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Best states for a student nurse
Quoted expert
Vilma Davis
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Do you want to become a student nurse at Massachusetts General Hospital, and you wonder what that means or entails? We have the full list of best states for student nurses that you can check out, before you begin your journey. Although there are abundant student nurse jobs in the United States, a large number of them are in the South. Alaska is the best state in the country for student nurse jobs.
In order to get you the best states for student nurses, we looked at our data on jobs and wages -- specifically the average annual wage and the number of available jobs per capita.If you are currently seeking employment as a student nurse, you can find open job positions using Zippia's search tools.
10 best states for student nurses in 2025
1. Alaska
Total student nurse jobs: 681 Average annual salary: $51,631 Lowest 10 percent earn: $44,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $59,000 Location Quotient: 1.24
2. Connecticut
Total student nurse jobs: 2,399 Average annual salary: $43,805 Lowest 10 percent earn: $30,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $63,000 Location Quotient: 1.1
3. Washington
Total student nurse jobs: 5,038 Average annual salary: $45,374 Lowest 10 percent earn: $35,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $58,000 Location Quotient: 1.05
4. Delaware
Total student nurse jobs: 913 Average annual salary: $42,793 Lowest 10 percent earn: $28,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $63,000 Location Quotient: 1.11
5. North Dakota
Total student nurse jobs: 849 Average annual salary: $38,004 Lowest 10 percent earn: $30,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $47,000 Location Quotient: 1.39
6. Hawaii
Total student nurse jobs: 351 Average annual salary: $72,543 Lowest 10 percent earn: $61,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $85,000 Location Quotient: 0.64
7. Arizona
Total student nurse jobs: 3,835 Average annual salary: $42,088 Lowest 10 percent earn: $30,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $59,000 Location Quotient: 1
8. Oregon
Total student nurse jobs: 2,010 Average annual salary: $49,159 Lowest 10 percent earn: $37,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $64,000 Location Quotient: 0.74
9. California
Total student nurse jobs: 13,164 Average annual salary: $52,725 Lowest 10 percent earn: $37,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $74,000 Location Quotient: 0.69
10. Nevada
Total student nurse jobs: 1,143 Average annual salary: $43,280 Lowest 10 percent earn: $31,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $59,000 Location Quotient: 0.83
Student nurse jobsNear Columbus, OH
How Zippia determines the best states to be a student nurse
You can read about how the best state rankings are calculated here.
Detailed list of the best states for a student nurse
| Rank | State | Average salary | Lowest 10% earn | Population | Job count |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Alaska | $51,631 | $44,000 | 739,795 | 681 |
| 2 | Connecticut | $43,805 | $30,000 | 3,588,184 | 2,399 |
| 3 | Washington | $45,374 | $35,000 | 7,405,743 | 5,038 |
| 4 | Delaware | $42,793 | $28,000 | 961,939 | 913 |
| 5 | North Dakota | $38,004 | $30,000 | 755,393 | 849 |
| 6 | Hawaii | $72,543 | $61,000 | 1,427,538 | 351 |
| 7 | Arizona | $42,088 | $30,000 | 7,016,270 | 3,835 |
| 8 | Oregon | $49,159 | $37,000 | 4,142,776 | 2,010 |
| 9 | California | $52,725 | $37,000 | 39,536,653 | 13,164 |
| 10 | Nevada | $43,280 | $31,000 | 2,998,039 | 1,143 |
| 11 | New York | $43,723 | $29,000 | 19,849,399 | 8,362 |
| 12 | Wisconsin | $41,331 | $31,000 | 5,795,483 | 3,249 |
| 13 | Rhode Island | $43,507 | $30,000 | 1,059,639 | 568 |
| 14 | New Jersey | $43,624 | $29,000 | 9,005,644 | 4,753 |
| 15 | Massachusetts | $39,270 | $28,000 | 6,859,819 | 7,083 |
| 16 | Minnesota | $41,066 | $32,000 | 5,576,606 | 3,588 |
| 17 | New Hampshire | $35,900 | $26,000 | 1,342,795 | 1,497 |
| 18 | Idaho | $39,243 | $30,000 | 1,716,943 | 932 |
| 19 | Michigan | $36,796 | $27,000 | 9,962,311 | 5,165 |
| 20 | New Mexico | $35,323 | $25,000 | 2,088,070 | 1,668 |
| 21 | Indiana | $34,629 | $25,000 | 6,666,818 | 5,658 |
| 22 | Montana | $35,772 | $28,000 | 1,050,493 | 987 |
| 23 | Pennsylvania | $35,717 | $24,000 | 12,805,537 | 8,032 |
| 24 | South Dakota | $34,487 | $26,000 | 869,666 | 881 |
| 25 | West Virginia | $33,325 | $23,000 | 1,815,857 | 1,350 |
| 26 | District of Columbia | $44,648 | $30,000 | 693,972 | 556 |
| 27 | Colorado | $39,181 | $29,000 | 5,607,154 | 3,540 |
| 28 | Ohio | $35,231 | $25,000 | 11,658,609 | 6,585 |
| 29 | Wyoming | $35,147 | $26,000 | 579,315 | 396 |
| 30 | Maryland | $38,862 | $26,000 | 6,052,177 | 4,079 |
| 31 | Kansas | $33,783 | $25,000 | 2,913,123 | 2,084 |
| 32 | Texas | $34,499 | $24,000 | 28,304,596 | 13,488 |
| 33 | Arkansas | $32,414 | $23,000 | 3,004,279 | 2,096 |
| 34 | Maine | $31,922 | $24,000 | 1,335,907 | 1,375 |
| 35 | Oklahoma | $33,572 | $24,000 | 3,930,864 | 1,998 |
| 36 | Utah | $35,597 | $27,000 | 3,101,833 | 739 |
| 37 | Illinois | $35,586 | $26,000 | 12,802,023 | 6,728 |
| 38 | Iowa | $32,062 | $24,000 | 3,145,711 | 2,569 |
| 39 | Florida | $30,903 | $21,000 | 20,984,400 | 16,549 |
| 40 | Virginia | $35,407 | $24,000 | 8,470,020 | 5,327 |
| 41 | Louisiana | $30,496 | $21,000 | 4,684,333 | 2,978 |
| 42 | Vermont | $31,560 | $23,000 | 623,657 | 598 |
| 43 | Kentucky | $30,610 | $22,000 | 4,454,189 | 2,602 |
| 44 | Nebraska | $31,855 | $24,000 | 1,920,076 | 1,358 |
| 45 | North Carolina | $30,470 | $21,000 | 10,273,419 | 6,657 |
| 46 | South Carolina | $32,248 | $22,000 | 5,024,369 | 2,689 |
| 47 | Tennessee | $30,113 | $21,000 | 6,715,984 | 3,806 |
| 48 | Missouri | $31,030 | $23,000 | 6,113,532 | 3,701 |
| 49 | Mississippi | $28,803 | $20,000 | 2,984,100 | 1,515 |
| 50 | Georgia | $29,267 | $20,000 | 10,429,379 | 6,987 |
| 51 | Alabama | $25,825 | $18,000 | 4,874,747 | 2,464 |
Highest paying states for student nurses
| Rank | State | Avg. Student Nurse Salary |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Alaska | $51,631 |
| 2 | Connecticut | $43,805 |
| 3 | Washington | $45,374 |
| 4 | Delaware | $42,793 |
| 5 | North Dakota | $38,004 |
| 6 | Hawaii | $72,543 |
| 7 | Arizona | $42,088 |
| 8 | Oregon | $49,159 |
| 9 | California | $52,725 |
| 10 | Nevada | $43,280 |
| 11 | New York | $43,723 |
| 12 | Wisconsin | $41,331 |
| 13 | Rhode Island | $43,507 |
| 14 | New Jersey | $43,624 |
| 15 | Massachusetts | $39,270 |
| 16 | Minnesota | $41,066 |
| 17 | New Hampshire | $35,900 |
| 18 | Idaho | $39,243 |
| 19 | Michigan | $36,796 |
| 20 | New Mexico | $35,323 |
| 21 | Indiana | $34,629 |
| 22 | Montana | $35,772 |
| 23 | Pennsylvania | $35,717 |
| 24 | South Dakota | $34,487 |
| 25 | West Virginia | $33,325 |
| 26 | District of Columbia | $44,648 |
| 27 | Colorado | $39,181 |
| 28 | Ohio | $35,231 |
| 29 | Wyoming | $35,147 |
| 30 | Maryland | $38,862 |
| 31 | Kansas | $33,783 |
| 32 | Texas | $34,499 |
| 33 | Arkansas | $32,414 |
| 34 | Maine | $31,922 |
| 35 | Oklahoma | $33,572 |
| 36 | Utah | $35,597 |
| 37 | Illinois | $35,586 |
| 38 | Iowa | $32,062 |
| 39 | Florida | $30,903 |
| 40 | Virginia | $35,407 |
| 41 | Louisiana | $30,496 |
| 42 | Vermont | $31,560 |
| 43 | Kentucky | $30,610 |
| 44 | Nebraska | $31,855 |
| 45 | North Carolina | $30,470 |
| 46 | South Carolina | $32,248 |
| 47 | Tennessee | $30,113 |
| 48 | Missouri | $31,030 |
| 49 | Mississippi | $28,803 |
| 50 | Georgia | $29,267 |
| 51 | Alabama | $25,825 |
Expert opinions on the best states for student nurses
Are there any particularly good places in the United States for student nurses 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.
Student nurse best states FAQs
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Updated January 8, 2025