What does a Registered Nurse salary really buy you in Georgia?
Georgia is 4.2% cheaper than the US averageData: BLS OEWS 2024 + BEA Regional Price Parities 2022 • Updated 2026-03-31
Georgia's Regional Price Parity (RPP) is 95.8, meaning prices are 4.2% lower the national average. A Registered Nurse earning $86,560 in Georgia has the equivalent purchasing power of $90,354 in an average-cost US state.
Every dollar goes further in low-cost states. Here is how each salary percentile compares after adjusting for Georgia's cost of living.
| Percentile | Nominal Salary | COL-Adjusted | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10th Percentile (P10) | $66,110 | $69,008 | +$2,898 |
| 25th Percentile (P25) | $76,600 | $79,958 | +$3,358 |
| Median (P50) | $86,560 | $90,354 | +$3,794 |
| 75th Percentile (P75) | $104,790 | $109,384 | +$4,594 |
| 90th Percentile (P90) | $124,810 | $130,281 | +$5,471 |
A Registered Nurse in Georgia earns $86,560 on paper, but low living costs mean your money goes 4% further — like earning $90,354 in an average-cost state. This makes Georgia one of the best value states for this occupation.
Where does Registered Nurse salary stretch the furthest? Top 10 states ranked by COL-adjusted median salary.
Georgia ranks #24 out of 50 states for Registered Nurse after cost-of-living adjustment.
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A Registered Nurse in Georgia earns a median salary of $86,560 per year. After adjusting for Georgia's cost of living (RPP=95.8), the real purchasing power is $90,354 — a +4.4% difference.
Georgia's cost of living is 4.2% lower than the national average according to the BEA Regional Price Parities (2022). The RPP index for Georgia is 95.8 (US average = 100).
Regional Price Parities (RPPs) are price indexes published by the U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis (BEA) that measure differences in price levels across states. They are expressed as a percentage of the national average (US = 100). Higher RPP means higher cost of living.
The adjusted salary is calculated as: Nominal Salary x (100 / RPP). For a Registered Nurse in Georgia: $86,560 x (100 / 95.8) = $90,354. This represents what the salary would be worth in a state with average living costs.
From a purchasing power perspective, yes. A Registered Nurse in Georgia enjoys 4.4% more buying power than the nominal salary suggests, because living costs are below the national average. However, other factors like job availability, career growth, and quality of life also matter.