Registered Nurses Salary in the United States
The median annual wage for registered nurses is $97,550, or $46.90 per hour. About 3,379,720 people work in this occupation nationwide. Wages vary substantially by state — from $140,270 in California to $77,080 in Alabama.
Wage distribution nationwide
Earnings spread across all U.S. workers in this occupation.
Salary by state
All 51 states with published data, ranked by median annual wage.
| # | State | Median annual | Median hourly | Employment | Location quotient |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | California | $140,270 | $67.44 | 338,940 | 0.86 |
| 2 | Hawaii | $136,320 | $65.54 | 12,940 | 0.95 |
| 3 | Oregon | $129,010 | $62.02 | 39,730 | 0.93 |
| 4 | Washington | $124,200 | $59.71 | 69,260 | 0.90 |
| 5 | Alaska | $109,480 | $52.64 | 7,510 | 1.06 |
| 6 | New York | $109,440 | $52.62 | 205,810 | 0.98 |
| 7 | New Jersey | $106,500 | $51.20 | 92,680 | 0.99 |
| 8 | Massachusetts | $104,550 | $50.27 | 88,200 | 1.12 |
| 9 | Nevada | $103,670 | $49.84 | 27,070 | 0.80 |
| 10 | Connecticut | $102,740 | $49.39 | 40,110 | 1.09 |
| 11 | District of Columbia | $102,540 | $49.30 | 11,440 | 0.75 |
| 12 | Minnesota | $101,510 | $48.80 | 70,110 | 1.09 |
| 13 | Rhode Island | $100,640 | $48.39 | 10,090 | 0.93 |
| 14 | Colorado | $100,260 | $48.20 | 54,490 | 0.87 |
| 15 | Maryland | $99,790 | $47.98 | 52,910 | 0.88 |
| 16 | New Hampshire | $99,700 | $47.93 | 15,390 | 1.04 |
| 17 | Delaware | $99,520 | $47.85 | 14,290 | 1.36 |
| 18 | Arizona | $99,500 | $47.84 | 73,150 | 1.04 |
| 19 | Vermont | $97,460 | $46.86 | 7,410 | 1.12 |
| 20 | Pennsylvania | $96,430 | $46.36 | 146,520 | 1.11 |
| 21 | Illinois | $95,990 | $46.15 | 138,910 | 1.05 |
| 22 | Texas | $95,970 | $46.14 | 271,380 | 0.89 |
| 23 | Wisconsin | $95,530 | $45.93 | 68,060 | 1.06 |
| 24 | New Mexico | $94,340 | $45.36 | 17,980 | 0.95 |
| 25 | Michigan | $94,300 | $45.34 | 104,950 | 1.10 |
| 26 | Virginia | $93,600 | $45.00 | 77,490 | 0.87 |
| 27 | Georgia | $93,550 | $44.98 | 100,950 | 0.95 |
| 28 | Idaho | $92,460 | $44.45 | 16,880 | 0.91 |
| 29 | Maine | $86,990 | $41.82 | 16,540 | 1.19 |
| 30 | Montana | $85,280 | $41.00 | 10,950 | 0.99 |
| 31 | Nebraska | $84,730 | $40.74 | 24,720 | 1.11 |
| 32 | Utah | $84,600 | $40.67 | 27,420 | 0.73 |
| 33 | North Carolina | $84,350 | $40.56 | 111,120 | 1.03 |
| 34 | Florida | $84,190 | $40.48 | 229,940 | 1.07 |
| 35 | Wyoming | $83,760 | $40.27 | 5,330 | 0.87 |
| 36 | Indiana | $83,500 | $40.14 | 68,980 | 0.99 |
| 37 | Oklahoma | $82,920 | $39.87 | 38,270 | 1.03 |
| 38 | Ohio | $82,510 | $39.67 | 143,730 | 1.19 |
| 39 | South Carolina | $82,360 | $39.60 | 49,750 | 0.99 |
| 40 | Missouri | $81,780 | $39.32 | 76,310 | 1.20 |
| 41 | Tennessee | $81,500 | $39.18 | 72,200 | 1.01 |
| 42 | Kentucky | $81,040 | $38.96 | 50,300 | 1.16 |
| 43 | North Dakota | $80,730 | $38.81 | 11,340 | 1.21 |
| 44 | Louisiana | $80,230 | $38.57 | 48,970 | 1.16 |
| 45 | West Virginia | $80,130 | $38.52 | 23,430 | 1.54 |
| 46 | Kansas | $79,320 | $38.14 | 33,800 | 1.08 |
| 47 | Arkansas | $78,940 | $37.95 | 29,400 | 1.04 |
| 48 | Iowa | $78,630 | $37.80 | 34,420 | 1.02 |
| 49 | South Dakota | $78,060 | $37.53 | 14,710 | 1.48 |
| 50 | Mississippi | $77,090 | $37.06 | 29,060 | 1.15 |
| 51 | Alabama | $77,080 | $37.06 | 54,340 | 1.18 |
Related occupations
Same job family, ranked by national employment.
Frequently asked questions
How much do registered nurses make?
The median annual wage for registered nurses in the United States is $97,550, or $46.90 per hour. Entry-level workers (10th percentile) earn $68,940, and the top 10% earn $137,470.
How many registered nurses are employed in the U.S.?
About 3,379,720 people work as registered nurses nationwide.
Which state pays registered nurses the most?
California pays the most at a median of $140,270, followed by Hawaii ($136,320) and Oregon ($129,010).
Which state pays registered nurses the least?
Alabama has the lowest median at $77,080.
Where are registered nurses jobs most concentrated?
The location quotient measures employment concentration relative to the national average. The highest is West Virginia at 1.54×.