Registered Nurse salary in Australia
ANZSCO occupation: Registered Nurses
Last reviewed July 2026
Source: Jobs and Skills Australia — Occupation Profiles (ABS Survey of Employee Earnings and Hours, May 2025) · 2025 data. Annual figure derived from median weekly earnings × 52.
See your take-home pay on $114,000 →At a glance
- People employed
- 366,200
- Annual employment growth
- +12,600/yr
- 5-yr projected growth
- +13.7%
- Skills shortage rating
- Shortage
- Main industry
- Health Care and Social Assistance
- Works full-time
- 56%
- Avg full-time hours
- 41 hrs/wk
- Works part-time
- 44%
- Female share
- 86%
- Median age
- 38 yrs
Source: Jobs and Skills Australia — Occupation Profiles (ABS Survey of Employee Earnings and Hours, May 2025) (2025) · Jobs and Skills Australia — Employment Projections (May 2025 to May 2030), produced with Victoria University (2025) · Jobs and Skills Australia — 2025 Occupation Shortage List (unit-group level) (2025)
What are registered nurses being offered right now?
Officially, the median registered nurse in Australia earns $113,984 a year (Jobs and Skills Australia — Occupation Profiles (ABS Survey of Employee Earnings and Hours, May 2025), 2025). Job ads on JobSearch over the last 90 days advertise a median of $94,848 a year (n=232 ads with stated pay).
Based on the 41.6% of registered nurse ads in the last 90 days that stated pay. Includes hourly rates annualised at 38 hours/week.
Source: JobSearch.com.au advertised listings, trailing 90 days, computed 23 July 2026.
What does a registered nurse do?
A registered nurse spends most shifts assessing patients, giving medications, monitoring how people respond to treatment, and coordinating care with doctors and allied health staff. The day-to-day mix depends on the setting — a hospital ward, aged care home, clinic or community service — and shifts between hands-on clinical work, documentation, and supervising enrolled nurses and support workers. Most roles run on rotating rosters, so weekend, night and on-call work is part of the job.
- Assessing, planning, implementing and evaluating nursing care for patients according to accepted nursing practice and standards
- Working in consultation with other health professionals and members of health teams, and coordinating the care of patients
- Providing interventions, treatments and therapies such as medications, and monitoring responses to treatment and care plan
- Promoting health and assisting in preventing ill health by participating in health education and other health promotion activities
- Answering questions and providing information to patients and families about treatment and care
- Supervising and coordinating the work of enrolled nurses and other health care workers
What employers actually ask for
Qualifications and checks named in registered nurse job ads on JobSearch in the last 90 days — what employers require, not just what workers hold.
From 558 job ads in the last 90 days.
Source: JobSearch.com.au advertised listings, trailing 90 days, computed 23 July 2026.
How to become a registered nurse
Typical education for this occupation, and courses that lead to it.
Education held by people in this role
Courses to get started
Where registered nurses are employed
Share of workers by state and territory (employment distribution, not pay).
Registered Nurse jobs on JobSearch
560 registered nurse roles are live on JobSearch right now.
View registered nurse jobs hiring now →Source: JobSearch.com.au advertised listings, trailing 90 days, computed 23 July 2026.
Who's hiring registered nurses
Top employers, last 90 days
- Healthscope Ltd.110
- Opal Aged Care91
- Bolton Clarke Group77
- Calvarycare63
- Tasmanian Health Service59
Where the ads are
- New South Wales125
- Queensland124
- Victoria92
- South Australia65
- Tasmania47
Source: JobSearch.com.au advertised listings, trailing 90 days, computed 23 July 2026.
Related occupations
Similar occupations
Jobs that pay similar to a registered nurse
Frequently asked questions
What are registered nurse jobs advertising right now?
Job ads on JobSearch.com.au over the last 90 days advertise between $91,884 and $98,059 a year for registered nurses, with a median of $94,848 (based on 232 ads that stated pay).
How much does a registered nurse earn in Australia?
The median registered nurse earns $113,984 per year ($2,192 per week, or about $57/hour), based on Jobs and Skills Australia — Occupation Profiles (ABS Survey of Employee Earnings and Hours, May 2025) (2025).
What qualifications do you need to be a registered nurse?
Most registered nurses hold a bachelor degree (63.7% of workers). Pathways vary — see typical courses above.
Is registered nurse a job in demand in Australia?
Around 366,200 registered nurses are employed in Australia. Employment is changing by about +12,600 workers per year.
Earnings, employment and education data: Jobs and Skills Australia — Occupation Profiles (ABS Survey of Employee Earnings and Hours, May 2025) (2025). Used under CC BY 4.0.
Employment projections: Jobs and Skills Australia — Employment Projections (May 2025 to May 2030), produced with Victoria University (2025). Used under CC BY 4.0.
Skills shortage ratings: Jobs and Skills Australia — 2025 Occupation Shortage List (unit-group level) (2025). Used under CC BY 4.0.
Advertised-pay and demand figures are computed from JobSearch.com.au job ads and are not government statistics.
The ABS median refers to full-time non-managerial employees paid at the adult rate; individual pay varies. Annual figures derived from median weekly earnings × 52. Figures are estimates for guidance only.