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Registered Nurse Salary by State (2026)
Registered Nurses (Registered Nurses) hold 3,379,680 jobs across the US. Typical pay is $98,331 per year, but the median ranges from $77,080 in Alabama to $140,270 in California. Pick your state for the full pay range and an estimated take-home after taxes.
Median Registered Nurse salary in every state
| State | Median salary | Jobs |
| California | $140,270 | 338,940 |
| Hawaii | $136,320 | 12,940 |
| Oregon | $129,010 | 39,730 |
| Washington | $124,200 | 69,260 |
| Alaska | $109,480 | 7,510 |
| New York | $109,440 | 205,810 |
| New Jersey | $106,500 | 92,680 |
| Massachusetts | $104,550 | 88,200 |
| Nevada | $103,670 | 27,070 |
| Connecticut | $102,740 | 40,110 |
| District of Columbia | $102,540 | 11,440 |
| Minnesota | $101,510 | 70,110 |
| Rhode Island | $100,640 | 10,090 |
| Colorado | $100,260 | 54,490 |
| Maryland | $99,790 | 52,910 |
| New Hampshire | $99,700 | 15,390 |
| Delaware | $99,520 | 14,290 |
| Arizona | $99,500 | 73,150 |
| Vermont | $97,460 | 7,410 |
| Pennsylvania | $96,430 | 146,520 |
| Illinois | $95,990 | 138,910 |
| Texas | $95,970 | 271,380 |
| Wisconsin | $95,530 | 68,060 |
| New Mexico | $94,340 | 17,980 |
| Michigan | $94,300 | 104,950 |
| Virginia | $93,600 | 77,490 |
| Georgia | $93,550 | 100,950 |
| Idaho | $92,460 | 16,880 |
| Maine | $86,990 | 16,540 |
| Montana | $85,280 | 10,950 |
| Nebraska | $84,730 | 24,720 |
| Utah | $84,600 | 27,420 |
| North Carolina | $84,350 | 111,120 |
| Florida | $84,190 | 229,940 |
| Wyoming | $83,760 | 5,330 |
| Indiana | $83,500 | 68,980 |
| Oklahoma | $82,920 | 38,270 |
| Ohio | $82,510 | 143,730 |
| South Carolina | $82,360 | 49,750 |
| Missouri | $81,780 | 76,310 |
| Tennessee | $81,500 | 72,200 |
| Kentucky | $81,040 | 50,300 |
| North Dakota | $80,730 | 11,340 |
| Louisiana | $80,230 | 48,970 |
| West Virginia | $80,130 | 23,430 |
| Kansas | $79,320 | 33,800 |
| Arkansas | $78,940 | 29,400 |
| Iowa | $78,630 | 34,420 |
| South Dakota | $78,060 | 14,710 |
| Mississippi | $77,090 | 29,060 |
| Alabama | $77,080 | 54,340 |
Frequently asked questions
- What is the average Registered Nurse salary in the US?
- The typical (employment-weighted median) Registered Nurse salary in the US is about $98,331 per year, based on the latest BLS data covering 3,379,680 jobs nationwide.
- Which state pays Registered Nurses the most?
- California has the highest median Registered Nurse salary at $140,270 per year. Remember that taxes and cost of living vary — a high gross salary can shrink after state taxes.
- Which state pays Registered Nurses the least?
- Alabama has the lowest median at $77,080 per year. Lower-paying states often also have lower living costs and, in some cases, no state income tax.
Sources and methodology
All figures: BLS OEWS May 2025 (state file, released April 2026) (Registered Nurses, code 29-1141). “Typical pay” is the employment-weighted average of state medians. Take-home estimates on state pages use 2026 federal and verified state tax rules from our PaycheckTally engine.