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What does a Registered Nurses salary really buy you in Idaho?
Idaho is 8.2% cheaper than the US averageData: BLS OEWS 2025 + BEA Regional Price Parities 2022 • Updated 2026-05-19
Idaho's Regional Price Parity (RPP) is 91.8, meaning prices are 8.2% lower the national average. A Registered Nurses earning $92,460 in Idaho has the equivalent purchasing power of $100,718 in an average-cost US state.
Every dollar goes further in low-cost states. Here is how each salary percentile compares after adjusting for Idaho's cost of living.
| Percentile | Nominal Salary | COL-Adjusted | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10th Percentile (P10) | $71,210 | $77,570 | +$6,360 |
| 25th Percentile (P25) | $80,900 | $88,126 | +$7,226 |
| Median (P50) | $92,460 | $100,718 | +$8,258 |
| 75th Percentile (P75) | $102,320 | $111,459 | +$9,139 |
| 90th Percentile (P90) | $121,230 | $132,058 | +$10,828 |
A Registered Nurses in Idaho earns $92,460 on paper, but low living costs mean your money goes 9% further — like earning $100,718 in an average-cost state. This makes Idaho one of the best value states for this occupation.
Idaho's Regional Price Parity (RPP) of 91.8 means a basket of goods and services costs about 8.2% less than the national average. For a Registered Nurses, every dollar earned effectively buys more here than in a 100-RPP state.
After applying Idaho's RPP, the $92,460 median salary translates to $100,719 in real terms — a 8.9% gain. That difference can cover several months of expenses over a year for a Registered Nurses.
Idaho sits at #13 of 51 states for Registered Nurses COL-adjusted salary — comfortably above the national midpoint.
Where does Registered Nurses salary stretch the furthest? Top 10 states ranked by COL-adjusted median salary.
Idaho ranks #13 out of 51 states for Registered Nurses after cost-of-living adjustment.
How much do you actually take home? See Registered Nurses take-home pay in Idaho after taxes →
A Registered Nurses in Idaho earns a median salary of $92,460 per year. After adjusting for Idaho's cost of living (RPP=91.8), the real purchasing power is $100,718 — a +8.9% difference.
Idaho's cost of living is 8.2% lower than the national average according to the BEA Regional Price Parities (2022). The RPP index for Idaho is 91.8 (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 Nurses in Idaho: $92,460 x (100 / 91.8) = $100,718. This represents what the salary would be worth in a state with average living costs.
From a purchasing power perspective, yes. A Registered Nurses in Idaho enjoys 8.9% 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.
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