Registered Nurse Jobs in Austin, TX
Registered nurses in Austin earn a median of about $47 an hour, and St. David's HealthCare is advertising sign-on bonuses of up to $10,000 for Austin nurses. Here are the current RN openings across the metro, followed by who is hiring, what it pays and how to get licensed in Texas.
Current registered nurse Openings in Austin, TX
Listings marked External are sponsored openings provided by the Jobs2Careers network.
Registered Nurse Work in Austin
Registered nurses are among the most-posted healthcare roles in the Austin metro, and Opportunity Austin's May 2026 report ranked St. David's Healthcare Partnership first among all employers for job postings. The bedside work is spread across the downtown Innovation District, where Dell Seton Medical Center at The University of Texas serves as the teaching hospital for Dell Medical School, the central corridor along W 38th Street and 32nd Street, Dell Children's at Mueller and a ring of suburban hospitals in Round Rock, Cedar Park, Pflugerville, Georgetown and Kyle.
What sets Austin apart is the competition between three large systems for the same nurses. St. David's Medical Center and St. David's Round Rock Medical Center both hold Magnet designation, as does Baylor Scott & White Round Rock, and Ascension Seton is staffing a new women's hospital. Outside acute care, the rebuilt Austin State Hospital on Guadalupe Street hires psychiatric RNs, and CommUnityCare's safety-net clinics hire RN care managers.
Top Austin Employers Hiring Registered Nurses
These Austin employers are hiring RNs for hospital, behavioral health and clinic roles:
- St. David's HealthCare - hires full-time, part-time, PRN and nurse residency RNs across its Austin, Round Rock and Georgetown hospitals.
- Ascension Seton - staffs Dell Seton, Seton Medical Center Austin, Dell Children's and its suburban hospitals, and is recruiting for its new women's hospital.
- Baylor Scott & White Health - posts labor and delivery, NICU and inpatient RN roles at its Magnet-designated Round Rock medical center.
- Austin State Hospital - the Texas HHSC psychiatric hospital posts Nurse II, staff nurse and house supervisor roles.
- CommUnityCare Health Centers - Travis County's safety-net clinics hire RNs, including RN care managers.
- Austin Regional Clinic - the multispecialty physician group hires nurses for clinic and after-hours roles.
Registered Nurse Salaries in Austin
- Entry level: about $35 to $39 an hour for new graduates and nurses early in their careers.
- Experienced: roughly $39 to $51 an hour, the middle half of Austin RNs, with a median near $47.
- Senior and specialty: $51 to $61 or more an hour for charge, critical care and other specialty nurses.
These are estimates based on BLS 2025 wage data for the Austin metro, where the median RN earns about $97,900 a year. Night and weekend differentials, specialty units such as ICU, labor and delivery and the OR, a BSN and national certifications all move pay up, and hospital sign-on bonuses add to first-year earnings.
How to Become a Registered Nurse in Austin
You need an associate or bachelor's degree from an approved nursing program and a license from the Texas Board of Nursing. To be licensed you pass the NCLEX-RN, pass the Texas Nursing Jurisprudence Exam on the Nursing Practice Act and Board rules, and submit fingerprints for a criminal background check. Locally, Austin Community College runs its ADN program at the Eastview, Highland and Round Rock campuses, with a mobility track for LVNs and paramedics. UT Austin's School of Nursing on Red River and Texas State's St. David's School of Nursing on Bobcat Way in Round Rock offer the BSN, and Concordia University Texas runs a 16-month accelerated BSN on Research Boulevard.
What the Job Involves
Registered nurses assess patients, give medications and IV therapy, monitor vital signs and changes in condition, carry out physician orders and document care in the electronic health record. They educate patients and families, coordinate with doctors, therapists and case managers, and supervise LVNs and patient care techs on the unit. Hospital RNs usually work three 12-hour shifts a week, including nights and weekends.
Skills Employers Look For
- Active Texas RN license
- BLS certification, plus ACLS or PALS for acute care
- Strong clinical assessment and critical thinking
- Epic or other electronic health record experience
- Calm communication with patients and families
- Teamwork across nursing, physician and therapy staff
Career Path and Advancement
Many Austin RNs start in a nurse residency, such as St. David's program for new graduates, then build experience on a med-surg or telemetry unit before moving into ICU, emergency, labor and delivery or the OR. From there the ladder runs to charge nurse, clinical educator and nurse manager. ADN nurses often finish a BSN through ACC's RN-to-BSN at Eastview or online at Texas State, and graduate programs at UT Austin and Texas State open the path beyond the bedside.
Related Careers in Austin
If nursing interests you, these related Austin guides are close matches:
Frequently Asked Questions
How much do registered nurses make in Austin?
BLS 2025 data puts the Austin metro RN median at about $47 an hour, or roughly $97,900 a year. The middle half of nurses earn about $39 to $51 an hour, and the top 10 percent earn more than $61.
How do I get an RN license in Texas?
Graduate from an approved nursing program, then apply to the Texas Board of Nursing. You must pass the NCLEX-RN and the Texas Nursing Jurisprudence Exam and complete a fingerprint background check before the Board issues your license.
Which Austin hospitals hire new graduate nurses?
St. David's HealthCare runs a nurse residency for new graduates across its hospitals. Check the Ascension Seton and Baylor Scott & White listings as well, since new graduate openings at each system come and go through the year.
How long does it take to become an RN in Austin?
At Austin Community College, 75 percent of traditional ADN students finish within 2 years, and 75 percent of mobility track students, many of them LVNs, finish within 1 year. Concordia University Texas's accelerated BSN runs 16 months.
Do Austin hospitals offer sign-on bonuses for nurses?
Some do. St. David's HealthCare advertises sign-on bonuses of up to $10,000 for nurses in Austin, with amounts that vary by unit and shift. Read each posting for the current terms and any commitment required.
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