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Highest-Paying States for Registered Nurses in 2023

WRITTEN BY Journi Gillette
DATE

Dec 14 2022


CATEGORIES Salary

Nurse Salaries / States

Average registered nurse salaries vary significantly from state-to-state. In the United States overall, the average registered nurse salary is $82,750 and the median (50th percentile) is $77,600. California, with RN salaries averaging $124,000, is the highest-paying state for nurses as of May 2021 (according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics).

$63,460 lower than California’s average is South Dakota, at $60,540. With such a wide possible salary range, it may pay off for nurses to consider moving to a higher-paying state. On the other hand, it may not; large cost of living differences between states means the same dollar you earn in one state may not go as far as in another.

Read on to learn more about which state pays their nurses the most, both in absolute terms and after factoring in the cost of living.

In this article:

  • Highest-paying states for RNs
  • Highest-paying states, adjusted for cost of living
  • RN salaries in all 50 states

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Highest-paying states for registered nurses

California tops our list of the highest-paying states, where registered nurses make $124,000 per year on average. Following it is Hawaii, at $106,530, and Oregon at $98,6300. Washington, D.C., while not technically a state, also ranks among the top-paying U.S. regions with an average RN salary of $98,540.

Top 10 highest-paying states for registered nurses
RankStateAverage RN SalaryLocal Estimates
1California$124,000Get local estimates
2Hawaii$106,530Get local estimates
3Oregon$98,630Get local estimates
4District of Columbia$98,540Get local estimates
5Alaska$97,230Get local estimates
6Massachusetts$96,630Get local estimates
7Washington$95,350Get local estimates
8New York$93,320Get local estimates
9New Jersey$89,690Get local estimates
10Connecticut$88,800Get local estimates

See salaries by state for:

  • Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetists (CRNAs)
  • Nurse Practitioners
  • Certified Nurse-Midwives (CNMs)

Top nurse jobs on Incredible Health

  • 🏥 Assistant Nurse Manager

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  • 🏥 Nurse Manager – Neurology

    Prairieville, LA | $56,000 to $88,000 /year

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Highest-paying states for RNs, adjusted for cost of living

The cost of living index is a measure of the relative purchasing power of a dollar for things like groceries, housing, and transportation. Regions, where these essential goods are more costly than the U.S. average, have a higher cost of living index; areas, where these same goods tend to be cheaper, are estimated to have a lower cost of living. As of 2021, Hawaii tops the list at 119.3, while Mississippi comes in lowest, at 87.8.

Adjusting each state’s average RN salary by its cost of living index gives us a potentially more accurate means of comparing where nurses get paid the most.


It’s not just about the absolute size of the paycheck, but about how far those wages will go for a nurse’s budget.


California sits atop the list of highest-paying states for nurses after adjusting for cost of living. The Golden State’s adjusted RN salary average is $106,529 – much lower than its $124,000 non-adjusted salary thanks to a higher cost of living. Following closely behind are Oregon ($96,131) and Alaska ($92,512).

Top 10 highest-paying states for registered nurses, adjusted for cost of living

Editor’s note: Cost-of-living salaries have not been updated as of April 4, 2022.

RankStateAvg RN Salary (COL Adjusted)Local Estimates
1California$106,529Get Local Estimates
2Oregon$96,131Get Local Estimates
3Alaska$92,512Get Local Estimates
4Nevada$92,416Get Local Estimates
5Hawaii$89,296Get Local Estimates
6Washington$87,961Get Local Estimates
7Massachusetts$87,527Get Local Estimates
8Washington, D.C.$85,538Get Local Estimates
9Minnesota$85,223Get Local Estimates
10New Mexico$84,705Get Local Estimates

Registered nurse salaries in all 50 states

Hospitals and other healthcare organizations employ registered nurses in every state across the U.S. Use the map up top or the list below to find your own state’s average RN salary.

StateState hyperlinkAvg RN SalaryRNs employedCost of living indexAvg RN salary, adjusted for COL
Alabamahttps://www.incrediblehealth.com/salaries/rn/al$61,92049,78089.3$69,339
Alaskahttps://www.incrediblehealth.com/salaries/rn/ak$97,2306,060105.1$92,512
Arizonahttps://www.incrediblehealth.com/salaries/rn/az$81,60057,26099.1$82,341
Arkansashttps://www.incrediblehealth.com/salaries/rn/ar$65,81026,32089.2$73,778
Californiahttps://www.incrediblehealth.com/salaries/rn/ca$124,000324,400116.4$106,529
Coloradohttps://www.incrediblehealth.com/salaries/rn/co$80,67051,680102.9$78,397
Connecticuthttps://www.incrediblehealth.com/salaries/rn/ct$88,53034,320105$84,314
Delawarehttps://www.incrediblehealth.com/salaries/rn/de$77,76011,76099.4$78,397
District of Columbiahttps://www.incrediblehealth.com/salaries/rn/dc/washington$98,54011,540115.2$84,314
Floridahttps://www.incrediblehealth.com/salaries/rn/fl$72,000187,920101$71,287
Georgiahttps://www.incrediblehealth.com/salaries/rn/ga$75,38078,29094.5$79,767
Hawaiihttps://www.incrediblehealth.com/salaries/rn/hi$106,53011,110119.3$89,296
Idahohttps://www.incrediblehealth.com/salaries/rn/id$73,64014,40092.2$79,870
Illinoishttps://www.incrediblehealth.com/salaries/rn/il$78,260129,260100.5$77,871
Indianahttps://www.incrediblehealth.com/salaries/rn/in$68,89066,80092.5$74,476
Iowahttps://www.incrediblehealth.com/salaries/rn/ia$64,99032,65091$71,418
Kansashttps://www.incrediblehealth.com/salaries/rn/ks$66,56028,98092.4$72,035
Kentuckyhttps://www.incrediblehealth.com/salaries/rn/ky$67,26043,54089.8$74,900
Louisianahttps://www.incrediblehealth.com/salaries/rn/la$70,38042,87092.7$75,922
Mainehttps://www.incrediblehealth.com/salaries/rn/me$73,63014,38099.3$74,149
Marylandhttps://www.incrediblehealth.com/salaries/rn/md$82,66051,550107.7$76,750
Massachusettshttps://www.incrediblehealth.com/salaries/rn/ma$96,63088,270110.4$87,527
Michiganhttps://www.incrediblehealth.com/salaries/rn/mi$75,930102,48094$80,777
Minnesotahttps://www.incrediblehealth.com/salaries/rn/mn$84,03069,00098.6$85,223
Mississippihttps://www.incrediblehealth.com/salaries/rn/ms$63,13029,14087.8$71,902
Missourihttps://www.incrediblehealth.com/salaries/rn/mo$67,79069,24092.5$73,286
Montanahttps://www.incrediblehealth.com/salaries/rn/mt$73,6109,64093.5$78,727
Nebraskahttps://www.incrediblehealth.com/salaries/rn/ne$69,85020,66092.9$75,188
Nevadahttps://www.incrediblehealth.com/salaries/rn/nv$88,80024,59097.4$82,491
New Hampshirehttps://www.incrediblehealth.com/salaries/rn/nh$78,27012,890106.5$73,493
New Jerseyhttps://www.incrediblehealth.com/salaries/rn/nj$89,69077,980116$77,319
New Mexicohttps://www.incrediblehealth.com/salaries/rn/nm$77,59017,03091.6$84,770
New Yorkhttps://www.incrediblehealth.com/salaries/rn/ny$93,320188,300116.3$80,241
North Carolinahttps://www.incrediblehealth.com/salaries/rn/nc$71,200104,81091.8$71,748
North Dakotahttps://www.incrediblehealth.com/salaries/rn/nd$71,20011,81092$77,391
Ohiohttps://www.incrediblehealth.com/salaries/rn/oh$71,640129,270100$79,870
Oklahomahttps://www.incrediblehealth.com/salaries/rn/ok$68,18031,51091.3$74,677
Oregonhttps://www.incrediblehealth.com/salaries/rn/or$98,63037,780102.6$96,131
Pennsylvaniahttps://www.incrediblehealth.com/salaries/rn/pa$76,000149,27097.6$77,869
Rhode Islandhttps://www.incrediblehealth.com/salaries/rn/ri$85,27010,860101.8$83,762
South Carolinahttps://www.incrediblehealth.com/salaries/rn/sc$69,58046,16091.6$75,961
South Dakotahttps://www.incrediblehealth.com/salaries/rn/sd$60,54014,14091.5$66,623
Tennesseehttps://www.incrediblehealth.com/salaries/rn/tn$66,68062,25092.2$72,321
Texashttps://www.incrediblehealth.com/salaries/rn/tx$79,120217,63099.5$79,518
Utahhttps://www.incrediblehealth.com/salaries/rn/ut$72,79023,76096.5$75,430
Vermonthttps://www.incrediblehealth.com/salaries/rn/vt$75,1607,210103.1$72,900
Virginiahttps://www.incrediblehealth.com/salaries/rn/va$76,68066,980101.3$75,696
Washingtonhttps://www.incrediblehealth.com/salaries/rn/wa$95,35062,470108.4$80,805
West Virginiahttps://www.incrediblehealth.com/salaries/rn/wv$67,64019,80088$76,864
Wisconsinhttps://www.incrediblehealth.com/salaries/rn/wi$76,85062,86093.2$82,457
Wyominghttps://www.incrediblehealth.com/salaries/rn/wy$73,1304,89092.8$78,804

Annual Salary FAQ

What is the average salary for nurses in the U.S?

According to the BLS, the average salary for registered nurses in the United States is currently $82,750.

What state has the highest salary for nurses?

Currently, California has the highest salary for nurses (even with cost of living factored in) at $124,000 per year on average.

What kind of nurses get paid the most?

Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetists get paid the most, with an average salary of over $200,000. Get a full list of the highest-paid nurses here.

What cities pay nurses the most?

San Francisco, Sacramento, Portland and Los Angeles, are just a few of the cities with the highest national average nurse salary. To see our full list of the highest-paying cities for nurses, click here.

Article Sources

  • “May 2021 National Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates.” bls.gov. Accessed April 1, 2022.
  • “Regional Price Parities by State and Metro Area.” bea.gov. Accessed April 1, 2022.

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Questions from the Incredible Health Nurse Community

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Written by Journi Gillette

Journi is dedicated to helping businesses amplify their voice and place within their markets, and has years of experience providing value to intended audiences through content writing.

Read more from Journi
Reviewed by Kiley Griffin, RN

As an experienced RN, Kiley led the fast-growing RN team, that helped nurses on Incredible Health navigate their career options, and present themselves in the best way possible to top employers.

Read more from Kiley

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