Oklahoma's average registered nurse salary of $85,060 sits below several regional peers, most notably Colorado at $99,370 and Texas at $95,380. Missouri at $85,900, Kansas at $82,360, and Arkansas at $81,520 are all close to Oklahoma's level, so candidates from those states will generally arrive with comparable pay expectations. If you are competing for talent against Colorado or Texas employers, plan to address the gap directly in your total compensation package.
Registered nurse salary in Oklahoma (2026)
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The average registered nurse salary in Oklahoma is $85,060 per year. A small pool of very high earners pulls that average upward, so the median of $82,920 gives employers a more reliable starting point for most hiring decisions. Oklahoma employs 38,270 registered nurses, and the $2,140 gap between the mean and median reflects real variation in the candidate pool you will be evaluating. Junior registered nurses in Oklahoma typically earn around $60,530, while senior specialists reach and exceed the $106,390 level at the 90th percentile. Plan for a range rather than a single number when budgeting for a registered nurse hire in Oklahoma, and anchor that range to the seniority and specialization of the role you are filling.
Metric / Value
Metric | Value |
Median Annual Salary | $82,920 |
Average Annual Salary | $85,060 |
vs. National Average | 16.1% below the national mean of $101,420 |
Data comes from the BLS OEWS and covers 38,270 employed registered nurses across Oklahoma.
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Registered nurse salary percentiles in Oklahoma
Percentile | Annual Salary |
10th Percentile | $60,530 |
25th Percentile | $77,350 |
75th Percentile | $98,910 |
90th Percentile | $106,390 |
Employers setting an offer for a registered nurse in Oklahoma should expect most candidates to fall between $77,350 and $98,910, which covers the middle half of the market. Senior specialists with advanced experience or specialized credentials regularly reach $106,390, so offers targeting that tier need to reflect that level of the range.
City | Average Annual Salary |
Tulsa | $87,380 |
Oklahoma City | $86,080 |
Lawton | $84,340 |
Enid | $76,570 |
Location meaningfully affects what you will need to offer a registered nurse in Oklahoma, so budget accordingly based on where the role sits. Tulsa leads at $87,380 and Enid sits at $76,570, a spread of more than $10,000 that can shift your compensation anchor depending on the market you are hiring in. Offers in Tulsa and Oklahoma City will need to track closer to the statewide mean, while Enid-based roles can reasonably anchor lower.
How Oklahoma compares to other states
State | Average Annual Salary | Median Annual Salary |
Oklahoma | $85,060 | $82,920 |
Colorado | $99,370 | $100,260 |
Texas | $95,380 | $95,970 |
Missouri | $85,900 | $81,780 |
Kansas | $82,360 | $79,320 |
Arkansas | $81,520 | $78,940 |
Oklahoma sits in the lower-cost tier among regional peers, which gives employers here a relative budget advantage when competing for registered nurse talent against Colorado and Texas. The Oklahoma mean of $85,060 runs $10,320 below Texas at $95,380 and $14,310 below Colorado at $99,370. Missouri, Kansas, and Arkansas track closely to Oklahoma, so candidates moving between those states will arrive with similar compensation expectations.
Frequently asked questions about registered nurse salary in Oklahoma
How does Oklahoma compare to other states for registered nurse salary?
What do the top-earning registered nurses make in Oklahoma?
Registered nurses at the 90th percentile in Oklahoma earn $106,390 per year. The 75th percentile sits at $98,910, so offers targeting senior or specialized talent should be anchored in that upper range. When recruiting for advanced roles, expect candidates with strong credentials to benchmark against the $106,390 threshold.
What is the salary range for a registered nurse in Oklahoma?
The salary range for a registered nurse in Oklahoma runs from $60,530 at the 10th percentile to $106,390 at the 90th percentile. The middle half of the market falls between $77,350 and $98,910, which is the most practical range for setting offers on standard roles. Use the seniority and specialization of the specific position to determine where within that range your offer should land.
What is the average registered nurse salary in Oklahoma?
The average registered nurse salary in Oklahoma is $85,060 per year, with a median of $82,920. The $2,140 gap between those two figures reflects a modest pull from higher-compensated roles at the top of the market. For most hiring decisions, anchoring your initial offer to the $82,920 median will give you a more accurate read on where the bulk of candidates are priced.
Registered Nurse salary by state
Data sourced from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), 2025, SOC code 29-1141 (Registered Nurses).
Disclaimer
Rippling and its affiliates do not provide tax, accounting, or legal advice. This material has been prepared for informational purposes only, and is not intended to provide or be relied on for tax, accounting, or legal advice. You should consult your own tax, accounting, and legal advisors before engaging in any related activities or transactions.
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The Rippling Team
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