Registered Nurse pay in Houston, by the numbers
After a simplified 13% national tax estimate that is about US$7,200 a month, in a metro with a cost-of-living index of 100.
Houston vs the national and TX picture
Directly above Houston is Atlanta (US$100,490); directly below is Austin (US$97,890). The full range runs from US$83,520 in Jacksonville to US$216,740 in San Jose.
Across TX, the 4 observed metros average US$98,400; Houston is 1% above that and 2nd in the state. The others: San Antonio (US$94,370), Dallas (US$101,420) and Austin (US$97,890).
Cost of living and take-home in Houston
Price levels in Houston (index 100) neither inflate nor shrink the paycheck much; adjusted for costs it is worth about US$99,800.
Cash rank and buying-power rank match for Houston: 16th of 21.
Run the median through our simplified tax model (13% effective) and about US$7,200 lands each month. Budget US$1,650 for a modeled 1-bedroom — 23% of pay — and other modeled costs, and roughly US$3,730 remains.
Other TX options for registered nurses
A registered nurse moving from Houston to San Antonio (also in TX) would see the median fall 5% to US$94,370, with US$360 less left over monthly in our model.
A registered nurse moving from Houston to Dallas (also in TX) would see the median rise 2% to US$101,420, with US$100 more left over monthly in our model.
New York (similar cost level, COL 100) pays US$119,720, 20% more than Houston; modeled monthly leftover is US$1,290 higher.
Where Registered Nurse ranks among Houston jobs
Lawyer is the best-paid tracked role in Houston at US$157,980; registered nurse comes 6th of 9.
Closest neighbours in the Houston list: Financial Analyst at US$101,660 (+2%) and Project Manager at US$99,510 (0%).
How Houston ranks at the low and high end
Top earners do comparatively well in Houston — 12th of 21 at the 90th percentile — while entry-level pay ranks 14th.
For the top 10% of earners, San Jose leads with US$235,190 at the 90th percentile, +80% against Houston.
How wide registered nurse pay runs in Houston
From the 10th percentile (US$74,860) to the 90th (US$130,440) is only 1.7×, a narrower spread than many roles.