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Best states for a psychiatric nurse
Quoted expert
Vilma Davis
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Are you wondering which place in the United States is the best state for psychiatric nurses? Knowing how challenging it is to figure out where to start your career or where to move to advance your career, we decided to bring you a list of best states for psychiatric nurse jobs.We wanted to look at the best states for psychiatric nurses -- where there are plenty of psychiatric nurse jobs to go around and psychiatric nurses get paid what they deserve during every phase of their career.
To that end, we dove into our dataset of job and salary numbers to figure out which states have the best opportunities for psychiatric nurses. Vermont is the best state for psychiatric nurses, where the median salary is $81,950.We found that the Midwest is best for psychiatric nurses, and the Northeast is the worst. Santa Rosa, CA is the best city in the country for psychiatric nurse jobs, where as Vermont is the best state in the country.
10 best states for psychiatric nurses in 2026
1. Vermont
Total psychiatric nurse jobs: 611 Average annual salary: $81,950 Lowest 10 percent earn: $48,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $137,000 Location Quotient: 1.33
2. Massachusetts
Total psychiatric nurse jobs: 6,594 Average annual salary: $84,165 Lowest 10 percent earn: $50,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $139,000 Location Quotient: 1.2
3. Alaska
Total psychiatric nurse jobs: 598 Average annual salary: $83,762 Lowest 10 percent earn: $59,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $117,000 Location Quotient: 1.2
4. Delaware
Total psychiatric nurse jobs: 866 Average annual salary: $82,915 Lowest 10 percent earn: $52,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $131,000 Location Quotient: 1.15
5. Connecticut
Total psychiatric nurse jobs: 2,291 Average annual salary: $82,267 Lowest 10 percent earn: $50,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $134,000 Location Quotient: 1.15
6. New Hampshire
Total psychiatric nurse jobs: 1,294 Average annual salary: $78,725 Lowest 10 percent earn: $47,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $131,000 Location Quotient: 1.24
7. Rhode Island
Total psychiatric nurse jobs: 508 Average annual salary: $103,809 Lowest 10 percent earn: $63,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $170,000 Location Quotient: 0.7
8. West Virginia
Total psychiatric nurse jobs: 1,094 Average annual salary: $70,701 Lowest 10 percent earn: $46,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $108,000 Location Quotient: 1.2
9. Texas
Total psychiatric nurse jobs: 12,855 Average annual salary: $76,498 Lowest 10 percent earn: $49,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $119,000 Location Quotient: 1.06
10. California
Total psychiatric nurse jobs: 12,708 Average annual salary: $98,534 Lowest 10 percent earn: $62,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $154,000 Location Quotient: 0.73
Psychiatric nurse jobsNear Columbus, OH
How Zippia determines the best states to be a psychiatric nurse
You can read about how the best state rankings are calculated here.
Detailed list of the best states for a psychiatric nurse
| Rank | State | Average salary | Lowest 10% earn | Population | Job count |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Vermont | $81,950 | $48,000 | 623,657 | 611 |
| 2 | Massachusetts | $84,165 | $50,000 | 6,859,819 | 6,594 |
| 3 | Alaska | $83,762 | $59,000 | 739,795 | 598 |
| 4 | Delaware | $82,915 | $52,000 | 961,939 | 866 |
| 5 | Connecticut | $82,267 | $50,000 | 3,588,184 | 2,291 |
| 6 | New Hampshire | $78,725 | $47,000 | 1,342,795 | 1,294 |
| 7 | Rhode Island | $103,809 | $63,000 | 1,059,639 | 508 |
| 8 | West Virginia | $70,701 | $46,000 | 1,815,857 | 1,094 |
| 9 | Texas | $76,498 | $49,000 | 28,304,596 | 12,855 |
| 10 | California | $98,534 | $62,000 | 39,536,653 | 12,708 |
| 11 | Hawaii | $96,449 | $63,000 | 1,427,538 | 326 |
| 12 | New Jersey | $85,058 | $52,000 | 9,005,644 | 3,556 |
| 13 | Louisiana | $67,421 | $43,000 | 4,684,333 | 2,758 |
| 14 | New York | $80,303 | $49,000 | 19,849,399 | 6,995 |
| 15 | Maryland | $78,455 | $49,000 | 6,052,177 | 3,868 |
| 16 | District of Columbia | $89,867 | $57,000 | 693,972 | 492 |
| 17 | Oregon | $77,655 | $50,000 | 4,142,776 | 1,914 |
| 18 | Pennsylvania | $67,947 | $42,000 | 12,805,537 | 7,533 |
| 19 | Wyoming | $68,612 | $47,000 | 579,315 | 360 |
| 20 | Maine | $66,345 | $38,000 | 1,335,907 | 1,204 |
| 21 | Idaho | $71,639 | $48,000 | 1,716,943 | 810 |
| 22 | Arizona | $69,541 | $45,000 | 7,016,270 | 3,492 |
| 23 | Nevada | $71,400 | $46,000 | 2,998,039 | 955 |
| 24 | New Mexico | $66,021 | $43,000 | 2,088,070 | 1,320 |
| 25 | Iowa | $64,601 | $44,000 | 3,145,711 | 2,208 |
| 26 | Michigan | $63,630 | $42,000 | 9,962,311 | 4,916 |
| 27 | Washington | $66,674 | $43,000 | 7,405,743 | 4,663 |
| 28 | Ohio | $63,960 | $42,000 | 11,658,609 | 6,058 |
| 29 | Minnesota | $68,904 | $48,000 | 5,576,606 | 3,249 |
| 30 | Florida | $62,322 | $39,000 | 20,984,400 | 15,609 |
| 31 | Wisconsin | $65,820 | $44,000 | 5,795,483 | 2,910 |
| 32 | Virginia | $69,181 | $44,000 | 8,470,020 | 5,052 |
| 33 | Montana | $61,015 | $43,000 | 1,050,493 | 835 |
| 34 | Arkansas | $58,884 | $39,000 | 3,004,279 | 1,780 |
| 35 | Mississippi | $61,939 | $40,000 | 2,984,100 | 1,249 |
| 36 | Kentucky | $59,912 | $39,000 | 4,454,189 | 2,303 |
| 37 | Kansas | $59,579 | $40,000 | 2,913,123 | 1,943 |
| 38 | North Dakota | $57,042 | $41,000 | 755,393 | 664 |
| 39 | South Carolina | $61,095 | $39,000 | 5,024,369 | 2,424 |
| 40 | Illinois | $63,502 | $42,000 | 12,802,023 | 6,269 |
| 41 | Indiana | $55,087 | $36,000 | 6,666,818 | 5,349 |
| 42 | Georgia | $59,523 | $38,000 | 10,429,379 | 6,383 |
| 43 | Utah | $62,965 | $42,000 | 3,101,833 | 695 |
| 44 | North Carolina | $59,312 | $38,000 | 10,273,419 | 5,334 |
| 45 | South Dakota | $51,822 | $36,000 | 869,666 | 855 |
| 46 | Tennessee | $56,545 | $37,000 | 6,715,984 | 3,567 |
| 47 | Colorado | $61,263 | $41,000 | 5,607,154 | 3,319 |
| 48 | Missouri | $56,058 | $37,000 | 6,113,532 | 3,146 |
| 49 | Nebraska | $56,417 | $38,000 | 1,920,076 | 1,063 |
| 50 | Oklahoma | $50,108 | $33,000 | 3,930,864 | 1,849 |
| 51 | Alabama | $53,639 | $35,000 | 4,874,747 | 2,242 |
Highest paying states for psychiatric nurses
| Rank | State | Avg. Psychiatric Nurse Salary |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Vermont | $81,950 |
| 2 | Massachusetts | $84,165 |
| 3 | Alaska | $83,762 |
| 4 | Delaware | $82,915 |
| 5 | Connecticut | $82,267 |
| 6 | New Hampshire | $78,725 |
| 7 | Rhode Island | $103,809 |
| 8 | West Virginia | $70,701 |
| 9 | Texas | $76,498 |
| 10 | California | $98,534 |
| 11 | Hawaii | $96,449 |
| 12 | New Jersey | $85,058 |
| 13 | Louisiana | $67,421 |
| 14 | New York | $80,303 |
| 15 | Maryland | $78,455 |
| 16 | District of Columbia | $89,867 |
| 17 | Oregon | $77,655 |
| 18 | Pennsylvania | $67,947 |
| 19 | Wyoming | $68,612 |
| 20 | Maine | $66,345 |
| 21 | Idaho | $71,639 |
| 22 | Arizona | $69,541 |
| 23 | Nevada | $71,400 |
| 24 | New Mexico | $66,021 |
| 25 | Iowa | $64,601 |
| 26 | Michigan | $63,630 |
| 27 | Washington | $66,674 |
| 28 | Ohio | $63,960 |
| 29 | Minnesota | $68,904 |
| 30 | Florida | $62,322 |
| 31 | Wisconsin | $65,820 |
| 32 | Virginia | $69,181 |
| 33 | Montana | $61,015 |
| 34 | Arkansas | $58,884 |
| 35 | Mississippi | $61,939 |
| 36 | Kentucky | $59,912 |
| 37 | Kansas | $59,579 |
| 38 | North Dakota | $57,042 |
| 39 | South Carolina | $61,095 |
| 40 | Illinois | $63,502 |
| 41 | Indiana | $55,087 |
| 42 | Georgia | $59,523 |
| 43 | Utah | $62,965 |
| 44 | North Carolina | $59,312 |
| 45 | South Dakota | $51,822 |
| 46 | Tennessee | $56,545 |
| 47 | Colorado | $61,263 |
| 48 | Missouri | $56,058 |
| 49 | Nebraska | $56,417 |
| 50 | Oklahoma | $50,108 |
| 51 | Alabama | $53,639 |
Expert opinions on the best states for psychiatric nurses
Are there any particularly good places in the United States for psychiatric 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.
Psychiatric nurse best states FAQs
Have more questions? See all answers to common healthcare practitioner and technical questions.
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Updated January 8, 2025