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Staff nurse salary
Average staff nurse salary
$68,342
Understanding Staff Nurse Salaries
As of October 2025, the average staff nurse salary in the United States is estimated at $68,342 per year. This figure varies based on several factors, including geographic location, years of experience, and the specific healthcare setting.
Highest Paying States: States like California, Hawaii, and Massachusetts consistently offer higher salaries for staff nurses, with averages often exceeding $80,000 annually. In contrast, states in the Midwest and South may present lower averages, underscoring the importance of location in salary negotiations.
Experience Levels: Entry-level staff nurses typically earn less, with salaries increasing significantly with experience. For instance, nurses with over 10 years of experience can expect salaries in the range of $80,000 to $90,000 depending on their specialization.
For those seeking to maximize their earning potential, pursuing advanced certifications or specializations, such as nurse practitioners or clinical nurse specialists, can lead to higher salaries and more job opportunities. Stay informed about salary trends and job openings on platforms like Zippia to make informed career decisions.
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Where can a Staff Nurse earn more?
Staff nurse salaries by experience level
| Experience level | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|
| Entry-level staff nurse | $54,200 | $26.05 |
| Mid-level staff nurse | $68,200 | $32.77 |
| Senior-level staff nurse | $93,500 | $44.94 |
Staff nurse salary estimates from across the web
Average staff nurse salary by state
The highest-paying states for staff nurses are California, Hawaii, and Oregon. The lowest average staff nurse salary states are Rhode Island, Connecticut, and Pennsylvania.
- State view
- County view
Highest paying states for staff nurses
| Rank | State | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | New Mexico | $65,442 | $31.46 |
| 2 | Washington | $83,834 | $40.30 |
| 3 | Nevada | $83,743 | $40.26 |
| 4 | Oklahoma | $65,041 | $31.27 |
| 5 | Texas | $64,914 | $31.21 |
| 6 | Oregon | $88,323 | $42.46 |
| 7 | Arizona | $69,639 | $33.48 |
| 8 | California | $105,142 | $50.55 |
| 9 | Louisiana | $60,867 | $29.26 |
| 10 | Hawaii | $96,215 | $46.26 |
| 11 | Florida | $56,139 | $26.99 |
| 12 | Alaska | $73,071 | $35.13 |
| 13 | Colorado | $66,940 | $32.18 |
| 14 | Arkansas | $61,070 | $29.36 |
| 15 | Nebraska | $64,859 | $31.18 |
| 16 | Montana | $58,846 | $28.29 |
| 17 | Idaho | $62,287 | $29.95 |
| 18 | Georgia | $57,317 | $27.56 |
| 19 | Mississippi | $56,347 | $27.09 |
| 20 | Tennessee | $49,007 | $23.56 |
| 21 | Wyoming | $57,045 | $27.43 |
| 22 | Utah | $60,967 | $29.31 |
| 23 | North Dakota | $48,036 | $23.09 |
| 24 | Kansas | $51,918 | $24.96 |
| 25 | West Virginia | $42,424 | $20.40 |
| 26 | Alabama | $54,401 | $26.15 |
| 27 | South Dakota | $47,653 | $22.91 |
| 28 | Kentucky | $48,310 | $23.23 |
| 29 | North Carolina | $44,784 | $21.53 |
| 30 | New York | $38,281 | $18.40 |
| 31 | Indiana | $41,644 | $20.02 |
| 32 | Michigan | $41,739 | $20.07 |
| 33 | Massachusetts | $33,393 | $16.05 |
| 34 | South Carolina | $43,790 | $21.05 |
| 35 | New Jersey | $39,796 | $19.13 |
| 36 | Missouri | $50,531 | $24.29 |
| 37 | Minnesota | $50,041 | $24.06 |
| 38 | Delaware | $34,140 | $16.41 |
| 39 | New Hampshire | $28,534 | $13.72 |
| 40 | Wisconsin | $44,362 | $21.33 |
| 41 | Virginia | $40,813 | $19.62 |
| 42 | Ohio | $35,556 | $17.09 |
| 43 | Iowa | $44,597 | $21.44 |
| 44 | Illinois | $44,719 | $21.50 |
| 45 | Vermont | $26,857 | $12.91 |
| 46 | Maine | $25,119 | $12.08 |
| 47 | Pennsylvania | $29,300 | $14.09 |
| 48 | District of Columbia | $40,292 | $19.37 |
| 49 | Connecticut | $30,340 | $14.59 |
| 50 | Rhode Island | $32,928 | $15.83 |
| 51 | Maryland | $33,155 | $15.94 |
Highest paying cities for staff nurses
The highest-paying cities for staff nurses are Burlingame, CA, Portland, OR, and Vancouver, WA.
| Rank | City | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Burlingame, CA | $109,688 | $52.73 |
| 2 | Portland, OR | $87,776 | $42.20 |
| 3 | Vancouver, WA | $86,712 | $41.69 |
| 4 | Reno, NV | $85,440 | $41.08 |
| 5 | Mission, TX | $67,105 | $32.26 |
| 6 | Bellevue, NE | $64,285 | $30.91 |
| 7 | New Orleans, LA | $60,890 | $29.27 |
| 8 | Columbus, GA | $58,705 | $28.22 |
| 9 | Birmingham, AL | $54,045 | $25.98 |
| 10 | Kansas City, MO | $51,271 | $24.65 |
| 11 | Kansas City, KS | $51,071 | $24.55 |
| 12 | Minneapolis, MN | $50,271 | $24.17 |
| 13 | Knoxville, TN | $46,821 | $22.51 |
| 14 | Cincinnati, OH | $44,409 | $21.35 |
| 15 | Milwaukee, WI | $43,807 | $21.06 |
| 16 | Iowa City, IA | $43,716 | $21.02 |
| 17 | Chicago, IL | $43,457 | $20.89 |
| 18 | Ann Arbor, MI | $42,314 | $20.34 |
| 19 | Newark, NJ | $37,918 | $18.23 |
| 20 | New York, NY | $37,047 | $17.81 |
Staff Nurses are the most in-demand in these five cities:
Staff nurse salary details
A staff nurse's salary ranges from $42,000 a year at the 10th percentile to $109,000 at the 90th percentile.
What is a staff nurse's salary?
| Percentile | Annual salary | Monthly salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 90th Percentile | $109,000 | $9,083 | $52 |
| 75th Percentile | $87,000 | $7,250 | $42 |
| Average | $68,342 | $5,695 | $33 |
| 25th Percentile | $53,000 | $4,417 | $25 |
| 10th Percentile | $42,000 | $3,500 | $20 |
Highest paying staff nurse jobs
The highest paying types of staff nurses are registered nurse in the icu, telemetry registered nurse, and registered nurse med/surg.
| Job title | Annual salary | Monthly salary | Hourly rate | Job openings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 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 |
| Registered Nurse In The ICU | $92,881 | $7,740 | $44.65 | 631,825 |
| Telemetry Registered Nurse | $91,416 | $7,618 | $43.95 | 637,560 |
| Emergency Room Nurse | $79,886 | $6,657 | $38.41 | 610,768 |
How would you rate the starting salaries for staff 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.
Which companies pay staff nurses the most?
Staff nurse salaries at Washington Hospital Healthcare System and Dignity Health are the highest-paying according to our most recent salary estimates. In addition, the average staff nurse salary at companies like Highland General Hospital and Westways Staffing are highly competitive.
| Rank | Company | Average salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Washington Hospital Healthcare System | $119,521 | $57.46 |
| 2 | Dignity Health | $109,927 | $52.85 |
| 3 | Highland General Hospital | $103,215 | $49.62 |
| 4 | Westways Staffing | $97,244 | $46.75 |
| 5 | PROFESSIONAL NURSING SERVICES | $95,405 | $45.87 |
| 6 | Rowan University | $95,007 | $45.68 |
| 7 | Commonwealth | $94,332 | $45.35 |
| 8 | Senior Living Properties | $93,356 | $44.88 |
| 9 | Rutgers University | $92,838 | $44.63 |
| 10 | Columbia University in the City of New York | $92,186 | $44.32 |
| 11 | Los Alamos Retirement Community | $91,609 | $44.04 |
| 12 | Alameda Health System | $91,554 | $44.02 |
| 13 | Tenet Healthcare | $91,092 | $43.79 |
| 14 | Cisco | $91,038 | $43.77 |
| 15 | New York University | $88,393 | $42.50 |
| 16 | Northpointe Behavioral Healthcare System | $88,259 | $42.43 |
| 17 | Bestcare | $87,538 | $42.09 |
| 18 | Acadia Healthcare | $87,014 | $41.83 |
| 19 | University of Vermont | $86,734 | $41.70 |
| 20 | Student Conservation Association | $86,208 | $41.45 |
Wage gap by gender, race and education
Staff nurse salary trends
The average staff nurse salary has risen by $9,567 over the last ten years. In 2014, the average staff nurse earned $58,775 annually, but today, they earn $68,342 a year. That works out to a 10% change in pay for staff nurses over the last decade.
Compare staff nurse salaries for cities or states with the national average over time.
Average staff nurse salary over time
Compare staff nurse salaries for individual cities or states with the national average.
Staff nurse salary by year
| Year | Avg. salary | Hourly rate | % Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | $68,300 | $32.86 | +2.7% |
| 2025 | $66,500 | $31.97 | +2.1% |
| 2024 | $65,100 | $31.29 | +2.4% |
| 2023 | $63,500 | $30.53 | +2.2% |
| 2022 | $62,100 | $29.86 | +1.4% |
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