Registered Nurse Salary by State

Compare RN salaries across all 54 states. Median salaries range from $34,890 to $128,300 depending on location, cost of living, and demand.

$93,600

Median Salary

$98,430

Mean Salary

3,282,010

Total RN Employment

Projected Growth

RN Salary Rankings by State

Rank	State	Median Salary	Mean Salary	Entry Level (10th)	Experienced (90th)	Employment	vs National
1	California	$128,300	$133,340	$89,600	$181,070	328,730	+37%
2	Hawaii	$110,970	$113,220	$80,410	$142,100	12,760	+19%
3	Washington	$104,490	$107,540	$75,010	$141,210	66,520	+12%
4	Oregon	$104,240	$106,960	$77,470	$136,600	39,280	+11%
5	Alaska	$100,370	$100,260	$75,170	$123,780	6,780	+7%
6	Massachusetts	$99,770	$104,150	$71,010	$142,790	83,700	+7%
7	District of Columbia	$99,030	$102,100	$71,430	$135,380	12,080	+6%
8	New York	$97,320	$101,900	$67,550	$138,810	195,640	+4%
9	New Jersey	$96,820	$99,610	$69,660	$132,400	84,250	+3%
10	Nevada	$94,970	$97,110	$68,880	$125,200	25,200	+1%
11	Connecticut	$89,990	$95,350	$66,320	$130,710	35,010	-4%
12	Rhode Island	$86,400	$89,470	$64,400	$116,670	11,570	-8%
13	Maryland	$85,920	$89,460	$63,010	$117,560	55,100	-8%
14	Minnesota	$85,340	$87,740	$63,400	$113,830	62,270	-9%
15	Arizona	$84,820	$87,850	$62,950	$114,680	62,370	-9%
16	Colorado	$84,250	$88,050	$62,280	$117,670	52,510	-10%
17	Texas	$82,750	$86,070	$58,870	$115,530	228,270	-12%
18	New Hampshire	$80,940	$83,320	$61,460	$107,580	13,540	-14%
19	New Mexico	$80,790	$82,910	$59,360	$108,260	17,180	-14%
20	Virginia	$80,310	$82,800	$57,680	$110,420	68,630	-14%
21	Illinois	$79,860	$84,280	$57,450	$114,760	119,760	-15%
22	Michigan	$79,820	$82,170	$59,080	$107,470	93,630	-15%
23	Delaware	$79,150	$80,570	$59,990	$102,500	10,810	-15%
24	Pennsylvania	$78,560	$81,370	$58,730	$106,220	137,730	-16%
25	Vermont	$77,330	$79,660	$58,190	$103,130	7,060	-17%
26	Wisconsin	$77,080	$79,200	$57,170	$103,100	59,050	-18%
27	Idaho	$76,660	$78,660	$58,610	$100,210	15,140	-18%
28	Wyoming	$76,640	$79,560	$56,780	$103,920	4,690	-18%
29	Montana	$76,430	$78,370	$57,310	$101,410	10,790	-18%
30	Georgia	$76,340	$79,470	$56,990	$104,960	85,920	-18%
31	Florida	$75,720	$78,360	$55,760	$103,730	199,250	-19%
32	Maine	$74,450	$77,050	$57,360	$99,340	14,990	-20%
33	Utah	$74,410	$76,380	$55,700	$98,290	23,280	-21%
34	Ohio	$74,030	$76,420	$55,270	$100,210	121,430	-21%
35	North Carolina	$73,150	$75,580	$54,380	$98,800	97,930	-22%
36	South Carolina	$71,400	$73,860	$52,460	$98,050	42,770	-24%
37	Oklahoma	$71,190	$72,810	$52,890	$94,860	32,710	-24%
38	Indiana	$70,760	$72,370	$52,760	$93,100	64,330	-24%
39	Missouri	$70,350	$72,500	$52,240	$94,710	63,990	-25%
40	Louisiana	$70,070	$72,210	$51,070	$96,080	42,250	-25%
41	Nebraska	$70,060	$72,450	$52,690	$93,730	21,290	-25%
42	North Dakota	$70,040	$72,160	$52,740	$92,410	9,530	-25%
43	Kansas	$68,930	$71,300	$52,750	$91,740	28,540	-26%
44	Kentucky	$68,190	$70,350	$51,260	$91,740	40,790	-27%
45	Tennessee	$67,480	$69,710	$49,480	$92,440	63,060	-28%
46	Arkansas	$67,300	$68,630	$50,990	$88,050	27,620	-28%
47	Iowa	$66,940	$68,510	$51,050	$87,600	33,440	-28%
48	West Virginia	$65,180	$67,880	$49,530	$89,280	17,020	-30%
49	Alabama	$63,010	$65,160	$48,420	$83,170	50,850	-33%
50	Mississippi	$62,620	$64,690	$46,510	$84,020	27,330	-33%
51	South Dakota	$62,310	$65,570	$47,270	$87,610	11,140	-33%
52	Guam	$57,730	$56,730	$38,230	$71,220	1,200	-38%
53	Virgin Islands	$57,020	$56,760	$37,390	$73,450	500	-39%
54	Puerto Rico	$34,890	$38,010	$22,260	$59,440	18,650	-63%

Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS). Data reflects the most recent available estimates.

Understanding RN Salaries

Registered nurse salaries vary significantly across the United States, influenced by a combination of economic, geographic, and professional factors. Understanding what drives these differences can help nurses make informed career and relocation decisions.

What Affects Nurse Salary?

Several key factors determine how much a registered nurse earns:

Cost of living — States with higher costs of living, such as California and New York, tend to offer higher salaries to offset housing, transportation, and other expenses.
Specialization — Nurses working in specialized fields like critical care, oncology, or neonatal care typically earn more than those in general medical-surgical roles.
Experience — Entry-level nurses (10th percentile) earn significantly less than experienced nurses (90th percentile). Across states, entry-level salaries start around $22,260, while experienced nurses in top-paying states can earn over $181,070.
Healthcare setting — Nurses in hospitals generally earn more than those in outpatient clinics, schools, or physician offices. Government and specialty hospitals often offer the highest compensation.

Highest and Lowest Paying States

California leads the nation with a median RN salary of $128,300, followed by Hawaii at $110,970 and Washington at $104,490. On the other end of the spectrum, Puerto Rico has the lowest median RN salary at $34,890, followed by Virgin Islands and Guam. While the salary gap between the highest and lowest states is substantial, it is important to consider cost-of-living differences when comparing take-home purchasing power.

Career Outlook

The Bureau of Labor Statistics projects that registered nurse employment will grow 6% from 2023 to 2033, with approximately 193,100 job openings projected each year. This growth outpaces many other occupations and is driven by an aging Baby Boomer population, increasing rates of chronic conditions, and expanding access to healthcare services. With 3,282,010 RNs currently employed nationwide, nursing remains one of the largest and most stable healthcare professions.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the average registered nurse salary in the United States?

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the national median salary for registered nurses is $93,600, with a mean (average) salary of $98,430. Salaries vary significantly by state, ranging from $34,890 to $128,300.

Which states pay registered nurses the most?

The top five highest-paying states for registered nurses by median salary are California, Hawaii, Washington, Oregon, Alaska. California leads with a median RN salary of $128,300, which is 37% above the national median.

Which states have the lowest RN salaries?

The five states with the lowest median RN salaries are Puerto Rico, Virgin Islands, Guam, South Dakota, Mississippi. Puerto Rico has the lowest median at $34,890, which is 63% below the national median. However, lower salaries often correspond with lower costs of living.

What is the job outlook for registered nurses?

The Bureau of Labor Statistics projects registered nurse employment to grow 6% from 2023 to 2033, with approximately 193,100 openings projected annually. This growth is driven by an aging population, increased prevalence of chronic conditions, and demand for healthcare services.

What education do you need to become a registered nurse?

The typical entry-level education for registered nurses is a Bachelor's degree. Aspiring RNs can enter the profession with an Associate Degree in Nursing (ADN) or a Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN), though many employers increasingly prefer or require a BSN. All RNs must pass the NCLEX-RN licensure exam.