How to calculate your true annual nursing salary
Start with the basic formula: hourly rate × hours per week × weeks worked per year. The annual-hours shortcut of 2,080 assumes 40 hours for 52 weeks with no unpaid time off, which rarely matches a real nursing schedule. Many bedside nurses work three 12-hour shifts (36 hours per week) and take unpaid weeks off, so 48–50 worked weeks is a more honest input.
Once you have base pay, layer in the extras that BLS averages leave out: night and weekend differentials, holiday premiums, charge-nurse pay, on-call pay, and overtime. For a state-by-state view of base wages, see our RN salary by state guide, and explore higher-earning roles in our nursing career paths hub.
Understanding overtime rules for nurses
Two overtime frameworks matter for nurses. The standard FLSA method pays time-and-a-half for hours worked over 40 in a single 7-day workweek. The healthcare 8/80 method is an optional alternative for hospitals and residential care facilities: with a qualifying agreement, overtime is owed for hours over 8 in a workday and over 80 in a 14-day period.
A key detail: your overtime premium is based on your regular rate of pay, which includes shift differentials, not just your base rate. The calculator computes the blended regular rate for you and shows both methods side by side, because the same schedule can produce very different overtime under each rule.
Shift differential pay for nurses
Shift differentials are extra pay for less desirable hours, typically evenings, nights, and weekends. They are expressed either as a flat dollar amount per hour or as a percentage of base pay. Holiday pay is usually a multiplier such as time-and-a-half.
Whether premiums stack is employer-specific. Some facilities pay a weekend night shift both the weekend and night differential; others pay only the higher one. The Shift Differential tab lets you model both, so you can see the real annual value of the hours you actually work.
What nurses actually earn in 2026
According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS release (May 2025 data, published May 2026), registered nurses earn a national mean of $101,420 per year, a mean hourly wage of $48.76, and a median hourly wage of $46.90. Remember that BLS figures are straight-time gross pay: they exclude overtime and shift differentials, so a working nurse's real gross can be higher.
Pay also varies widely by state, metro area, specialty, and experience. Use the benchmarks above as a reference point, not a guarantee, and compare against local postings before negotiating.