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What to Pay a Registered Nurse in Minneapolis, MN (2026)

Last updated: May 15, 2026 Built for: Total Rewards, Comp, HR Sample: BLS OEWS + disclosed-range postings
Market Median
$100,000
base, annual
Competitive Range
$88K–$115K
25th–75th percentile
YoY Movement
+3.9%
trailing 12 months
Days to Fill
~28
Minneapolis metro average
To hire a Registered Nurse in Minneapolis at market, plan on a base salary range of $88,000 to $115,000, with $100,000 as the midpoint. To attract candidates in a market where average time-to-fill runs 28 days, expect to lead at $115K–$132K plus a sign-on bonus, common in skilled nursing settings. Minnesota does not currently require pay range disclosure in job postings.

How to set your RN pay range in Minneapolis

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

Lag Market
Pay Below Median
$78K–$88K
Workable in non-acute settings with strong non-cash differentiation. Expect longer fill times and turnover ~1.4× the Minneapolis average.
Match Market — recommended
Pay at Median
$95.2K–$106K
Default for most Minneapolis employers. Competitive enough to fill in ~28 days. A range width of ~30% (min $88,000 to max $115,000) keeps compa-ratio movement smooth across a RN's typical 8–12 year tenure.
Lead Market
Pay Above Median
$109K–$132K
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 Minneapolis, MN

Where the Minneapolis market actually sits for RN base pay.

10th $78K
25th $88K
Median $100K
75th $115K
90th $132K

Most Minneapolis employers building a range for this role anchor the midpoint to the market median ($100,000) and set range width at 30–35% — a min of $88,000 and a max of $115,000. This keeps the band wide enough for experience-based progression without concentrating range penetration at the cap.

Minnesota pay transparency compliance for RN job postings

What you must post when hiring a RN in Minnesota.

Not required statewide. Minnesota 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 Minneapolis, a compliant good-faith range looks like $88,000 to $115,000. No statutory requirement applies, but if you disclose voluntarily, post a good-faith range of $88,000–$115,000 rather than a single number — it screens out misaligned candidates and reduces offer-stage fallout.

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

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

Employer Type Disclosed Range Sign-on Bonus
M Health Fairview Academic medical center system $98K–$125K Common ($8K–$15K)
HealthPartners Integrated health system $96K–$122K Very common ($10K–$18K)
Allina Health Health system $94K–$120K Very common ($10K–$18K)
Mayo Clinic (Rochester adjacent) Specialty academic $100K–$128K Common ($8K–$15K)
Children's Minnesota Pediatric specialty $96K–$122K Common ($8K–$15K)

RN talent supply and hiring difficulty in Minneapolis

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

~28
Avg Days to Fill
~2,800
Active Postings
~32,500
Minneapolis RN Workforce
Tight
Supply : Demand

Twin Cities RN market driven by M Health Fairview, HealthPartners, Allina Health, and Mayo Clinic. MN's 2025 pay transparency law has tightened ranges.

Skill premiums RN candidates command in Minneapolis, MN

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

RN total compensation in Minneapolis — what candidates expect beyond base

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

Component Typical Value Prevalence in Minneapolis Postings
Base salary $100,000 (median) 100%
Shift differential +12–20% premium ~90%
Sign-on bonus $8,000–$18,000 ~70%
Certification pay +5–12% premium ~58%
Tuition reimbursement $3,000–$5,500/yr ~62%
Estimated total comp benchmark ~$122K–$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 Minneapolis — SNF, hospital, clinic, home health

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

Setting Median Competitive Range Hiring Difficulty
Acute-care hospital (med-surg) $96,000 $86K–$110K Above national avg
ICU / Critical care $115,000 $102K–$132K Very high
Emergency department $110,000 $98K–$128K Very high
OR / Perioperative $112,000 $100K–$130K High
Ambulatory / clinic $86,000 $76K–$98K Moderate

RN salary in Minneapolis vs. other Minnesota and nearby metros

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

Location Median Base vs. Minneapolis Hiring Difficulty
Minneapolis–St. Paul–Bloomington, MN-WI $100,000 — Above national avg
Milwaukee–Waukesha, WI $88,000 −12.0% Moderate
Chicago–Naperville–Elgin, IL $95,000 −5.0% Tight
Detroit–Warren–Dearborn, MI $86,000 −14.0% Moderate
Minnesota statewide $92,000 −8.0% —
U.S. national $93,600 — —

FAQ: hiring a Registered Nurse in Minneapolis, MN

Market median is $100,000 for base pay. To match market, set a range with the midpoint at $100,000 — typically $88,000 to $115,000. To lead the market, plan on $115K–$132K base plus a sign-on bonus.
No statewide law requires a posted range in Minnesota. Disclosing one voluntarily — a good-faith range such as $88,000–$115,000 — is increasingly the market norm and improves application rates.
$90,000 falls below the Minneapolis market median of $100,000 — 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 70% of Twin Cities RN postings include a sign-on bonus. HealthPartners and Allina lead with $10K–$18K offers.
Average fill time is approximately 28 days in the Minneapolis metro. Roles paid above the 75th percentile ($115K+) fill in roughly 18–22 days. Roles below the 25th percentile ($88K) commonly take 45+ days and have elevated turnover within the first 90 days.
By Minneapolis-metro posting volume: M Health Fairview, HealthPartners, Allina Health, Mayo Clinic (Rochester adjacent), Children's Minnesota lead the pack.
A 30–35% range width (min to max) is standard for RN in Minneapolis — for example, $88,000 to $115,000. Narrower than 25% compresses progression and creates compa-ratio pressure within 18 months.
No. Minnesota 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 — Minnesota metros and nearby nursing roles

Same role, nearby metros
RN pay benchmark — Chicago, IL → RN pay benchmark — Milwaukee, WI → RN pay benchmark — Detroit, MI → All RN pay benchmarks →
Related roles in Minneapolis
Certified Nursing Assistant pay benchmark — Minneapolis → Nurse Practitioner pay benchmark — Minneapolis → 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.