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Senior registered nurse salary
Average senior registered nurse salary
$74,261
Understanding the Senior Registered Nurse Salary
As of October 2025, the average salary for a Senior Registered Nurse in the United States stands at $74,261 per year, equating to approximately $36 per hour. Salaries vary significantly based on factors such as geographic location, years of experience, and specialty within nursing.
Highest Paying States
Senior Registered Nurses can find the highest salaries in states like California, where average earnings exceed $100,000, and New York, where the average is around $92,000. Other states that offer competitive salaries include:
- Texas: $77,000
- Florida: $73,000
- Illinois: $81,000
These figures highlight the importance of location in determining salary potential. Additionally, factors such as advanced certifications and specializations can further enhance earning potential.
Job Opportunities
With the continued growth in healthcare, Senior Registered Nurses are in high demand across hospitals, clinics, and specialized care facilities. This trend offers ample job opportunities for qualified candidates, making it an ideal time to enter or advance in this field.
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Where can a Senior Registered Nurse earn more?
Senior registered nurse salary estimates from across the web
Average senior registered nurse salary by state
The highest-paying states for senior registered nurses are California, Nevada, and Alaska. The lowest average senior registered nurse salary states are Nebraska, Florida, and South Dakota.
- State view
- County view
Highest paying states for senior registered nurses
| Rank | State | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Alaska | $92,979 | $44.70 |
| 2 | Delaware | $92,929 | $44.68 |
| 3 | Massachusetts | $89,928 | $43.23 |
| 4 | Pennsylvania | $92,675 | $44.56 |
| 5 | West Virginia | $79,422 | $38.18 |
| 6 | California | $125,634 | $60.40 |
| 7 | Nevada | $99,336 | $47.76 |
| 8 | Connecticut | $87,324 | $41.98 |
| 9 | Washington | $83,340 | $40.07 |
| 10 | New York | $92,507 | $44.47 |
| 11 | District of Columbia | $107,594 | $51.73 |
| 12 | Oregon | $91,435 | $43.96 |
| 13 | Michigan | $80,285 | $38.60 |
| 14 | New Jersey | $89,630 | $43.09 |
| 15 | Rhode Island | $86,373 | $41.53 |
| 16 | Arizona | $79,213 | $38.08 |
| 17 | Wisconsin | $78,081 | $37.54 |
| 18 | Vermont | $76,234 | $36.65 |
| 19 | Wyoming | $75,280 | $36.19 |
| 20 | Virginia | $84,780 | $40.76 |
| 21 | New Hampshire | $74,765 | $35.94 |
| 22 | Idaho | $76,970 | $37.00 |
| 23 | Georgia | $75,395 | $36.25 |
| 24 | Kentucky | $73,370 | $35.27 |
| 25 | New Mexico | $71,577 | $34.41 |
| 26 | Maryland | $82,764 | $39.79 |
| 27 | Maine | $68,903 | $33.13 |
| 28 | Texas | $71,816 | $34.53 |
| 29 | Oklahoma | $72,096 | $34.66 |
| 30 | Minnesota | $77,028 | $37.03 |
| 31 | Indiana | $66,452 | $31.95 |
| 32 | Hawaii | $85,861 | $41.28 |
| 33 | Missouri | $72,935 | $35.06 |
| 34 | Arkansas | $64,917 | $31.21 |
| 35 | Montana | $68,227 | $32.80 |
| 36 | Colorado | $72,764 | $34.98 |
| 37 | Iowa | $64,636 | $31.07 |
| 38 | North Dakota | $63,704 | $30.63 |
| 39 | Louisiana | $63,499 | $30.53 |
| 40 | Utah | $71,828 | $34.53 |
| 41 | Illinois | $71,871 | $34.55 |
| 42 | Florida | $61,526 | $29.58 |
| 43 | South Dakota | $61,299 | $29.47 |
| 44 | Ohio | $65,474 | $31.48 |
| 45 | North Carolina | $64,684 | $31.10 |
| 46 | Alabama | $64,715 | $31.11 |
| 47 | Mississippi | $62,647 | $30.12 |
| 48 | Kansas | $59,011 | $28.37 |
| 49 | Tennessee | $57,779 | $27.78 |
| 50 | South Carolina | $56,707 | $27.26 |
| 51 | Nebraska | $61,839 | $29.73 |
Highest paying cities for senior registered nurses
The highest-paying cities for senior registered nurses are Oxnard, CA, Las Vegas, NV, and New York, NY.
| Rank | City | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Oxnard, CA | $127,067 | $61.09 |
| 2 | Las Vegas, NV | $99,049 | $47.62 |
| 3 | New York, NY | $92,778 | $44.60 |
| 4 | Pittsburgh, PA | $90,092 | $43.31 |
| 5 | Gloucester, MA | $88,850 | $42.72 |
| 6 | Manassas, VA | $85,026 | $40.88 |
| 7 | Baltimore, MD | $82,920 | $39.87 |
| 8 | Phoenix, AZ | $79,863 | $38.40 |
| 9 | Grand Rapids, MI | $78,512 | $37.75 |
| 10 | Inver Grove Heights, MN | $77,119 | $37.08 |
| 11 | Lewiston, ID | $76,670 | $36.86 |
| 12 | Kansas City, MO | $73,072 | $35.13 |
| 13 | Denver, CO | $72,775 | $34.99 |
| 14 | San Antonio, TX | $72,663 | $34.93 |
| 15 | Indianapolis, IN | $66,363 | $31.91 |
| 16 | Raleigh, NC | $65,661 | $31.57 |
| 17 | Fargo, ND | $63,787 | $30.67 |
| 18 | Pembroke Pines, FL | $61,873 | $29.75 |
| 19 | Kansas City, KS | $59,034 | $28.38 |
Senior registered nurse salary details
A senior registered nurse's salary ranges from $49,000 a year at the 10th percentile to $111,000 at the 90th percentile.
What is a senior registered nurse's salary?
| Percentile | Annual salary | Monthly salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 90th Percentile | $111,000 | $9,250 | $53 |
| 75th Percentile | $91,000 | $7,583 | $44 |
| Average | $74,261 | $6,188 | $36 |
| 25th Percentile | $59,000 | $4,917 | $28 |
| 10th Percentile | $49,000 | $4,083 | $24 |
Highest paying senior registered nurse jobs
The highest paying types of senior registered nurses are contractor-registered nurse, advanced registered nurse practitioner, and registered nurse in the icu.
| Job title | Annual salary | Monthly salary | Hourly rate | Job openings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nurse Extern | $37,156 | $3,096 | $17.86 | 569,180 |
| Staff Nurse | $68,342 | $5,695 | $32.86 | 699,636 |
| Advanced Registered Nurse Practitioner | $97,820 | $8,152 | $47.03 | 486,582 |
| Registered Nurse Case Manager | $72,815 | $6,068 | $35.01 | 491,740 |
| Registered Nurse Charge Nurse | $71,342 | $5,945 | $34.30 | 645,134 |
| Registered Nurse Unit Manager | $75,427 | $6,286 | $36.26 | 491,638 |
How would you rate the starting salaries for senior 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 senior registered nurses now:
Which companies pay senior registered nurses the most?
Senior registered nurse salaries at Dignity Health and Providence Health & Services are the highest-paying according to our most recent salary estimates. In addition, the average senior registered nurse salary at companies like Mercy Health and Willamette Valley Medical Center are highly competitive.
| Rank | Company | Average salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Dignity Health | $129,981 | $62.49 |
| 2 | Providence Health & Services | $121,491 | $58.41 |
| 3 | Mercy Health | $121,068 | $58.21 |
| 4 | Willamette Valley Medical Center | $112,327 | $54.00 |
| 5 | Highlands Regional Medical Center | $111,754 | $53.73 |
| 6 | University of Maryland Medical System | $111,166 | $53.45 |
| 7 | St. Peter's Health Partners | $110,754 | $53.25 |
| 8 | Capital Health | $109,973 | $52.87 |
| 9 | Fairview Health Services | $108,535 | $52.18 |
| 10 | Molina Healthcare | $105,940 | $50.93 |
| 11 | US Oncology Holdings Inc | $105,194 | $50.57 |
| 12 | East Alabama Health | $104,799 | $50.38 |
| 13 | Houston Methodist | $104,195 | $50.09 |
| 14 | National Park Medical Center | $103,649 | $49.83 |
| 15 | Commonwealth | $102,620 | $49.34 |
| 16 | North Kansas City Hospital | $101,161 | $48.64 |
| 17 | Rochester Regional Health | $100,917 | $48.52 |
| 18 | St. Mary's Health Care System | $100,607 | $48.37 |
| 19 | Kaiser Permanente | $100,071 | $48.11 |
| 20 | Sharp HealthCare | $99,380 | $47.78 |
Wage gap by gender, race and education
Senior registered nurse salary trends
The average senior registered nurse salary has risen by $10,396 over the last ten years. In 2014, the average senior registered nurse earned $63,865 annually, but today, they earn $74,261 a year. That works out to a 10% change in pay for senior registered nurses over the last decade.
Compare senior registered nurse salaries for cities or states with the national average over time.
Average senior registered nurse salary over time
Compare senior registered nurse salaries for individual cities or states with the national average.
Senior registered nurse salary by year
| Year | Avg. salary | Hourly rate | % Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $74,300 | $35.70 | +2.7% |
| 2024 | $72,300 | $34.74 | +2.1% |
| 2023 | $70,700 | $34.00 | +2.4% |
| 2022 | $69,000 | $33.18 | +2.2% |
| 2021 | $67,500 | $32.44 | +1.4% |
Recently added senior registered nurse salaries
| Company | Job | Location | Date added | Salary |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Trinity Health | Senior Nurse-Rniii-Medical Imaging | Albany, NY | 06/30/2025 | $70,228 |
| Virtua | Registered Nurse (RN) Per Diem Senior PCU (7P-7A) | Marlton, NJ | 06/30/2025 | $121,672 |
| Get It-Healthcare | SR. Medical Review Nurse-Remote | WFH | Baltimore, MD | 06/29/2025 | $70,958 |
| Sentara Healthcare | RN Specialty Care Nursery Senior Mother Baby System Wide Assignment Pool With Benefits | Virginia Beach, VA | 06/28/2025 | $31,305 |
| State of Florida | Senior Registered Nurse Supv | Orlando, FL | 06/27/2025 | $70,699 |
| Sharp Healthplan | SRS-Rn-Triage-Per Diem-Day Shift | Chula Vista, CA | 06/27/2025 | $174,661 |
| State of Minnesota | Registered Nurse Sr-Third Party Billing | Faribault, MN | 06/26/2025 | $85,275 |
| Lutheran Life Communities | Senior Living Nurse (RN or LPN) | Ottawa, IL | 06/25/2025 | $63,090 |
| Providence Health & Services | RN PMH Psych Senior FTE Night* | Milwaukie, OR | 06/24/2025 | $20,870 |
| Providence | RN PMH Psych Senior FTE Night* | Milwaukie, OR | 06/24/2025 | $20,870 |
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