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

Last updated: May 15, 2026 Built for: Total Rewards, Comp, HR Sample: BLS OEWS + disclosed-range postings
Market Median
$76,000
base, annual
Competitive Range
$68K–$88K
25th–75th percentile
YoY Movement
+3.5%
trailing 12 months
Days to Fill
~24
Dayton metro average
To hire a Registered Nurse in Dayton at market, plan on a base salary range of $68,000 to $88,000, with $76,000 as the midpoint. To attract candidates in a market where average time-to-fill runs 24 days, expect to lead at $88K–$100K 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 Dayton

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

Lag Market
Pay Below Median
$60K–$68K
Workable in non-acute settings with strong non-cash differentiation. Expect longer fill times and turnover ~1.4× the Dayton average.
Match Market — recommended
Pay at Median
$72.8K–$80.8K
Default for most Dayton employers. Competitive enough to fill in ~24 days. A range width of ~30% (min $68,000 to max $88,000) keeps compa-ratio movement smooth across a RN's typical 8–12 year tenure.
Lead Market
Pay Above Median
$83.2K–$100K
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 Dayton, OH

Where the Dayton market actually sits for RN base pay.

10th $60K
25th $68K
Median $76K
75th $88K
90th $100K

Most Dayton employers building a range for this role anchor the midpoint to the market median ($76,000) and set range width at 30–35% — a min of $68,000 and a max of $88,000. 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 Dayton, a compliant good-faith range looks like $68,000 to $88,000. No statutory requirement applies, but if you disclose voluntarily, post a good-faith range of $68,000–$88,000 rather than a single number — it screens out misaligned candidates and reduces offer-stage fallout.

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

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

Employer Type Disclosed Range Sign-on Bonus
Premier Health (Miami Valley Hospital) Health system $76K–$98K Very common ($10K–$18K)
Kettering Health Network Health system $74K–$96K Very common ($10K–$18K)
Dayton Children's Hospital Pediatric specialty $76K–$98K Common ($8K–$15K)
Grandview Medical Center (Kettering) Hospital $72K–$92K Common ($8K–$15K)
Wright-Patterson AFB Medical Center Federal / military $70K–$92K Federal benefits

RN talent supply and hiring difficulty in Dayton

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

~24
Avg Days to Fill
~700
Active Postings
~8,400
Dayton RN Workforce
Moderate
Supply : Demand

Dayton RN market driven by Premier Health (Miami Valley Hospital) and Kettering Health.

Skill premiums RN candidates command in Dayton, OH

Skill / Credential Pay Premium Demand Signal
CCRN +8–12% Very high
CEN +7–11% Very high
Pediatric (Dayton Children's) +6–10% High
BSN (vs ADN) +5–8% Standard

RN total compensation in Dayton — what candidates expect beyond base

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

Component Typical Value Prevalence in Dayton Postings
Base salary $76,000 (median) 100%
Shift differential +12–18% premium ~86%
Sign-on bonus $8,000–$18,000 ~72%
Certification pay +5–12% premium ~50%
Tuition reimbursement $2,500–$4,500/yr ~54%
Estimated total comp benchmark ~$95K–$115K —

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 Dayton — SNF, hospital, clinic, home health

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

Setting Median Competitive Range Hiring Difficulty
Acute-care hospital (med-surg) $72,000 $64K–$82K Moderate
ICU / Critical care $86,000 $76K–$100K Very high
Emergency department $84,000 $74K–$96K Very high
Pediatric (Dayton Children's) $86,000 $76K–$100K High
Ambulatory / clinic $64,000 $58K–$74K Moderate

RN salary in Dayton vs. other Ohio and nearby metros

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

Location Median Base vs. Dayton Hiring Difficulty
Dayton, OH $76,000 — Moderate
Cincinnati, OH-KY-IN $80,000 +5.3% Moderate
Columbus, OH $84,000 +10.5% Moderate
Indianapolis, IN $78,000 +2.6% Moderate
Ohio statewide $78,000 +2.6% —
U.S. national $93,600 — —

FAQ: hiring a Registered Nurse in Dayton, OH

Market median is $76,000 for base pay. To match market, set a range with the midpoint at $76,000 — typically $68,000 to $88,000. To lead the market, plan on $88K–$100K base plus a sign-on bonus.
No statewide law requires a posted range in Ohio. Disclosing one voluntarily — a good-faith range such as $68,000–$88,000 — is increasingly the market norm and improves application rates.
$68,000 falls below the Dayton market median of $76,000 — 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 Dayton RN postings include a sign-on bonus. Premier Health and Kettering lead with $10K–$18K offers.
Average fill time is approximately 24 days in the Dayton metro. Roles paid above the 75th percentile ($88K+) fill in roughly 18–22 days. Roles below the 25th percentile ($68K) commonly take 45+ days and have elevated turnover within the first 90 days.
By Dayton-metro posting volume: Premier Health (Miami Valley Hospital), Kettering Health Network, Dayton Children's Hospital, Grandview Medical Center (Kettering), Wright-Patterson AFB Medical Center lead the pack.
A 30–35% range width (min to max) is standard for RN in Dayton — for example, $68,000 to $88,000. 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 — Cincinnati, OH → RN pay benchmark — Columbus, OH → RN pay benchmark — Indianapolis, IN → All RN pay benchmarks →
Related roles in Dayton
Certified Nursing Assistant pay benchmark — Dayton → Nurse Practitioner pay benchmark — Dayton → 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.