Nurse Salaries / BSN Salary
A BSN, or Bachelor of Science in nursing, is a registered nurse (RN) who is professionally trained and provides nursing care in various clinical settings. These settings include hospitals, doctor’s offices, and schools. RNs deliver care to patients across the lifespan, from infancy to geriatrics, in an assortment of areas, including the emergency department, intensive care unit, medical-surgical areas, and clinics.
BSN Salary Overview
According to the United States Bureau of Labor Statistics, BSN-trained nurses earn $82,750 annually. Remember, salaries will vary depending on your state of employment, experience, and the position or specialty in which you work. The workforce of registered nurses is anticipated to increase from 3.1 million in 2021 to 3.3 million by the year 2031.
Registered nurses can be employed in numerous areas of the healthcare industry. Although there are many fields nurses can find work, the top five nursing areas with the highest salaries are listed below.
- Dermatology Nurse Practitioner $103,614
- Cardiac Cath Lab Nurse $96,361
- Labor and Delivery (L&D) Nurse $90,523
- Post-Anesthesia Care Unit (PACU) Nurse $95,080
- Operating Room (OR) / Surgical Nurse $93,458
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BSN Salaries by State
Salaries for registered nurses can vary depending on the state you reside. When reviewing salaries, you’ll also want to consider your area’s cost of living, as this can impact how much you are paid annually. The top 5 states with the highest nursing salaries include the following:
| State | Salary | COL Adjusted Salary | Local Estimates |
|---|---|---|---|
| California | $124,000 | $106,529 | Get Local Estimate |
| Hawaii | $106,530 | $89,296 | Get Local Estimate |
| Oregon | $98,630 | $96,131 | Get Local Estimate |
| Alaska | $97,230 | $92,512 | Get Local Estimate |
| Massachusetts | $96,630 | $87,527 | Get Local Estimate |
Not only are there certain states paying considerably high salaries for nurses, but there are also many cities offering high nursing salaries. Similar to states, make sure to consider the city’s average cost of living compared to the salary offered. California boasts of having the top 5 cities with the highest nursing salaries.
Top 5 highest-paying cities for Registered Nurses, adjusted for cost of living:
| Rank | City / Metro Area | Avg RN Salary (COL Adjusted) | Personalized Estimates |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | San Jose-Sunnyvale, CA | $138,475 | Get Custom Estimate |
| 2 | Vallejo-Fairfield, CA | $135,018 | Get Custom Estimate |
| 3 | Hanford-Corcoran, CA | $129,854 | Get Custom Estimate |
| 4 | San Francisco-Oakland, CA | $129,165 | Get Custom Estimate |
| 5 | Santa Rosa, CA | $128,816 | Get Custom Estimate |
Sources
- Nursing Shortage. www.aacnnursing.org. Accessed October 21, 2022.
- Occupational Employment and Wages, May 2021. www.bls.gov/. Accessed October 20, 2022.
- Image from Canva.com
Top RN jobs on Incredible Health
🏥 Registered Nurse
Chicago, IL | $65,000 to $100,000 /year
🏥 Registered Nurse – CVICU
Whittier, CA | $71,000 to $141,000 /year
🏥 Registered Nurse – Neurology
Douglasville, GA | $60,000 to $100,000 /year
🏥 Registered Nurse – Obstetric / Labor & Delivery
Winfield, IL | $65,000 to $100,000 /year
🏥 Registered Nurse – Operating Room / Surgical
Philadelphia, PA | $49,900 to $105,000 /year
