Nurse Salary By State: Highest-Paid Nurses by State [2026]
Research Summary. After comprehensive analysis by the Zippia data science team, we present the latest insights on nurse salaries across the United States in 2026:
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California boasts the highest nurse salary at $78,160
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Mississippi has the lowest nurse salary at $39,360
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The national average salary for nurses stands at $57,564
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The national hourly wage for nurses is $27.68
For more details, please refer to our specific methodology.
Background
In numerous surveys, salary consistently ranks as the most vital factor in job selection for many individuals. A common inquiry among aspiring and current nurses is: how much can I expect to earn in my state?
While specific earnings may differ based on city and experience, substantial data exists on average nurse salaries at various seniority levels throughout the United States. This information provides a reliable gauge for what you might anticipate earning in your location.
Currently, California remains the top state for nurse salaries.
Here’s a quick overview of the states offering the highest salaries for nurses:
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Rhode Island (Jobs)
Let’s delve into the details and review the complete rankings of all states.
Highest-Paid Nurses By State
| Rank | State | Average Nurse Salary | 10th Percentile | 90th Percentile |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | California | $78,160 | $50,000 | $120,000 |
| 2 | Oregon | $75,028 | $52,000 | $107,000 |
| 3 | Alaska | $74,932 | $64,000 | $86,000 |
| 4 | New York | $73,583 | $44,000 | $120,000 |
| 5 | Massachusetts | $73,241 | $44,000 | $120,000 |
| 6 | Hawaii | $72,133 | $47,000 | $109,000 |
| 7 | Washington | $70,448 | $50,000 | $97,000 |
| 8 | Connecticut | $68,129 | $41,000 | $112,000 |
| 9 | Rhode Island | $66,332 | $40,000 | $108,000 |
| 10 | Arizona | $66,219 | $42,000 | $102,000 |
| 11 | New Jersey | $64,932 | $39,000 | $107,000 |
| 12 | Maryland | $63,436 | $38,000 | $103,000 |
| 13 | Maine | $62,731 | $38,000 | $101,000 |
| 14 | Nevada | $62,108 | $41,000 | $93,000 |
| 15 | Pennsylvania | $61,525 | $37,000 | $100,000 |
| 16 | Virginia | $61,496 | $37,000 | $100,000 |
| 17 | New Hampshire | $60,307 | $36,000 | $98,000 |
| 18 | Michigan | $58,818 | $37,000 | $91,000 |
| 19 | Minnesota | $57,897 | $39,000 | $84,000 |
| 20 | Wisconsin | $57,866 | $38,000 | $87,000 |
| 21 | Illinois | $57,589 | $37,000 | $87,000 |
| 22 | Colorado | $56,929 | $38,000 | $84,000 |
| 23 | Vermont | $54,733 | $33,000 | $89,000 |
| 24 | Texas | $53,140 | $33,000 | $84,000 |
| 25 | Ohio | $53,012 | $33,000 | $83,000 |
| 26 | Idaho | $52,316 | $37,000 | $73,000 |
| 27 | Georgia | $52,248 | $32,000 | $83,000 |
| 28 | Utah | $52,184 | $36,000 | $75,000 |
| 29 | Delaware | $52,021 | $31,000 | $85,000 |
| 30 | Montana | $51,981 | $37,000 | $71,000 |
| 31 | Arkansas | $51,740 | $33,000 | $80,000 |
| 32 | North Dakota | $51,713 | $37,000 | $72,000 |
| 33 | Wyoming | $50,531 | $35,000 | $72,000 |
| 34 | New Mexico | $50,186 | $32,000 | $77,000 |
| 35 | Florida | $49,399 | $30,000 | $79,000 |
| 36 | Kentucky | $48,863 | $31,000 | $76,000 |
| 37 | North Carolina | $48,810 | $30,000 | $78,000 |
| 38 | Louisiana | $47,147 | $29,000 | $74,000 |
| 39 | Nebraska | $47,114 | $31,000 | $69,000 |
| 40 | Oklahoma | $45,934 | $29,000 | $70,000 |
| 41 | South Dakota | $45,775 | $31,000 | $66,000 |
| 42 | South Carolina | $45,705 | $28,000 | $73,000 |
| 43 | Missouri | $45,450 | $29,000 | $69,000 |
| 44 | Indiana | $45,404 | $29,000 | $70,000 |
| 45 | Kansas | $45,216 | $29,000 | $68,000 |
| 46 | Iowa | $44,959 | $30,000 | $67,000 |
| 47 | West Virginia | $42,117 | $26,000 | $67,000 |
| 48 | Tennessee | $41,725 | $26,000 | $65,000 |
| 49 | Alabama | $39,638 | $25,000 | $62,000 |
| 50 | Mississippi | $39,360 | $24,000 | $62,000 |
Methodology: Nurse Salary By State
To comprehensively analyze nurse salaries by state, Zippia has compiled data from various channels, including the BLS, FLC, and OPM, supplemented by actual salary listings from job postings. Our data science team then calculates a weighted average from these sources to derive the average salary for nurses in each state.
The average annual salary data for nurses is evaluated, and states are ranked according to this criterion, highlighting the state with the highest average salary for nurses.
Nurse Salary By State FAQs
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What is the highest-paid state for nurses?
The highest-paid state for nurses is California with an average salary of $78,160 per year.
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What city pays nurses the most?
San Francisco, CA offers the highest average salary for nurses at $81,015 per year.
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What is the lowest-paying state for nurses?
The lowest-paying state for nurses is Mississippi with an average salary of $39,360 per year.
Author
Chris Kolmar is a co-founder of Zippia and the editor-in-chief of the Zippia career advice blog. He has hired over 50 people in his career, been hired five times, and wants to help you land your next job. His research has been featured on the New York Times, Thrillist, VOX, The Atlantic, and a host of local news. More recently, he's been quoted on USA Today, BusinessInsider, and CNBC.
