National and state-by-state median wages · BLS OEWS data · Updated August 12, 2026
| # | State | Median Annual Salary | vs. National | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | California | $140,270 | ▲ 43% | $338,940 |
| 2 | Hawaii | $136,320 | ▲ 39% | $12,940 |
| 3 | Oregon | $129,010 | ▲ 31% | $39,730 |
| 4 | Washington | $124,200 | ▲ 26% | $69,260 |
| 5 | Alaska | $109,480 | ▲ 11% | $7,510 |
| 6 | New York | $109,440 | ▲ 11% | $205,810 |
| 7 | New Jersey | $106,500 | ▲ 8% | $92,680 |
| 8 | Massachusetts | $104,550 | ▲ 6% | $88,200 |
| 9 | Nevada | $103,670 | ▲ 5% | $27,070 |
| 10 | Connecticut | $102,740 | ▲ 4% | $40,110 |
| 11 | District of Columbia | $102,540 | ▲ 4% | $11,440 |
| 12 | Minnesota | $101,510 | ▲ 3% | $70,110 |
| 13 | Rhode Island | $100,640 | ▲ 2% | $10,090 |
| 14 | Colorado | $100,260 | ▲ 2% | $54,490 |
| 15 | Maryland | $99,790 | ▲ 1% | $52,910 |
| 16 | New Hampshire | $99,700 | ▲ 1% | $15,390 |
| 17 | Delaware | $99,520 | ▲ 1% | $14,290 |
| 18 | Arizona | $99,500 | ▲ 1% | $73,150 |
| 19 | Vermont | $97,460 | ▼ 1% | $7,410 |
| 20 | Pennsylvania | $96,430 | ▼ 2% | $146,520 |
| 21 | Illinois | $95,990 | ▼ 2% | $138,910 |
| 22 | Texas | $95,970 | ▼ 2% | $271,380 |
| 23 | Wisconsin | $95,530 | ▼ 3% | $68,060 |
| 24 | New Mexico | $94,340 | ▼ 4% | $17,980 |
| 25 | Michigan | $94,300 | ▼ 4% | $104,950 |
| 26 | Virginia | $93,600 | ▼ 5% | $77,490 |
| 27 | Georgia | $93,550 | ▼ 5% | $100,950 |
| 28 | Idaho | $92,460 | ▼ 6% | $16,880 |
| 29 | Maine | $86,990 | ▼ 12% | $16,540 |
| 30 | Montana | $85,280 | ▼ 13% | $10,950 |
| 31 | Nebraska | $84,730 | ▼ 14% | $24,720 |
| 32 | Utah | $84,600 | ▼ 14% | $27,420 |
| 33 | North Carolina | $84,350 | ▼ 14% | $111,120 |
| 34 | Florida | $84,190 | ▼ 14% | $229,940 |
| 35 | Wyoming | $83,760 | ▼ 15% | $5,330 |
| 36 | Indiana | $83,500 | ▼ 15% | $68,980 |
| 37 | Oklahoma | $82,920 | ▼ 16% | $38,270 |
| 38 | Ohio | $82,510 | ▼ 16% | $143,730 |
| 39 | South Carolina | $82,360 | ▼ 16% | $49,750 |
| 40 | Missouri | $81,780 | ▼ 17% | $76,310 |
| 41 | Tennessee | $81,500 | ▼ 17% | $72,200 |
| 42 | Kentucky | $81,040 | ▼ 18% | $50,300 |
| 43 | North Dakota | $80,730 | ▼ 18% | $11,340 |
| 44 | Louisiana | $80,230 | ▼ 18% | $48,970 |
| 45 | West Virginia | $80,130 | ▼ 19% | $23,430 |
| 46 | Kansas | $79,320 | ▼ 19% | $33,800 |
| 47 | Arkansas | $78,940 | ▼ 20% | $29,400 |
| 48 | Iowa | $78,630 | ▼ 20% | $34,420 |
| 49 | South Dakota | $78,060 | ▼ 21% | $14,710 |
| 50 | Mississippi | $77,090 | ▼ 22% | $29,060 |
| 51 | Alabama | $77,080 | ▼ 22% | $54,340 |
The national median annual salary for registered nurses is $98,331, about $47.27 per hour, according to BLS OEWS data.
California tops the list at $140,270 per year.
Alabama has the lowest median at $77,080.
At the national median, registered nurses earn about $47.27 per hour (based on a 2,080-hour work year).
The table above shows total jobs per state; states with the largest numbers of registered nurses include California.