Nevada RN Jobs 2025: Las Vegas, Reno Salaries, Top Systems & No State Income Tax
I worked UMC (University Medical Center) Las Vegas ER for two years before moving to Dignity Health St. Rose. Vegas hospitals operate on casino time—24/7/365 with no such thing as a slow shift. You're making $90K average (Reno's $88K), and here's the financial game-changer: zero state income tax. That's $5,400/year I'm keeping compared to when I worked in California making $98K. Nevada's $90K beats California's $98K every time when you run the actual numbers.
UMC trauma is a completely different beast. We saw gunshot wounds, stabbings, tourists who had heart attacks on the Strip, heat stroke cases in August when it's 115°F, MVAs from drunk drivers at 4 AM. One July 4th weekend we had 47 ER admits in 12 hours—fireworks accidents, pool drownings, DUIs, everything. The clinical experience you get in six months at UMC would take two years at a suburban hospital. But you earn it. Ratios? Forget 1:4. You're taking 1:6 or 1:7 in triage some nights. The intensivists are excellent because they've seen everything, but you better know your stuff before you call them.
I moved to Dignity Health St. Rose in Henderson for my sanity. Still making $88K, but the pace is manageable and Henderson's way nicer than living near the Strip. My apartment's $1,500 (Henderson suburbs), 15-minute commute, and I'm not dodging tourists on my way to work. Dignity Health's got five hospitals in Vegas—they're the main UMC competitor if you want decent pay without the trauma chaos.
Nevada's a Compact state, which is clutch for the travel nursing culture here. Vegas is top-5 nationally for travel contracts—I know nurses making $3,200/week on 13-week assignments, and they're keeping ALL of it (no state tax). You can work Vegas winters, Utah summers, all on one license. That no-income-tax advantage is real—I'm saving $450/month extra compared to California, and I'm putting that straight into index funds.
Cost of living's moderate. Vegas rent is $1,400-$1,800 for a decent 1BR (not cheap but not LA prices). Reno's similar but smaller-city vibes if you prefer that. The real calculus: you're keeping an extra $5K/year in taxes, gas is cheaper than California, and if you live in Henderson or Summerlin instead of right on the Strip, housing's reasonable. Trade-off? Summer is brutal. 110-115°F June through August. You're going from your air-conditioned apartment to your air-conditioned car to your air-conditioned hospital. But hey, December through April is perfect weather while the rest of the country is freezing.
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Bottom Line: Nevada's for Nurses Who Want Financial Optimization
My brutally honest take after working both California and Nevada: If you can handle the heat and the chaos, Vegas nursing is one of the best financial moves you can make. I'm taking home $6,200/month after federal taxes on my $88K Dignity Health salary—no state income tax means I'm keeping $450/month extra compared to California. That's $5,400/year going into my Roth IRA instead of Sacramento's budget. Over a 30-year career, that's $162,000 in extra retirement savings, not counting compound growth.
UMC if you want the most intense clinical training in the Western US. Seriously, six months in UMC ER will make you a better trauma nurse than two years anywhere else. The volume's insane, the acuity's off the charts, and you'll see things most nurses only read about in textbooks. But the ratios are rough (1:6 or 1:7 some shifts) and you WILL burn out if you stay too long. My move was strategic: two years at UMC for the resume boost and trauma experience, then Dignity Health for sustainable career nursing.
Dignity Health or Valley Health if you want Vegas money without the UMC intensity. I'm making $88K at St. Rose Henderson, living in a nice suburb, and my stress level dropped by half. Reno's Renown Health if you want smaller-city vibes and four-season weather (Reno actually gets snow). Compact license means you can work winters in Vegas, summers in Utah or Colorado—maximize your income by chasing moderate weather and high-demand contracts.
The heat is real. June through August you're dealing with 110-115°F daily. Tourists pass out on the Strip. Cars overheat. You don't go outside between noon and 8 PM. But honestly? You get used to it. And December through April is perfect—70°F and sunny while everyone else is shoveling snow. Plus Vegas has Red Rock Canyon, Lake Mead, and you're 4 hours from Southern California beaches if you need an ocean fix.
My recommendation: Do a 13-week travel contract in Vegas first. Test the summer heat, test the hospital pace, see if you can handle UMC-level intensity or if you need Dignity Health's more manageable environment. If you thrive, the money's legit—$90K salary with zero taxes, travel contracts at $3,200/week, and you're building wealth faster than nurses making $110K in California paying 9% state taxes. Vegas nursing isn't for everyone, but for those who can handle it, it's probably the best financial arbitrage in American healthcare.