Alabama, a state in the U.S., has about 48,850 employed Registered Nurses with more than three million Registered Nurses in the whole of the United States. In fact, it is projected that there would be at least a 10% increase in nursing positions in the State. We will discuss the average salary for a Registered Nurse or RN Salary in Alabama here.
Registered Nurse or RN Salary in Alabama
The average hourly rate of RNs in Alabama is 18% less than that of the national average. In Alabama, Registered Nurses earn an average salary of $67 522 per annum with an hourly rate of $28.96. However, the national annual average salary for Registered Nurses is $80,010 per annum. It was discovered that the cost of living index of an area also affects how much residents get paid.
Alabama’s cost of living index in 2020 is 89.2, which is lower than the national average cost of living index; hence, Alabama’s low average annual salary. Moreover, this salary is dependent on several factors like the number of years of experience, the specialization of the Registered Nurse, differences in employers of their labor, cities in Alabama, among others. Nevertheless, 80% of the Registered Nurses working in Alabama are paid between $43,150 and $80,420. There is also an average of $9 375 overtime pay per year.
Average Hourly Rate According to Cities in Alabama
With some reported salaries of employed Registered Nurses in some of the cities in Alabama, differences can be seen in their hourly rate. Tuscaloosa, Alabama, is the city paying the highest annual salary to the employed Registered Nurses in the city.
See below the list of some of the cities in Alabama and the average hourly rate paid to Registered Nurses.
| Cities in Alabama | Hourly Rate |
| Anniston | $24.79 |
| Birmingham | $26.20 |
| Decatur | $26.81 |
| Huntsville | $28.81 |
| Mobile | $29.57 |
| Alabaster | $31.11 |
| Tuscaloosa | $40.88 |
Salaries Based on the Number of Years of Experience
Based on the number of years of experience, Registered Nurses earn differently. If an RN has worked for more than ten years, they earn more than someone who just started work in the State.
| Years of Experience | Hourly Rate |
| More than 10 years | $36.00 |
| 6 to 9 years | $33.55 |
| 3 to 5 years | $30.95 |
| 1 to 2 years | $29.50 |
| 0 to 1 year | $27.35 |
Skills and Certifications
Another factor that will boost the salary of Registered Nurses in Alabama (and even in other States in the US) is their skills and certifications. It is not all certifications that pay well. Some bring more rewards than others. For example, certification in infection control has up to 414% increase in demand since 2018. This will be coupled with the COVID-19 outbreak in 2019.
Thus, Registered Nurses with this certification earn about 39.73% more. See below for the percentage increase in the salary for some popular certifications.
| Certifications | Percentage (%) Increase |
| CRNA | 48.71% |
| Clinical Documentation Certification | 36.84% |
| ACLS Certification | 5.17% |
| BLS Certification | 6.28% |
Furthermore, additional skills applicable to a Registered Nurse’s position are also used in salary placement. Skills like palliative care, case management, caregiving, etc., come in handy.
Average Annual Salary According to Specialty
There is a difference in the amount paid to Registered Nurses with their specialties. Thus, some earn more than others. There are numerous specialties for Registered Nurses, and there are always job openings for each one of them.
There is a list of some of the specialties below and their average annual salary in Alabama. Note that there is a range in the salary earned even for each specialty. This means this is also dependent on other factors, as said earlier.
- Registered Nurse, Emergency Room
Here, RN works in the emergency room and provides professional nursing care to the patients there. Also, they assist the Physicians during examinations and some procedures. They also register, examine, perform some tests and even administer medications. An RN must have a certification and/or licensing in this particular specialty to work there.
In the U.S., an RN in an emergency room is paid an average annual salary of $77,400 (range of $69,200-$86,000). However, in Alabama, the average annual salary for this specialty is $69,146, ranging between $64,759 and $72,521. The hourly rate is around $49.09.
- Registered Nurse, Oncology
RNs work in the oncology department, and this department deals with cancer patients. The salary range is between $65,000 and $81,200, with an average of $72,700 annually.
Apart from the basic certificate and licensing needed to work, Registered Nurse in this department must have a State license to practice. RNs do perform chemotherapy for patients; hence, an ONS/ONCC certification may be required.
- Registered Nurse, Psychiatry/Mental Health
Nurses in this unit work with patients that have different forms of mental health disorders. There is a need for a Bachelor’s degree in Nursing and certifications/skills in this specialty. They earn between $66,203 and $81,703 with an average of $72,396.
- Registered Nurse, Renal/Dialysis
They earn an average of $75,545 per annum. Registered Nurses in this department care for patients with different renal (kidney) conditions. Also, they operate the dialysis machine for treating their assigned patients. The range of the annual salary is $68,778-$88,093. There is a need for certification/licensing for this specialty.
- Registered Nurse, Operating Room
This can also be called Perioperative nursing. They attend to patients throughout this period while working together with the surgical unit. The range for annual salary is $66,880 to $82,399, while the average salary is $74,538 per annum. There is a need for certification/licensing for this specialty.
- Registered Nurse, Medical/ Surgical
A medical-surgical nurse earns between $83,184 and $102,432. RNs tend to and monitor patients recovering from surgery till they are fully recovered. The average salary is $91,945 per annum. Certifications like CNOR, CRNFA may be required. Also, they can offer post-op teachings to other health providers and even patients.
- Registered Nurse, Hospice
Nurses in this unit care for terminally ill patients. They provide palliative care to these patients and also offer support to their primary caregivers. The salary range for this specialty is between $66,009 and $82,828, with the average being $72,397. Some certifications might be required for this specialty.
- Registered Nurse, Geriatric Care
The duties of these Nurses include providing to older adults. They also help in maintaining their plummeting health and give support to the primary caregivers. Annual salary ranges from $61,238 to $78,179 and an average of $67,615. There might be a need for certification/licensing for this specialty.
- Registered Nurse, Public Health
The annual salary of Public health Nurses ranges from $51,736 to $68,552. Public health Nurses give professional nursing care to the community. They collaborate with other health care providers to provide and maintain a safe environment for the public. They earn $59,780 on average annually. There is a need for certification/licensing for this specialty. Also, Registered Nurses can earn more than that.
- Registered Nurse, Critical Care
Critical care nurses work in the critical/ coronary unit in a health facility. They provide their professional care to assigned patients. Their annual salary is in the range of $64,000 to $84,700. They closely monitor the progress of their patients. There is a need for certification/licensing for this specialty. The average annual salary is $73,100.
- Registered Nurse, Occupational Health
They provide care to employees in companies/industries. Also, they help patients out and draw out plans of fitness that will align with their professional needs. Registered Nurses in this specialty also need some certification. The range of their annual salary is $76,002 and $93,627, and the average salary is $85,113 per annum.
Salaries of RN Based on their Employers
The salaries of Registered Nurses also vary with their employers. Below is the list of the top ten employers of labor who pay more to their employed Registered Nurses. This list will discover that the average pay is more than the state average annual salary for Registered Nurses.
| S/N | Employers of Labor | Hourly Rate ($) |
| 1 | Mount Sinai Health System | 45.10 |
| 2 | Montefiore Medical Center | 45.48 |
| 3 | Kaiser Permanente | 45.90 |
| 4 | AllPro Healthcare Solutions | 46.53 |
| 5 | NYU Langone Health | 47.55 |
| 6 | GHR Travel Nursing | 47.96 |
| 7 | Infojini Inc. | 51.98 |
| 8 | White Glove Placement, Inc. | 53.97 |
| 9 | University of Alabama | 56.00 |
| 10 | Sutter Health | 56.20 |
Comparison of Registered Nurse (RN) salary with Licensed Practical Nurse (LPN)
The Licensed Practical Nurse (LPN) earns lower than the RNs due to the difference in their skills and job descriptions. In Alabama, LPNs earn between $42,875 and $52,792 per annum.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
- Who is a Registered Nurse in the U.S.? An RN is a professional clinician who completed at least an associate degree in nursing (2 years) and has passed the NCLEX-RN examination (Nursing licensing body).
- What are the benefits of being a Registered Nurse in Alabama? They are benefits that many other Registered Nurses in the U.S. also enjoy. Examples include insurance, pension, tuition refund, etc.
- What is the highest paying State for Registered Nurses in the U.S.? The State that is paying the highest salary is California. The average annual RN salary is $120,560.
