Registered Nurse Jobs in Seattle, WA
Seattle hospitals post staff registered nurse pay ranges that start around $43 to $47 an hour and top out above $85 at the high end of union scales. Most of that work sits on First Hill, Capitol Hill and South Lake Union. Here are the current openings, then who is hiring and how to get licensed.
Current registered nurse Openings in Seattle, WA
Listings marked External are sponsored openings provided by the Jobs2Careers network.
Registered Nurse Work in Seattle
Seattle's RN jobs are packed into a few square miles. First Hill, the neighborhood residents call Pill Hill, holds Harborview Medical Center, the region's only Level 1 trauma and burn center, along with Virginia Mason Medical Center and the Swedish First Hill campus. A short walk up the hill, Kaiser Permanente runs its Capitol Hill hospital, and Fred Hutch staffs infusion and specimen collection nurses on its South Lake Union campus. North of the Ship Canal, UW Medical Center - Montlake sits beside the university, and Seattle Children's anchors Sand Point Way in Laurelhurst.
What sets Seattle apart is pay and structure. Most hospital nurses here work under union contracts with the Washington State Nurses Association or SEIU Healthcare 1199NW, so pay moves in published steps rather than by negotiation. Washington's pay transparency law also means nearly every posting shows its range, which makes it easy to compare a Harborview night shift with a Kaiser day shift before you apply.
Top Seattle Employers Hiring Registered Nurses
These Seattle employers are posting or recruiting RNs now:
- UW Medicine - Harborview, UW Medical Center - Montlake and UW Medical Center - Northwest hire RNs in critical care, telemetry, oncology and labor and delivery, with a nurse residency at Harborview.
- Kaiser Permanente Washington - the Capitol Hill campus is hiring med-surg telemetry, float pool and operating room RNs.
- Virginia Mason Franciscan Health - Virginia Mason Medical Center on First Hill hires clinic, perioperative, progressive care and critical care RNs.
- Seattle Children's - the pediatric hospital in Laurelhurst hires staff RNs and runs a one-year nurse residency for new graduates.
- Fred Hutch Cancer Center - the South Lake Union cancer center hires outpatient oncology, infusion and specimen collection RNs.
- Seattle Medical Post Acute Care - the skilled nursing and rehab center on 16th Avenue hires RNs for geriatric and post-acute care, with weekend premium pay.
Registered Nurse Salaries in Seattle
- Entry level: about $43 to $50 per hour for new graduates and nurse residents.
- Experienced: roughly $55 to $70 per hour for staff nurses with several years on a unit.
- Senior / top of scale: $75 to $88 per hour for long-tenured and specialty nurses at the top of hospital wage steps.
These are estimates built from posted Seattle pay ranges and federal wage data for the Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue metro, where the median RN earned about $61.66 an hour in May 2025. Pay moves with years of experience on the union step scale, night and weekend differentials, specialty units such as ICU and OR, and per diem premiums. Outpatient clinic roles tend to sit lower on the range than inpatient hospital roles.
How to Become a Registered Nurse in Seattle
You need an associate or bachelor's degree in nursing from an approved program, a passing score on the NCLEX-RN, and a license from the Washington State Board of Nursing, which also requires an FBI fingerprint background check. Washington is part of the Nurse Licensure Compact, so a multistate RN license from another compact state is accepted. In Seattle, the Seattle Colleges associate degree runs through Seattle Central, North Seattle and South Seattle, and Shoreline Community College offers an ADN just north of the city line. Bachelor's programs include the University of Washington School of Nursing, Seattle University College of Nursing on Capitol Hill and Seattle Pacific University on Queen Anne. Many hospitals also require BLS and ACLS at hire.
What the Job Involves
Registered nurses assess patients, give medications and IV therapies, monitor vital signs and telemetry, update care plans in the electronic health record, and teach patients and families what to do after discharge. On a hospital unit that means 12-hour shifts coordinating with physicians, pharmacists and nursing assistants. In a clinic it means triage calls, procedures and care coordination during business hours.
Skills Employers Look For
- Active Washington or multistate compact RN license
- BLS, plus ACLS or PALS for hospital units
- Epic or another electronic health record system
- Clinical judgment and clear patient assessment
- Calm communication with patients, families and care teams
- Flexibility for nights, weekends and 12-hour shifts
Career Path and Advancement
Most new Seattle nurses start in a residency at Harborview, Seattle Children's or another large hospital, then move up the step scale as staff nurses. From there the ladder runs to charge nurse, assistant nurse manager, nurse case manager or a specialty such as ICU, oncology or perioperative care. Many nurses go back to school at UW or Seattle University to become nurse practitioners, which is one of the highest paid clinical paths on First Hill.
Related Careers in Seattle
If nursing interests you, start with the full picture of healthcare work in Seattle:
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I work in Seattle with a nursing license from another state?
Yes, if you hold a multistate license from a Nurse Licensure Compact state, because Washington joined the compact. If your license is from a non-compact state, you apply to the Washington State Board of Nursing for a license by endorsement before you can start.
How much do registered nurses make in Seattle?
New graduates generally start around $43 to $50 per hour, experienced staff nurses earn about $55 to $70, and nurses at the top of hospital wage scales can pass $85 per hour. The metro median was about $61.66 an hour in May 2025.
Are Seattle hospital nurses unionized?
Most are. The Washington State Nurses Association represents nurses at hospitals including Seattle Children's and UW Medical Center, and SEIU Healthcare 1199NW represents nurses at Kaiser and other employers. Union contracts set step increases and shift differentials.
Do Seattle hospitals hire new graduate nurses?
Yes. Harborview runs a nurse residency program, UW Medical Center - Montlake has a practice transition program, and Seattle Children's offers a one-year nurse residency for new graduates entering pediatrics.
How long does it take to become an RN in Seattle?
An associate degree takes about two years of nursing courses after roughly a year of prerequisites, and a bachelor's degree takes four years. After graduating you take the NCLEX-RN and apply to the Washington State Board of Nursing.
Ready to apply? Browse all Registered Nurse jobs in Seattle, WA on LocalJobPage and apply today.