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What to Pay a Registered Nurse in Memphis, TN (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
+3.7%
trailing 12 months
Days to Fill
~25
Memphis metro average
To hire a Registered Nurse in Memphis 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 25 days, expect to lead at $88K–$100K plus a sign-on bonus, common in skilled nursing settings. Tennessee does not currently require pay range disclosure in job postings.

How to set your RN pay range in Memphis

Three pay positions, modeled against current Memphis 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 Memphis average.
Match Market — recommended
Pay at Median
$72.8K–$80.8K
Default for most Memphis employers. Competitive enough to fill in ~25 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 Memphis, TN

Where the Memphis market actually sits for RN base pay.

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

Most Memphis 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.

Tennessee pay transparency compliance for RN job postings

What you must post when hiring a RN in Tennessee.

Not required statewide. Tennessee 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 Memphis, 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 Memphis — who you're competing against

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

Employer Type Disclosed Range Sign-on Bonus
Baptist Memorial Health Care Health system $76K–$98K Very common ($10K–$18K)
Methodist Le Bonheur Healthcare Health system $74K–$96K Very common ($10K–$18K)
Regional One Health Public / Level I trauma $72K–$94K Government benefits
Le Bonheur Children's Hospital Pediatric specialty $76K–$98K Common ($8K–$15K)
St. Jude Children's Research Hospital Pediatric research $80K–$102K Common ($8K–$15K)

RN talent supply and hiring difficulty in Memphis

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

~25
Avg Days to Fill
~1,500
Active Postings
~17,800
Memphis RN Workforce
Moderate
Supply : Demand

Memphis RN market driven by Baptist Memorial Health Care, Methodist Le Bonheur, and Regional One Health.

Skill premiums RN candidates command in Memphis, TN

Skill / Credential Pay Premium Demand Signal
CCRN +8–12% Very high
CEN + trauma (Regional One) +6–10% Very high
Pediatric (Le Bonheur / St. Jude) +7–11% Very high
Oncology (St. Jude) +7–11% Very high

RN total compensation in Memphis — what candidates expect beyond base

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

Component Typical Value Prevalence in Memphis Postings
Base salary $76,000 (median) 100%
Shift differential +12–18% premium ~86%
Sign-on bonus $10,000–$18,000 ~74%
Certification pay +5–12% premium ~52%
Tuition reimbursement $2,500–$4,500/yr ~54%
Estimated total comp benchmark ~$95K–$118K —

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 Memphis — SNF, hospital, clinic, home health

Where the RN range splits by employer type in the Memphis 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 (Le Bonheur / St. Jude) $88,000 $78K–$102K Very high
Ambulatory / clinic $64,000 $58K–$74K Moderate

RN salary in Memphis vs. other Tennessee and nearby metros

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

Location Median Base vs. Memphis Hiring Difficulty
Memphis, TN-MS-AR $76,000 — Moderate
Nashville–Davidson, TN $82,000 +7.9% Moderate
Little Rock, AR $70,000 −7.9% Moderate
Birmingham–Hoover, AL $74,000 −2.6% Moderate
Tennessee statewide $72,000 −5.3% —
U.S. national $93,600 — —

FAQ: hiring a Registered Nurse in Memphis, TN

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 Tennessee. 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 Memphis 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 74% of Memphis RN postings include a sign-on bonus. Baptist Memorial and Methodist Le Bonheur lead with $10K–$18K offers.
Average fill time is approximately 25 days in the Memphis 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 Memphis-metro posting volume: Baptist Memorial Health Care, Methodist Le Bonheur Healthcare, Regional One Health, Le Bonheur Children's Hospital, St. Jude Children's Research Hospital lead the pack.
A 30–35% range width (min to max) is standard for RN in Memphis — for example, $68,000 to $88,000. Narrower than 25% compresses progression and creates compa-ratio pressure within 18 months.
No. Tennessee 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 — Tennessee metros and nearby nursing roles

Same role, nearby metros
RN pay benchmark — Nashville, TN → RN pay benchmark — Birmingham, AL → RN pay benchmark — New Orleans, LA → All RN pay benchmarks →
Related roles in Memphis
Certified Nursing Assistant pay benchmark — Memphis → Nurse Practitioner pay benchmark — Memphis → 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.