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.
7 metro areas in Oregon publish pay for this occupation with at least 100 jobs, together 37,810 jobs. The three largest employers of registered nurses are Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro (24,220 jobs), Salem (4,010 jobs), Eugene-Springfield (3,590 jobs), which hold 84.2% of those jobs. Median pay across these metros runs from $106,710 to $135,010 a year, against $129,010 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 Oregon: the highest median pay is in the Bend, OR area ($135,010 a year); the most jobs are in the Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA area (24,220). Statewide the median is $129,010 with 39,730 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) ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bend, OR | 2,500 | $135,010 | $93,660 | $158,530 | 1.06 | 15% | 103.6 |
| Salem, OR | 4,010 | $131,750 | $101,180 | $157,970 | 0.98 | 13% | 103.6 |
| Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA | 24,220 | $130,310 | $97,180 | $155,650 | 0.92 | 16% | 105.4 |
| Medford, OR | 2,370 | $127,030 | $98,520 | $149,370 | 1.22 | 13% | 101.4 |
| Eugene-Springfield, OR | 3,590 | $113,720 | $95,280 | $139,500 | 1.05 | 14% | 101.6 |
| Albany, OR | 580 | $111,920 | $92,130 | $138,850 | 0.56 | 14% | 102.1 |
| Grants Pass, OR | 540 | $106,710 | $91,770 | $133,910 | 0.82 | 13% | 97.8 |
National page: Registered nurses →Cities of Oregon
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 Bend, OR area, with a median of $135,010 a year (BLS OEWS, May 2025; metro areas with at least 100 jobs).
In the Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA area, with 24,220 jobs.