salary$99,550 a year$48 an hour · median pay in the Baltimore-Columbia-Towson, MD area
Lower pay (bottom 10%)$77,600per year
Top pay (top 10%)$125,020per year
Jobs in the area30,930people work this job
Can a registered nurse afford Columbia?
OK. Rent of $2,291 a month takes 27.6% of the median registered nurse salary. That is under the 30% rule, so one paycheck covers rent comfortably.
Registered Nurse pay in similar cities
Other jobs in Columbia
Nurse PractitionerLicensed Practical NurseNursing AssistantMedical AssistantPharmacistPhysician AssistantDental HygienistElementary School TeacherSoftware DeveloperComputer Systems AnalystAccountantMarket Research AnalystOperations ManagerLawyer
Frequently asked questions
How much does a registered nurse make in Columbia, MD?
The median pay for a registered nurse in the Baltimore-Columbia-Towson, MD area is $99,550 a year ($48 an hour). Most earn between $77,600 and $125,020.
Can a registered nurse afford to live in Columbia?
Typical rent of $2,291 a month takes 27.6% of the median registered nurse salary, which we rate OK.
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025, for the Baltimore-Columbia-Towson, MD metro area.