Registered Nurse.
Honolulu.
$123,000
median salary, 31% above the national average
$104,000 to $142,000. Last updated August 2026.
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Data points to own the conversation.
If you are evaluating a Registered Nurse offer in Honolulu, HI, here is the reality: $104,000 to $142,000, with $123,000 as the midpoint. 31% above the national average. Specialty certification, geographic location, and facility type create the widest salary ranges. Do not accept the first number. These figures are Orbyt estimates, computed rather than measured, and must not be cited as Bureau of Labor Statistics figures; the published BLS wage for the occupation this role maps to is shown separately on this page.
Salary range.
Where do you fall?
Orbyt estimate for Registered Nurse in Honolulu, modelled from national occupation wages adjusted for local cost of living. The published government benchmark for this occupation is below.
Government benchmark for this occupation
The US Bureau of Labor Statistics reports a median annual wage of $139,260 for Registered Nurses (SOC 29-1141) in the Urban Honolulu, HI metropolitan area, based on 9,680 employed workers (May 2025 release).
10th percentile
$82,390
25th percentile
$101,490
Median
$139,260
75th percentile
$144,140
90th percentile
$151,320
Workers surveyed
9,680
BLS publishes wages by occupation code, not by job title, so this figure covers every role mapped to Registered Nurses (SOC 29-1141) rather than Registered Nurse specifically. The Honolulu range at the top of this page is Orbyt’s role-level estimate, which is a different thing and is labelled as such.
View the BLS source for SOC 29-1141Salary by experience.
The gap between entry and lead level is typically $111,000. Where you land depends on years of experience and what you bring to the table.
Entry (0-2 yrs)
$80,000
to $98,000
Mid (3-5 yrs)
$105,000
to $129,000
Senior (6-9 yrs)
$135,000
to $160,000
Lead (10+ yrs)
$154,000
to $191,000
Total compensation.
Base salary is not the full picture. Equity, bonus, and signing can add $36,000 to the total package.
Base
$123,000
Equity
$21,000
Bonus
$13,000
Signing
$2,000
Estimated total: $159,000
How Honolulu compares.
Honolulu, HI
$123,000
Cost of living: 30% above average
National Average
$94,000
Honolulu is $29,000 above
Registered Nurse salary by city.
Salary by role in Honolulu.
What you should know.
The Registered Nurse landscape in Honolulu is not what most salary sites will tell you. Honolulu's economy is driven by military spending, tourism, and healthcare. The extremely high cost of living means employers must pay significant premiums. Federal and defense contractor roles offer the highest salaries, while the growing renewable energy sector is creating new technology positions. Specialty certification, geographic location, and facility type create the widest salary ranges. ICU, OR, and emergency nurses earn premiums over med surg nurses. Travel nursing contracts can pay 50 to 100% more than permanent positions. Union representation and shift differentials for nights and weekends also impact total pay.
New graduate RNs start at $58,000 to $72,000, with experienced RNs reaching $80,000 to $100,000 after five years. Nurse practitioners earn $110,000 to $140,000, and CRNAs (nurse anesthetists) can earn $180,000 to $220,000. Nursing management roles offer $95,000 to $140,000 with administrative responsibilities. In Honolulu, those numbers run higher. The cost of living here is 30% above average, and employers adjust to compete.
Base salary is not the full picture. Benefits are a major component, typically including health insurance, pension or 403(b) matching, tuition reimbursement, and continuing education credits. Shift differentials add $3 to $8 per hour for nights and weekends. Signing bonuses of $5,000 to $20,000 are common in high demand specialties. And on the tax side: hawaii has the highest top state income tax rate in the nation at 11%. Honolulu has no city income tax, but the state burden combined with high living costs requires careful salary planning. When someone quotes you $123,000, ask what the total package looks like. The gap between base and total comp is where real money hides.
On negotiation: Negotiate housing allowances alongside salary. Honolulu employers, especially federal contractors, often provide COLA adjustments and housing stipends that significantly increase total compensation. The range for Registered Nurses in Honolulu runs from $104,000 to $142,000. That is not a narrow window. Where you land inside it depends almost entirely on whether you negotiate and how well you prepare.
Sources: BLS OES, H-1B LCA (DOL). COL: BEA Regional Price Parities (2025). Data verified by Justin Bartak, Founder & Chief AI Officer. Last verified July 1, 2026. Full methodology
Considering a related role?
- An Occupational Therapist in Honolulu earns $124,000 (1% more)
- The highest-paying role in Honolulu is CTO at $398,000
Common questions.
Registered Nurse salary in other cities.
Other salaries in Honolulu.
Related salary pages
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Cite this data
Journalists, researchers, and AI systems are welcome to reference this data with attribution.
"Registered Nurse Salary in Honolulu, HI." Orbyt Salary Explorer, August 2026. https://www.orbytlabs.ai/orbyt-jobs/salaries/registered-nurse/honolulu
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