Registered Nurses pay range in Buffalo
New workers and the lowest-paid 10% earn about $78,490 a year or less, while the top 10% make $117,980 or more. The middle half of registered nurses in Buffalo earn between $85,350 and $108,560.
- $78K10th
- $85K25th
- $99KMedian
- $109K75th
- $118K90th
median average · bar = middle 50% of workers · how to read it
| Pay level | Per year | Per month | Per hour* |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average | $98,560 | $8,213 | $47.38 |
| Median | $99,060 | $8,255 | $47.62 |
| Entry level (25th percentile) | $85,350 | $7,112 | $41.03 |
| Experienced (75th percentile) | $108,560 | $9,047 | $52.19 |
*Hourly figures assume 2,080 paid hours a year. Hourly to annual salary.
Registered Nurses pay in Buffalo vs. New York and the U.S.
Registered nurses in Buffalo earn 13% less than the New York average ($113,440) and about the same as the U.S. average ($101,420). At the median the gap is +2% against the U.S. median of $97,550.
| Area | Average | Median | 10th pct. | 90th pct. | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Buffalo | $98,560 | $99,060 | $78,490 | $117,980 | 13,830 |
| New York | $113,440 | $109,440 | $79,760 | $157,090 | 205,810 |
| United States | $101,420 | $97,550 | $68,940 | $137,470 | 3,379,720 |
State and U.S. rows: BLS statewide and national estimates, May 2025, which include rural areas.
Registered Nurses salary after taxes in Buffalo
On the average salary of $98,560, a single filer in Buffalo takes home about $73,302 a year, or $6,108 a month and $2,819 every two weeks. Taxes take 26% of gross pay.
Single filer, standard deduction: federal income tax (2026 brackets), Social Security, Medicare and state income tax (2025 rules). New York City (up to 3.876%) and Yonkers income taxes are not included.
Is Buffalo a good place for registered nurses? Pay vs. cost of living
Prices in the Buffalo area are 4% below the U.S. average (BEA price parity 95.8), so the average $98,560 buys what about $102,834 would buy in a typical U.S. metro. This job pays 2.0 times the median wage of all jobs in Buffalo ($50,790). A typical home costs $288,316, or 2.9 years of this average salary before tax.
Registered Nurses salary in other New York cities
Buffalo ranks 6th of 13 New York metro areas for this job; New York pays the most ($119,600).
- New York$119,600
- Kingston$104,300
- Kiryas Joel$102,250
- Ithaca$101,390
- Binghamton$99,450
- Buffalo$98,560
- Albany$98,530
- Watertown$96,070
- Glens Falls$95,810
- Rochester$92,250
Highest-paying cities for registered nurses
San Jose, CA pays this job the most of the metro areas we cover ($194,950).
- San Jose, CA$194,950
- Vallejo, CA$182,820
- San Francisco, CA$176,900
- Santa Rosa, CA$170,000
- Sacramento, CA$164,200
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Registered Nurses salary in Buffalo: questions
How much do registered nurses make an hour in Buffalo?
$47.39 an hour on average, and $47.63 at the median (BLS, May 2025).
What is the entry-level registered nurses salary in Buffalo?
The lowest-paid 10% earn about $78,490 a year and the 25th percentile is $85,350, a fair guide to starting pay.
What is the registered nurses take-home pay in Buffalo?
About $73,302 a year ($6,108 a month) for a single filer on the average salary of $98,560. New York City (up to 3.876%) and Yonkers income taxes are not included.
Do registered nurses earn more in Buffalo than elsewhere?
The average here is about the same as the U.S. average for this job ($101,420).
Sources and how to read this page
- Wages: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2025 estimates for metropolitan areas. SOC code 29-1141; area Buffalo-Cheektowaga, NY (15380). Relative standard error of the mean wage: 0.5%.
- U.S. and statewide figures: BLS OEWS national and state estimates, May 2025, every employer including rural areas.
- Cost of living: Bureau of Economic Analysis regional price parities (RPP), 2024; 100 = U.S. average.
- Home value: Zillow Home Value Index. Typical-wage figure: OEWS all occupations, same metro.
- Take-home pay: Single filer, standard deduction: federal income tax (2026 brackets), Social Security, Medicare and state income tax (2025 rules). New York City (up to 3.876%) and Yonkers income taxes are not included.
- Job concentration: location quotient 1.19, this job is about as common as in the U.S. overall.
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