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Registered Nurse Salary in New Hampshire 2026: City-by-City Pay Data

AH
Ava Health Team
··8 min read

New Hampshire registered nurses earn an average of $77,800 per year in 2026. New Hampshire has no state income tax on wages (only interest and dividends are taxed, and that's being phased out), making take-home pay meaningfully higher than neighboring Massachusetts at similar nominal salaries. Proximity to Boston keeps NH wages competitive.

New Hampshire RN Salary by City (2026)

CityAvg Annual SalaryHourly Rate
Manchester$82,000$39.42
Nashua$81,500$39.18
Concord$78,000$37.50
Lebanon / Upper Valley$80,500$38.70
Dover / Portsmouth$79,500$38.22
Keene$74,500$35.82

Highest-Paying Nursing Specialties in New Hampshire

SpecialtyAvg Annual Salary
CRNA$221,000
ICU / Critical Care RN$91,500
ER / Emergency RN$89,000
OR / Surgical RN$87,000
Labor & Delivery RN$83,000
Med-Surg RN$76,500

Top Employers in New Hampshire

  • Dartmouth Health (Dartmouth-Hitchcock Medical Center) — Lebanon; NH's only academic medical center; Level I trauma, Geisel School of Medicine affiliation
  • Elliot Health System (Mass General Brigham) — Manchester; largest community hospital in southern NH
  • Southern NH Medical Center — Nashua; second largest city, Boston commuter corridor
  • Concord Hospital — Concord; state capital's primary community hospital
  • Portsmouth Regional Hospital (HCA) — Portsmouth; Seacoast region

NLC Compact Status

New Hampshire is a full NLC compact member. RNs with a New Hampshire multistate license may practice in any compact state. NH nurses near the Massachusetts border (Nashua, Derry, Salem) should note that Massachusetts is not an NLC member and requires a separate MA license.

New Hampshire RN Market Outlook

Southern NH's proximity to Boston creates strong competition for nurses — Manchester and Nashua salaries reflect Boston-area market pressure without Boston's high income tax. Rural NH (North Country, lakes region) has NHSC-eligible HPSA designations. Travel RN rates in Manchester run $1,750–$2,150/week.

Related: RN Salary Vermont 2026, RN Salary Maine 2026, New Hampshire RN License Guide.

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