Last Updated: April 2026
Austin RN Salary 2026: How Much Do Nurses Make in Austin, TX?
Quick Answer
Austin RNs earn $86,320/year ($41.50/hr) based on the latest BLS data — above the Texas state average of $77,800 but the highest cost-of-living of any major Texas city. New grads start at $67,000–$75,500; ICU and trauma nurses reach $91,000–$122,000. No state income tax adds $5,000–$9,000 in annual take-home.
Austin's rapid population growth has made it one of the hottest healthcare hiring markets in Texas, with Dell Seton Medical Center, St. David's HealthCare, and Ascension Seton all expanding capacity. But Austin's rising cost of living means the nominal salary advantage over Houston and Dallas nearly disappears on a cost-adjusted basis. Here's the full picture.
Austin RN Salary by Experience Level (2026)
Austin RN Salary by Years of Experience
| Experience Level | Annual Salary Range | Hourly Rate |
|---|---|---|
| Entry-Level (0–2 yrs) | $67,000 – $75,500 | $32.20 – $36.30/hr |
| Mid-Career (5–10 yrs) | $84,000 – $98,000 | $40.40 – $47.10/hr |
| Senior (10+ yrs) | $98,500 – $118,000 | $47.40 – $56.70/hr |
| Top 10% earners | $122,000+ | $58.70+/hr |
Source: NurseSalaryIntel 2026 data
Austin RN Salary by Hospital (2026)
Dell Seton Medical Center at UT — Austin's only Level 1 Trauma Center — pays the highest base salaries and offers Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF) eligibility as a nonprofit academic medical center. St. David's leads on sign-on bonuses.
Nurse Salary by Hospital in Austin, TX
| Hospital | RN Salary Range | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Dell Seton Medical Center at UT | $88,000 – $112,000 | Level 1 Trauma; PSLF eligible |
| St. David's Medical Center | $83,000 – $106,000 | Sign-on: $10K–$18K |
| Ascension Seton (main campus) | $81,000 – $103,000 | Sign-on: $8K–$14K |
| St. David's North Austin Medical | $80,500 – $100,000 | Strong L&D program |
| UT Health Austin | $84,000 – $108,000 | Outpatient; PSLF eligible |
| Austin State Hospital | $78,000 – $95,000 | State benefits package |
| South Austin Medical Center | $79,000 – $99,000 | HCA system |
Source: NurseSalaryIntel 2026 hospital data
Austin RN Salary by Specialty (2026)
Trauma RNs at Dell Seton earn the highest specialty premium. ICU and NICU nurses are the next tier. Med-Surg serves as the baseline; all specialties are shown as premiums above it.
Austin RN Salary by Specialty
| Specialty | Avg Annual Salary | Premium Over Med-Surg |
|---|---|---|
| Med-Surg | $78,500 | Base |
| Telemetry | $82,400 | +$3,900 |
| L&D | $85,200 | +$6,700 |
| ER | $88,800 | +$10,300 |
| OR / Surgical | $87,500 | +$9,000 |
| ICU / CCU | $91,200 | +$12,700 |
| NICU | $88,600 | +$10,100 |
| Trauma (Level 1) | $97,000 | +$18,500 |
Source: NurseSalaryIntel 2026 data
Austin vs. Other Texas Cities: Cost-Adjusted Pay
Austin pays the highest nominal salary of any Texas metro, but its cost-of-living index of 119 (vs. Houston's 96) means Houston nurses actually take home more in real purchasing power. If maximizing purchasing power is the goal, Houston and San Antonio beat Austin despite lower listed salaries.
Texas RN Salary Comparison — Nominal vs. Cost-Adjusted
| City | Avg Annual Salary | COL Index / Real Value |
|---|---|---|
| Austin | $86,320 | COL 119 / Effective $72,500 |
| Houston | $82,140 | COL 96 / Effective $85,600 |
| Dallas | $80,910 | COL 102 / Effective $79,300 |
| San Antonio | $74,800 | COL 91 / Effective $82,200 |
| Fort Worth | $76,800 | COL 94 / Effective $81,700 |
Source: BLS OEWS 2025 + Cost of Living Index 2026
See the full comparison: Houston vs. Dallas RN salary 2026.
Texas Tax Advantage for Austin Nurses
Texas has no state income tax. On an $86,320 salary, a nurse moving from California (9.3% marginal state rate) saves approximately $8,000/year in state taxes alone. For nurses relocating from New York or Oregon, the savings are similar. This makes Austin's effective take-home considerably higher than comparable salaries in high-tax states — even accounting for the higher cost of living.
Austin Nurse Salary Negotiation Tips
Austin's tight nursing labor market gives candidates real leverage. Key tactics:
- Ask about sign-on bonuses upfront. St. David's and Ascension Seton routinely offer $10K–$18K for ICU, ER, and L&D. If it's not offered, ask — these budgets exist even when not advertised.
- Target Level 1 Trauma pay. Dell Seton's trauma designation justifies salary floors 10–15% above community hospitals. This is baked into their pay bands.
- Leverage PSLF eligibility. Both Dell Seton and UT Health Austin qualify for Public Service Loan Forgiveness. If you carry nursing school debt, this benefit is worth $10,000+ per year in effective compensation.
- Night and weekend differentials. Austin hospitals typically pay 12–18% differentials for overnight shifts and 8–12% for weekends — adding $8,000–$15,000/year for full-time night nurses.
Full nurse salary negotiation playbook →
Related Texas Salary Guides
Texas RN Salary 2026
Statewide averages and rankings
Houston RN Salary 2026
Cost-adjusted leader in Texas
Dallas RN Salary 2026
UT Southwestern, Baylor & Parkland pay
Houston vs Dallas
Side-by-side Texas metro comparison
📊 Data Methodology
Salary figures on this page are 2026 estimates derived from the most recent available U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) data, based on the May 2024 survey and published in March 2025. Estimated ranges may also incorporate publicly available 2025 job postings, hospital pay schedules, regional market conditions, and reported compensation trends.
Official 2026 OEWS wage data has not yet been released. All salary figures on this page should be treated as informational estimates rather than official government statistics or guaranteed compensation rates.
Frequently Asked Questions
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