Registered Nurse Salary by State (May 2025 BLS Data)
By The College Match Editorial Team · Data: May 2025 · Updated October 2026
Registered nurses earn a median of $97,550 a year nationally, but pay depends heavily on location: from $77,080 in Alabama to $140,270 in California.
Registered nurses (RNs) assess patients, give treatments and medications, and coordinate care in hospitals, clinics and other settings. The table below covers all 50 states and Washington, DC, using the latest wage survey from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.
U.S. median
$97,550
Highest: California
$140,270
Lowest: Alabama
$77,080
Employed in the U.S.
3,379,720
Registered Nurse pay in every state
Sorted by median annual wage. "Typical range" is the 10th to 90th percentile: 80% of registered nurses in the state earn within it.
| Rank | State | Median | Average | Typical range | Employed |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | California | $140,270 | $150,280 | $101,260 – $213,320 | 338,940 |
| 2 | Hawaii | $136,320 | $124,340 | $82,500 – $147,830 | 12,940 |
| 3 | Oregon | $129,010 | $123,140 | $95,280 – $155,010 | 39,730 |
| 4 | Washington | $124,200 | $121,540 | $89,630 – $161,910 | 69,260 |
| 5 | Alaska | $109,480 | $114,870 | $85,030 – $149,070 | 7,510 |
| 6 | New York | $109,440 | $113,440 | $79,760 – $157,090 | 205,810 |
| 7 | New Jersey | $106,500 | $110,100 | $83,060 – $135,170 | 92,680 |
| 8 | Massachusetts | $104,550 | $117,960 | $80,310 – $174,510 | 88,200 |
| 9 | Nevada | $103,670 | $105,710 | $79,500 – $133,270 | 27,070 |
| 10 | Connecticut | $102,740 | $105,250 | $80,350 – $134,870 | 40,110 |
| 11 | District of Columbia | $102,540 | $106,980 | $79,390 – $151,170 | 11,440 |
| 12 | Minnesota | $101,510 | $103,420 | $79,960 – $132,430 | 70,110 |
| 13 | Rhode Island | $100,640 | $101,260 | $77,410 – $129,840 | 10,090 |
| 14 | Colorado | $100,260 | $99,370 | $79,500 – $124,940 | 54,490 |
| 15 | Maryland | $99,790 | $99,010 | $76,780 – $124,790 | 52,910 |
| 16 | New Hampshire | $99,700 | $97,900 | $75,610 – $123,190 | 15,390 |
| 17 | Delaware | $99,520 | $99,460 | $78,340 – $123,860 | 14,290 |
| 18 | Arizona | $99,500 | $99,730 | $70,540 – $130,930 | 73,150 |
| 19 | Vermont | $97,460 | $96,650 | $77,670 – $126,100 | 7,410 |
| 20 | Pennsylvania | $96,430 | $94,020 | $70,800 – $117,900 | 146,520 |
| 21 | Illinois | $95,990 | $94,360 | $69,170 – $118,190 | 138,910 |
| 22 | Texas | $95,970 | $95,380 | $67,120 – $127,950 | 271,380 |
| 23 | Wisconsin | $95,530 | $94,690 | $77,470 – $119,860 | 68,060 |
| 24 | New Mexico | $94,340 | $95,290 | $74,300 – $123,540 | 17,980 |
| 25 | Michigan | $94,300 | $94,300 | $77,260 – $116,710 | 104,950 |
| 26 | Virginia | $93,600 | $93,850 | $67,830 – $125,580 | 77,490 |
| 27 | Georgia | $93,550 | $95,080 | $68,920 – $128,640 | 100,950 |
| 28 | Idaho | $92,460 | $92,710 | $71,210 – $121,230 | 16,880 |
| 29 | Maine | $86,990 | $91,700 | $74,160 – $106,950 | 16,540 |
| 30 | Montana | $85,280 | $91,510 | $70,120 – $113,920 | 10,950 |
| 31 | Nebraska | $84,730 | $88,330 | $66,020 – $106,190 | 24,720 |
| 32 | Utah | $84,600 | $90,950 | $68,920 – $109,050 | 27,420 |
| 33 | North Carolina | $84,350 | $90,470 | $67,660 – $110,220 | 111,120 |
| 34 | Florida | $84,190 | $90,650 | $67,970 – $120,330 | 229,940 |
| 35 | Wyoming | $83,760 | $88,600 | $65,770 – $107,350 | 5,330 |
| 36 | Indiana | $83,500 | $89,150 | $66,750 – $105,750 | 68,980 |
| 37 | Oklahoma | $82,920 | $85,060 | $60,530 – $106,390 | 38,270 |
| 38 | Ohio | $82,510 | $87,730 | $66,980 – $105,290 | 143,730 |
| 39 | South Carolina | $82,360 | $87,670 | $66,860 – $106,520 | 49,750 |
| 40 | Missouri | $81,780 | $85,900 | $63,230 – $104,390 | 76,310 |
| 41 | Tennessee | $81,500 | $85,390 | $63,970 – $104,920 | 72,200 |
| 42 | Kentucky | $81,040 | $86,140 | $64,170 – $111,750 | 50,300 |
| 43 | North Dakota | $80,730 | $83,600 | $65,520 – $103,480 | 11,340 |
| 44 | Louisiana | $80,230 | $84,190 | $63,800 – $104,740 | 48,970 |
| 45 | West Virginia | $80,130 | $86,970 | $57,210 – $131,760 | 23,430 |
| 46 | Kansas | $79,320 | $82,360 | $63,180 – $100,840 | 33,800 |
| 47 | Arkansas | $78,940 | $81,520 | $60,780 – $103,660 | 29,400 |
| 48 | Iowa | $78,630 | $80,540 | $63,840 – $100,500 | 34,420 |
| 49 | South Dakota | $78,060 | $77,140 | $54,040 – $98,220 | 14,710 |
| 50 | Mississippi | $77,090 | $78,950 | $60,610 – $100,350 | 29,060 |
| 51 | Alabama | $77,080 | $77,020 | $58,150 – $98,910 | 54,340 |
| United States | $97,550 | $101,420 | $68,940 – $137,470 | 3,379,720 |
Common questions
How much do registered nurses make in the U.S.?
The national median annual wage for registered nurses was $97,550 in May 2025, with an average of $101,420. The middle 80% earned between $68,940 and $137,470.
Which state pays registered nurses the most?
California has the highest median wage at $140,270 a year. Of the 51 areas (states plus DC) with published figures, 18 pay above the national median.
Which state pays registered nurses the least?
Alabama has the lowest median wage at $77,080 a year. Lower pay often comes with a lower cost of living, so compare against local living costs.
Which state employs the most registered nurses?
California employs the most, about 338,940.
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Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2025, occupation code 29-1141. Figures are annual wages for employed registered nurses and exclude the self-employed. Some states' figures are not published by BLS and show as n/a. See our editorial standards for how we build these pages.