What can you expect to earn with an RN salary in Hawaii? Registered nurses in the Aloha State earn some of the highest average wages in the U.S. and can work in a variety of acute, post-acute, and specialty nursing roles.
Despite its beautiful scenery and competitive salaries, Hawaii still needs RNs and relies on travel nurses to fill gaps in care. At the same time, Hawaii nurses are pushing for stronger staffing standards to improve patient safety and working conditions. Learn more about what you could earn as an RN in Hawaii and what’s unique about being a nursing professional here.
What’s the Average RN Salary in Hawaii?
Our current market-based data shows that the average salary for registered nurses in Hawaii is $142,396 per year, or $68.46 per hour. Keep in mind that you may earn more or less depending on your years of experience, level of education, specialty, certifications, and more.
How these numbers are determined: Our wage estimates for the RN salary in Hawaii are based on two inputs: Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics survey data and Credenza's own job postings feed, which features current job ads for nurses in the area. Estimates are updated monthly. Learn more about our methodology.
Hawaii RN Salary by Metro Area
Wondering what you might earn in different locations in Hawaii? Check out the latest jobs in Hawaii’s top metro areas and explore current roles.
Your salary. Your city.
What Do RNs Make in Hawaii?
Median pay for RNs in Hawaii's top-paying areas, from Credenza's salary model. Updated monthly.
Our own salary estimates · Updated monthly · Free to access
Annual figures are annualized equivalents (40 hrs/week × 52 weeks) of median hourly
pay.
Hawaii RN Salary Comparison
How does the salary for an RN in Hawaii compare to the rest of the nation? The Bureau of Labor Statistics reports that RNs across the U.S. earn $101,420 per year on average. Compare the RN salary in Hawaii to other states:
- Average RN salary in California
- Average RN salary in Oregon
- Average RN salary in Washington
- Average RN salary in Alaska
Benefits of Being an RN in Hawaii
Some of the benefits of living and working in Hawaii may be obvious — beautiful beaches, lush rainforests, and stunning volcanoes are a draw for tourists and year-round residents alike. For nurses, living in Hawaii offers opportunities to advance their career while meeting critical healthcare needs in a variety of communities.
Hawaii has a year-round population of over 1.4 million people, but between 9 to 10 million visitors come here each year. The state is made up of eight major islands, with Honolulu having the greatest population density. Each island has a unique culture and personality, so you’ll find plenty to explore throughout the archipelago.
Looking to purchase a home? Hawaii’s Hale Kamaʻāina Mortgage Program offers competitive fixed-rate mortgages for first-time home buyers throughout the islands. While Hawaii is known as an expensive state to reside in, you may be able to find a lower cost of living in rural counties. This also opens up opportunities for rural nursing.
Facilities in Hawaii Are Hiring Nurses
Magnet designation is held by only 10% of facilities in the world, signifying excellence in nursing care quality and professional development. Hawaii is home to one Magnet-designated facility: The Queens Medical Center in Honolulu, which is also the only level 1 trauma facility in the state.
Hawaii has over 40 nursing homes, as well as numerous skilled care and rehabilitation facilities where post-acute nurses can find opportunities. You’ll also find community health centers scattered across the state, as well as home health agencies, specialty clinics, and other healthcare settings.
Healthcare organizations are hiring RNs in Hawaii. Check out openings at the facilities below:
- Hawaii Pacific Health
- Kaiser Permanente
- Ohana Pacific Health
- The Queens Health Systems
- REHAB Hospital of the Pacific
Build Your Nursing Career in Hawaii
What advancement opportunities are available to RNs in HI? You might be interested in becoming a nurse leader, advanced-practice nurse (APRN), nurse researcher, or something else. Hawaii is home to several excellent nursing schools with both in-person and remote programs.
The University of Hawaii at Manoa is a leading teaching and research institute, offering RN-to-BSN bridge programs, Master of Science in Nursing (MSN), Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP), and Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) programs. Other prominent schools include Hawaii Pacific University and Chaminade University of Honolulu.
If you’re looking for assistance in paying for a nursing degree, Hawaii offers a Healthcare Education Loan Repayment Program (HELP). When you agree to serve in a critical need area for at least two years, the program will provide up to $25,000 in loan repayment.
The Hawaii Board of Nursing regulates nursing practice in the state, while the Hawaii Nurses Association advocates for safe staffing and union representation. Learn more about the Hawaii Nurse Practice Act.
Looking to network with other nurses in Hawaii? Check out any of the following nursing organizations:
- Hawaii-American Nurse Association
- Hawaii Association of Professional Nurses
- Hawaii Association of School Nurses
- Hawaii State Center for Nursing
How to Increase Your RN Salary in Hawaii
As an RN, you have many ways to boost your income, both in the short- and long-term. Check out the following tips and strategies for increasing what you make as a nurse:
- Earn a certification. Pursuing additional credentials can contribute to a pay increase. Ask your manager about clinical ladder programs, which may offer a one-time bonus or incentives for earning a certification. Additional credentials and training make great bargaining chips when negotiating a higher salary.
- Take advantage of shift differentials. Volunteering to work night shifts, weekends, and holidays can help you earn more without working additional hours. Other ways to earn more per hour include volunteering as charge nurse or nurse preceptor.
- Consider a travel contract. If you’re location-flexible, consider a short-term work assignment as a travel nurse. While Hawaii is not a compact state, you might find work in one of the state’s smaller islands and communities.
- Pick up a side hustle. If you have open time in your schedule, consider a per diem or private duty nursing role. Common specialties with these work arrangements include home health, hospice, and post-acute care facilities.
- Go back to school. If you’re looking for a long-term investment in your nursing career, consider pursuing a graduate-level education. High-paying roles that require advanced degrees include nurse practitioner (NP), clinical nurse specialist (CNS), nurse midwife (CNM), or nurse anesthetists (CRNA).
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Why Trust Us?
How much you make as a registered nurse is important. That’s why it’s crucial to get numbers reporting the RN salary in Hawaii and other regions right. We have the data and the experience to do just that. Here’s why you can rely on us.
Methodology: How We Get the Data
Data Sources. Wage estimates combine two inputs. The first is the Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics survey, which is the federal benchmark for what healthcare workers actually earn. It's the most reliable measure available, but it's published annually, lags the market, and doesn't report on thousands of smaller market-and-discipline combinations. The second is Credenza's own job postings feed, a daily export of active listings from verified healthcare employers. Postings are current and granular, but they advertise pay rather than report it, as advertised rates typically run a few percentage points off actual earnings, by an amount that varies market to market.
How Estimates Are Calculated. Rather than averaging listings, our model treats each market's wage as an unknown value that both sources give partial evidence about. It learns the gap between advertised and earned pay for each market, anchors markets with sparse data to their state's wage level, and carries estimates forward year over year at a rate learned from historical data. Every figure is published with an interval reflecting how much evidence stands behind it.
Data Cleaning. We exclude extreme outlier salary ranges, which are often artifacts of data collection. These are rare, but in thin markets a single outlier listing can shift an average by whole percentage points.
Coverage and Limitations. Our estimates cover roughly 1,600 market-and-discipline combinations the federal survey never reports on, including rural areas and smaller metros. All figures are statistical estimates rather than measured wages, and shifts in which employers are posting can affect the advertised-versus-earned correction. These figures describe market conditions and aren't a substitute for a formal compensation study.
Who We Are
All our Career Advice articles, including the Nursing Salary pages, were prepared by the humans on the Credenza content team. Our team comprises subject matter experts — registered nurse writers — and an editorial staff with a combined 65+ years of digital writing, publishing, and SEO experience, who uphold a rigorous review process to ensure that our articles are both accurate and relevant to modern nurses. Our articles provide actionable steps to help you maximize your career potential, whether you’re seeking new employment opportunities or just looking for ways to gain greater job satisfaction.
About Credenza
Credenza is the clinician career destination, the single place to manage your career, unlock every opportunity, and ensure you’re always ready for what’s next. The clinical job market is moving fast. On Credenza, your profile unlocks every relevant match, specialty, and setting all in one place. Credenza — one profile, one platform, every opportunity.