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Best states for a community health nurse
Quoted expert
Vilma Davis
- Rank 1 - 10
- 11 - 20
- 21 - 30
- 31 - 40
- 41 - 51
Job opportunities vary from state to state, and healthcare practitioner and technical careers are no different. Because we know how difficult it can be to know which states are the best when it comes to community health nurse jobs, we decided to crunch some numbers to bring you the best states for community health nurses.Turns out, the median salary for the highest 10% of community health nurses in America is $85,000.
The median salary for community health nurses in Alaska is $82,365. Compare that to the median salary in South Carolina of $43,861, which ranked worst for community health nurses, and you can see how your location is important for your career.Alaska is the best state, and Southampton is the city with the highest pay for community health nurses.
10 best states for community health nurses in 2026
1. Alaska
Total community health nurse jobs: 614 Average annual salary: $82,365 Lowest 10 percent earn: $57,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $118,000 Location Quotient: 1.09
2. New York
Total community health nurse jobs: 8,612 Average annual salary: $89,219 Lowest 10 percent earn: $57,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $138,000 Location Quotient: 1
3. Vermont
Total community health nurse jobs: 584 Average annual salary: $69,556 Lowest 10 percent earn: $45,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $106,000 Location Quotient: 1.13
4. Nevada
Total community health nurse jobs: 1,324 Average annual salary: $79,178 Lowest 10 percent earn: $50,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $124,000 Location Quotient: 0.94
5. Michigan
Total community health nurse jobs: 5,684 Average annual salary: $66,482 Lowest 10 percent earn: $44,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $99,000 Location Quotient: 1.09
6. Delaware
Total community health nurse jobs: 874 Average annual salary: $68,877 Lowest 10 percent earn: $44,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $106,000 Location Quotient: 1.04
7. Washington
Total community health nurse jobs: 5,209 Average annual salary: $69,068 Lowest 10 percent earn: $44,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $107,000 Location Quotient: 1.06
8. Maine
Total community health nurse jobs: 1,274 Average annual salary: $61,977 Lowest 10 percent earn: $40,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $94,000 Location Quotient: 1.43
9. Massachusetts
Total community health nurse jobs: 6,686 Average annual salary: $67,813 Lowest 10 percent earn: $44,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $104,000 Location Quotient: 1.08
10. Oregon
Total community health nurse jobs: 2,169 Average annual salary: $79,130 Lowest 10 percent earn: $50,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $124,000 Location Quotient: 0.78
Community health nurse jobsNear Columbus, OH
How Zippia determines the best states to be a community health nurse
You can read about how the best state rankings are calculated here.
Detailed list of the best states for a community health nurse
| Rank | State | Average salary | Lowest 10% earn | Population | Job count |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Alaska | $82,365 | $57,000 | 739,795 | 614 |
| 2 | New York | $89,219 | $57,000 | 19,849,399 | 8,612 |
| 3 | Vermont | $69,556 | $45,000 | 623,657 | 584 |
| 4 | Nevada | $79,178 | $50,000 | 2,998,039 | 1,324 |
| 5 | Michigan | $66,482 | $44,000 | 9,962,311 | 5,684 |
| 6 | Delaware | $68,877 | $44,000 | 961,939 | 874 |
| 7 | Washington | $69,068 | $44,000 | 7,405,743 | 5,209 |
| 8 | Maine | $61,977 | $40,000 | 1,335,907 | 1,274 |
| 9 | Massachusetts | $67,813 | $44,000 | 6,859,819 | 6,686 |
| 10 | Oregon | $79,130 | $50,000 | 4,142,776 | 2,169 |
| 11 | California | $82,078 | $50,000 | 39,536,653 | 14,369 |
| 12 | Pennsylvania | $60,390 | $39,000 | 12,805,537 | 8,898 |
| 13 | Oklahoma | $60,351 | $40,000 | 3,930,864 | 2,331 |
| 14 | Wyoming | $62,508 | $43,000 | 579,315 | 403 |
| 15 | West Virginia | $58,440 | $38,000 | 1,815,857 | 1,246 |
| 16 | Hawaii | $79,199 | $57,000 | 1,427,538 | 389 |
| 17 | District of Columbia | $78,257 | $51,000 | 693,972 | 607 |
| 18 | Rhode Island | $67,293 | $43,000 | 1,059,639 | 609 |
| 19 | New Mexico | $59,355 | $39,000 | 2,088,070 | 1,591 |
| 20 | Texas | $61,768 | $39,000 | 28,304,596 | 14,015 |
| 21 | Wisconsin | $63,495 | $43,000 | 5,795,483 | 3,373 |
| 22 | Arizona | $62,781 | $40,000 | 7,016,270 | 3,928 |
| 23 | New Hampshire | $58,264 | $38,000 | 1,342,795 | 1,468 |
| 24 | Connecticut | $63,943 | $41,000 | 3,588,184 | 2,204 |
| 25 | Idaho | $62,277 | $41,000 | 1,716,943 | 966 |
| 26 | New Jersey | $67,668 | $43,000 | 9,005,644 | 4,298 |
| 27 | Kentucky | $57,457 | $38,000 | 4,454,189 | 2,590 |
| 28 | Ohio | $54,637 | $36,000 | 11,658,609 | 8,508 |
| 29 | Florida | $55,589 | $35,000 | 20,984,400 | 15,283 |
| 30 | Minnesota | $61,480 | $42,000 | 5,576,606 | 4,069 |
| 31 | Montana | $56,621 | $39,000 | 1,050,493 | 841 |
| 32 | North Dakota | $53,562 | $37,000 | 755,393 | 794 |
| 33 | Georgia | $58,958 | $37,000 | 10,429,379 | 6,446 |
| 34 | Arkansas | $53,730 | $35,000 | 3,004,279 | 1,954 |
| 35 | Louisiana | $53,345 | $33,000 | 4,684,333 | 2,960 |
| 36 | Utah | $59,155 | $40,000 | 3,101,833 | 864 |
| 37 | South Dakota | $50,567 | $35,000 | 869,666 | 930 |
| 38 | Maryland | $57,951 | $37,000 | 6,052,177 | 4,262 |
| 39 | Mississippi | $52,148 | $33,000 | 2,984,100 | 1,539 |
| 40 | Kansas | $51,419 | $35,000 | 2,913,123 | 2,119 |
| 41 | Tennessee | $52,080 | $34,000 | 6,715,984 | 3,737 |
| 42 | Colorado | $53,917 | $37,000 | 5,607,154 | 3,709 |
| 43 | Indiana | $44,887 | $30,000 | 6,666,818 | 5,909 |
| 44 | Iowa | $50,887 | $34,000 | 3,145,711 | 2,489 |
| 45 | Alabama | $53,064 | $34,000 | 4,874,747 | 2,582 |
| 46 | Virginia | $54,649 | $35,000 | 8,470,020 | 5,524 |
| 47 | Illinois | $53,832 | $36,000 | 12,802,023 | 6,285 |
| 48 | North Carolina | $46,718 | $30,000 | 10,273,419 | 6,962 |
| 49 | Nebraska | $50,591 | $34,000 | 1,920,076 | 1,373 |
| 50 | Missouri | $48,436 | $32,000 | 6,113,532 | 3,843 |
| 51 | South Carolina | $43,861 | $28,000 | 5,024,369 | 2,769 |
Highest paying states for community health nurses
| Rank | State | Avg. Community Health Nurse Salary |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Alaska | $82,365 |
| 2 | New York | $89,219 |
| 3 | Vermont | $69,556 |
| 4 | Nevada | $79,178 |
| 5 | Michigan | $66,482 |
| 6 | Delaware | $68,877 |
| 7 | Washington | $69,068 |
| 8 | Maine | $61,977 |
| 9 | Massachusetts | $67,813 |
| 10 | Oregon | $79,130 |
| 11 | California | $82,078 |
| 12 | Pennsylvania | $60,390 |
| 13 | Oklahoma | $60,351 |
| 14 | Wyoming | $62,508 |
| 15 | West Virginia | $58,440 |
| 16 | Hawaii | $79,199 |
| 17 | District of Columbia | $78,257 |
| 18 | Rhode Island | $67,293 |
| 19 | New Mexico | $59,355 |
| 20 | Texas | $61,768 |
| 21 | Wisconsin | $63,495 |
| 22 | Arizona | $62,781 |
| 23 | New Hampshire | $58,264 |
| 24 | Connecticut | $63,943 |
| 25 | Idaho | $62,277 |
| 26 | New Jersey | $67,668 |
| 27 | Kentucky | $57,457 |
| 28 | Ohio | $54,637 |
| 29 | Florida | $55,589 |
| 30 | Minnesota | $61,480 |
| 31 | Montana | $56,621 |
| 32 | North Dakota | $53,562 |
| 33 | Georgia | $58,958 |
| 34 | Arkansas | $53,730 |
| 35 | Louisiana | $53,345 |
| 36 | Utah | $59,155 |
| 37 | South Dakota | $50,567 |
| 38 | Maryland | $57,951 |
| 39 | Mississippi | $52,148 |
| 40 | Kansas | $51,419 |
| 41 | Tennessee | $52,080 |
| 42 | Colorado | $53,917 |
| 43 | Indiana | $44,887 |
| 44 | Iowa | $50,887 |
| 45 | Alabama | $53,064 |
| 46 | Virginia | $54,649 |
| 47 | Illinois | $53,832 |
| 48 | North Carolina | $46,718 |
| 49 | Nebraska | $50,591 |
| 50 | Missouri | $48,436 |
| 51 | South Carolina | $43,861 |
Expert opinions on the best states for community health nurses
Are there any particularly good places in the United States for community health nurses to find work opportunities?
Vilma Davis
Assistant Director and Assistant Professor, Lincoln University
As previously mentioned, there is a need for nurses throughout the United States. Most nursing programs will intermittently have nurse recruiters come on campus, giving students an opportunity to ask questions and get information about the job market. This is one way that graduates can get plugged into where the needs of nurses are. Graduates can also visit the websites of various hospitals and see what openings are available for which they can apply. Doing a simple google search for "nursing jobs" will yield a plethora of available jobs that they can review and make the decision which they would like to pursue.
Community health nurse best states FAQs
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Updated January 8, 2025