New grad RN jobs and nurse residency programs in Ohio
Ohio employs 143,730 registered nurses, and half of them earn more than $82,510 a year, $15,040 below the national median of $97,550. We track 67 new-grad RN programs at Ohio hospitals, of which 24 were taking applications on Oct 29, 2026.
- RNs employed
- 143,730
- Median RN pay
- $82,510
- 25th percentile
- $38.08/hr
- Programs we track
- 67
- Open on Oct 29, 2026
- 24
- In the compact
- Yes
- NCLEX pass rate, 2025
- 84.0%
- Work before the NCLEX
- No
Every Ohio program we track is listed in the Vibe Nursing app.
What new grad nurses earn in Ohio
A quarter of Ohio RNs earn less than $38.08 an hour ($79,200 a year) and half earn more than $39.67. First-year offers tend to sit near the lower figure, since hospital pay scales usually rise with experience.
That puts Ohio 38th of the 50 states and DC for median RN pay.
Pay is bunched together in Ohio: only $1.59 an hour separates the 25th percentile from the median, a narrower gap than in most states.
| Metro area | RNs employed | Median pay | 25th percentile, hourly |
|---|---|---|---|
| Columbus, OH | 30,510 | $83,900 | $38.49 |
| Cincinnati, OH-KY-IN | 28,520 | $83,650 | $38.72 |
| Cleveland, OH | 28,240 | $83,940 | $39.12 |
Where the RN jobs are
The Columbus area employs 30,510 RNs, about 21% of the state's total.
When people search for new grad RN jobs in Ohio, the places they name most often are Columbus, Cleveland, Cincinnati, Akron and Toledo.
Getting licensed in Ohio
The Ohio Board of Nursing licenses RNs in Ohio.
Ohio is in the Nurse Licensure Compact. If Ohio is your primary state of residence, the license you earn after the NCLEX can be multistate, valid in every compact state. Nurses who live in another compact state can work in Ohio on their home state's multistate license.
Of its neighboring states, Indiana, Kentucky, Pennsylvania and West Virginia are in the compact; Michigan is not, so working there means a separate license.
Working before you pass the NCLEX in Ohio
No. Ohio's temporary permit is only for applicants who already hold a license in another jurisdiction. A new graduate needs to pass the NCLEX and be licensed before working as an RN.
Source: Ohio Revised Code, section 4723.09, read October 2026.
Of its neighboring states, Indiana, Kentucky, Michigan, Pennsylvania and West Virginia do let new graduates work on a permit before passing. See every state's rule.
NCLEX pass rate in Ohio
In 2025, 8,529 first-time, U.S.-educated candidates took the NCLEX-RN for an Ohio license and 84.0% passed, 2.7 points below the national rate of 86.7%. That ranks Ohio 45th of the 50 states and DC.
With 67 new-grad programs on our list, that is about 127 new test takers for each one, near the national figure of about 114.
The exam is the same everywhere; the rate tells you about the graduates who tested here, not about your own chances. See pass rates in every state.
Ohio and its neighboring states
Among its neighboring states, Pennsylvania pays RNs the most, a median of $96,430.
| State | Programs we track | Median RN pay | In the compact |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ohio | 67 | $82,510 | Yes |
| Pennsylvania | 62 | $96,430 | Yes |
| Kentucky | 26 | $81,040 | Yes |
| Michigan | 18 | $94,300 | No |
| Indiana | 14 | $83,500 | Yes |
| West Virginia | 7 | $80,130 | Yes |
Questions about Ohio
How much do new grad nurses make in Ohio?
The BLS does not separate new graduates. For all Ohio RNs, the 25th percentile is $38.08 an hour and the median $39.67 (May 2025); first-year offers usually sit nearer $38.08.
How many nurse residency programs are in Ohio?
Vibe Nursing tracks 67 new-grad programs at Ohio hospitals: nurse residencies, and hospitals that hire new grads straight into RN jobs. On Oct 29, 2026, 24 were taking applications.
Can I work in Ohio with a compact license?
Yes. Ohio is a compact state, so a multistate license from your home compact state is valid here.
Can new grads work before passing the NCLEX in Ohio?
No. Ohio's temporary permit is only for applicants who already hold a license in another jurisdiction. A new graduate needs to pass the NCLEX and be licensed before working as an RN.
What is the NCLEX pass rate in Ohio?
84.0% in 2025: 7,168 of 8,529 first-time, U.S.-educated candidates passed the NCLEX-RN for Ohio (NCSBN). The national rate was 86.7%.
What do RNs earn in the Columbus area?
The median is $83,900 a year, and a quarter of RNs there earn under $38.49 an hour (BLS, May 2025). The area employs 30,510 RNs.
Sources
- Pay and jobs: BLS OEWS, May 2025, all registered nurses.
- Board: NCSBN directory. Compact: nursecompact.com. Both read October 2026.
- Working before the NCLEX: Ohio Revised Code, section 4723.09, read October 2026.
- NCLEX: NCSBN, 2025 NCLEX Examination Statistics, first-time U.S.-educated candidates. Portions copyrighted by the National Council of State Boards of Nursing, Inc. All rights reserved.
- Program counts: Vibe Nursing, Oct 29, 2026 (how we count).