Best cities for a staff nurse
The best cities for staff nurses are Stockton, CA, Oakland, CA, and Fremont, CA, based on factors like average salary and job availability per capita. Jobs and pay for staff nurses vary across the country, but we've determined the ten best cities for staff nurses in the U.S.
Whether you're starting your career as a staff nurse or considering a move, this list of the best cities for staff nurses to live in will help you decide. These aren't just the best-paying cities for staff nurses. We also consider how easy it is to find work as a staff nurse. While the absolute best city for staff nurses is Stockton, CA, there are plenty of other great places to consider.
Keep reading to learn more about the best cities for staff nurses in 2024.
If you're looking for a staff nurse job, here are five companies hiring now:
10 best cities for staff nurses in 2025
1. Stockton, CA
Staff nurse jobs in StocktonTotal staff nurse jobs: 24 Average annual salary: $107,945 Lowest 10 percent warn: $66,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $175,000 Location quotient: 2.14 2. Oakland, CA
Staff nurse jobs in OaklandTotal staff nurse jobs: 30 Average annual salary: $109,364 Lowest 10 percent warn: $66,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $178,000 Location quotient: 0.99 3. Fremont, CA
Staff nurse jobs in FremontTotal staff nurse jobs: 46 Average annual salary: $109,146 Lowest 10 percent warn: $66,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $178,000 Location quotient: 0.72 4. Anaheim, CA
Staff nurse jobs in AnaheimTotal staff nurse jobs: 22 Average annual salary: $103,354 Lowest 10 percent warn: $65,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $162,000 Location quotient: 1.37 5. Bakersfield, CA
Staff nurse jobs in BakersfieldTotal staff nurse jobs: 9 Average annual salary: $105,778 Lowest 10 percent warn: $66,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $168,000 Location quotient: 0.63 6. San Francisco, CA
Staff nurse jobs in San FranciscoTotal staff nurse jobs: 139 Average annual salary: $109,654 Lowest 10 percent warn: $67,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $179,000 Location quotient: 0.44 7. Los Angeles, CA
Staff nurse jobs in Los AngelesTotal staff nurse jobs: 81 Average annual salary: $103,963 Lowest 10 percent warn: $65,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $163,000 Location quotient: 0.30 8. Riverside, CA
Staff nurse jobs in RiversideTotal staff nurse jobs: 8 Average annual salary: $102,937 Lowest 10 percent warn: $65,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $161,000 Location quotient: 0.42 9. Portland, OR
Staff nurse jobs in PortlandTotal staff nurse jobs: 72 Average annual salary: $87,776 Lowest 10 percent warn: $55,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $138,000 Location quotient: 0.67 10. Fresno, CA
Staff nurse jobs in FresnoTotal staff nurse jobs: 3 Average annual salary: $106,759 Lowest 10 percent warn: $66,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $172,000 Location quotient: 0.17
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Best cities for staff nurses
- Stockton, CA
- Oakland, CA
- Fremont, CA
- Anaheim, CA
- Bakersfield, CA
- San Francisco, CA
- Los Angeles, CA
- Riverside, CA
- Portland, OR
- Fresno, CA
Detailed list of the best cities for a staff nurse
| Rank | City | Average salary | Lowest 10% Earn | Population | Job count |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Stockton, CA | $107,945 | $66,000 | 307,072 | 24 |
| 2 | Oakland, CA | $109,364 | $66,000 | 420,005 | 30 |
| 3 | Fremont, CA | $109,146 | $66,000 | 233,136 | 46 |
| 4 | Anaheim, CA | $103,354 | $65,000 | 351,043 | 22 |
| 5 | Bakersfield, CA | $105,778 | $66,000 | 376,380 | 9 |
| 6 | San Francisco, CA | $109,654 | $67,000 | 870,887 | 139 |
| 7 | Los Angeles, CA | $103,963 | $65,000 | 3,976,322 | 81 |
| 8 | Riverside, CA | $102,937 | $65,000 | 324,722 | 8 |
| 9 | Portland, OR | $87,776 | $55,000 | 639,863 | 72 |
| 10 | Fresno, CA | $106,759 | $66,000 | 522,053 | 3 |
| 11 | Garland, TX | $63,715 | $38,000 | 234,943 | 15 |
| 12 | San Antonio, TX | $66,000 | $39,000 | 1,492,510 | 62 |
| 13 | Mesa, AZ | $69,562 | $44,000 | 484,587 | 6 |
| 14 | Anchorage, AK | $72,972 | $61,000 | 298,192 | 8 |
| 15 | New Orleans, LA | $60,890 | $35,000 | 391,495 | 67 |
| 16 | Gilbert, AZ | $69,582 | $44,000 | 237,133 | 2 |
| 17 | Sacramento, CA | $107,595 | $66,000 | 495,234 | 8 |
| 18 | Chandler, AZ | $69,619 | $44,000 | 247,477 | 7 |
| 19 | Las Vegas, NV | $83,508 | $53,000 | 632,912 | 11 |
| 20 | Omaha, NE | $64,247 | $39,000 | 446,970 | 26 |
| 21 | San Diego, CA | $102,219 | $65,000 | 1,406,630 | 30 |
| 22 | Albuquerque, NM | $65,447 | $41,000 | 559,277 | 20 |
| 23 | El Paso, TX | $67,328 | $42,000 | 683,080 | 5 |
| 24 | San Jose, CA | $109,133 | $66,000 | 1,025,350 | 18 |
| 25 | Laredo, TX | $66,944 | $39,000 | 257,156 | 1 |
| 26 | Aurora, CO | $66,877 | $43,000 | 361,710 | 27 |
| 27 | Dallas, TX | $63,880 | $38,000 | 1,317,929 | 69 |
| 28 | Fort Worth, TX | $64,084 | $39,000 | 854,113 | 14 |
| 29 | Reno, NV | $85,440 | $53,000 | 245,255 | 2 |
| 30 | Kansas City, MO | $51,271 | $31,000 | 481,420 | 51 |
| 31 | Saint Petersburg, FL | $56,867 | $31,000 | 260,999 | 9 |
| 32 | Irvine, CA | $103,115 | $65,000 | 266,122 | 7 |
| 33 | Glendale, AZ | $69,731 | $44,000 | 245,895 | 1 |
| 34 | Minneapolis, MN | $50,271 | $26,000 | 413,651 | 95 |
| 35 | Urban Honolulu, HI | $96,314 | $66,000 | 351,792 | 4 |
| 36 | Lubbock, TX | $65,207 | $40,000 | 252,506 | 2 |
| 37 | Saint Louis, MO | $49,166 | $28,000 | 311,404 | 66 |
| 38 | Seattle, WA | $84,402 | $54,000 | 704,352 | 29 |
| 39 | Corpus Christi, TX | $66,316 | $39,000 | 325,733 | 1 |
| 40 | Austin, TX | $65,458 | $39,000 | 947,890 | 32 |
| 41 | Oklahoma City, OK | $65,417 | $40,000 | 638,367 | 8 |
| 42 | Denver, CO | $66,873 | $43,000 | 693,060 | 64 |
| 43 | Newark, NJ | $37,918 | $11,000 | 281,764 | 68 |
| 44 | Long Beach, CA | $103,556 | $65,000 | 470,130 | - |
| 45 | Houston, TX | $64,986 | $38,000 | 2,303,482 | 52 |
| 46 | Pittsburgh, PA | $32,369 | $12,000 | 303,625 | 186 |
| 47 | Lincoln, NE | $65,197 | $40,000 | 280,364 | 4 |
| 48 | Wichita, KS | $53,033 | $33,000 | 389,902 | 7 |
| 49 | Toledo, OH | $31,938 | $13,000 | 278,508 | 26 |
| 50 | Santa Ana, CA | $103,248 | $65,000 | 334,217 | - |
Highest paying cities for staff nurses
| Rank | City | Avg. staff nurse salary |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Burlingame, CA | $109,688 |
| 2 | Portland, OR | $87,776 |
| 3 | Vancouver, WA | $86,712 |
| 4 | Reno, NV | $85,440 |
| 5 | Mission, TX | $67,105 |
| 6 | Bellevue, NE | $64,285 |
| 7 | New Orleans, LA | $60,890 |
| 8 | Columbus, GA | $58,705 |
| 9 | Birmingham, AL | $54,045 |
| 10 | Kansas City, MO | $51,271 |
| 11 | Kansas City, KS | $51,071 |
| 12 | Minneapolis, MN | $50,271 |
| 13 | Knoxville, TN | $46,821 |
| 14 | Cincinnati, OH | $44,409 |
| 15 | Milwaukee, WI | $43,807 |
| 16 | Iowa City, IA | $43,716 |
| 17 | Chicago, IL | $43,457 |
| 18 | Ann Arbor, MI | $42,314 |
| 19 | Newark, NJ | $37,918 |
| 20 | New York, NY | $37,047 |
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Updated January 8, 2025