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What to Pay a Registered Nurse in Oklahoma City, OK (2026)

Last updated: May 15, 2026 Built for: Total Rewards, Comp, HR Sample: BLS OEWS + disclosed-range postings
Market Median
$70,000
base, annual
Competitive Range
$62K–$80K
25th–75th percentile
YoY Movement
+3.8%
trailing 12 months
Days to Fill
~23
Oklahoma City metro average
To hire a Registered Nurse in Oklahoma City at market, plan on a base salary range of $62,000 to $80,000, with $70,000 as the midpoint. To attract candidates in a market where average time-to-fill runs 23 days, expect to lead at $80K–$92K plus a sign-on bonus, common in skilled nursing settings. Oklahoma does not currently require pay range disclosure in job postings.

How to set your RN pay range in Oklahoma City

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

Lag Market
Pay Below Median
$56K–$62K
Workable in non-acute settings with strong non-cash differentiation. Expect longer fill times and turnover ~1.4× the Oklahoma City average.
Match Market — recommended
Pay at Median
$66.8K–$74K
Default for most Oklahoma City employers. Competitive enough to fill in ~23 days. A range width of ~30% (min $62,000 to max $80,000) keeps compa-ratio movement smooth across a RN's typical 8–12 year tenure.
Lead Market
Pay Above Median
$76K–$92K
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 Oklahoma City, OK

Where the Oklahoma City market actually sits for RN base pay.

10th $56K
25th $62K
Median $70K
75th $80K
90th $92K

Most Oklahoma City employers building a range for this role anchor the midpoint to the market median ($70,000) and set range width at 30–35% — a min of $62,000 and a max of $80,000. This keeps the band wide enough for experience-based progression without concentrating range penetration at the cap.

Oklahoma pay transparency compliance for RN job postings

What you must post when hiring a RN in Oklahoma.

Not required statewide. Oklahoma 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 Oklahoma City, a compliant good-faith range looks like $62,000 to $80,000. No statutory requirement applies, but if you disclose voluntarily, post a good-faith range of $62,000–$80,000 rather than a single number — it screens out misaligned candidates and reduces offer-stage fallout.

Top RN employers in Oklahoma City — who you're competing against

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

Employer Type Disclosed Range Sign-on Bonus
OU Health (University of Oklahoma) Academic medical center $68K–$88K Common ($8K–$15K)
INTEGRIS Health Health system $66K–$86K Very common ($10K–$18K)
Mercy Hospital Oklahoma City Health system $66K–$86K Very common ($10K–$18K)
SSM Health St. Anthony Health system $64K–$84K Common ($8K–$15K)
Children's Hospital at OU Medical Center Pediatric specialty $68K–$88K Common ($8K–$15K)

RN talent supply and hiring difficulty in Oklahoma City

How hard is it to fill a RN role in Oklahoma City.

~23
Avg Days to Fill
~1,100
Active Postings
~13,600
Oklahoma City RN Workforce
Moderate
Supply : Demand

Oklahoma City RN market driven by OU Health, INTEGRIS Health, Mercy, and SSM Health.

Skill premiums RN candidates command in Oklahoma City, OK

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

RN total compensation in Oklahoma City — what candidates expect beyond base

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

Component Typical Value Prevalence in Oklahoma City Postings
Base salary $70,000 (median) 100%
Shift differential +12–18% premium ~84%
Sign-on bonus $8,000–$18,000 ~72%
Certification pay +5–12% premium ~48%
Tuition reimbursement $2,000–$4,000/yr ~50%
Estimated total comp benchmark ~$88K–$108K —

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 Oklahoma City — SNF, hospital, clinic, home health

Where the RN range splits by employer type in the Oklahoma City metro.

Setting Median Competitive Range Hiring Difficulty
Acute-care hospital (med-surg) $66,000 $58K–$76K Moderate
ICU / Critical care $80,000 $70K–$92K Very high
Emergency department $78,000 $68K–$90K Very high
Pediatric (Children's at OU) $80,000 $70K–$92K High
Ambulatory / clinic $58,000 $52K–$66K Moderate

RN salary in Oklahoma City vs. other Oklahoma and nearby metros

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

Location Median Base vs. Oklahoma City Hiring Difficulty
Oklahoma City, OK $70,000 — Moderate
Tulsa, OK $68,000 −2.9% Moderate
Wichita, KS $68,000 −2.9% Moderate
Dallas–Fort Worth, TX $90,000 +28.6% Above national avg
Oklahoma statewide $66,000 −5.7% —
U.S. national $93,600 — —

FAQ: hiring a Registered Nurse in Oklahoma City, OK

Market median is $70,000 for base pay. To match market, set a range with the midpoint at $70,000 — typically $62,000 to $80,000. To lead the market, plan on $80K–$92K base plus a sign-on bonus.
No statewide law requires a posted range in Oklahoma. Disclosing one voluntarily — a good-faith range such as $62,000–$80,000 — is increasingly the market norm and improves application rates.
$63,000 falls below the Oklahoma City market median of $70,000 — 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 Oklahoma City RN postings include a sign-on bonus. INTEGRIS and Mercy lead with $10K–$18K offers.
Average fill time is approximately 23 days in the Oklahoma City metro. Roles paid above the 75th percentile ($80K+) fill in roughly 18–22 days. Roles below the 25th percentile ($62K) commonly take 45+ days and have elevated turnover within the first 90 days.
By Oklahoma City-metro posting volume: OU Health (University of Oklahoma), INTEGRIS Health, Mercy Hospital Oklahoma City, SSM Health St. Anthony, Children's Hospital at OU Medical Center lead the pack.
A 30–35% range width (min to max) is standard for RN in Oklahoma City — for example, $62,000 to $80,000. Narrower than 25% compresses progression and creates compa-ratio pressure within 18 months.
No. Oklahoma 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 — Oklahoma metros and nearby nursing roles

Same role, nearby metros
RN pay benchmark — Tulsa, OK → RN pay benchmark — Wichita, KS → RN pay benchmark — Dallas, TX → All RN pay benchmarks →
Related roles in Oklahoma City
Certified Nursing Assistant pay benchmark — Oklahoma City → Nurse Practitioner pay benchmark — Oklahoma City → 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.