Registered Nurse Salary: How Much Do Registered Nurses Make?
Median pay, percentiles and employment for registered nurses — nationally, in all 50 states, and by metro.
Short answer: the median registered nurse salary in the United States is $97,550 a year ($46.90 an hour). The middle of the market runs $80,330 to $112,350, and the 10th to 90th percentile spans $68,940 to $137,470. Location matters more than most people expect: the median is $140,270 in California and $77,080 in Alabama — a $63,190 gap for the same job. About 3,379,720 people work as registered nurses nationally.
Wages: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025. Public-domain federal data, surveyed from employers.
Registered Nurse salary by state
Annual wages for Registered Nurses (BLS occupation code 29-1141). Percentiles show the spread within each state.
| State | 10th percentile | Median | 90th percentile | Employed |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alabama | $58,150 | $77,080 | $98,910 | 54,340 |
| Alaska | $85,030 | $109,480 | $149,070 | 7,510 |
| Arizona | $70,540 | $99,500 | $130,930 | 73,150 |
| Arkansas | $60,780 | $78,940 | $103,660 | 29,400 |
| California | $101,260 | $140,270 | $213,320 | 338,940 |
| Colorado | $79,500 | $100,260 | $124,940 | 54,490 |
| Connecticut | $80,350 | $102,740 | $134,870 | 40,110 |
| Delaware | $78,340 | $99,520 | $123,860 | 14,290 |
| District of Columbia | $79,390 | $102,540 | $151,170 | 11,440 |
| Florida | $67,970 | $84,190 | $120,330 | 229,940 |
| Georgia | $68,920 | $93,550 | $128,640 | 100,950 |
| Hawaii | $82,500 | $136,320 | $147,830 | 12,940 |
| Idaho | $71,210 | $92,460 | $121,230 | 16,880 |
| Illinois | $69,170 | $95,990 | $118,190 | 138,910 |
| Indiana | $66,750 | $83,500 | $105,750 | 68,980 |
| Iowa | $63,840 | $78,630 | $100,500 | 34,420 |
| Kansas | $63,180 | $79,320 | $100,840 | 33,800 |
| Kentucky | $64,170 | $81,040 | $111,750 | 50,300 |
| Louisiana | $63,800 | $80,230 | $104,740 | 48,970 |
| Maine | $74,160 | $86,990 | $106,950 | 16,540 |
| Maryland | $76,780 | $99,790 | $124,790 | 52,910 |
| Massachusetts | $80,310 | $104,550 | $174,510 | 88,200 |
| Michigan | $77,260 | $94,300 | $116,710 | 104,950 |
| Minnesota | $79,960 | $101,510 | $132,430 | 70,110 |
| Mississippi | $60,610 | $77,090 | $100,350 | 29,060 |
| Missouri | $63,230 | $81,780 | $104,390 | 76,310 |
| Montana | $70,120 | $85,280 | $113,920 | 10,950 |
| Nebraska | $66,020 | $84,730 | $106,190 | 24,720 |
| Nevada | $79,500 | $103,670 | $133,270 | 27,070 |
| New Hampshire | $75,610 | $99,700 | $123,190 | 15,390 |
| New Jersey | $83,060 | $106,500 | $135,170 | 92,680 |
| New Mexico | $74,300 | $94,340 | $123,540 | 17,980 |
| New York | $79,760 | $109,440 | $157,090 | 205,810 |
| North Carolina | $67,660 | $84,350 | $110,220 | 111,120 |
| North Dakota | $65,520 | $80,730 | $103,480 | 11,340 |
| Ohio | $66,980 | $82,510 | $105,290 | 143,730 |
| Oklahoma | $60,530 | $82,920 | $106,390 | 38,270 |
| Oregon | $95,280 | $129,010 | $155,010 | 39,730 |
| Pennsylvania | $70,800 | $96,430 | $117,900 | 146,520 |
| Rhode Island | $77,410 | $100,640 | $129,840 | 10,090 |
| South Carolina | $66,860 | $82,360 | $106,520 | 49,750 |
| South Dakota | $54,040 | $78,060 | $98,220 | 14,710 |
| Tennessee | $63,970 | $81,500 | $104,920 | 72,200 |
| Texas | $67,120 | $95,970 | $127,950 | 271,380 |
| Utah | $68,920 | $84,600 | $109,050 | 27,420 |
| Vermont | $77,670 | $97,460 | $126,100 | 7,410 |
| Virginia | $67,830 | $93,600 | $125,580 | 77,490 |
| Washington | $89,630 | $124,200 | $161,910 | 69,260 |
| West Virginia | $57,210 | $80,130 | $131,760 | 23,430 |
| Wisconsin | $77,470 | $95,530 | $119,860 | 68,060 |
| Wyoming | $65,770 | $83,760 | $107,350 | 5,330 |
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025. “Not released” means BLS suppressed the estimate, usually because the state sample was too small — this page shows that rather than guessing.
Highest-paying metro areas for registered nurses
| Metro area | Median | 90th percentile |
|---|---|---|
| San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA | $216,740 | $235,190 |
| Vallejo, CA | $203,290 | $218,590 |
| San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA | $186,610 | $223,770 |
| Santa Rosa-Petaluma, CA | $174,550 | $225,940 |
| Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom, CA | $171,460 | $218,780 |
| Santa Cruz-Watsonville, CA | $170,960 | $210,870 |
| Yuba City, CA | $149,320 | $178,300 |
| Kahului-Wailuku, HI | $144,350 | $145,730 |
| San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA | $139,520 | $175,210 |
| Urban Honolulu, HI | $139,260 | $151,320 |
Top 10 of the 393 metro areas BLS publishes. Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025.
Frequently asked questions
What is the average registered nurse salary?
The median registered nurse salary in the United States is $97,550 a year as of May 2025, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. Half of registered nurses earn more than that and half earn less. The 10th percentile is $68,940 and the 90th percentile is $137,470.
Which state pays registered nurses the most?
California, with a median of $140,270. The lowest of the states BLS publishes is Alabama at $77,080, a gap of $63,190. Higher-paying states also tend to have higher housing costs, so compare take-home pay and rent rather than the headline figure alone.
How much do registered nurses make an hour?
The median hourly wage is $46.90 as of May 2025.
Is this data self-reported?
No. These figures come from the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics survey, which collects wage data from employers rather than from workers submitting their own salaries. It is public-domain federal data.