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Registered Nurses Salary by State
There were an estimated 3,282,010 registered nurses working in the United States in May 2024, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS survey. The typical (median) registered nurse earned $93,600 a year, or $45.00 an hour, while the mean annual wage was $98,430. Pay spans a wide range even inside the same occupation: the lowest-paid 10% of registered nurses earned $66,030 or less, the bottom quarter earned $78,610 or less, the top quarter earned at least $107,960, and the top 10% earned at least $135,320. Where a registered nurse works matters almost as much as the job itself, as the state table below shows.
Where registered nurses earn the most — and least
The highest median pay for registered nurses is in California, at $140,330 a year — 49.9% higher than the national median of $93,600. Next are Hawaii at $136,320 and Oregon at $123,990. At the other end, South Dakota posts the lowest published median, $69,510, which is 25.7% lower than the national figure. That is a top-to-bottom spread of about 2.0 times between the highest- and lowest-paying states for the same occupation — a gap driven by local labor markets, licensing, employer mix, and cost of living rather than by differences in the job title itself.
Where the registered nurse jobs are
Employment is concentrated in a handful of large states. California alone employs 326,720 registered nurses, and the three largest states — California, Texas, and Florida — together account for 25% of all U.S. jobs in this occupation. Pay in the largest market, California, runs at a median of $140,330, 49.9% higher than the national median, so the biggest job market is also one of the better-paying ones. Smaller states can still be attractive: several low-population states post medians close to the national figure with far less competition for each opening.
Registered Nurse salary by state — full table
Median and mean annual wages for registered nurses in every state where BLS publishes an estimate for May 2024, ranked by median pay. The 90th-percentile column shows what the top-earning tenth of registered nurses in each state make. Follow a state link for that state's full wage tables, or open a detailed guide where one is available.
| State | Employment | Median hourly | Median annual | Mean annual | 90th percentile |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| California Detailed guide | 326,720 | $67.47 | $140,330 | $148,330 | $208,880 |
| Hawaii | 13,100 | $65.54 | $136,320 | $123,720 | $146,480 |
| Oregon | 39,900 | $59.61 | $123,990 | $120,470 | $143,410 |
| Washington | 64,690 | $53.93 | $112,180 | $115,740 | $149,370 |
| Alaska | 7,040 | $53.22 | $110,690 | $112,040 | $137,400 |
| New York Detailed guide | 204,120 | $50.77 | $105,600 | $110,490 | $153,420 |
| District of Columbia | 9,790 | $50.27 | $104,550 | $109,240 | $135,620 |
| New Jersey | 95,150 | $49.39 | $102,730 | $106,990 | $130,540 |
| Nevada | 27,570 | $49.03 | $101,990 | $102,280 | $132,990 |
| Massachusetts | 90,190 | $49.03 | $101,970 | $112,610 | $173,590 |
| Connecticut | 39,020 | $48.84 | $101,590 | $103,670 | $132,840 |
| Minnesota | 64,740 | $48.50 | $100,870 | $99,460 | $128,200 |
| Rhode Island | 10,760 | $48.06 | $99,960 | $99,770 | $128,520 |
| Arizona | 64,430 | $46.58 | $96,890 | $95,230 | $123,480 |
| Maryland | 48,980 | $46.55 | $96,830 | $96,650 | $121,150 |
| New Hampshire | 16,580 | $46.55 | $96,830 | $94,620 | $120,120 |
| Colorado | 54,510 | $46.40 | $96,520 | $95,470 | $121,710 |
| Delaware | 13,260 | $44.53 | $92,610 | $95,450 | $127,340 |
| Texas Detailed guide | 261,050 | $43.27 | $90,010 | $91,690 | $122,060 |
| Virginia | 77,420 | $42.70 | $88,820 | $90,930 | $124,040 |
| New Mexico | 17,510 | $42.43 | $88,260 | $94,360 | $121,200 |
| Pennsylvania | 146,840 | $42.12 | $87,610 | $90,830 | $116,590 |
| Georgia | 97,410 | $41.61 | $86,560 | $91,960 | $124,810 |
| Illinois | 139,900 | $41.54 | $86,410 | $91,130 | $112,320 |
| Idaho | 14,540 | $41.39 | $86,100 | $89,770 | $118,460 |
| Wisconsin | 64,960 | $41.38 | $86,070 | $90,450 | $109,270 |
| Michigan | 104,210 | $41.19 | $85,670 | $90,580 | $106,770 |
| Vermont | 7,240 | $40.94 | $85,150 | $92,710 | $117,310 |
| Maine | 16,280 | $39.84 | $82,860 | $87,440 | $104,870 |
| Florida Detailed guide | 218,100 | $39.83 | $82,850 | $88,200 | $110,530 |
| Utah | 25,780 | $39.55 | $82,270 | $88,240 | $106,960 |
| North Carolina | 108,510 | $39.36 | $81,860 | $86,270 | $107,110 |
| Wyoming | 5,180 | $39.32 | $81,790 | $88,020 | $108,350 |
| Montana | 10,540 | $39.21 | $81,560 | $88,480 | $109,450 |
| Ohio | 138,360 | $39.06 | $81,250 | $86,110 | $103,650 |
| Oklahoma | 32,870 | $39.02 | $81,160 | $85,800 | $105,320 |
| Nebraska | 24,180 | $38.95 | $81,020 | $82,890 | $101,500 |
| Indiana | 68,950 | $38.82 | $80,740 | $85,850 | $103,820 |
| West Virginia | 21,740 | $38.46 | $79,990 | $80,650 | $106,830 |
| Kentucky | 48,170 | $38.42 | $79,910 | $83,900 | $104,430 |
| South Carolina | 50,300 | $38.41 | $79,900 | $84,930 | $102,040 |
| Missouri | 74,270 | $38.35 | $79,770 | $81,950 | $103,140 |
| Tennessee | 67,990 | $38.00 | $79,030 | $82,010 | $102,040 |
| Louisiana | 46,790 | $37.92 | $78,880 | $84,110 | $111,810 |
| North Dakota | 11,000 | $37.62 | $78,260 | $81,900 | $99,540 |
| Kansas | 32,640 | $37.53 | $78,060 | $79,430 | $97,870 |
| Arkansas | 28,320 | $37.08 | $77,130 | $77,720 | $99,960 |
| Iowa | 33,480 | $37.00 | $76,960 | $77,780 | $98,280 |
| Mississippi | 29,400 | $35.80 | $74,470 | $79,470 | $104,040 |
| Alabama | 53,340 | $34.16 | $71,040 | $74,970 | $98,840 |
| South Dakota | 14,500 | $33.42 | $69,510 | $72,210 | $92,570 |
Registered Nurse wages in U.S. territories
| Area | Employment | Median hourly | Median annual | Mean annual | 90th percentile |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Virgin Islands | 470 | $35.53 | $73,890 | $73,280 | $88,270 |
| Puerto Rico | 22,430 | $18.17 | $37,780 | $41,470 | $55,780 |
How to read these numbers
The median is the middle wage: half of registered nurses earn more and half earn less. The mean is pulled up by the highest earners, which is why the mean of $98,430 sits above the median of $93,600 for this occupation. OEWS wages are gross pay before taxes and benefits, and BLS converts hourly rates to annual figures on a 2,080-hour, year-round full-time basis; part-time and seasonal workers' actual annual earnings can be lower. Figures marked with a plus sign are at or above the BLS reporting cap of $239,200 a year ($115.00 an hour).
Registered Nurse salary FAQ
What is the average registered nurse salary?
BLS put the mean annual wage for registered nurses at $98,430 in May 2024, with a median of $93,600 ($45.00 an hour) across 3,282,010 U.S. jobs.
Which state pays registered nurses the most?
California has the highest median pay for registered nurses, at $140,330 a year in May 2024 — 49.9% higher than the national median of $93,600.
Which state pays registered nurses the least?
Among states where BLS publishes an estimate, South Dakota has the lowest median for registered nurses, at $69,510 a year, 25.7% lower than the national median.
How many registered nurses are there in the United States?
BLS estimated 3,282,010 registered nurses jobs in May 2024. The largest state market is California, with 326,720 jobs.
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2024 — bls.gov/oes. Figures checked October 2026.