Registered nurses play a vital role in providing compassionate care, advocating for patients, and collaborating with healthcare teams to promote wellness.
This article will explore the best states for registered nurses, based on the average annual salary for the occupation.
- 1. California ($133,340)
- 2. Hawaii ($113,220)
- 3. Oregon ($106,610)
- 4. Massachusetts ($104,150)
- 5. Alaska ($103,310)
- 6. Washington ($101,670)
- 7. New York ($100,130)
- 8. District of Columbia ($98,230)
- 9. New Jersey ($96,670)
- 10. Nevada ($96,310)
- Conclusion
Key Takeaways
- The highest-paid registered nurses are in California, where they earn an average of $133,340 per year.
- The lowest-paid registered nurses are in Guam, where they earn an average of $-1 per year.
- The U.S. average salary for registered nurses is $81,167 per year.
1. California ($133,340)

Registered Nurses in California earn the highest average salary in the U.S. The median annual salary for
registered nurses in California is
$133,340, which is +64% from the national average.
Type | Annual Salary |
---|
Median Wage | $133,340 |
10th Percentile | $84,700 |
25th Percentile | $104,610 |
75th Percentile | $161,780 |
90th Percentile | $177,670 |
2. Hawaii ($113,220)

Registered Nurses in Hawaii earn the 2nd highest average salary in the U.S. The median annual salary for
registered nurses in Hawaii is
$113,220, which is +39% from the national average.
Type | Annual Salary |
---|
Median Wage | $113,220 |
10th Percentile | $76,640 |
25th Percentile | $97,390 |
75th Percentile | $136,070 |
90th Percentile | $137,710 |
3. Oregon ($106,610)

Registered Nurses in Oregon earn the 3rd highest average salary in the U.S. The median annual salary for
registered nurses in Oregon is
$106,610, which is +31% from the national average.
Type | Annual Salary |
---|
Median Wage | $106,610 |
10th Percentile | $81,470 |
25th Percentile | $94,510 |
75th Percentile | $120,060 |
90th Percentile | $131,210 |
4. Massachusetts ($104,150)

Registered Nurses in Massachusetts earn the 4th highest average salary in the U.S. The median annual salary for
registered nurses in Massachusetts is
$104,150, which is +28% from the national average.
Type | Annual Salary |
---|
Median Wage | $104,150 |
10th Percentile | $67,480 |
25th Percentile | $80,010 |
75th Percentile | $129,610 |
90th Percentile | $154,160 |
5. Alaska ($103,310)

Registered Nurses in Alaska earn the 5th highest average salary in the U.S. The median annual salary for
registered nurses in Alaska is
$103,310, which is +27% from the national average.
Type | Annual Salary |
---|
Median Wage | $103,310 |
10th Percentile | $80,950 |
25th Percentile | $82,910 |
75th Percentile | $120,110 |
90th Percentile | $127,280 |
6. Washington ($101,670)

Registered Nurses in Washington earn the 6th highest average salary in the U.S. The median annual salary for
registered nurses in Washington is
$101,670, which is +25% from the national average.
Type | Annual Salary |
---|
Median Wage | $101,670 |
10th Percentile | $77,460 |
25th Percentile | $82,840 |
75th Percentile | $118,640 |
90th Percentile | $131,230 |
7. New York ($100,130)

Registered Nurses in New York earn the 7th highest average salary in the U.S. The median annual salary for
registered nurses in New York is
$100,130, which is +23% from the national average.
Type | Annual Salary |
---|
Median Wage | $100,130 |
10th Percentile | $64,840 |
25th Percentile | $80,600 |
75th Percentile | $107,670 |
90th Percentile | $132,950 |
8. District of Columbia ($98,230)

Registered Nurses in District of Columbia earn the 8th highest average salary in the U.S. The median annual salary for
registered nurses in District of Columbia is
$98,230, which is +21% from the national average.
Type | Annual Salary |
---|
Median Wage | $98,230 |
10th Percentile | $66,260 |
25th Percentile | $78,460 |
75th Percentile | $105,980 |
90th Percentile | $135,260 |
9. New Jersey ($96,670)

Registered Nurses in New Jersey earn the 9th highest average salary in the U.S. The median annual salary for
registered nurses in New Jersey is
$96,670, which is +19% from the national average.
Type | Annual Salary |
---|
Median Wage | $96,670 |
10th Percentile | $76,650 |
25th Percentile | $82,180 |
75th Percentile | $105,150 |
90th Percentile | $118,150 |
10. Nevada ($96,310)

Registered Nurses in Nevada earn the 10th highest average salary in the U.S. The median annual salary for
registered nurses in Nevada is
$96,310, which is +19% from the national average.
Type | Annual Salary |
---|
Median Wage | $96,310 |
10th Percentile | $74,200 |
25th Percentile | $80,820 |
75th Percentile | $104,720 |
90th Percentile | $130,200 |
Conclusion
The highest-paid registered nurses are in California, where they earn an average of $133,340 per year. The lowest-paid registered nurses are in Guam, where they earn an average of $-1 per year. The U.S. average salary for registered nurses is $81,167 per year and there are 3,094,940 jobs in the field.