Registered Nurse salary in the U.S.
Registered Nurses in the U.S. earn a median of $97,550 a year ($46.90 an hour), based on BLS data for 3,379,720 workers.
Pay ranges from $68,940 for the lowest-paid 10% to $137,470 for the top 10%. The average (mean) salary is $101,420, above the median because a few high earners pull it up.
Pay range for registered nurses in the U.S.
| Pay level | Yearly | Hourly |
|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile (entry level) | $68,940 | $33.14 |
| 25th percentile | $80,330 | $38.62 |
| Median | $97,550 | $46.90 |
| 75th percentile | $112,350 | $54.02 |
| 90th percentile (top earners) | $137,470 | $66.09 |
| Average (mean) | $101,420 | $48.76 |
Half of registered nurses earn more than the median and half earn less. Percentiles show the spread: 10% earn less than the 10th percentile, and 10% earn more than the 90th.
Median paycheck, before taxes
| Pay period | Amount |
|---|---|
| Monthly | $8,129.17 |
| Semi-monthly (24 a year) | $4,064.58 |
| Biweekly (26 a year) | $3,751.92 |
| Weekly | $1,875.96 |
| Hourly | $46.90 |
Based on a full-time year of 2,080 hours. Convert any amount with the hourly to salary converter.
Registered Nurse salary by state
| State | Median salary | Workers |
|---|---|---|
| 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 |
| Virgin Islands | $84,120 | 470 |
| 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 |
| Puerto Rico | $39,880 | 21,270 |
Best-paying metro areas for registered nurses
| Metro area | Median salary | Workers |
|---|---|---|
| San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA | $216,740 | 22,930 |
| Vallejo, CA | $203,290 | 4,120 |
| San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA | $186,610 | 41,750 |
| Santa Rosa-Petaluma, CA | $174,550 | 3,720 |
| Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom, CA | $171,460 | 23,590 |
| Santa Cruz-Watsonville, CA | $170,960 | 1,750 |
| Yuba City, CA | $149,320 | 1,080 |
| Kahului-Wailuku, HI | $144,350 | 1,270 |
| San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA | $139,520 | 28,680 |
| Urban Honolulu, HI | $139,260 | 9,680 |
| San Luis Obispo-Paso Robles, CA | $138,820 | 2,180 |
| Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, CA | $137,360 | 3,280 |
| Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA | $135,560 | 109,360 |
| Bend, OR | $135,010 | 2,500 |
| Salinas, CA | $134,910 | 3,180 |
Metro areas with the most registered nurses
| Metro area | Workers | Median salary |
|---|---|---|
| New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ | 197,740 | $119,720 |
| Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA | 109,360 | $135,560 |
| Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN | 100,240 | $100,490 |
| Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX | 76,680 | $101,420 |
| Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD | 73,790 | $101,180 |
| Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands, TX | 65,910 | $99,830 |
| Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH | 64,240 | $106,180 |
| Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach, FL | 61,670 | $91,380 |
| Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA | 56,460 | $100,490 |
| Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler, AZ | 53,700 | $100,830 |
| Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV | 46,830 | $102,710 |
| Detroit-Warren-Dearborn, MI | 44,310 | $97,280 |
| Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI | 43,600 | $103,040 |
| San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA | 41,750 | $186,610 |
| Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA | 39,900 | $128,260 |
Related jobs in the U.S.
| Job | Median salary | Hourly |
|---|---|---|
| Physicians, All Other | $265,930 | $127.85 |
| Nurse Practitioner | $132,300 | $63.61 |
| Pharmacist | $140,910 | $67.75 |
| Physical Therapist | $102,760 | $49.40 |
| Dental Hygienist | $98,100 | $47.16 |
| Speech-Language Pathologist | $97,870 | $47.05 |
| Occupational Therapist | $100,330 | $48.24 |
| Physician Assistant | $135,880 | $65.33 |
| Respiratory Therapist | $82,280 | $39.56 |
| Dentists, General | $170,950 | $82.19 |
| Family Medicine Physician | $244,180 | $117.39 |
| Veterinarian | $130,100 | $62.55 |
| Dietitians and Nutritionists | $76,400 | $36.73 |
| General Internal Medicine Physician | $256,560 | $123.35 |
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025 estimates, occupation code 29-1141. Wages include base pay, tips, commissions and shift pay, but not overtime, bonuses or benefits, and exclude the self-employed.
Frequently asked questions
How much does a registered nurse make in the U.S.?
The median salary for registered nurses in the U.S. is $97,550 a year, or $46.90 an hour. Pay ranges from $68,940 for the lowest-paid 10% to $137,470 for the top 10%.
How much do the highest-paid registered nurses make in the U.S.?
The top 10% of registered nurses in the U.S. earn at least $137,470 a year. The top 25% earn $112,350 or more.
What is the starting pay for registered nurses in the U.S.?
Entry-level pay (the 10th percentile) is about $68,940 a year, and a quarter of registered nurses earn $80,330 or less.
How many registered nurses work in the U.S.?
About 3,379,720 registered nurses are employed in the U.S., not counting the self-employed.