What state pays nurses the most?

California reports the highest nurse pay in the country, followed by other West Coast and Northeast states such as Hawaii, Oregon, Washington, and Massachusetts. The lowest-paying states cluster in the South and rural Midwest. State figures here are estimates based on the national average and local cost of living.

Why do nurse salaries vary so much by state?

State pay differences track local labor markets, cost of living, union presence, scope-of-practice rules, and demand for nurses. A high-paying state often pairs higher wages with a higher cost of living, so a bigger number doesn't always mean more buying power.

Are these figures before or after tax?

The figures shown are gross pay, before any taxes or deductions. Your take-home pay will be lower and depends on your own situation, so treat these as a pre-tax benchmark for comparing roles and locations.

Why are some figures verified and others estimates?

National pay for the main nursing roles — registered nurses, LPNs/LVNs, nurse practitioners, CRNAs, nurse midwives, and nursing assistants — comes from verified public wage data. State, city, and specialty figures that aren't reported on their own start from that national pay and are labeled "Estimated" or "Specialty estimate." We never show an estimate as a verified figure.

How are the estimates calculated?

State and city figures take the national pay for that role and adjust it for local cost of living. Specialty figures (ICU, ER, travel, and similar) apply a typical pay difference to the closest role that is measured directly. Every estimate carries a clear label, and the full method is on our methodology page. When official local pay data is added, these figures update to verified numbers automatically.

Nurse salary by state

Where you work changes nurse pay a lot. The typical U.S. registered nurse earns about $93,600, but RN pay runs from around $129,170 in California down to $74,880 in Mississippi. Find your state below, then open it to compare roles and cities.

Highest-paying states for nurses

Estimated registered nurse pay by state, highest to lowest.

All 50 states + DC

RN annual pay and high-end pay. Filter by region, sort, or search.

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Nurse salary by state
						Confidence
California	West	$129,170	$62.10	$186,740	+38% vs national	Estimated	View →
Hawaii	West	$112,320	$54.00	$162,380	+20% vs national	Estimated	View →
Alaska	West	$110,450	$53.10	$159,680	+18% vs national	Estimated	View →
Oregon	West	$110,450	$53.10	$159,680	+18% vs national	Estimated	View →
Washington	West	$110,450	$53.10	$159,680	+18% vs national	Estimated	View →
Massachusetts	Northeast	$107,640	$51.75	$155,620	+15% vs national	Estimated	View →
New York	Northeast	$105,770	$50.85	$152,910	+13% vs national	Estimated	View →
District of Columbia	South	$104,830	$50.40	$151,560	+12% vs national	Estimated	View →
New Jersey	Northeast	$102,960	$49.50	$148,850	+10% vs national	Estimated	View →
Connecticut	Northeast	$101,090	$48.60	$146,150	+8% vs national	Estimated	View →
Nevada	West	$101,090	$48.60	$146,150	+8% vs national	Estimated	View →
Colorado	West	$98,280	$47.25	$142,090	+5% vs national	Estimated	View →
Minnesota	Midwest	$98,280	$47.25	$142,090	+5% vs national	Estimated	View →
Rhode Island	Northeast	$98,280	$47.25	$142,090	+5% vs national	Estimated	View →
Maryland	South	$97,340	$46.80	$140,730	+4% vs national	Estimated	View →
Arizona	West	$95,470	$45.90	$138,030	Near national	Estimated	View →
New Hampshire	Northeast	$95,470	$45.90	$138,030	Near national	Estimated	View →
Delaware	South	$93,600	$45.00	$135,320	At national	Estimated	View →
Illinois	Midwest	$93,600	$45.00	$135,320	At national	Estimated	View →
Wisconsin	Midwest	$93,600	$45.00	$135,320	At national	Estimated	View →
Maine	Northeast	$91,730	$44.10	$132,610	Near national	Estimated	View →
Pennsylvania	Northeast	$91,730	$44.10	$132,610	Near national	Estimated	View →
Vermont	Northeast	$91,730	$44.10	$132,610	Near national	Estimated	View →
Virginia	South	$91,730	$44.10	$132,610	Near national	Estimated	View →
Michigan	Midwest	$90,790	$43.65	$131,260	-3% vs national	Estimated	View →
Utah	West	$90,790	$43.65	$131,260	-3% vs national	Estimated	View →
Texas	South	$89,860	$43.20	$129,910	-4% vs national	Estimated	View →
Idaho	West	$88,920	$42.75	$128,550	-5% vs national	Estimated	View →
New Mexico	West	$88,920	$42.75	$128,550	-5% vs national	Estimated	View →
Wyoming	West	$88,920	$42.75	$128,550	-5% vs national	Estimated	View →
Florida	South	$87,050	$41.85	$125,850	-7% vs national	Estimated	View →
Ohio	Midwest	$87,050	$41.85	$125,850	-7% vs national	Estimated	View →
Georgia	South	$86,110	$41.40	$124,490	-8% vs national	Estimated	View →
Montana	West	$86,110	$41.40	$124,490	-8% vs national	Estimated	View →
North Dakota	Midwest	$86,110	$41.40	$124,490	-8% vs national	Estimated	View →
Indiana	Midwest	$84,240	$40.50	$121,790	-10% vs national	Estimated	View →
Nebraska	Midwest	$84,240	$40.50	$121,790	-10% vs national	Estimated	View →
North Carolina	South	$84,240	$40.50	$121,790	-10% vs national	Estimated	View →
Missouri	Midwest	$82,370	$39.60	$119,080	-12% vs national	Estimated	View →
South Carolina	South	$82,370	$39.60	$119,080	-12% vs national	Estimated	View →
Tennessee	South	$82,370	$39.60	$119,080	-12% vs national	Estimated	View →
Kansas	Midwest	$81,430	$39.15	$117,730	-13% vs national	Estimated	View →
Kentucky	South	$80,500	$38.70	$116,380	-14% vs national	Estimated	View →
Louisiana	South	$80,500	$38.70	$116,380	-14% vs national	Estimated	View →
Oklahoma	South	$80,500	$38.70	$116,380	-14% vs national	Estimated	View →
Iowa	Midwest	$79,560	$38.25	$115,020	-15% vs national	Estimated	View →
West Virginia	South	$79,560	$38.25	$115,020	-15% vs national	Estimated	View →
Arkansas	South	$77,690	$37.35	$112,320	-17% vs national	Estimated	View →
South Dakota	Midwest	$77,690	$37.35	$112,320	-17% vs national	Estimated	View →
Alabama	South	$76,750	$36.90	$110,960	-18% vs national	Estimated	View →
Mississippi	South	$74,880	$36.00	$108,260	-20% vs national	Estimated	View →

California+38% vs nationalEstimated$129,170$62.10/hr

Hawaii+20% vs nationalEstimated$112,320$54.00/hr

Alaska+18% vs nationalEstimated$110,450$53.10/hr

Oregon+18% vs nationalEstimated$110,450$53.10/hr

Washington+18% vs nationalEstimated$110,450$53.10/hr

Massachusetts+15% vs nationalEstimated$107,640$51.75/hr

New York+13% vs nationalEstimated$105,770$50.85/hr

District of Columbia+12% vs nationalEstimated$104,830$50.40/hr

New Jersey+10% vs nationalEstimated$102,960$49.50/hr

Connecticut+8% vs nationalEstimated$101,090$48.60/hr

Nevada+8% vs nationalEstimated$101,090$48.60/hr

Colorado+5% vs nationalEstimated$98,280$47.25/hr

Minnesota+5% vs nationalEstimated$98,280$47.25/hr

Rhode Island+5% vs nationalEstimated$98,280$47.25/hr

Maryland+4% vs nationalEstimated$97,340$46.80/hr

ArizonaNear nationalEstimated$95,470$45.90/hr

New HampshireNear nationalEstimated$95,470$45.90/hr

DelawareAt nationalEstimated$93,600$45.00/hr

IllinoisAt nationalEstimated$93,600$45.00/hr

WisconsinAt nationalEstimated$93,600$45.00/hr

MaineNear nationalEstimated$91,730$44.10/hr

PennsylvaniaNear nationalEstimated$91,730$44.10/hr

VermontNear nationalEstimated$91,730$44.10/hr

VirginiaNear nationalEstimated$91,730$44.10/hr

Michigan-3% vs nationalEstimated$90,790$43.65/hr

Utah-3% vs nationalEstimated$90,790$43.65/hr

Texas-4% vs nationalEstimated$89,860$43.20/hr

Idaho-5% vs nationalEstimated$88,920$42.75/hr

New Mexico-5% vs nationalEstimated$88,920$42.75/hr

Wyoming-5% vs nationalEstimated$88,920$42.75/hr

Florida-7% vs nationalEstimated$87,050$41.85/hr

Ohio-7% vs nationalEstimated$87,050$41.85/hr

Georgia-8% vs nationalEstimated$86,110$41.40/hr

Montana-8% vs nationalEstimated$86,110$41.40/hr

North Dakota-8% vs nationalEstimated$86,110$41.40/hr

Indiana-10% vs nationalEstimated$84,240$40.50/hr

Nebraska-10% vs nationalEstimated$84,240$40.50/hr

North Carolina-10% vs nationalEstimated$84,240$40.50/hr

Missouri-12% vs nationalEstimated$82,370$39.60/hr

South Carolina-12% vs nationalEstimated$82,370$39.60/hr

Tennessee-12% vs nationalEstimated$82,370$39.60/hr

Kansas-13% vs nationalEstimated$81,430$39.15/hr

Kentucky-14% vs nationalEstimated$80,500$38.70/hr

Louisiana-14% vs nationalEstimated$80,500$38.70/hr

Oklahoma-14% vs nationalEstimated$80,500$38.70/hr

Iowa-15% vs nationalEstimated$79,560$38.25/hr

West Virginia-15% vs nationalEstimated$79,560$38.25/hr

Arkansas-17% vs nationalEstimated$77,690$37.35/hr

South Dakota-17% vs nationalEstimated$77,690$37.35/hr

Alabama-18% vs nationalEstimated$76,750$36.90/hr

Mississippi-20% vs nationalEstimated$74,880$36.00/hr

State figures are estimates based on national pay and local cost of living — a starting point, not a guaranteed local wage. Last reviewed June 1, 2025. How we source this.