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What to Pay a Registered Nurse in Baltimore, MD (2026)

Last updated: May 15, 2026 Built for: Total Rewards, Comp, HR Sample: BLS OEWS + disclosed-range postings
Market Median
$96,000
base, annual
Competitive Range
$86K–$112K
25th–75th percentile
YoY Movement
+3.7%
trailing 12 months
Days to Fill
~28
Baltimore metro average
To hire a Registered Nurse in Baltimore at market, plan on a base salary range of $86,000 to $112,000, with $96,000 as the midpoint. To attract candidates in a market where average time-to-fill runs 28 days, expect to lead at $112K–$128K plus a sign-on bonus, common in skilled nursing settings. Maryland does not currently require pay range disclosure in job postings.

How to set your RN pay range in Baltimore

Three pay positions, modeled against current Baltimore market data. Pick the one that matches your comp philosophy and the role's strategic value.

Lag Market
Pay Below Median
$76K–$86K
Workable in non-acute settings with strong non-cash differentiation. Expect longer fill times and turnover ~1.4× the Baltimore average.
Match Market — recommended
Pay at Median
$92K–$102.4K
Default for most Baltimore employers. Competitive enough to fill in ~28 days. A range width of ~30% (min $86,000 to max $112,000) keeps compa-ratio movement smooth across a RN's typical 8–12 year tenure.
Lead Market
Pay Above Median
$105.6K–$128K
Use for hard-to-fill specialties (wound care, IV therapy, bilingual), 24/7 SNF roles, or when speed-to-hire trumps budget. Reduces fill time by 35–45% on average.

RN salary percentile distribution in Baltimore, MD

Where the Baltimore market actually sits for RN base pay.

10th $76K
25th $86K
Median $96K
75th $112K
90th $128K

Most Baltimore employers building a range for this role anchor the midpoint to the market median ($96,000) and set range width at 30–35% — a min of $86,000 and a max of $112,000. This keeps the band wide enough for experience-based progression without concentrating range penetration at the cap.

Maryland pay transparency compliance for RN job postings

What you must post when hiring a RN in Maryland.

Not required statewide. Maryland has no statewide pay transparency law. Posting a range is optional — but roughly half of healthcare employers in the market now disclose ranges voluntarily, and candidates increasingly skip postings without one.

For a RN role in Baltimore, a compliant good-faith range looks like $86,000 to $112,000. No statutory requirement applies, but if you disclose voluntarily, post a good-faith range of $86,000–$112,000 rather than a single number — it screens out misaligned candidates and reduces offer-stage fallout.

Top RN employers in Baltimore — who you're competing against

Top healthcare employers hiring RNs in the Baltimore metro and what they're posting.

Employer Type Disclosed Range Sign-on Bonus
Johns Hopkins Medicine Academic medical center $96K–$125K Common ($8K–$15K)
University of Maryland Medical System Academic medical center system $92K–$120K Common ($8K–$15K)
MedStar Health Health system $90K–$118K Very common ($10K–$18K)
LifeBridge Health Health system $88K–$115K Very common ($10K–$18K)
Adventist HealthCare Health system $88K–$114K Common ($8K–$15K)

RN talent supply and hiring difficulty in Baltimore

How hard is it to fill a RN role in Baltimore.

~28
Avg Days to Fill
~2,900
Active Postings
~32,200
Baltimore RN Workforce
Tight
Supply : Demand

Baltimore RN market driven by Johns Hopkins, University of Maryland Medical System, and MedStar. Maryland's 2024 pay transparency law tightened ranges.

Skill premiums RN candidates command in Baltimore, MD

Skill / Credential Pay Premium Demand Signal
CCRN +8–12% Very high
CEN +7–11% Very high
CNOR +8–12% Very high
BSN (vs ADN) +5–8% Standard at Hopkins

RN total compensation in Baltimore — what candidates expect beyond base

Total rewards mix for RNs in Baltimore. "Prevalence" reflects share of Baltimore disclosed-range postings including each element.

Component Typical Value Prevalence in Baltimore Postings
Base salary $96,000 (median) 100%
Shift differential +12–20% premium ~90%
Sign-on bonus $8,000–$18,000 ~72%
Certification pay +5–12% premium ~58%
Tuition reimbursement $3,000–$5,000/yr ~64%
Estimated total comp benchmark ~$120K–$148K —

Shift differentials and sign-on bonuses are typically table stakes rather than differentiators. Tuition reimbursement for LPN-to-RN bridge programs is increasingly the lever that wins competitive offers, particularly for early-career candidates.

RN pay by setting in Baltimore — SNF, hospital, clinic, home health

Where the RN range splits by employer type in the Baltimore metro.

Setting Median Competitive Range Hiring Difficulty
Acute-care hospital (med-surg) $92,000 $82K–$106K Above national avg
ICU / Critical care $112,000 $100K–$128K Very high
Emergency department $108,000 $96K–$125K Very high
OR / Perioperative $110,000 $98K–$126K High
Ambulatory / clinic $82,000 $74K–$94K Moderate

RN salary in Baltimore vs. other Maryland and nearby metros

What you'd pay if you hired in a nearby metro instead.

Location Median Base vs. Baltimore Hiring Difficulty
Baltimore–Columbia–Towson, MD $96,000 — Above national avg
Washington, DC-VA-MD-WV $96,000 0.0% Above national avg
Philadelphia, PA-NJ-DE-MD $92,000 −4.2% Above national avg
Richmond, VA $78,000 −18.8% Moderate
Maryland statewide $90,000 −6.3% —
U.S. national $93,600 — —

FAQ: hiring a Registered Nurse in Baltimore, MD

Market median is $96,000 for base pay. To match market, set a range with the midpoint at $96,000 — typically $86,000 to $112,000. To lead the market, plan on $112K–$128K base plus a sign-on bonus.
No statewide law requires a posted range in Maryland. Disclosing one voluntarily — a good-faith range such as $86,000–$112,000 — is increasingly the market norm and improves application rates.
$86,000 falls below the Baltimore market median of $96,000 — roughly at the 25th–50th percentile locally. Acceptable in SNF or physician office settings where the candidate pool is deeper; below-market for hospital or specialty roles.
Roughly 72% of Baltimore metro RN postings include a sign-on bonus. MedStar and LifeBridge lead with $10K–$18K offers.
Average fill time is approximately 28 days in the Baltimore metro. Roles paid above the 75th percentile ($112K+) fill in roughly 18–22 days. Roles below the 25th percentile ($86K) commonly take 45+ days and have elevated turnover within the first 90 days.
By Baltimore-metro posting volume: Johns Hopkins Medicine, University of Maryland Medical System, MedStar Health, LifeBridge Health, Adventist HealthCare lead the pack.
A 30–35% range width (min to max) is standard for RN in Baltimore — for example, $86,000 to $112,000. Narrower than 25% compresses progression and creates compa-ratio pressure within 18 months.
No. Maryland has no pay transparency law covering internal or external postings. Note that remote roles open to candidates in states like Colorado or California may still trigger those states' disclosure requirements.

Related RN pay benchmarks — Maryland metros and nearby nursing roles

Same role, nearby metros
RN pay benchmark — Washington, DC → RN pay benchmark — Philadelphia, PA → RN pay benchmark — Richmond, VA → All RN pay benchmarks →
Related roles in Baltimore
Certified Nursing Assistant pay benchmark — Baltimore → Nurse Practitioner pay benchmark — Baltimore → All roles' pay benchmarks →

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Data refreshed May 15, 2026. Next scheduled update: August 15, 2026.
© 2026 BetterComp. Market data informational only — not legal advice.