Swedish, Virginia Mason Franciscan Health, MultiCare, PeaceHealth, EvergreenHealth, UW Medicine (partial), Overlake, and numerous community hospitals.2 WSNA collective-bargaining agreements typically include:
- Published wage scales by experience step (often 12–15 steps)
- Shift differentials (evening, night, weekend) as percentage of base
- Charge-nurse and preceptor differentials
- Specialty-certification differentials (CCRN / CEN / OCN / CNOR / PCCN / CMSRN / RNC-OB typically codified)
- Employer retirement contributions
- Mandatory-overtime prohibitions beyond state law
- Staffing-grievance procedures (increasingly enforceable post-2024 Staffing Law)
- Float-pool protections
WSNA-represented facility pay typically runs 8–18% above non-union Washington facilities of similar acuity.
2. UW Medicine and Seattle academic-medical-center concentration.
- University of Washington Medical Center (UWMC) — flagship academic medical center (Montlake + Northwest campuses). UW Medicine is the academic system.
- Harborview Medical Center — UW Medicine-operated public safety-net + Level I trauma center for a five-state region.
- Seattle Children's Hospital — leading pediatric academic medical center.
- Fred Hutchinson Cancer Center (formerly Fred Hutch / Seattle Cancer Care Alliance merger) — NCI-designated Comprehensive Cancer Center.
- Virginia Mason Franciscan Health (post-2021 merger of Virginia Mason and CHI Franciscan) — major Seattle-Tacoma system.
- Swedish Medical Center — Providence-owned (as of 2012 acquisition); major Seattle system.
- Providence Health & Services — Catholic nonprofit headquartered in Renton WA; largest employer-of-RNs in WA by volume.
- MultiCare Health System — Tacoma-based nonprofit; Puget Sound and beyond.
- Kaiser Permanente Washington (post-2017 Group Health Cooperative acquisition) — integrated system; competitive pay scales that set market pressure on Puget Sound.
- EvergreenHealth — Kirkland-based.
- Overlake Medical Center — Bellevue-based.
Seattle's academic-medical-center density and compete-for-labor market dynamic between major systems drive competitive pay for RN labor across Puget Sound.
3. Kaiser Permanente market entry (2017). Kaiser's 2017 acquisition of Group Health Cooperative positioned Kaiser as a major Washington integrated system. Kaiser's California-derived union-negotiated pay scales applied (adapted) to Washington employees have raised the Puget Sound pay floor for nurses at Kaiser facilities and indirectly raised competitive pay at adjacent systems.
4. Washington Hospital Nurse Staffing Law (2024 implementation). Substitute Senate Bill 5236 (2023), implemented January 2024, requires Washington hospitals to create nurse staffing committees with at least 50% direct-care RN representation, develop and publish hospital-wide staffing plans, and implement enforcement mechanisms including monetary penalties and a state-DOH-administered complaint process.3 This is not a statutory ratio law like California AB 394 but is meaningfully more structured than New York's 2021 or Illinois's laws — Washington's law includes explicit enforcement authority and fines.
5. Cost of living. Seattle metro housing costs are high (comparable to Boston and San Diego; below SF / NYC). Nominal Washington RN wages reflect the COL premium. Spokane and eastern Washington metros have much lower housing cost; nominal pay 15–20% below Seattle metro but net real purchasing power often stronger.
6. NLC compact partial membership (2024). Washington is now an NLC compact state.4 This is a recent structural change — Washington had historically been non-compact. The compact membership makes interstate RN mobility easier for travel nursing and multi-state employment.
Metro Breakdown — All BLS-Reported Washington Areas
Washington metros with BLS OEWS 29-1141 published data (May 2024):1
| Metro | Median hourly | Median annual | Employment | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Seattle–Tacoma–Bellevue | $54.35 | $113,040 | ~46,000 | UW Medicine + Seattle Children's + Fred Hutch + Virginia Mason Franciscan + Swedish/Providence + MultiCare + Kaiser WA + Overlake + EvergreenHealth. Largest metro RN workforce. |
| Bellingham | $50.24 | $104,500 | ~3,000 | PeaceHealth St. Joseph Medical Center. |
| Mount Vernon–Anacortes | $49.62 | $103,210 | ~1,500 | Skagit Regional Health + Island Hospital. |
| Bremerton–Silverdale–Port Orchard | $53.47 | $111,230 | ~2,000 | St. Anthony Hospital / CHI Franciscan (Virginia Mason Franciscan). |
| Olympia–Lacey–Tumwater | $51.41 | $106,930 | ~2,500 | Providence St. Peter + MultiCare Capital Medical. |
| Spokane–Spokane Valley | $44.95 | $93,490 | ~8,000 | Providence Sacred Heart + MultiCare Deaconess + MultiCare Valley Hospital. |
| Tri-Cities (Kennewick–Richland) | $46.33 | $96,360 | ~3,500 | Kadlec Regional + Trios Health + Lourdes. |
| Yakima | $45.59 | $94,830 | ~2,500 | Virginia Mason Memorial + Astria Health. |
| Wenatchee | $47.55 | $98,900 | ~1,500 | Confluence Health. |
| Longview | $45.54 | $94,730 | ~1,000 | PeaceHealth St. John. |
| Kelowna / Walla Walla | $44.14 | $91,800 | ~1,000 | Providence St. Mary Medical Center. |
Seattle metro dominates Washington RN employment (~67% of state). Eastern Washington metros run 15–20% below Seattle metro but still well above the national RN median.
Washington Pay by Care Setting
Base pay varies by care setting on top of the state BLS median. Typical 2026 Washington base ranges (before differentials), Seattle metro:
| Care setting | Typical 2026 WA base (Seattle metro) | Source link |
|---|---|---|
| Acute care med-surg / stepdown | $95,000–$135,000 | Hub F acute |
| ICU | $105,000–$155,000 | Hub F ICU |
| ED | $100,000–$145,000 | Hub F ED |
| OR / perioperative | $100,000–$140,000 | Hub F OR |
| L&D | $100,000–$140,000 | Hub F L&D |
| Pediatric specialty | $105,000–$155,000 | Hub F pediatric |
| Ambulatory | $90,000–$120,000 | Hub F ambulatory |
| Home health | $90,000–$120,000 | Hub F home health |
| Hospice | $90,000–$120,000 | Hub F hospice |
| School nursing | $70,000–$105,000 (10-month contract) | Hub F school |
Shift differentials typical at Seattle WSNA-represented facilities: night +$4–$8/hour, weekend +$3–$6/hour, charge +$2–$5/hour, specialty-cert stipend codified in contracts. Eastern Washington and smaller metros typically run 15–20% below Seattle metro pay for equivalent settings.
Top Washington Employers — 2026 Pay Landscape
Providence Health & Services (headquartered Renton WA) — largest RN employer in Washington and across the Pacific Northwest / West Coast. Includes Providence Sacred Heart (Spokane), Providence St. Peter (Olympia), Providence Regional Everett, Providence St. Mary (Walla Walla), Swedish Medical Center (Seattle — First Hill / Cherry Hill / Ballard / Edmonds / Issaquah), Providence Centralia, Providence Mount Carmel, and more. WSNA-represented at many facilities.
UW Medicine — University of Washington Medical Center (Montlake + Northwest), Harborview Medical Center, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Center, Valley Medical Center (Renton), UW Neighborhood Clinics. UW Medicine is the academic system; Harborview is the UW-operated public safety-net + Level I trauma center. Partially WSNA-represented.
Virginia Mason Franciscan Health (post-2021 CHI Franciscan + Virginia Mason merger) — Virginia Mason Medical Center (First Hill Seattle), St. Anne Hospital (Burien), St. Francis Hospital (Federal Way), St. Joseph Medical Center (Tacoma), St. Michael Medical Center (Silverdale), St. Clare Hospital (Lakewood), St. Anthony Hospital (Gig Harbor), Harrison Medical Center (Bremerton), and others. WSNA-represented at most facilities.
MultiCare Health System (Tacoma-based nonprofit) — MultiCare Tacoma General, MultiCare Mary Bridge Children's Hospital, MultiCare Good Samaritan (Puyallup), MultiCare Auburn Medical Center, MultiCare Allenmore, MultiCare Deaconess (Spokane), MultiCare Valley Hospital (Spokane Valley), MultiCare Covington Medical Center, and others. WSNA-represented at most.
Kaiser Permanente Washington (post-2017 Group Health Cooperative acquisition) — integrated ambulatory + inpatient system across Puget Sound. Strong union-negotiated scales (Alliance of Health Care Unions / AHCU).
Seattle Children's Hospital — leading pediatric academic medical center; WSNA-represented.
Fred Hutchinson Cancer Center (post-2022 Fred Hutch / Seattle Cancer Care Alliance merger) — NCI-designated Comprehensive Cancer Center.
EvergreenHealth (Kirkland + Monroe) — WSNA-represented.
Overlake Medical Center (Bellevue).
Confluence Health (Wenatchee).
PeaceHealth — Catholic nonprofit across WA + OR + AK. Includes PeaceHealth St. Joseph (Bellingham), PeaceHealth St. John (Longview), PeaceHealth Southwest (Vancouver). WSNA-represented at most WA facilities.
VA Medical Centers (Seattle VA / Puget Sound VA, American Lake VA Tacoma, Spokane VA, Walla Walla VA) — federal pay scale + federal pension.
Harborview Medical Center — UW-operated Level I trauma center serving WA / MT / ID / AK / WY. Public safety-net with strong pension (King County).
Compare specific facilities at Hospital Pay Band Comparator.
Specialty Certifications — What They Stack on Washington Base
Washington union facilities (WSNA-represented Providence / Swedish / Virginia Mason Franciscan / MultiCare / PeaceHealth / EvergreenHealth / Seattle Children's) codify specialty-cert differentials. Non-union facilities typically match to stay competitive.
- CCRN — AACN; WA differential typically $1.50–$3/hour at WSNA-represented facilities.
- CEN — BCEN; WA differential typically $1–$2.50/hour.
- OCN — ONCC; WA differential typically $1–$2.50/hour + Fred Hutch oncology-program access.
- CNOR — CCI; WA differential typically $1–$2.50/hour + RNFA pathway.
- PCCN — AACN; WA differential typically $1–$2/hour.
- CMSRN — MSNCB; WA differential typically $0.75–$2/hour.
- RNC-OB / C-EFM / RNC-NIC / CPN / TCRN / CPEN — codified at union facilities.
Model at Specialty Cert Worth-It.
Travel Nurse Baseline — Washington Comparison
Washington is a high-rate travel-nursing market. Seattle metro rates benefit from academic-medical-center acuity, WSNA-driven floor, and Kaiser scale dynamics.
Typical 2026 weekly gross for experienced travelers on Washington contracts (Seattle metro):
| Specialty | Weekly gross (typical) | Weekly gross (crisis rate) |
|---|---|---|
| Med-surg | $2,100–$2,700 | $3,000–$3,500 |
| Telemetry/PCU | $2,300–$2,900 | $3,200–$3,700 |
| ED | $2,500–$3,100 | $3,400–$4,000 |
| ICU | $2,600–$3,300 | $3,600–$4,200 |
| CVICU/NICU/PICU | $2,800–$3,500 | $3,800–$4,400 |
| L&D | $2,400–$3,000 | $3,300–$3,900 |
| OR | $2,500–$3,200 | $3,500–$4,100 |
Eastern Washington and smaller metros typically run 15–20% below Seattle metro rates.
Important: Washington joined the NLC compact as a partial member effective 2024.4 Travel RNs with NLC compact multistate licenses from other NLC states can now practice in Washington without separate state licensure (a significant change from the pre-2024 era when Washington was non-compact). This has shortened the onboarding timeline for travel contracts.
Real take-home after IRS Publication 463 tax-home compliance, Seattle metro housing cost, and contract-specific terms typically runs 20–30% below headline. Run at Travel Nurse Contract Analyzer.
Washington RN Licensing — NLC Compact Partial Member (2024)
Washington joined the NLC as a partial member effective 2024. The Washington State Department of Health (DOH) Nursing Care Quality Assurance Commission issues RN licenses.4 Practical implications:
- RNs with NLC compact multistate licenses from other NLC member states can now practice in Washington without separate state licensure (effective 2024).
- Washington RNs applying under the compact can obtain a Washington multistate (compact) license that allows practice in other NLC states.
- Out-of-state RNs with single-state licenses (from non-NLC states like California, New York, Oregon, Hawaii, Nevada, Massachusetts) still need a Washington license by endorsement — typically 4–8 weeks processing.
Full Washington licensing detail: Washington Nurse Licensing Guide.
Career Lattice — How Washington RNs Grow Pay
Clinical ladder (typical Magnet / academic hospital structure): Clinical Nurse I → II → III → IV → V. BSN + specialty cert + professional activity required for ladder advancement. Seattle Magnet hospitals (UW Medical Center, Swedish, Virginia Mason, Seattle Children's, Overlake, EvergreenHealth) have competitive ladder structures. WSNA contracts often codify ladder pay differentials.
Public-sector ladder — Harborview Medical Center (UW-operated, King County pension eligibility), Valley Medical Center (Renton, Public Hospital District pension), and VA federal pay offer strong total compensation with pension.
APRN track — MSN/DNP → FNP / AGPCNP / AGACNP / PMHNP / CNM / CRNA / PNP. Washington grants APRN full practice authority — ARNPs (as WA terms them) practice independently without physician collaborative agreement after initial transition period.5 WA CRNAs have scope-of-practice independence.
Travel + staff hybrid — NLC compact entry (2024) makes hybrid travel-and-WA-staff careers structurally easier than before.
Model educational investment ROI at BSN-to-MSN ROI.
Regional Realities — Cost-of-Living Adjustment
Washington pay varies meaningfully across metros:
- Highest absolute pay, highest cost: Seattle–Tacoma–Bellevue and surrounding metros. Nominal wages strong, housing cost high (especially in Seattle proper + Bellevue + Redmond).
- Strong pay + moderate cost: Olympia, Bremerton / Silverdale, Bellingham. Pay $105,000–$115,000; housing substantially more affordable than Seattle proper.
- Good pay, strong purchasing power: Spokane, Tri-Cities, Yakima, Wenatchee. Pay $90,000–$100,000; housing costs well below national average. Net real purchasing power often strongest here.
- Lower pay, lowest cost: Longview, Walla Walla, Kelowna. Pay $92,000–$95,000; cheapest housing in the state.
Model net purchasing power at RN Salary by State with a Washington cost-of-living overlay.
FAQ
What's the median RN salary in Washington in 2026? BLS OEWS 29-1141 May 2024 release: $108,260 median Washington RN annual wage.1 Mean: $113,140. 90th percentile: $154,920.
Which Washington metro pays the most? Seattle–Tacoma–Bellevue: $113,040 median annual (highest WA metro). Bremerton–Silverdale: $111,230. Olympia: $106,930.
Is Washington in the Nurse Licensure Compact? Yes — Washington joined the NLC as a partial member effective 2024.4 This is a recent structural change. RNs with compact multistate licenses from other NLC states can now practice in Washington without separate state licensure.
How does WSNA affect Washington RN pay? WSNA represents ~20,000 WA RNs across Providence / Swedish / Virginia Mason Franciscan / MultiCare / PeaceHealth / Seattle Children's / EvergreenHealth. Union-facility pay typically 8–18% above non-union at similar acuity.
What's the 2024 Washington Hospital Nurse Staffing Law? Substitute Senate Bill 5236 (2023), implemented January 2024, requires WA hospitals to create nurse staffing committees with at least 50% direct-care RN representation, develop and publish staffing plans, and includes enforcement (fines, state DOH-administered complaint process).3 Not statutory ratios like CA AB 394; meaningful enforcement structure.
How does Kaiser Permanente Washington affect the market? Kaiser's 2017 Group Health Cooperative acquisition brought Kaiser-derived union pay scales (Alliance of Health Care Unions) to Washington. Competitive pressure has lifted the floor at adjacent Puget Sound systems.
How much do Washington travel nurses earn? Seattle weekly gross (2026): $2,100 (med-surg) to $3,500 (CVICU/NICU crisis). Eastern WA 15–20% below. Real take-home typically 20–30% below headline. Compact licensure from other NLC states simplifies onboarding (change effective 2024).
Is specialty certification worth it in Washington? Yes. WSNA facilities codify differentials; non-union facilities typically match to compete. CCRN / CEN / OCN / CNOR / PCCN / CMSRN / RNC-OB / RNC-NIC all stack.
Does Washington grant APRN full practice authority? Yes. Washington ARNPs practice independently without physician collaborative agreement after an initial transition-to-practice period.5 This is a differentiator from many states and supports higher APRN compensation + independent-practice opportunity.
What about CRNA pay in Washington? CRNAs in Washington typically earn $250,000–$400,000 base in 2026; top independent-practice and specialty settings can reach $450,000+. Washington CRNAs have scope-of-practice independence.
Sources
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U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), "29-1141 Registered Nurses," May 2024 data release, Washington state and metro tables. https://www.bls.gov/oes/current/oes_wa.htm and https://www.bls.gov/oes/current/oes291141.htm ↩↩↩↩
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Washington State Nurses Association (WSNA) — public collective-bargaining agreements and membership data. https://www.wsna.org/ ↩
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Substitute Senate Bill 5236 (2023) / Washington Hospital Nurse Staffing Law — codified at Chapter 70.41 RCW. https://app.leg.wa.gov/RCW/default.aspx?cite=70.41 ↩↩
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Washington State Department of Health, Nursing Care Quality Assurance Commission — Nurse Licensure Compact membership (effective 2024). https://doh.wa.gov/licenses-permits-and-certificates/professions-new-renew-or-update/registered-nurse and NCSBN Compact Map https://www.ncsbn.org/nurse-licensure-compact.htm ↩↩↩↩
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Washington State ARNP (Advanced Registered Nurse Practitioner) scope of practice — RCW 18.79.260 and WAC 246-840-300. https://app.leg.wa.gov/RCW/default.aspx?cite=18.79.260 ↩↩
