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Best states for a registered nurse med/surg
Quoted expert
Vilma Davis
- Rank 1 - 10
- 11 - 20
- 21 - 30
- 31 - 40
- 41 - 51
Not all states present equal opportunity for employees, and when it comes to registered nurse med/surg jobs, it's no different. We know how hard job search can be, and in order to make your life a little easier, we have the information you need in order to determine where you might want to start your job search. Pay, benefits, and opportunities vary greatly by state, and it's no different for registered nurse med/surgs. We found that Connecticut is the best state in the nation for registered nurse med/surgs, and people in Newport earn the most in the field.
The median salary for registered nurse med/surgs in Connecticut is $109,900. Compare that to the median salary in Colorado of $74,830, which ranked worst for registered nurse med/surgs, and you can see how your location is important for your career.We found that Connecticut is the best state for registered nurse med/surg jobs, whereas Colorado is the worst.
10 best states for registered nurse med/surgs in 2026
1. Connecticut
Total registered nurse med/surg jobs: 2,641 Average annual salary: $109,900 Lowest 10 percent earn: $61,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $195,000 Location Quotient: 1.11
2. Delaware
Total registered nurse med/surg jobs: 993 Average annual salary: $102,297 Lowest 10 percent earn: $56,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $184,000 Location Quotient: 1.1
3. New Hampshire
Total registered nurse med/surg jobs: 1,564 Average annual salary: $92,905 Lowest 10 percent earn: $50,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $170,000 Location Quotient: 1.24
4. Massachusetts
Total registered nurse med/surg jobs: 7,388 Average annual salary: $97,565 Lowest 10 percent earn: $53,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $177,000 Location Quotient: 1.12
5. Maine
Total registered nurse med/surg jobs: 1,541 Average annual salary: $87,912 Lowest 10 percent earn: $47,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $162,000 Location Quotient: 1.61
6. Rhode Island
Total registered nurse med/surg jobs: 628 Average annual salary: $119,411 Lowest 10 percent earn: $68,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $208,000 Location Quotient: 0.72
7. Michigan
Total registered nurse med/surg jobs: 5,911 Average annual salary: $92,385 Lowest 10 percent earn: $52,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $161,000 Location Quotient: 1.06
8. New Jersey
Total registered nurse med/surg jobs: 4,751 Average annual salary: $104,244 Lowest 10 percent earn: $58,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $187,000 Location Quotient: 0.83
9. New York
Total registered nurse med/surg jobs: 8,363 Average annual salary: $101,756 Lowest 10 percent earn: $56,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $183,000 Location Quotient: 0.91
10. California
Total registered nurse med/surg jobs: 15,013 Average annual salary: $110,642 Lowest 10 percent earn: $65,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $185,000 Location Quotient: 0.71
Registered nurse med/surg jobsNear Columbus, OH
How Zippia determines the best states to be a registered nurse med/surg
You can read about how the best state rankings are calculated here.
Detailed list of the best states for a registered nurse med/surg
| Rank | State | Average salary | Lowest 10% earn | Population | Job count |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Connecticut | $109,900 | $61,000 | 3,588,184 | 2,641 |
| 2 | Delaware | $102,297 | $56,000 | 961,939 | 993 |
| 3 | New Hampshire | $92,905 | $50,000 | 1,342,795 | 1,564 |
| 4 | Massachusetts | $97,565 | $53,000 | 6,859,819 | 7,388 |
| 5 | Maine | $87,912 | $47,000 | 1,335,907 | 1,541 |
| 6 | Rhode Island | $119,411 | $68,000 | 1,059,639 | 628 |
| 7 | Michigan | $92,385 | $52,000 | 9,962,311 | 5,911 |
| 8 | New Jersey | $104,244 | $58,000 | 9,005,644 | 4,751 |
| 9 | New York | $101,756 | $56,000 | 19,849,399 | 8,363 |
| 10 | California | $110,642 | $65,000 | 39,536,653 | 15,013 |
| 11 | Wyoming | $90,548 | $55,000 | 579,315 | 419 |
| 12 | Pennsylvania | $86,866 | $47,000 | 12,805,537 | 8,358 |
| 13 | Texas | $86,618 | $48,000 | 28,304,596 | 15,671 |
| 14 | Tennessee | $84,086 | $46,000 | 6,715,984 | 4,397 |
| 15 | Maryland | $96,737 | $53,000 | 6,052,177 | 4,474 |
| 16 | Florida | $84,151 | $45,000 | 20,984,400 | 19,184 |
| 17 | North Dakota | $81,287 | $51,000 | 755,393 | 837 |
| 18 | West Virginia | $79,539 | $43,000 | 1,815,857 | 1,446 |
| 19 | Vermont | $83,954 | $45,000 | 623,657 | 698 |
| 20 | Indiana | $80,447 | $45,000 | 6,666,818 | 6,003 |
| 21 | Kentucky | $82,777 | $45,000 | 4,454,189 | 2,812 |
| 22 | Oregon | $91,287 | $55,000 | 4,142,776 | 2,272 |
| 23 | New Mexico | $81,807 | $46,000 | 2,088,070 | 1,711 |
| 24 | Oklahoma | $83,068 | $46,000 | 3,930,864 | 2,209 |
| 25 | Washington | $87,512 | $54,000 | 7,405,743 | 5,820 |
| 26 | District of Columbia | $101,085 | $56,000 | 693,972 | 607 |
| 27 | Ohio | $82,713 | $45,000 | 11,658,609 | 6,567 |
| 28 | Wisconsin | $83,636 | $49,000 | 5,795,483 | 3,444 |
| 29 | Illinois | $86,387 | $49,000 | 12,802,023 | 7,316 |
| 30 | Georgia | $82,833 | $44,000 | 10,429,379 | 8,070 |
| 31 | Kansas | $79,874 | $46,000 | 2,913,123 | 2,353 |
| 32 | Hawaii | $98,240 | $58,000 | 1,427,538 | 372 |
| 33 | Arkansas | $76,907 | $42,000 | 3,004,279 | 2,318 |
| 34 | Virginia | $88,205 | $47,000 | 8,470,020 | 5,826 |
| 35 | Louisiana | $78,466 | $42,000 | 4,684,333 | 3,194 |
| 36 | South Dakota | $75,561 | $46,000 | 869,666 | 910 |
| 37 | Arizona | $81,517 | $46,000 | 7,016,270 | 4,285 |
| 38 | Alaska | $67,962 | $47,000 | 739,795 | 768 |
| 39 | Montana | $76,838 | $48,000 | 1,050,493 | 1,013 |
| 40 | Nevada | $81,090 | $47,000 | 2,998,039 | 1,156 |
| 41 | Minnesota | $83,099 | $51,000 | 5,576,606 | 3,813 |
| 42 | Utah | $81,420 | $49,000 | 3,101,833 | 767 |
| 43 | Idaho | $80,408 | $49,000 | 1,716,943 | 1,034 |
| 44 | North Carolina | $78,090 | $41,000 | 10,273,419 | 7,062 |
| 45 | Nebraska | $79,624 | $47,000 | 1,920,076 | 1,322 |
| 46 | Alabama | $77,440 | $41,000 | 4,874,747 | 2,698 |
| 47 | South Carolina | $78,326 | $41,000 | 5,024,369 | 3,082 |
| 48 | Mississippi | $74,409 | $40,000 | 2,984,100 | 1,680 |
| 49 | Iowa | $74,462 | $44,000 | 3,145,711 | 2,782 |
| 50 | Missouri | $77,161 | $44,000 | 6,113,532 | 3,958 |
| 51 | Colorado | $74,830 | $44,000 | 5,607,154 | 4,130 |
Highest paying states for registered nurse med/surgs
| Rank | State | Avg. Registered Nurse Med/Surg Salary |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Connecticut | $109,900 |
| 2 | Delaware | $102,297 |
| 3 | New Hampshire | $92,905 |
| 4 | Massachusetts | $97,565 |
| 5 | Maine | $87,912 |
| 6 | Rhode Island | $119,411 |
| 7 | Michigan | $92,385 |
| 8 | New Jersey | $104,244 |
| 9 | New York | $101,756 |
| 10 | California | $110,642 |
| 11 | Wyoming | $90,548 |
| 12 | Pennsylvania | $86,866 |
| 13 | Texas | $86,618 |
| 14 | Tennessee | $84,086 |
| 15 | Maryland | $96,737 |
| 16 | Florida | $84,151 |
| 17 | North Dakota | $81,287 |
| 18 | West Virginia | $79,539 |
| 19 | Vermont | $83,954 |
| 20 | Indiana | $80,447 |
| 21 | Kentucky | $82,777 |
| 22 | Oregon | $91,287 |
| 23 | New Mexico | $81,807 |
| 24 | Oklahoma | $83,068 |
| 25 | Washington | $87,512 |
| 26 | District of Columbia | $101,085 |
| 27 | Ohio | $82,713 |
| 28 | Wisconsin | $83,636 |
| 29 | Illinois | $86,387 |
| 30 | Georgia | $82,833 |
| 31 | Kansas | $79,874 |
| 32 | Hawaii | $98,240 |
| 33 | Arkansas | $76,907 |
| 34 | Virginia | $88,205 |
| 35 | Louisiana | $78,466 |
| 36 | South Dakota | $75,561 |
| 37 | Arizona | $81,517 |
| 38 | Alaska | $67,962 |
| 39 | Montana | $76,838 |
| 40 | Nevada | $81,090 |
| 41 | Minnesota | $83,099 |
| 42 | Utah | $81,420 |
| 43 | Idaho | $80,408 |
| 44 | North Carolina | $78,090 |
| 45 | Nebraska | $79,624 |
| 46 | Alabama | $77,440 |
| 47 | South Carolina | $78,326 |
| 48 | Mississippi | $74,409 |
| 49 | Iowa | $74,462 |
| 50 | Missouri | $77,161 |
| 51 | Colorado | $74,830 |
Expert opinions on the best states for registered nurse med/surgs
Are there any particularly good places in the United States for registered nurse med/surgs 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.
Registered nurse med/surg best states FAQs
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Updated January 8, 2025