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What to Pay a Registered Nurse in Wichita, KS (2026)

Last updated: May 15, 2026 Built for: Total Rewards, Comp, HR Sample: BLS OEWS + disclosed-range postings
Market Median
$68,000
base, annual
Competitive Range
$60K–$78K
25th–75th percentile
YoY Movement
+3.6%
trailing 12 months
Days to Fill
~22
Wichita metro average
To hire a Registered Nurse in Wichita at market, plan on a base salary range of $60,000 to $78,000, with $68,000 as the midpoint. To attract candidates in a market where average time-to-fill runs 22 days, expect to lead at $78K–$90K plus a sign-on bonus, common in skilled nursing settings. Kansas does not currently require pay range disclosure in job postings.

How to set your RN pay range in Wichita

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

Lag Market
Pay Below Median
$54K–$60K
Workable in non-acute settings with strong non-cash differentiation. Expect longer fill times and turnover ~1.4× the Wichita average.
Match Market — recommended
Pay at Median
$64.8K–$72K
Default for most Wichita employers. Competitive enough to fill in ~22 days. A range width of ~30% (min $60,000 to max $78,000) keeps compa-ratio movement smooth across a RN's typical 8–12 year tenure.
Lead Market
Pay Above Median
$74K–$90K
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 Wichita, KS

Where the Wichita market actually sits for RN base pay.

10th $54K
25th $60K
Median $68K
75th $78K
90th $90K

Most Wichita employers building a range for this role anchor the midpoint to the market median ($68,000) and set range width at 30–35% — a min of $60,000 and a max of $78,000. This keeps the band wide enough for experience-based progression without concentrating range penetration at the cap.

Kansas pay transparency compliance for RN job postings

What you must post when hiring a RN in Kansas.

Not required statewide. Kansas 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 Wichita, a compliant good-faith range looks like $60,000 to $78,000. No statutory requirement applies, but if you disclose voluntarily, post a good-faith range of $60,000–$78,000 rather than a single number — it screens out misaligned candidates and reduces offer-stage fallout.

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

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

Employer Type Disclosed Range Sign-on Bonus
Ascension Via Christi Health system $66K–$86K Very common ($10K–$18K)
Wesley Healthcare (HCA) Health system $64K–$84K Very common ($12K–$20K)
Wesley Children's Hospital Pediatric specialty (HCA) $66K–$86K Common ($8K–$15K)
Kansas Surgery & Recovery Center Ambulatory surgery $62K–$80K Common ($8K–$15K)
Robert J. Dole VA Medical Center Federal / VA $62K–$80K Federal benefits

RN talent supply and hiring difficulty in Wichita

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

~22
Avg Days to Fill
~550
Active Postings
~6,800
Wichita RN Workforce
Moderate
Supply : Demand

Wichita RN market driven by Ascension Via Christi and Wesley Healthcare.

Skill premiums RN candidates command in Wichita, KS

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

RN total compensation in Wichita — what candidates expect beyond base

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

Component Typical Value Prevalence in Wichita Postings
Base salary $68,000 (median) 100%
Shift differential +12–18% premium ~84%
Sign-on bonus $10,000–$20,000 ~76%
Certification pay +5–12% premium ~48%
Tuition reimbursement $2,000–$4,000/yr ~50%
Estimated total comp benchmark ~$85K–$105K —

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 Wichita — SNF, hospital, clinic, home health

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

Setting Median Competitive Range Hiring Difficulty
Acute-care hospital (med-surg) $64,000 $56K–$74K Moderate
ICU / Critical care $78,000 $70K–$90K Very high
Emergency department $74,000 $66K–$86K Very high
Pediatric (Wesley Children's) $76,000 $68K–$88K High
Ambulatory / clinic $58,000 $52K–$66K Moderate

RN salary in Wichita vs. other Kansas and nearby metros

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

Location Median Base vs. Wichita Hiring Difficulty
Wichita, KS $68,000 — Moderate
Kansas City, MO-KS $78,000 +14.7% Moderate
Oklahoma City, OK $70,000 +2.9% Moderate
Omaha–Council Bluffs, NE-IA $74,000 +8.8% Moderate
Kansas statewide $66,000 −2.9% —
U.S. national $93,600 — —

FAQ: hiring a Registered Nurse in Wichita, KS

Market median is $68,000 for base pay. To match market, set a range with the midpoint at $68,000 — typically $60,000 to $78,000. To lead the market, plan on $78K–$90K base plus a sign-on bonus.
No statewide law requires a posted range in Kansas. Disclosing one voluntarily — a good-faith range such as $60,000–$78,000 — is increasingly the market norm and improves application rates.
$61,000 falls below the Wichita market median of $68,000 — 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 76% of Wichita RN postings include a sign-on bonus. Wesley Healthcare (HCA) and Ascension Via Christi lead with $12K–$20K offers.
Average fill time is approximately 22 days in the Wichita metro. Roles paid above the 75th percentile ($78K+) fill in roughly 18–22 days. Roles below the 25th percentile ($60K) commonly take 45+ days and have elevated turnover within the first 90 days.
By Wichita-metro posting volume: Ascension Via Christi, Wesley Healthcare (HCA), Wesley Children's Hospital, Kansas Surgery & Recovery Center, Robert J. Dole VA Medical Center lead the pack.
A 30–35% range width (min to max) is standard for RN in Wichita — for example, $60,000 to $78,000. Narrower than 25% compresses progression and creates compa-ratio pressure within 18 months.
No. Kansas 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 — Kansas metros and nearby nursing roles

Same role, nearby metros
RN pay benchmark — Kansas City, MO → RN pay benchmark — Oklahoma City, OK → RN pay benchmark — Omaha, NE → All RN pay benchmarks →
Related roles in Wichita
Certified Nursing Assistant pay benchmark — Wichita → Nurse Practitioner pay benchmark — Wichita → 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.