Best cities for a registered nurse med/surg
The best cities for registered nurse med/surgs are Memphis, TN, Detroit, MI, and Cleveland, OH, based on factors like average salary and job availability per capita. Jobs and pay for registered nurse med/surgs vary across the country, but we've determined the ten best cities for registered nurse med/surgs in the U.S.
Whether you're starting your career as a registered nurse med/surg or considering a move, this list of the best cities for registered nurse med/surgs to live in will help you decide. These aren't just the best-paying cities for registered nurse med/surgs. We also consider how easy it is to find work as a registered nurse med/surg. While the absolute best city for registered nurse med/surgs is Memphis, TN, there are plenty of other great places to consider.
Keep reading to learn more about the best cities for registered nurse med/surgs in 2024.
If you're looking for a registered nurse med/surg job, here are five companies hiring now:
10 best cities for registered nurse med/surgs in 2026
1. Memphis, TN
Registered nurse med/surg jobs in MemphisTotal registered nurse med/surg jobs: 156 Average annual salary: $84,084 Lowest 10 percent warn: $45,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $155,000 Location quotient: 0.79 2. Detroit, MI
Registered nurse med/surg jobs in DetroitTotal registered nurse med/surg jobs: 138 Average annual salary: $92,723 Lowest 10 percent warn: $51,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $168,000 Location quotient: 0.66 3. Cleveland, OH
Registered nurse med/surg jobs in ClevelandTotal registered nurse med/surg jobs: 124 Average annual salary: $82,939 Lowest 10 percent warn: $44,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $153,000 Location quotient: 0.78 4. Newark, NJ
Registered nurse med/surg jobs in NewarkTotal registered nurse med/surg jobs: 60 Average annual salary: $106,159 Lowest 10 percent warn: $54,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $207,000 Location quotient: 0.52 5. Philadelphia, PA
Registered nurse med/surg jobs in PhiladelphiaTotal registered nurse med/surg jobs: 26 Average annual salary: $87,439 Lowest 10 percent warn: $44,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $170,000 Location quotient: 0.59 6. Arlington, TX
Registered nurse med/surg jobs in ArlingtonTotal registered nurse med/surg jobs: 62 Average annual salary: $86,892 Lowest 10 percent warn: $47,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $160,000 Location quotient: 1.30 7. El Paso, TX
Registered nurse med/surg jobs in El PasoTotal registered nurse med/surg jobs: 67 Average annual salary: $87,527 Lowest 10 percent warn: $48,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $158,000 Location quotient: 1.18 8. Nashville, TN
Registered nurse med/surg jobs in NashvilleTotal registered nurse med/surg jobs: 100 Average annual salary: $84,191 Lowest 10 percent warn: $45,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $157,000 Location quotient: 0.38 9. Lubbock, TX
Registered nurse med/surg jobs in LubbockTotal registered nurse med/surg jobs: 28 Average annual salary: $87,124 Lowest 10 percent warn: $48,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $157,000 Location quotient: 0.94 10. Corpus Christi, TX
Registered nurse med/surg jobs in Corpus ChristiTotal registered nurse med/surg jobs: 27 Average annual salary: $86,145 Lowest 10 percent warn: $46,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $159,000 Location quotient: 1.19
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Best cities for registered nurse med/surgs
- Memphis, TN
- Detroit, MI
- Cleveland, OH
- Newark, NJ
- Philadelphia, PA
- Arlington, TX
- El Paso, TX
- Nashville, TN
- Lubbock, TX
- Corpus Christi, TX
- (156 registered nurse med/surg jobs)
- (138 registered nurse med/surg jobs)
- (124 registered nurse med/surg jobs)
- (60 registered nurse med/surg jobs)
- (26 registered nurse med/surg jobs)
- (62 registered nurse med/surg jobs)
- (67 registered nurse med/surg jobs)
- (100 registered nurse med/surg jobs)
- (28 registered nurse med/surg jobs)
- (27 registered nurse med/surg jobs)
Detailed list of the best cities for a registered nurse med/surg
| Rank | City | Average salary | Lowest 10% Earn | Population | Job count |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Memphis, TN | $84,084 | $45,000 | 652,717 | 156 |
| 2 | Detroit, MI | $92,723 | $51,000 | 672,795 | 138 |
| 3 | Cleveland, OH | $82,939 | $44,000 | 385,809 | 124 |
| 4 | Newark, NJ | $106,159 | $54,000 | 281,764 | 60 |
| 5 | Philadelphia, PA | $87,439 | $44,000 | 1,567,872 | 26 |
| 6 | Arlington, TX | $86,892 | $47,000 | 392,772 | 62 |
| 7 | El Paso, TX | $87,527 | $48,000 | 683,080 | 67 |
| 8 | Nashville, TN | $84,191 | $45,000 | 660,388 | 100 |
| 9 | Lubbock, TX | $87,124 | $48,000 | 252,506 | 28 |
| 10 | Corpus Christi, TX | $86,145 | $46,000 | 325,733 | 27 |
| 11 | Brookhaven, NY | $103,762 | $52,000 | 486,040 | 1 |
| 12 | Bakersfield, CA | $112,049 | $63,000 | 376,380 | 24 |
| 13 | Wichita, KS | $79,865 | $45,000 | 389,902 | 126 |
| 14 | Fort Wayne, IN | $80,621 | $44,000 | 264,488 | 90 |
| 15 | Lexington, KY | $82,926 | $44,000 | 318,449 | 40 |
| 16 | Fresno, CA | $112,885 | $64,000 | 522,053 | 21 |
| 17 | Anaheim, CA | $110,569 | $62,000 | 351,043 | 21 |
| 18 | Fort Worth, TX | $86,903 | $47,000 | 854,113 | 109 |
| 19 | Tulsa, OK | $83,035 | $46,000 | 403,090 | 82 |
| 20 | Riverside, CA | $110,462 | $62,000 | 324,722 | 24 |
| 21 | Oklahoma City, OK | $82,990 | $46,000 | 638,367 | 170 |
| 22 | Albuquerque, NM | $81,794 | $46,000 | 559,277 | 115 |
| 23 | Reno, NV | $81,513 | $47,000 | 245,255 | 78 |
| 24 | Oakland, CA | $113,943 | $65,000 | 420,005 | 27 |
| 25 | Stockton, CA | $113,209 | $64,000 | 307,072 | 10 |
| 26 | Madison, WI | $83,585 | $48,000 | 252,551 | 128 |
| 27 | Buffalo, NY | $101,482 | $54,000 | 256,902 | 50 |
| 28 | Cincinnati, OH | $82,429 | $44,000 | 298,800 | 76 |
| 29 | Toledo, OH | $82,589 | $45,000 | 278,508 | 13 |
| 30 | Hempstead, NY | $103,443 | $52,000 | 759,757 | 1 |
| 31 | Los Angeles, CA | $110,820 | $63,000 | 3,976,322 | 212 |
| 32 | Pittsburgh, PA | $85,815 | $45,000 | 303,625 | 64 |
| 33 | Saint Petersburg, FL | $84,510 | $43,000 | 260,999 | 44 |
| 34 | Milwaukee, WI | $83,884 | $48,000 | 595,047 | 104 |
| 35 | Las Vegas, NV | $81,092 | $46,000 | 632,912 | 146 |
| 36 | Chula Vista, CA | $109,868 | $62,000 | 267,172 | 4 |
| 37 | Baltimore, MD | $97,793 | $50,000 | 614,664 | 197 |
| 38 | Glendale, AZ | $81,515 | $45,000 | 245,895 | 19 |
| 39 | Tucson, AZ | $81,430 | $45,000 | 530,706 | 90 |
| 40 | Jersey City, NJ | $106,198 | $54,000 | 264,152 | 39 |
| 41 | Virginia Beach, VA | $88,647 | $45,000 | 452,602 | 62 |
| 42 | Chesapeake, VA | $88,523 | $45,000 | 237,940 | 28 |
| 43 | Omaha, NE | $79,756 | $47,000 | 446,970 | 125 |
| 44 | Long Beach, CA | $110,618 | $62,000 | 470,130 | 11 |
| 45 | San Antonio, TX | $86,668 | $46,000 | 1,492,510 | 97 |
| 46 | Indianapolis, IN | $80,484 | $44,000 | 855,164 | 182 |
| 47 | Boston, MA | $98,649 | $50,000 | 673,184 | 202 |
| 48 | Henderson, NV | $81,007 | $46,000 | 292,969 | 15 |
| 49 | Louisville, KY | $82,809 | $44,000 | 597,337 | 46 |
| 50 | Portland, OR | $90,867 | $54,000 | 639,863 | 168 |
Highest paying cities for registered nurse med/surgs
| Rank | City | Avg. registered nurse med/surg salary |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Lancaster, CA | $111,118 |
| 2 | New York, NY | $103,314 |
| 3 | Boston, MA | $98,649 |
| 4 | Baltimore, MD | $97,793 |
| 5 | Detroit, MI | $92,723 |
| 6 | Albany, OR | $91,704 |
| 7 | Portland, ME | $88,974 |
| 8 | Seattle, WA | $87,656 |
| 9 | El Paso, TX | $87,527 |
| 10 | Philadelphia, PA | $87,439 |
| 11 | Chicago, IL | $86,434 |
| 12 | Cleveland, TN | $84,116 |
| 13 | Miami, FL | $83,909 |
| 14 | Milwaukee, WI | $83,884 |
| 15 | Burlington, VT | $83,691 |
| 16 | Austin, MN | $83,624 |
| 17 | Tulsa, OK | $83,035 |
| 18 | Atlanta, GA | $82,991 |
| 19 | Cleveland, OH | $82,939 |
| 20 | Bowling Green, KY | $82,508 |
Registered nurse med/surg best cities FAQs
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Updated January 8, 2025