Ranked by median pay, with jobs and rent share; from BLS and Census data.
Click any dot to open that city: jobs, pay, rent, commute, county economy and climate. Dot size follows population; colours follow the state flag.
By AtiveSite · Published 07/11/2026 · Updated 07/11/2026 · Every figure is linked to its source below.
3 metro areas in Maine publish pay for this occupation with at least 100 jobs, together 10,440 jobs. The three largest employers of registered nurses are Portland-South Portland (6,970 jobs), Bangor (2,190 jobs), Lewiston-Auburn (1,280 jobs), which hold 100.0% of those jobs. Median pay across these metros runs from $85,870 to $93,940 a year, against $86,990 for the whole state and $97,550 for the whole country.
BLS reports a national median of $97,550 a year for registered nurses (the lowest-paid tenth earn under $68,940 and the highest-paid tenth over $137,470). Employment is projected to change by +5.6% between 2025 and 2035, with about 180,800 openings a year including replacements. The typical entry route is: Bachelor's degree. Education requirements are BLS's typical ones, not legal rules; many states also license this work, so check the state board before applying.
Higher pay is not the whole story: look at the rent share column (yearly rent divided by median pay) and the price level (100 is the national average). A metro with a lower salary but cheaper housing can leave more money at the end of the month. The location quotient shows where the occupation is concentrated; employers cluster where it is above 1, which usually means more openings and more competition among employers for the same skills.
Registered nurses in Maine: the highest median pay is in the Bangor, ME area ($93,940 a year); the most jobs are in the Portland-South Portland, ME area (6,970). Statewide the median is $86,990 with 16,540 jobs. Metro areas with at least 100 jobs in this occupation are listed; click a column to sort.
| Metropolitan area ⇅ | Jobs ⇅ | Median pay ⇅ | Entry (10th pct.) ⇅ | Top (90th pct.) ⇅ | Location quotient ⇅ | Yearly rent as % of median pay ⇅ | Price level (US = 100) ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bangor, ME | 2,190 | $93,940 | $75,580 | $102,660 | 1.39 | 13% | 96.5 |
| Portland-South Portland, ME | 6,970 | $88,470 | $78,430 | $106,040 | 1.11 | 20% | 101.9 |
| Lewiston-Auburn, ME | 1,280 | $85,870 | $73,930 | $105,440 | 1.23 | 14% | 94.7 |
National page: Registered nurses →Cities of Maine
Rent uses the metro median gross rent (ACS) and appears only for metros that contain a city of this guide. "n/a" means BLS suppressed the figure or we have no rent for that metro.
In the Bangor, ME area, with a median of $93,940 a year (BLS OEWS, May 2025; metro areas with at least 100 jobs).
In the Portland-South Portland, ME area, with 6,970 jobs.