The Highest Paying States for Nurses

The average salary for a Registered Nurse in the United States is $75,510, according to the latest report from the Bureau of Labor Statistics on the highest nursing salaries by state. However, there is a wide variability in pay between the 50 states.  In this list, we broke down the highest paying states for nurses.

Cost of living is a crucial factor to understand which states pay nurses the most. The cost of living index allows you to directly compare what it costs to live in one state against another – in other words, how much does your dollar get for you. The scale ranges from a high of 193 in Hawaii (meaning it is 93% more expensive for a nurse to live in Hawaii than the rest of the U.S.) to a low of 86 in Mississippi (meaning it is 14% cheaper to live in Mississippi than the rest of the United States).

Best Paying States for Nurses
California tops our list of the highest paid states for RNs, with nurses receiving $106,950 per year on average. However, the California cost of living is 52% more expensive than the rest of the U.S. Factoring this index in, the adjusted salary for a Registered Nurse in California is $70,501. 

Rounding out the list of the top five states with the highest nursing salaries is Hawaii, Washington, D.C., Massachusetts, and Oregon. While each of these states are among the best paying states for nurses, each of them have a cost of living that is between 30 – 90% higher than the national average.

Highest Paying States for Nurses, Adjusted for Cost of Living
Adjusted for cost of living, New Mexico tops our list for the best paying states for nurses due to a relatively high annual salary ($71,730) and a very low cost of living index (88). This means it is 12% cheaper to live in New Mexico than the rest of the United States, giving you an adjusted salary of $81,977. 

The next four states that pay the nurses the most, adjusted for cost of living are Michigan, Texas, Arizona and Nevada. While none of them pay the highest wages, they all have a very low cost of living, providing Nurses who live there very highest adjusted salaries

If you’re considering moving to a new state to find a state that pays nurses the most, you can sign up for free with Incredible Health in less than 3 minutes. We can put your profile in front of hiring managers at hundreds of hospitals around the country and help you find the highest paying Registered Nurse Jobs. 

Our ordered list of the highest paying states for nurses:
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​1. California
Average RN Salary: $106,950
Number of RNs: 294,510
Cost of Living Index: 152
Average Salary (Adjusted for cost of living): $70,501

2. Hawaii
Average RN Salary: $98,080
Number of RNs: 11,310
Cost of Living Index: 193
Average Salary (Adjusted for cost of living): $50,845

3. Washington D.C
Average RN Salary: $92,080
Number of RNs: 11,110
Cost of Living Index: 158
Average Salary (Adjusted for cost of living): $58,845

4. Massachusetts
Average RN Salary: $80,630
Number of RNs: 80,630
Cost of Living Index: 132
Average Salary (Adjusted for cost of living): $70,015

​5. Oregon
Average RN Salary: $91,080
Number of RNs: 36,020
Cost of Living Index: 134
Average Salary (Adjusted for cost of living): $67,869

​​6. Alaska
Average RN Salary: $89,310
Number of RNs: 5,730
Cost of Living Index: 130
Average Salary (Adjusted for cost of living): $68,753

​​​7. Nevada
Average RN Salary: $85,620
Number of RNs: 22,560
Cost of Living Index: 109
Average Salary (Adjusted for cost of living): $78,912

​​​​8. New York
Average RN Salary: $85,610
Number of RNs: 182,490
Cost of Living Index: 130
Average Salary (Adjusted for cost of living): $61,546
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9. New Jersey
Average RN Salary: $82,750
Number of RNs: 79,530
Cost of Living Index: 125
Average Salary (Adjusted for cost of living): $66,147
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​​​​​10. Washington
Average RN Salary: $82,670
Number of RNs: 56,290
Cost of Living Index: 111
Average Salary (Adjusted for cost of living): $74,679
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11. Connecticut
Average RN Salary: $81,220
Number of RNs: 31,400
Cost of Living Index: 128
Average Salary (Adjusted for cost of living): $63,602
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12. Minnesota
Average RN Salary: $78,920
Number of RNs: 69,000
Cost of Living Index: 102
Average Salary (Adjusted for cost of living): $77,677
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13. Rhode Island
Average RN Salary: $78,420
Number of RNs: 12,630
Cost of Living Index: 119
Average Salary (Adjusted for cost of living): $65,678

14. Arizona
Average RN Salary: $77,000
Number of RNs: 54,690
Cost of Living Index: 97
Average Salary (Adjusted for cost of living): $79,381

15. Maryland
Average RN Salary: $76,820
Number of RNs: 54,080
Cost of Living Index: 130
Average Salary (Adjusted for cost of living): $59,229

16. Delaware
Average RN Salary: $74,800
Number of RNs: 11,840
Cost of Living Index: 108
Average Salary (Adjusted for cost of living): $69,195
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17. Colorado
Average RN Salary: $74,240
Number of RNs: 51,760
Cost of Living Index: 106
Average Salary (Adjusted for cost of living): $70,303

18. Illinois
Average RN Salary: $73,890
Number of RNs: 129,400
Cost of Living Index: 95
Average Salary (Adjusted for cost of living): $78,190

19. Texas 
Average RN Salary: $72,890
Number of RNs: 210,350
Cost of Living Index: 92
Average Salary (Adjusted for cost of living): $79,661

20. New Hampshire
Average RN Salary: $72,760
Number of RNs: 13,630
Cost of Living Index: 110
Average Salary (Adjusted for cost of living): $66,326

21. New Mexico
Average RN Salary: $71,730
Number of RNs: 16,730
Cost of Living Index: 88
Average Salary (Adjusted for cost of living): $81,977
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22. Wisconsin
Average RN Salary: $71,470
Number of RNs: 59,030
Cost of Living Index: 97
Average Salary (Adjusted for cost of living): $73,453

23. Michigan
Average RN Salary: $71,330
Number of RNs: 96,680
Cost of Living Index: 89
Average Salary (Adjusted for cost of living): $80,236

24. Pennsylvania 
Average RN Salary: $70,390
Number of RNs: 148,520
Cost of Living Index: 102
Average Salary (Adjusted for cost of living): $69,213

25. Virginia
Average RN Salary: $69,790
Number of RNs: 64,750
Cost of Living Index: 101
Average Salary (Adjusted for cost of living): $69,305
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26. Vermont
Average RN Salary: $69,160
Number of RNs: 6,400
Cost of Living Index: 115
Average Salary (Adjusted for cost of living): $60,402
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27. Georgia
Average RN Salary: $68,950
Number of RNs: 76,640
Cost of Living Index: 89
Average Salary (Adjusted for cost of living): $77,298

28. Maine 
Average RN Salary: $67,610
Number of RNs: 14,460
Cost of Living Index: 118
Average Salary (Adjusted for cost of living): $57,540

29. Montana
Average RN Salary: $67,450
Number of RNs: 10,100
Cost of Living Index: 107
Average Salary (Adjusted for cost of living): $63,096

30. Wyoming
Average RN Salary: $67,360
Number of RNs: 5,010
Cost of Living Index: 89
Average Salary (Adjusted for cost of living): $75,431

31. Idaho
Average RN Salary: $67,110
Number of RNs: 13,790
Cost of Living Index: 92
Average Salary (Adjusted for cost of living): $72,709

32. Ohio
Average RN Salary: $66,820
Number of RNs: 125,380
Cost of Living Index: 91
Average Salary (Adjusted for cost of living): $73,590

33. Florida
Average RN Salary: $66,210
Number of RNs: 177,600
Cost of Living Index: 98
Average Salary (Adjusted for cost of living): $67,630

34. North Dakota
Average RN Salary: $65,740
Number of RNs: 8,770
Cost of Living Index: 99
Average Salary (Adjusted for cost of living): $66,538

35. Utah
Average RN Salary: $65,670
Number of RNs: 21,700
Cost of Living Index: 98
Average Salary (Adjusted for cost of living): $66,738

36. Missouri
Average RN Salary: $65,130
Number of RNs: 71,770
Cost of Living Index: 87
Average Salary (Adjusted for cost of living): $74,776

37. South Carolina
Average RN Salary: $64,940
Number of RNs: 44,350
Cost of Living Index: 96
Average Salary (Adjusted for cost of living): $67,716

38. Indiana
Average RN Salary: $64,860
Number of RNs: 67,870
Cost of Living Index: 90
Average Salary (Adjusted for cost of living): $72,067

39. North Carolina
Average RN Salary: $64,850
Number of RNs: 102,500
Cost of Living Index: 95
Average Salary (Adjusted for cost of living): $68,335

40. Nebraska
Average RN Salary: $64,470
Number of RNs: 22,970
Cost of Living Index: 91
Average Salary (Adjusted for cost of living): $71,002

41. Louisiana 
Average RN Salary: $63,970
Number of RNs: 43,110
Cost of Living Index: 94
Average Salary (Adjusted for cost of living): $68,125

42. Kentucky
Average RN Salary: $63,100
Number of RNs: 46,130
Cost of Living Index: 91
Average Salary (Adjusted for cost of living): $69,417

43. Oklahoma
Average RN Salary: $63,080
Number of RNs: 29,330
Cost of Living Index: 87
Average Salary (Adjusted for cost of living): $72,506

44. West Virginia 
Average RN Salary: $61,780
Number of RNs: 19,930
Cost of Living Index: 91
Average Salary (Adjusted for cost of living): $67,816

45. Tennessee
Average RN Salary: $61,320
Number of RNs: 60,360
Cost of Living Index: 89
Average Salary (Adjusted for cost of living): $69,132

46. Kansas
Average RN Salary: $61,030
Number of RNs: 27,810
Cost of Living Index: 89
Average Salary (Adjusted for cost of living): $68,573

47. Arkansas
Average RN Salary: $60,780
Number of RNs: 25,380
Cost of Living Index: 87
Average Salary (Adjusted for cost of living): $69,942

48. Alabama
Average RN Salary: $59,470
Number of RNs: 49,490
Cost of Living Index: 89
Average Salary (Adjusted for cost of living): $66,596

49. Iowa
Average RN Salary: $59,130
Number of RNs: 33,770
Cost of Living Index: 90
Average Salary (Adjusted for cost of living): $65,627

50. Mississippi
Average RN Salary: $58,490
Number of RNs: 29,860
Cost of Living Index: 86
Average Salary (Adjusted for cost of living): $67,933

51. South Dakota
Average RN Salary: $58,340
Number of RNs: 12,760
Cost of Living Index: 100
Average Salary (Adjusted for cost of living): $58,457

Summary on the the highest paid states for RNs
There has never been a time to research the best paying states for nurses. Feel free to check out our list of job offers on Incredible Health and see if you can find a good match for you in one of the highest paid RN states.