Registered Nurse Jobs in San Antonio, TX
Registered nurses in San Antonio earn a metro median of about $45 an hour, and the South Texas Medical Center alone holds 12 major hospitals. Here are the current RN openings, followed by who is hiring, what the work pays and how to get licensed in Texas.
Current registered nurse Openings in San Antonio, TX
Listings marked External are sponsored openings provided by the Jobs2Careers network.
Registered Nurse Work in San Antonio
Most RN jobs in San Antonio cluster in the South Texas Medical Center, more than 900 acres off Floyd Curl Drive and Medical Drive on the northwest side. Methodist Hospital opened there in 1963 as the district's first hospital, University Hospital runs the only ACS-verified Level I adult and pediatric trauma programs in South Texas, UT Health San Antonio opened its Multispecialty and Research Hospital beside Mays Cancer Center in December 2024, and the Audie L. Murphy VA hospital sits on Merton Minter Boulevard.
Outside the Medical Center, Baptist Medical Center anchors downtown on Dallas Street, and Brooke Army Medical Center at JBSA-Fort Sam Houston, the Defense Department's only Level I trauma center, hires civilian nurses alongside military staff. The map has shifted recently: CHRISTUS Santa Rosa closed its Medical Center hospital in April 2025 and moved inpatient care to Westover Hills on State Highway 151 and to Alamo Heights.
Top San Antonio Employers Hiring Registered Nurses
San Antonio's hospital systems, academic medicine and federal health care all recruit RNs:
- Methodist Healthcare - the 10-hospital system recruits RNs for its nurse residency, float pool and dialysis teams, led by Methodist Hospital in the Medical Center.
- University Health - the Magnet-designated system hires staff nurses for University Hospital, including its trauma ICU.
- Baptist Health System - hires new graduate and experienced RNs for Baptist Medical Center downtown and its North Central, Northeast and Mission Trail hospitals.
- UT Health San Antonio - its 144-bed Multispecialty and Research Hospital on Ewing Halsell Drive lists nursing among its current needs.
- Brooke Army Medical Center - the Fort Sam Houston trauma center recruits civilian clinical and critical care nurses through USAJOBS.
- South Texas Veterans Health Care System - says it is always hiring RNs for Audie L. Murphy Memorial VA Hospital and its clinics.
Registered Nurse Salaries in San Antonio
- Entry level: starting near $32 an hour, about $66,000 a year.
- Experienced: around $45 an hour at the metro median, about $94,000 a year.
- Senior and specialty: $57 to $59 an hour or more, about $123,000 a year at the top tenth.
These are estimates drawn from 2025 federal wage data for the San Antonio-New Braunfels metro and from current hospital postings, such as University Health's $32 to $57 an hour range for a trauma ICU staff nurse. Specialty unit, night and weekend shifts, a BSN and years of experience move pay up. Sign-on bonuses are common for new graduates, with Baptist offering up to $30,000, and VA and Brooke Army Medical Center pay on federal scales with federal benefits.
How to Become a Registered Nurse in San Antonio
You need an associate degree in nursing or a BSN, then a license from the Texas Board of Nursing. Every NCLEX-RN applicant must pass the Nursing Jurisprudence Exam before receiving authorization to test and submit fingerprints for a criminal background check. Local programs include the BSN at UT Health San Antonio's School of Nursing on Floyd Curl Drive, the traditional and accelerated BSN at the University of the Incarnate Word's Ila Faye Miller School of Nursing and Health Professions on Broadway, the Nursing A.A.S. at San Antonio College, the LVN and military to ADN mobility program at St. Philip's College, and BSN and ADN tracks at Galen College of Nursing on I-10 West.
What the Job Involves
Registered nurses assess patients, give medications and treatments, start IVs, monitor vital signs and equipment, and chart everything in the electronic health record. They coordinate with physicians, therapists and aides, teach patients and families how to manage care at home, and plan discharges. Hospital RNs usually work 12-hour shifts, while clinic and outpatient roles keep more regular hours.
Skills Employers Look For
- An active Texas RN license
- BLS certification, plus ACLS or PALS for acute and specialty units
- Sound clinical judgment and patient assessment
- Accurate medication administration and IV skills
- Electronic health record documentation
- Clear communication with patients, families and care teams
- Stamina for 12-hour and rotating shifts
Career Path and Advancement
New San Antonio RNs often start in a residency program on a medical-surgical or telemetry unit, then move into specialty care such as the trauma ICU at University Hospital, the emergency department or labor and delivery. From there the ladder runs to charge nurse, nurse educator and nurse manager, or to graduate study for nurse practitioner and other advanced practice roles. Federal nursing at Brooke Army Medical Center and the VA adds another track with its own pay grades.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I get an RN license in Texas?
Finish an approved ADN or BSN program, apply to the Texas Board of Nursing, pass the Nursing Jurisprudence Exam and a fingerprint background check, and then pass the NCLEX-RN. The board issues your license after you pass.
How much do registered nurses make in San Antonio?
The metro median is about $45 an hour, or roughly $94,000 a year. New nurses typically start near $32 an hour, and the top tenth of RNs earn about $59 an hour or more.
Which San Antonio hospitals hire new graduate nurses?
Baptist Health System runs a new graduate RN program at Baptist Medical Center with sign-on bonuses, and Methodist Healthcare recruits for its nurse residency. Check the live listings above for current cohorts.
Can civilians work as nurses at Brooke Army Medical Center or the VA?
Yes. Brooke Army Medical Center hires civilian nurses through USAJOBS, and the South Texas Veterans Health Care System recruits RNs for Audie L. Murphy Memorial VA Hospital. Both pay on federal scales.
Where can I study nursing in San Antonio?
UT Health San Antonio and the University of the Incarnate Word offer BSN programs, San Antonio College and St. Philip's College offer associate degree routes, and Galen College of Nursing offers both BSN and ADN tracks. St. Philip's also runs a bridge for LVNs and military medics.
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