Nurse Salary After Taxes by State (2026)

Registered nurses are among the most in-demand healthcare professionals in the country. But understanding real take-home pay means accounting for federal taxes, FICA, state income taxes, and in some states, mandatory pension contributions or SDI.

For your personalized paycheck estimate, use our Paycheck Calculator.

RN Salary by Type and State (2026)

RN Type / Location	Median Annual Salary
National median RN	$80,000
California RN (average)	$120,000
Texas RN	$78,000
New York RN	$90,000
Washington RN	$95,000
New graduate (ADN/BSN)	$58,000–$66,000
Travel nurse (13-wk contracts)	$90,000–$130,000+
ICU / Specialty RN	$88,000–$110,000

$80,000 Salary: Federal Tax Breakdown (2026)

Single filer, standard deduction $15,000, no pre-tax deductions.

Component	Amount
Gross salary	$80,000
Standard deduction	-$15,000
Taxable income	$65,000

Federal income tax on $65,000:

Bracket	Income range	Rate	Tax
10%	$0 – $11,925	10%	$1,192.50
12%	$11,925 – $48,475	12%	$4,386.00
22%	$48,475 – $65,000	22%	$3,635.50
Total federal IT			$9,214

FICA taxes:

Tax	Rate	Amount
Social Security (6.2%)	6.2% on $80,000	$4,960
Medicare (1.45%)	1.45%	$1,160
Total FICA		$6,120

Total federal deductions: ~$15,334

Take-Home Pay by State: $80,000 RN Salary

No State Income Tax (~$64,666/year)

State	Annual Take-Home	Monthly
Texas	~$64,666	~$5,389
Florida	~$64,666	~$5,389
Washington	~$64,666	~$5,389
Nevada	~$64,666	~$5,389

Moderate-Tax States

State	State Tax Est.	Annual Take-Home	Monthly
Pennsylvania	3.07% flat	~$62,210	~$5,184
North Carolina	4.25% flat	~$61,266	~$5,106
Illinois	4.95% flat	~$60,706	~$5,059
Ohio	~4.3%	~$61,226	~$5,102

High-Tax States

State	State Tax Est.	Annual Take-Home	Monthly
New York	~5.85%	~$59,986	~$4,999
New Jersey	~5.5%	~$60,266	~$5,022
Oregon	~8.75%	~$57,666	~$4,806
California	~9.3% + 1.1% SDI	~$56,746	~$4,729
Minnesota	~6.8%	~$59,226	~$4,936

Which States Pay RNs the Most?

Top-paying states by average RN salary (2026 estimates):

State	Avg. RN Salary	State Tax	Est. Take-Home
California	$120,000	~10.4%	~$95,500
Washington	$99,000	0%	~$82,100
Massachusetts	$96,000	5% flat	~$77,800
New York	$90,000	~6.8%	~$71,400
Oregon	$87,000	~8.75%	~$67,800

California still leads in take-home on an absolute basis despite high taxes, but Washington is the best per-dollar state: no income tax and salaries above $95,000 in major metro areas.

Take-Home vs. Gross: Calculation Example

RN earning $80,000 in Texas vs. California:

Component	Texas	California
Gross salary	$80,000	$80,000
Federal income tax	-$9,214	-$9,214
FICA	-$6,120	-$6,120
State income tax	$0	-$7,440
CA SDI (1.1%)	$0	-$880
Annual take-home	~$64,666	~$56,346
Monthly take-home	~$5,389	~$4,696

The Texas advantage at this salary: ~$8,320/year more in take-home pay.

Overtime and Shift Differentials

Overtime is common in nursing. At $80,000 base (22% federal bracket), each overtime dollar is taxed at:

• 22% federal income tax
• 7.65% FICA
• 0–10% state tax (depending on location)

Working 8 hours/week OT at ~$57/hour OT rate adds ~$23,712 gross annually. After taxes in Texas, you net roughly $16,500 from that OT. In California, closer to $13,800.

Use our Paycheck Calculator or the Texas calculator to model your exact scenario with overtime and benefits.