Explore jobs
Find specific jobs
Explore careers
Explore professions
Best companies
Explore companies
Registered nurse salary
Average registered nurse salary
$73,349
Average Registered Nurse Salary
As of October 2025, the average registered nurse salary in the United States is $73,349 per year. This figure can differ significantly based on various factors, including geographic location, years of experience, and specialization within the nursing field. For instance, registered nurses in metropolitan areas typically earn higher salaries than those in rural regions.
Registered Nurse Salaries by Experience Level
Experience plays a crucial role in determining salary levels. Entry-level registered nurses may earn around $60,000 annually, while those with several years of experience can command salaries exceeding $80,000. Specializations such as nurse anesthetists or nurse practitioners often yield even higher compensation.
Highest Paying States for Registered Nurses
States like California, Massachusetts, and New York offer some of the highest salaries for registered nurses, often exceeding $85,000. These figures reflect the cost of living and demand for healthcare professionals in these regions. By leveraging this information, registered nurses can make informed decisions about where to pursue job opportunities.
Let Zippia find your next registered nurse job
Let Zippia find your next registered nurse job
Where can a Registered Nurse earn more?
Registered nurse salaries by experience level
| Experience level | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|
| Entry-level registered nurse | $58,200 | $27.96 |
| Mid-level registered nurse | $73,200 | $35.17 |
| Senior-level registered nurse | $100,000 | $48.24 |
Registered nurse salary estimates from across the web
Average registered nurse salary by state
The highest-paying states for registered nurses are California, Hawaii, and Alaska. The lowest average registered nurse salary states are Kansas, Arkansas, and Nebraska.
- State view
- County view
Highest paying states for registered nurses
| Rank | State | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Alaska | $97,253 | $46.76 |
| 2 | Massachusetts | $89,434 | $43.00 |
| 3 | New Mexico | $79,593 | $38.27 |
| 4 | Connecticut | $89,275 | $42.92 |
| 5 | Pennsylvania | $78,851 | $37.91 |
| 6 | New Hampshire | $81,019 | $38.95 |
| 7 | New York | $91,110 | $43.80 |
| 8 | Oregon | $92,453 | $44.45 |
| 9 | Rhode Island | $93,942 | $45.16 |
| 10 | California | $104,725 | $50.35 |
| 11 | Washington | $86,379 | $41.53 |
| 12 | West Virginia | $74,799 | $35.96 |
| 13 | Nevada | $84,132 | $40.45 |
| 14 | Delaware | $83,554 | $40.17 |
| 15 | New Jersey | $89,733 | $43.14 |
| 16 | Hawaii | $100,541 | $48.34 |
| 17 | Maine | $73,820 | $35.49 |
| 18 | Texas | $75,612 | $36.35 |
| 19 | Michigan | $76,403 | $36.73 |
| 20 | Maryland | $85,067 | $40.90 |
| 21 | Vermont | $74,249 | $35.70 |
| 22 | Louisiana | $70,665 | $33.97 |
| 23 | Arizona | $77,800 | $37.40 |
| 24 | Ohio | $69,670 | $33.50 |
| 25 | Tennessee | $68,356 | $32.86 |
| 26 | Oklahoma | $69,137 | $33.24 |
| 27 | District of Columbia | $87,910 | $42.26 |
| 28 | Indiana | $68,459 | $32.91 |
| 29 | Georgia | $72,144 | $34.68 |
| 30 | Wisconsin | $72,241 | $34.73 |
| 31 | Virginia | $77,217 | $37.12 |
| 32 | Minnesota | $73,785 | $35.47 |
| 33 | North Carolina | $68,899 | $33.12 |
| 34 | Florida | $67,649 | $32.52 |
| 35 | Mississippi | $67,541 | $32.47 |
| 36 | Idaho | $70,898 | $34.09 |
| 37 | North Dakota | $63,132 | $30.35 |
| 38 | Illinois | $72,168 | $34.70 |
| 39 | Colorado | $71,881 | $34.56 |
| 40 | Montana | $67,062 | $32.24 |
| 41 | South Carolina | $66,313 | $31.88 |
| 42 | Kentucky | $66,415 | $31.93 |
| 43 | Kansas | $66,092 | $31.77 |
| 44 | Utah | $69,540 | $33.43 |
| 45 | Wyoming | $66,097 | $31.78 |
| 46 | Arkansas | $64,143 | $30.84 |
| 47 | Alabama | $67,186 | $32.30 |
| 48 | South Dakota | $59,818 | $28.76 |
| 49 | Missouri | $66,392 | $31.92 |
| 50 | Nebraska | $63,703 | $30.63 |
| 51 | Iowa | $58,751 | $28.25 |
Highest paying cities for registered nurses
The highest-paying cities for registered nurses are San Francisco, CA, Portland, OR, and New York, NY.
| Rank | City | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | San Francisco, CA | $108,619 | $52.22 |
| 2 | Portland, OR | $91,845 | $44.16 |
| 3 | New York, NY | $91,220 | $43.86 |
| 4 | Boston, MA | $89,470 | $43.01 |
| 5 | Washington, DC | $87,954 | $42.29 |
| 6 | Des Moines, WA | $87,094 | $41.87 |
| 7 | Baltimore, MD | $85,221 | $40.97 |
| 8 | Las Vegas, NV | $83,653 | $40.22 |
| 9 | Albuquerque, NM | $79,629 | $38.28 |
| 10 | Philadelphia, PA | $79,282 | $38.12 |
| 11 | Phoenix, AZ | $77,810 | $37.41 |
| 12 | El Paso, TX | $77,559 | $37.29 |
| 13 | Richmond, VA | $77,161 | $37.10 |
| 14 | Detroit, MI | $76,779 | $36.91 |
| 15 | Portland, ME | $74,641 | $35.89 |
| 16 | Austin, MN | $74,169 | $35.66 |
| 17 | Chicago, IL | $72,247 | $34.73 |
| 18 | Atlanta, GA | $72,138 | $34.68 |
| 19 | Madison, WI | $72,115 | $34.67 |
| 20 | Denver, CO | $71,819 | $34.53 |
Registered Nurses are the most in-demand in these five cities:
Registered nurse salary details
A registered nurse's salary ranges from $45,000 a year at the 10th percentile to $117,000 at the 90th percentile.
What is a registered nurse's salary?
| Percentile | Annual salary | Monthly salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 90th Percentile | $117,000 | $9,750 | $56 |
| 75th Percentile | $93,000 | $7,750 | $45 |
| Average | $73,349 | $6,112 | $35 |
| 25th Percentile | $57,000 | $4,750 | $27 |
| 10th Percentile | $45,000 | $3,750 | $22 |
Highest paying registered nurse jobs
The highest paying types of registered nurses are contractor-registered nurse, agency registered nurse, and advanced registered nurse practitioner.
| Job title | Annual salary | Monthly salary | Hourly rate | Job openings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pediatric Nurse | $72,945 | $6,079 | $35.07 | 614,706 |
| Staff Nurse | $68,342 | $5,695 | $32.86 | 699,636 |
| Advanced Registered Nurse Practitioner | $97,820 | $8,152 | $47.03 | 486,582 |
| Emergency Department Registered Nurse | $81,260 | $6,772 | $39.07 | 661,518 |
| Registered Nurse Charge Nurse | $71,342 | $5,945 | $34.30 | 645,134 |
| Psychiatric Registered Nurse | $73,053 | $6,088 | $35.12 | 640,480 |
How would you rate the starting salaries for registered nurses, as well as the prospects for salary advancement?
Sophia Thomas
President, American Association of Nurse Practitioners
-Starting salaries for NPs are exceptional, and usually hover between $80,000-100,000, but that can vary significantly based on geographic location, work setting, and certification/specialty. Some salaries are higher.
-The bureau of labor statistics (BLS) offers an excellent breakdown of salaries by region and state as well: link
-(Note: some stats on the BLS website are reflective of the Mean or Average salary and others represent the Median or midpoint. AANP data are all reported in Median)
-As NPs advance in their careers, there is a clear and positive relationship between number of years' experience and salary growth.
Top companies hiring registered nurses now:
Which companies pay registered nurses the most?
Registered nurse salaries at NORCAL Ambulance and Soliant are the highest-paying according to our most recent salary estimates. In addition, the average registered nurse salary at companies like trustaff and Ambulnz are highly competitive.
| Rank | Company | Average salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | NORCAL Ambulance | $111,499 | $53.61 |
| 2 | Soliant | $108,127 | $51.98 |
| 3 | trustaff | $106,023 | $50.97 |
| 4 | Ambulnz | $105,988 | $50.96 |
| 5 | The Citadel | $104,879 | $50.42 |
| 6 | Stability Healthcare | $104,781 | $50.38 |
| 7 | Jackson Nurse Professionals | $103,736 | $49.87 |
| 8 | Westways Staffing | $101,855 | $48.97 |
| 9 | Goodwin Recruiting | $101,581 | $48.84 |
| 10 | MAS Medical Staffing | $100,976 | $48.55 |
| 11 | Staffworks Group | $100,070 | $48.11 |
| 12 | Travel Nurse Across America | $99,799 | $47.98 |
| 13 | American Red Cross | $98,767 | $47.48 |
| 14 | Fastaff Travel Nursing | $97,760 | $47.00 |
| 15 | Small Business Services | $97,118 | $46.69 |
| 16 | Tact Medical Staffing | $97,047 | $46.66 |
| 17 | University of California-Berkeley | $96,749 | $46.51 |
| 18 | Howard University | $96,650 | $46.47 |
| 19 | Huntington Hospital | $95,932 | $46.12 |
| 20 | Advanced Recovery Systems | $95,215 | $45.78 |
Wage gap by gender, race and education
Registered nurse salary trends
The average registered nurse salary has risen by $10,268 over the last ten years. In 2014, the average registered nurse earned $63,082 annually, but today, they earn $73,349 a year. That works out to a 10% change in pay for registered nurses over the last decade.
Compare registered nurse salaries for cities or states with the national average over time.
Average registered nurse salary over time
Compare registered nurse salaries for individual cities or states with the national average.
Registered nurse salary by year
| Year | Avg. salary | Hourly rate | % Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $73,300 | $35.26 | +2.7% |
| 2024 | $71,400 | $34.31 | +2.1% |
| 2023 | $69,800 | $33.58 | +2.4% |
| 2022 | $68,200 | $32.77 | +2.2% |
| 2021 | $66,700 | $32.04 | +1.4% |
Recently added registered nurse salaries
| Company | Job | Location | Date added | Salary |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Centerstone | RN | Bloomington, IN | 06/30/2025 | $61,838 |
| Centerstone | RN-Crisis-Night Shift | Clarksville, TN | 06/30/2025 | $61,838 |
| Cmh | Temporary RN-Float Pool, 7A-7P | Lewiston, ME | 06/30/2025 | $125,220 |
| Healthfirst | Per Diem, Assessment RN | New York, NY | 06/30/2025 | $81,100 |
| Providence Life Services | Registered Nurse (RN), for Evening Shift! | Homer, IL | 06/30/2025 | $61,775 |
| Sutterhealth | Registered Nurse LL, Head and Neck Surgery ENT | San Francisco, CA | 06/30/2025 | $164,873 |
| Yakima Valley Farm Workers Clinic | Registered Nurse | Yakima, WA | 06/30/2025 | $80,412 |
| Doc's Drugs | Registered Nurse | Boise, ID | 06/30/2025 | $83,480 |
| Doc's Drugs | Registered Nurse | Billings, MT | 06/30/2025 | $83,480 |
| Doc's Drugs | Registered Nurse | Houston, TX | 06/30/2025 | $83,480 |
Registered nurse salary FAQs
Search for registered nurse jobs