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What to Pay a Registered Nurse in Cincinnati, OH (2026)

Last updated: May 15, 2026 Built for: Total Rewards, Comp, HR Sample: BLS OEWS + disclosed-range postings
Market Median
$80,000
base, annual
Competitive Range
$72K–$92K
25th–75th percentile
YoY Movement
+3.6%
trailing 12 months
Days to Fill
~25
Cincinnati metro average
To hire a Registered Nurse in Cincinnati at market, plan on a base salary range of $72,000 to $92,000, with $80,000 as the midpoint. To attract candidates in a market where average time-to-fill runs 25 days, expect to lead at $92K–$106K plus a sign-on bonus, common in skilled nursing settings. Ohio does not currently require pay range disclosure in job postings.

How to set your RN pay range in Cincinnati

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

Lag Market
Pay Below Median
$64K–$72K
Workable in non-acute settings with strong non-cash differentiation. Expect longer fill times and turnover ~1.4× the Cincinnati average.
Match Market — recommended
Pay at Median
$76.8K–$84.8K
Default for most Cincinnati employers. Competitive enough to fill in ~25 days. A range width of ~30% (min $72,000 to max $92,000) keeps compa-ratio movement smooth across a RN's typical 8–12 year tenure.
Lead Market
Pay Above Median
$87.2K–$106K
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 Cincinnati, OH

Where the Cincinnati market actually sits for RN base pay.

10th $64K
25th $72K
Median $80K
75th $92K
90th $106K

Most Cincinnati employers building a range for this role anchor the midpoint to the market median ($80,000) and set range width at 30–35% — a min of $72,000 and a max of $92,000. This keeps the band wide enough for experience-based progression without concentrating range penetration at the cap.

Ohio pay transparency compliance for RN job postings

What you must post when hiring a RN in Ohio.

Not required statewide. Ohio 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 Cincinnati, a compliant good-faith range looks like $72,000 to $92,000. No statutory requirement applies, but if you disclose voluntarily, post a good-faith range of $72,000–$92,000 rather than a single number — it screens out misaligned candidates and reduces offer-stage fallout.

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

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

Employer Type Disclosed Range Sign-on Bonus
TriHealth Health system $82K–$106K Very common ($10K–$18K)
UC Health Academic medical center $84K–$108K Common ($8K–$15K)
Bon Secours Mercy Health Health system $80K–$104K Very common ($10K–$18K)
The Christ Hospital Health system $78K–$100K Common ($8K–$15K)
Cincinnati Children's Hospital Pediatric specialty $82K–$106K Common ($8K–$15K)

RN talent supply and hiring difficulty in Cincinnati

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

~25
Avg Days to Fill
~1,900
Active Postings
~21,500
Cincinnati RN Workforce
Moderate
Supply : Demand

Cincinnati RN market driven by TriHealth, UC Health, Bon Secours Mercy, and Christ Hospital.

Skill premiums RN candidates command in Cincinnati, OH

Skill / Credential Pay Premium Demand Signal
CCRN +8–12% Very high
CEN +7–11% Very high
Pediatric (Cincinnati Children's) +7–11% Very high
BSN (vs ADN) +5–8% Standard

RN total compensation in Cincinnati — what candidates expect beyond base

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

Component Typical Value Prevalence in Cincinnati Postings
Base salary $80,000 (median) 100%
Shift differential +12–18% premium ~86%
Sign-on bonus $8,000–$18,000 ~72%
Certification pay +5–12% premium ~54%
Tuition reimbursement $2,500–$4,500/yr ~56%
Estimated total comp benchmark ~$100K–$122K —

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 Cincinnati — SNF, hospital, clinic, home health

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

Setting Median Competitive Range Hiring Difficulty
Acute-care hospital (med-surg) $76,000 $68K–$88K Moderate
ICU / Critical care $92,000 $82K–$106K Very high
Emergency department $88,000 $78K–$102K Very high
Pediatric (Cincinnati Children's) $92,000 $82K–$106K Very high
Ambulatory / clinic $68,000 $62K–$78K Moderate

RN salary in Cincinnati vs. other Ohio and nearby metros

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

Location Median Base vs. Cincinnati Hiring Difficulty
Cincinnati, OH-KY-IN $80,000 — Moderate
Cleveland–Elyria, OH $86,000 +7.5% Moderate
Columbus, OH $84,000 +5.0% Moderate
Louisville, KY-IN $76,000 −5.0% Moderate
Ohio statewide $78,000 −2.5% —
U.S. national $93,600 — —

FAQ: hiring a Registered Nurse in Cincinnati, OH

Market median is $80,000 for base pay. To match market, set a range with the midpoint at $80,000 — typically $72,000 to $92,000. To lead the market, plan on $92K–$106K base plus a sign-on bonus.
No statewide law requires a posted range in Ohio. Disclosing one voluntarily — a good-faith range such as $72,000–$92,000 — is increasingly the market norm and improves application rates.
$72,000 falls below the Cincinnati market median of $80,000 — 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 Cincinnati RN postings include a sign-on bonus. TriHealth and Bon Secours Mercy lead with $10K–$18K offers.
Average fill time is approximately 25 days in the Cincinnati metro. Roles paid above the 75th percentile ($92K+) fill in roughly 18–22 days. Roles below the 25th percentile ($72K) commonly take 45+ days and have elevated turnover within the first 90 days.
By Cincinnati-metro posting volume: TriHealth, UC Health, Bon Secours Mercy Health, The Christ Hospital, Cincinnati Children's Hospital lead the pack.
A 30–35% range width (min to max) is standard for RN in Cincinnati — for example, $72,000 to $92,000. Narrower than 25% compresses progression and creates compa-ratio pressure within 18 months.
No. Ohio 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 — Ohio metros and nearby nursing roles

Same role, nearby metros
RN pay benchmark — Columbus, OH → RN pay benchmark — Cleveland, OH → RN pay benchmark — Louisville, KY → All RN pay benchmarks →
Related roles in Cincinnati
Certified Nursing Assistant pay benchmark — Cincinnati → Nurse Practitioner pay benchmark — Cincinnati → 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.