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Nurse Salary by State (2026): Complete Table + FAQs
Registered nurses (RNs) earn very different incomes depending on where they work. This state-by-state table shows hourly, monthly and yearly RN pay from the latest official U.S. BLS OEWS release so you can benchmark an offer against your own market.
Source: U.S. BLS OEWS (latest release) · Last verified: 2026-10-08 · Methodology
Nurse pay by state at a glance
| State | Hourly | Monthly | Yearly |
|---|---|---|---|
| California | $72.25 | $12,523 | $150,280 |
| Hawaii | $59.78 | $10,362 | $124,340 |
| Oregon | $59.20 | $10,262 | $123,140 |
| Washington | $58.43 | $10,128 | $121,540 |
| Massachusetts | $56.71 | $9,830 | $117,960 |
| Alaska | $55.23 | $9,573 | $114,870 |
| New York | $54.54 | $9,453 | $113,440 |
| New Jersey | $52.93 | $9,175 | $110,100 |
| District of Columbia | $51.43 | $8,915 | $106,980 |
| Nevada | $50.82 | $8,809 | $105,710 |
| Connecticut | $50.60 | $8,771 | $105,250 |
| Minnesota | $49.72 | $8,618 | $103,420 |
| Rhode Island | $48.68 | $8,438 | $101,260 |
| Arizona | $47.95 | $8,311 | $99,730 |
| Delaware | $47.82 | $8,288 | $99,460 |
| Colorado | $47.78 | $8,281 | $99,370 |
| Maryland | $47.60 | $8,251 | $99,010 |
| New Hampshire | $47.07 | $8,158 | $97,900 |
| Vermont | $46.47 | $8,054 | $96,650 |
| Texas | $45.86 | $7,948 | $95,380 |
| New Mexico | $45.81 | $7,941 | $95,290 |
| Georgia | $45.71 | $7,923 | $95,080 |
| Wisconsin | $45.53 | $7,891 | $94,690 |
| Illinois | $45.36 | $7,863 | $94,360 |
| Michigan | $45.34 | $7,858 | $94,300 |
| Pennsylvania | $45.20 | $7,835 | $94,020 |
| Virginia | $45.12 | $7,821 | $93,850 |
| Idaho | $44.57 | $7,726 | $92,710 |
| Maine | $44.09 | $7,642 | $91,700 |
| Montana | $43.99 | $7,626 | $91,510 |
| Utah | $43.72 | $7,579 | $90,950 |
| Florida | $43.58 | $7,554 | $90,650 |
| North Carolina | $43.50 | $7,539 | $90,470 |
| Indiana | $42.86 | $7,429 | $89,150 |
| Wyoming | $42.60 | $7,383 | $88,600 |
| Nebraska | $42.47 | $7,361 | $88,330 |
| Ohio | $42.18 | $7,311 | $87,730 |
| South Carolina | $42.15 | $7,306 | $87,670 |
| West Virginia | $41.81 | $7,248 | $86,970 |
| Kentucky | $41.41 | $7,178 | $86,140 |
| Missouri | $41.30 | $7,158 | $85,900 |
| Tennessee | $41.05 | $7,116 | $85,390 |
| Oklahoma | $40.90 | $7,088 | $85,060 |
| Louisiana | $40.48 | $7,016 | $84,190 |
| North Dakota | $40.19 | $6,967 | $83,600 |
| Kansas | $39.60 | $6,863 | $82,360 |
| Arkansas | $39.19 | $6,793 | $81,520 |
| Iowa | $38.72 | $6,712 | $80,540 |
| Mississippi | $37.96 | $6,579 | $78,950 |
| South Dakota | $37.09 | $6,428 | $77,140 |
| Alabama | $37.03 | $6,418 | $77,020 |
The states that pay the most
Based on the data above, the top-paying states for this occupation are California, Hawaii, Oregon, Washington, Massachusetts. Always compare pay against cost of living — a lower dollar wage in a cheaper state can win.
- California — $150,280 a year
- Hawaii — $124,340 a year
- Oregon — $123,140 a year
- Washington — $121,540 a year
- Massachusetts — $117,960 a year
Frequently asked questions
Which state pays nurses most?
RN pay is highest on the West Coast and parts of the Northeast — California typically leads, followed by Hawaii, Oregon and Washington. The table above ranks every state so you can compare.
What is the average nurse salary in the US?
The U.S. mean RN wage is about $101K per year (roughly $48.76/hour) in the latest BLS OEWS release, with a median around $97.5K. It varies widely by state, specialty and experience.
Why do nurse salaries differ so much by state?
Hospital demand, cost of living, unionization and state funding all differ dramatically by state — which is why local data beats a national average.
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