Registered Nurse Jobs in Tulsa, OK
Registered nurses are the largest licensed workforce in Tulsa healthcare, with about 10,880 RN jobs across the metro and a median near $40.76 an hour. Saint Francis, Hillcrest and Ascension St. John all recruit RNs on their own careers sites. Here are the current openings, followed by who is hiring and how to get licensed.
Current registered nurse Openings in Tulsa, OK
Listings marked External are sponsored openings provided by the Jobs2Careers network.
Registered Nurse Work in Tulsa
Most Tulsa RN jobs sit inside three hospital systems. Saint Francis Hospital on South Yale Avenue is a 1,112-bed tertiary center with a children's hospital on the same campus, so it hires RNs for adult and pediatric, inpatient, outpatient and surgical care. In midtown, Hillcrest Medical Center and Ascension St. John Medical Center sit about a mile apart on the Utica Avenue corridor. The systems also run Saint Francis Hospital South on East 91st Street and Hillcrest South near US-169 in far south Tulsa, plus suburban hospitals in Broken Arrow, Owasso, Jenks and Sapulpa.
Outside the hospitals, RNs work in community and public health. The Indian Health Care Resource Center downtown on South Peoria hires RNs for patient care coordination and elder education, and the Tulsa Health Department employs public health nurses on a Monday through Friday schedule with no shift work. New graduates have a structured on-ramp here: Hillcrest runs a 12-month, ANCC-accredited nurse residency at Hillcrest South with cohorts starting in March and August.
Top Tulsa Employers Hiring Registered Nurses
These Tulsa employers have current or recent RN openings or recruit RNs on their own careers sites:
- Saint Francis Health System - the Tulsa-based system hires RNs for surgical, inpatient and outpatient units at its Yale Avenue and south Tulsa hospitals.
- Hillcrest HealthCare System - Hillcrest Medical Center and Hillcrest South recruit experienced RNs and graduate nurses, including its new grad residency.
- Ascension St. John - the Utica Avenue medical center and its suburban hospitals recruit nurses through Ascension's nursing careers site.
- Indian Health Care Resource Center - the South Peoria clinic posts RN roles in patient care coordination and elder education.
- Tulsa Health Department - the county health department hires public health RNs for daytime clinic and community work.
Registered Nurse Salaries in Tulsa
- Entry level: about $28 to $34 per hour for new graduates and nurses in their first year.
- Experienced: roughly $38 to $46 per hour, around the Tulsa median of $40.76.
- Senior: $48 to $52 per hour and up for specialty, charge and long-tenured nurses.
These are estimates based on Bureau of Labor Statistics wage data for the Tulsa metro from May 2025, and Tulsa RN pay runs below the national median. What moves pay most is the unit (ICU, emergency, operating room and labor and delivery pay more), night and weekend differentials, a BSN, and specialty certification. Hospital staff nurses generally out-earn clinic and public health nurses, who trade pay for daytime hours.
How to Become a Registered Nurse in Tulsa
You need a nursing degree from an approved program and a passing score on the NCLEX-RN. In Tulsa, Tulsa Community College's Metro Campus at 909 South Boston offers a five-semester Associate Degree of Applied Science in Nursing, accredited by ACEN, plus a career mobility track for LPNs and paramedics. Oral Roberts University's Anna Vaughn School of Nursing on South Lewis Avenue offers the BSN. Licenses are issued by the Oklahoma Board of Nursing, which requires a fingerprint background check through the OSBI and FBI. Oklahoma is a Nurse Licensure Compact state, so the board can issue a multistate license.
What the Job Involves
Registered nurses assess patients, give medications and IV therapy, carry out physician orders, monitor vital signs and respond when a patient's condition changes. They chart in the electronic health record, coordinate with doctors, therapists and case managers, supervise LPNs and nurse aides, and teach patients and families how to manage care at home. Hospital RNs typically work three 12 hour shifts a week.
Skills Employers Look For
- An active Oklahoma or multistate RN license
- BLS, plus ACLS or PALS for critical care and pediatrics
- Strong assessment and critical thinking skills
- Electronic health record charting
- Calm prioritization during busy shifts
- Clear communication with patients, families and physicians
- Willingness to float or work nights and weekends
Career Path and Advancement
Many Tulsa RNs start as nurse techs or LPNs and bridge through Tulsa Community College's mobility track, then begin on a medical-surgical floor. From there the path runs to specialty units, charge nurse, nurse educator and nurse manager, with a BSN opening most leadership roles. Nurses who keep going can earn an MSN or DNP, both offered online through Oral Roberts University, and move into advanced practice at the hospital systems or OSU Medicine clinics.
Related Careers in Tulsa
If nursing interests you, these related Tulsa guides are close matches:
Frequently Asked Questions
How much do registered nurses make in Tulsa?
The median RN wage in the Tulsa metro was about $40.76 an hour, or $84,790 a year, in May 2025 Bureau of Labor Statistics data. New graduates usually start lower, while specialty and senior nurses can pass $50 an hour with differentials.
Who licenses registered nurses in Oklahoma?
The Oklahoma Board of Nursing. You apply after finishing an approved program, pass the NCLEX-RN and complete a fingerprint background check with the OSBI and FBI.
Can I work in Tulsa with a nursing license from another state?
If you hold a multistate license from another Nurse Licensure Compact state, you can practice in Oklahoma on it. If you move here permanently, you must apply for an Oklahoma multistate license within 60 days, and nurses from non-compact states apply for licensure by endorsement.
Are there new graduate RN programs in Tulsa?
Yes. Hillcrest runs a 12-month, ANCC-accredited nurse residency at Hillcrest South, with cohorts in March and August, and a paid track for senior nursing students. Check each system's careers site for current graduate nurse openings.
How long does it take to become an RN in Tulsa?
Tulsa Community College's traditional associate degree takes five semesters including prerequisites, about two and a half years. A BSN at Oral Roberts University takes about four years, and LPNs can move faster through TCC's mobility track.
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