29 Series · SOC 29-1141

Registered Nurses Salary

National pay, percentile range, growth outlook, and state-by-state detail from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS survey (May 2025).

$97,550
Median / year
+4.2%
2024→2025
$137,470
Top 10% earn
+4.9%
Growth '24–'34
3,379,720
Estimated US jobs

Registered Nurses earn a median of $97,550 per year.

According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS survey, the median annual wage is $97,550, based on the most recent survey of employers. Reported pay ranges from $68,940 (10th percentile) to $137,470 (90th percentile) nationally, across roughly 3,379,720 estimated jobs in covered establishments. The highest published state median in this ranking is California ($140,270).

29 Series · Source: BLS OEWS Compare with another job →
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The pay verdict

Registered Nurses earn a median of $97,550, putting them among the better-paid US occupations and higher than 82% of the 825 occupations with a published BLS median. Within Healthcare Practitioners and Technical, it ranks #40 of 71 by median pay. Employment is projected to grow 4.9% by 2034.

$97,550
Median annual wage
Top 18%
of 825 US occupations with published wages
#40 of 71
in Healthcare Practitioners and Technical
2.0×
90th-to-10th pay spread

Highest-paying state: California at $140,270. Typical entry-level education: Bachelor's degree.

Observed pay change

What changed, BLS OEWS 2019–2025

May 2019 → May 2025
  • The published national median for Registered Nurses moved from $73,300 in May 2019 to $97,550 in May 2025 (+33.1%).
  • Across the 749 occupations priced in both releases under SOC-2018, the median occupation changed +24.5%.
  • Registered Nurses sits +8.6 pp ahead of that median, nominal dollars, no price deflator applied.

Registered Nurses (SOC 29-1141) has a national median of $97,550 per year in the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics May 2025 release. The published 10th-to-90th-percentile boundaries run from $68,940 to $137,470, and the published mean is $101,420. Those summary statistics describe the estimated distribution; their difference alone does not identify its cause. OEWS estimates 3,379,720 jobs in covered establishments nationally. WageDex has published rows for 53 state or territory areas and 515 metropolitan or nonmetropolitan wage areas. The published national median moved from $93,600 in the May 2024 OEWS release to $97,550 in May 2025, a rise of $3,950 (+4.2%). This is a change between two BLS survey estimates, not an inflation-adjusted same-worker pay raise.

BLS Employment Projections forecast a +4.9% change in employment from 2024 to 2034, which we classify as about as fast as average relative to the all-occupations baseline of 3.1%. About 189,100 openings are projected per year from growth, occupational transfers, and labor-force exits. BLS assigns Bachelor's degree as typical education needed for entry. BLS does not publish a separate occupation-specific fatality and injury rate for this role in the current release. The safety panel below shows its broad Healthcare Practitioners and Technical Occupations SOC-group context and is not an occupation-level measurement or ranking.

Geographic variation matters as much as the headline median. California pays the highest state median at $140,270, which is +44% above the national figure. The highest published metropolitan-area median in this ranking is San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA at $216,740. The observed difference does not identify its cause. Pair the national median with the state and metropolitan-area rows below while keeping the geography and statistic consistent. OEWS includes tips, commissions, incentive pay, and production bonuses, but not employer benefits, overtime premiums, stock compensation, or nonproduction bonuses. See our methodology for the sourcing and calculation details.

BLS OEWS May 2025 3,379,720 jobs Median $97,550/yr

Median Salary

$97,550

per year

Median Hourly

$46.90/hr

per hour

Mean Salary

$101,420

average

Employment

3,379,720

jobs nationwide

How does this pay compare nationally?

Where Registered Nurses pay sits nationally

Median annual wage vs. 825 detailed BLS occupations with a published median

$97,550 Top 18% higher than 82% of 825 US occupations

$0–$20,000: 0 US occupations (0%). Below this entry. $20,000–$40,000: 98 US occupations (12%). Below this entry. $40,000–$60,000: 298 US occupations (36%). Below this entry. $60,000–$80,000: 209 US occupations (25%). Below this entry. $80,000–$100,000: 82 US occupations (10%). This entry sits in this band. $100,000–$120,000: 58 US occupations (7%). Above this entry. $120,000–$140,000: 32 US occupations (4%). Above this entry. $140,000–$160,000: 14 US occupations (2%). Above this entry. $160,000–$180,000: 9 US occupations (1%). Above this entry. $180,000 and above: 25 US occupations (3%). Above this entry. This job $0 $180,000+ every BLS occupation, bucketed by value

Each bar is a $20K-wide band; taller bars hold more US occupations. The dashed line + filled bar mark this entry. Hover or tap any bar for its full count, share, and where it sits relative to this entry.

Read the chart as text · as of May 2025
Band Count Share
$0–$20,000 0 US occupations 0%
$20,000–$40,000 98 US occupations 12%
$40,000–$60,000 298 US occupations 36%
$60,000–$80,000 209 US occupations 25%
$80,000–$100,000 (this entry) 82 US occupations 10%
$100,000–$120,000 58 US occupations 7%
$120,000–$140,000 32 US occupations 4%
$140,000–$160,000 14 US occupations 2%
$160,000–$180,000 9 US occupations 1%
$180,000 and above 25 US occupations 3%

$97,550 · 82nd percentile of 825 US occupations

Source U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS · May 2025

Does this job pay well and grow?

Each dot is a 29-series occupation, placed by projected 2024–2034 growth and median pay. The highlighted dot is Registered Nurses; the upper-right quadrant is the sweet spot (high pay + fast growth).

Among 24 29-series occupations with growth data, Registered Nurses sits on the slower-growing side at +4.9% growth and $97,550 median pay. Scatter plot of 24 data points. $0$50000$100000$150000$200000$250000$300000 0%10%20%30%40%50% Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) Median annual wage Registered Nurses - Projected growth 2024–2034 (%): 4.9% · Median annual wage: $97550Licensed Practical a… - Projected growth 2024–2034 (%): 2.6% · Median annual wage: $64400Pharmacy Technicians - Projected growth 2024–2034 (%): 6.4% · Median annual wage: $45750Physicians, All Other - Projected growth 2024–2034 (%): 2.5% · Median annual wage: $265930Clinical Laboratory … - Projected growth 2024–2034 (%): 1.7% · Median annual wage: $62930Nurse Practitioners - Projected growth 2024–2034 (%): 40.1% · Median annual wage: $132300Pharmacists - Projected growth 2024–2034 (%): 4.6% · Median annual wage: $140910Physical Therapists - Projected growth 2024–2034 (%): 10.9% · Median annual wage: $102760Radiologic Technolog… - Projected growth 2024–2034 (%): 4.3% · Median annual wage: $80110Dental Hygienists - Projected growth 2024–2034 (%): 7% · Median annual wage: $98100Medical Records Spec… - Projected growth 2024–2034 (%): 7.1% · Median annual wage: $51140Speech-Language Path… - Projected growth 2024–2034 (%): 15% · Median annual wage: $97870Health Technologists… - Projected growth 2024–2034 (%): 5.2% · Median annual wage: $50290Emergency Medical Te… - Projected growth 2024–2034 (%): 5.1% · Median annual wage: $44470Occupational Therapi… - Projected growth 2024–2034 (%): 13.8% · Median annual wage: $100330Physician Assistants - Projected growth 2024–2034 (%): 20.4% · Median annual wage: $135880Psychiatric Technici… - Projected growth 2024–2034 (%): 20% · Median annual wage: $45130Respiratory Therapists - Projected growth 2024–2034 (%): 12.1% · Median annual wage: $82280Veterinary Technolog… - Projected growth 2024–2034 (%): 9.1% · Median annual wage: $47380Dentists, General - Projected growth 2024–2034 (%): 4.1% · Median annual wage: $170950Surgical Technologists - Projected growth 2024–2034 (%): 4.5% · Median annual wage: $64650Family Medicine Phys… - Projected growth 2024–2034 (%): 2.7% · Median annual wage: $244180Paramedics - Projected growth 2024–2034 (%): 5% · Median annual wage: $60600Diagnostic Medical S… - Projected growth 2024–2034 (%): 13% · Median annual wage: $96590
Among 24 29-series occupations with growth data, Registered Nurses sits on the slower-growing side at +4.9% growth and $97,550 median pay.
Read the chart as text
  • Registered Nurses: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 4.9%, Median annual wage $97550
  • Licensed Practical a…: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 2.6%, Median annual wage $64400
  • Pharmacy Technicians: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 6.4%, Median annual wage $45750
  • Physicians, All Other: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 2.5%, Median annual wage $265930
  • Clinical Laboratory …: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 1.7%, Median annual wage $62930
  • Nurse Practitioners: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 40.1%, Median annual wage $132300
  • Pharmacists: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 4.6%, Median annual wage $140910
  • Physical Therapists: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 10.9%, Median annual wage $102760
  • Radiologic Technolog…: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 4.3%, Median annual wage $80110
  • Dental Hygienists: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 7%, Median annual wage $98100
  • Medical Records Spec…: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 7.1%, Median annual wage $51140
  • Speech-Language Path…: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 15%, Median annual wage $97870
  • Health Technologists…: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 5.2%, Median annual wage $50290
  • Emergency Medical Te…: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 5.1%, Median annual wage $44470
  • Occupational Therapi…: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 13.8%, Median annual wage $100330
  • Physician Assistants: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 20.4%, Median annual wage $135880
  • Psychiatric Technici…: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 20%, Median annual wage $45130
  • Respiratory Therapists: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 12.1%, Median annual wage $82280
  • Veterinary Technolog…: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 9.1%, Median annual wage $47380
  • Dentists, General: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 4.1%, Median annual wage $170950
  • Surgical Technologists: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 4.5%, Median annual wage $64650
  • Family Medicine Phys…: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 2.7%, Median annual wage $244180
  • Paramedics: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 5%, Median annual wage $60600
  • Diagnostic Medical S…: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 13%, Median annual wage $96590

Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS (wages, May 2025) and Employment Projections (2024–2034).

Job Outlook (2024–2034)

Projected Growth

+4.9%

About as fast as average

Annual Openings

189,100

per year (projected)

Employment Change

+166,100

3,391,000 (2024) → 3,557,100 (2034)

Typical Education

Bachelor's degree

Source: BLS Employment Projections, 2024–2034

Workplace Safety

All safety ratings →
Group

Healthcare Practitioners and Technical Occupations context

Broad SOC context, not an occupation grade

Fatality Rate

0.7/100K

Injury Rate

1.5/100

Danger Index

6.4/100

Source: BLS Census of Fatal Occupational Injuries (CFOI) & Survey of Occupational Injuries and Illnesses (SOII), 2023

Career Intelligence

Skills, knowledge, and tasks most important for Registered Nurses roles, ranked by importance. Source: O*NET.

Top Skills

Social Perceptiveness 4.1
Active Listening 4.0
Speaking 4.0
Critical Thinking 4.0
Coordination 4.0
Service Orientation 4.0
Reading Comprehension 3.9
Judgment and Decision Making 3.9
Writing 3.8
Monitoring 3.8

Knowledge Areas

Psychology 4.6
Customer and Personal Service 4.4
Medicine and Dentistry 4.4
English Language 4.2
Administrative 3.5
Mathematics 3.4
Therapy and Counseling 3.4
Administration and Management 3.3
Education and Training 3.2
Public Safety and Security 3.1

Key Tasks

  • Record patients' medical information and vital signs.
  • Administer medications to patients and monitor patients for reactions or side effects.
  • Maintain accurate, detailed reports and records.
  • Monitor, record, and report symptoms or changes in patients' conditions.
  • Provide health care, first aid, immunizations, or assistance in convalescence or rehabilitation in locations such as schools, hospitals, or industry.
  • Consult and coordinate with healthcare team members to assess, plan, implement, or evaluate patient care plans.
  • Direct or supervise less-skilled nursing or healthcare personnel or supervise a particular unit.
  • Monitor all aspects of patient care, including diet and physical activity.
  • Perform administrative or managerial functions, such as taking responsibility for a unit's staff, budget, planning, or long-range goals.
  • Order, interpret, and evaluate diagnostic tests to identify and assess patient's condition.

Source: O*NET Online, National Center for O*NET Development. Data represents typical importance ratings for this occupation.

Salary Range

Annual Salary Distribution

10th$68,940
25th$80,330
Median$97,550
75th$112,350
90th$137,470

Hourly Rate Distribution

10th$33.14
25th$38.62
Median$46.90
75th$54.02
90th$66.09

Registered Nurses pay history, 2015–2025

Published national median across 11 BLS OEWS releases. Nominal dollars, not inflation-adjusted.

$60,000$70,000$80,000$90,000$100,000 20152016201720182019202020212022202320242025 National median - 2015: $67,490National median - 2016: $68,450National median - 2017: $70,000National median - 2018: $71,730National median - 2019: $73,300National median - 2020: $75,330National median - 2021: $77,600National median - 2022: $81,220National median - 2023: $86,070National median - 2024: $93,600National median - 2025: $97,550$97,550
National median annual wage for Registered Nurses, May 2015 to May 2025 OEWS releases
Read the chart as text
Period National median
2015 $67,490
2016 $68,450
2017 $70,000
2018 $71,730
2019 $73,300
2020 $75,330
2021 $77,600
2022 $81,220
2023 $86,070
2024 $93,600
2025 $97,550

2015 median

$67,490

2025 median

$97,550

2019–2025 change (same SOC)

+$24,250 (+33.1%)

Avg/year (same SOC)

+4.9%

Published national median annual wage and estimated employment for Registered Nurses by OEWS release year
Release Median Change Estimated jobs
May 2015 $67,490 First banked release 2,745,910
May 2016 $68,450 +1.4% 2,857,180
May 2017 $70,000 +2.3% 2,906,840
May 2018 $71,730 +2.5% 2,951,960
May 2019 $73,300 Classification break 2,982,280
May 2020 $75,330 +2.8% 2,986,500
May 2021 $77,600 +3.0% 3,047,530
May 2022 $81,220 +4.7% 3,072,700
May 2023 $86,070 +6.0% 3,175,390
May 2024 $93,600 +8.7% 3,282,010
May 2025 $97,550 +4.2% 3,379,720

Across the 11 releases WageDex holds for this occupation, the published national median went from $67,490 in May 2015 to $97,550 in May 2025. Within the SOC-2018 classification (2019–2025), the like-for-like change averages +4.9% per year in nominal terms. Within the same SOC classification, estimated employment went from 2,982,280 in May 2019 to 3,379,720 in May 2025.

Each figure is a separate BLS survey estimate, so a change between releases reflects the estimated occupation-wide median in each year. It is not the raise any individual worker received, and it is not adjusted for inflation. Years where BLS did not publish an annual median for this occupation are omitted rather than filled in. This span also crosses a classification change: releases before May 2019 use the 2010 Standard Occupational Classification and later releases use the 2018 SOC, so figures either side of that boundary are not strictly like-for-like. Headline change rates on this page use only the same-classification subset.

Salary by State

View all 53 states →
# State Median Salary vs National
1 California $140,270 +44% above national
2 Hawaii $136,320 +40% above national
3 Oregon $129,010 +32% above national
4 Washington $124,200 +27% above national
5 Alaska $109,480 +12% above national
6 New York $109,440 +12% above national
7 New Jersey $106,500 +9% above national
8 Massachusetts $104,550 +7% above national
9 Nevada $103,670 +6% above national
10 Connecticut $102,740 +5% above national
11 District of Columbia $102,540 +5% above national
12 Minnesota $101,510 +4% above national
13 Rhode Island $100,640 +3% above national
14 Colorado $100,260 +3% above national
15 Maryland $99,790 +2% above national
16 New Hampshire $99,700 +2% above national
17 Delaware $99,520 +2% above national
18 Arizona $99,500 +2% above national
19 Vermont $97,460 same as national
20 Pennsylvania $96,430 1% below national
21 Illinois $95,990 2% below national
22 Texas $95,970 2% below national
23 Wisconsin $95,530 2% below national
24 New Mexico $94,340 3% below national
25 Michigan $94,300 3% below national
26 Virginia $93,600 4% below national
27 Georgia $93,550 4% below national
28 Idaho $92,460 5% below national
29 Maine $86,990 11% below national
30 Montana $85,280 13% below national
31 Nebraska $84,730 13% below national
32 Utah $84,600 13% below national
33 North Carolina $84,350 14% below national
34 Florida $84,190 14% below national
35 Virgin Islands $84,120 14% below national
36 Wyoming $83,760 14% below national
37 Indiana $83,500 14% below national
38 Oklahoma $82,920 15% below national
39 Ohio $82,510 15% below national
40 South Carolina $82,360 16% below national
41 Missouri $81,780 16% below national
42 Tennessee $81,500 16% below national
43 Kentucky $81,040 17% below national
44 North Dakota $80,730 17% below national
45 Louisiana $80,230 18% below national
46 West Virginia $80,130 18% below national
47 Kansas $79,320 19% below national
48 Arkansas $78,940 19% below national
49 Iowa $78,630 19% below national
50 South Dakota $78,060 20% below national
51 Mississippi $77,090 21% below national
52 Alabama $77,080 21% below national
53 Puerto Rico $39,880 59% below national

Salary by Metro Area

View all 380 metro areas →
# Metro Area Median Salary vs National
1 San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA $216,740 +122% above national
2 Vallejo, CA $203,290 +108% above national
3 San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA $186,610 +91% above national
4 Santa Rosa-Petaluma, CA $174,550 +79% above national
5 Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom, CA $171,460 +76% above national
6 Santa Cruz-Watsonville, CA $170,960 +75% above national
7 Yuba City, CA $149,320 +53% above national
8 Kahului-Wailuku, HI $144,350 +48% above national
9 San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA $139,520 +43% above national
10 Urban Honolulu, HI $139,260 +43% above national
11 San Luis Obispo-Paso Robles, CA $138,820 +42% above national
12 Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, CA $137,360 +41% above national
13 Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA $135,560 +39% above national
14 Bend, OR $135,010 +38% above national
15 Salinas, CA $134,910 +38% above national
16 Stockton-Lodi, CA $134,580 +38% above national
17 Redding, CA $134,350 +38% above national
18 Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA $133,940 +37% above national
19 Modesto, CA $132,590 +36% above national
20 Salem, OR $131,750 +35% above national
21 Merced, CA $131,620 +35% above national
22 Oxnard-Thousand Oaks-Ventura, CA $131,160 +34% above national
23 Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA $130,310 +34% above national
24 Bakersfield-Delano, CA $128,810 +32% above national
25 Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA $128,260 +31% above national
26 Hanford-Corcoran, CA $128,160 +31% above national
27 Chico, CA $127,360 +31% above national
28 Medford, OR $127,030 +30% above national
29 Fresno, CA $125,420 +29% above national
30 Visalia, CA $125,180 +28% above national
31 Olympia-Lacey-Tumwater, WA $125,020 +28% above national
32 New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ $119,720 +23% above national
33 Walla Walla, WA $116,970 +20% above national
34 Anchorage, AK $115,290 +18% above national
35 Eugene-Springfield, OR $113,720 +17% above national
36 Wenatchee-East Wenatchee, WA $112,280 +15% above national
37 Albany, OR $111,920 +15% above national
38 Spokane-Spokane Valley, WA $111,750 +15% above national
39 Reno, NV $107,520 +10% above national
40 Bremerton-Silverdale-Port Orchard, WA $107,220 +10% above national
41 Mount Vernon-Anacortes, WA $106,730 +9% above national
42 Grants Pass, OR $106,710 +9% above national
43 Kennewick-Richland, WA $106,410 +9% above national
44 Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH $106,180 +9% above national
45 Bridgeport-Stamford-Danbury, CT $105,660 +8% above national
46 St. Cloud, MN $105,290 +8% above national
47 Prescott Valley-Prescott, AZ $104,980 +8% above national
48 Pittsfield, MA $104,950 +8% above national
49 New Haven, CT $104,490 +7% above national
50 Glens Falls, NY $104,000 +7% above national
51 Las Vegas-Henderson-North Las Vegas, NV $103,940 +7% above national
52 Ann Arbor, MI $103,450 +6% above national
53 El Centro, CA $103,450 +6% above national
54 Mankato, MN $103,400 +6% above national
55 Barnstable Town, MA $103,380 +6% above national
56 Vineland, NJ $103,380 +6% above national
57 Boulder, CO $103,290 +6% above national
58 Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI $103,040 +6% above national
59 Yakima, WA $102,950 +6% above national
60 Kiryas Joel-Poughkeepsie-Newburgh, NY $102,890 +5% above national
61 Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV $102,710 +5% above national
62 Binghamton, NY $101,720 +4% above national
63 Waterbury-Shelton, CT $101,690 +4% above national
64 Rochester, MN $101,660 +4% above national
65 Hartford-West Hartford-East Hartford, CT $101,470 +4% above national
66 Allentown-Bethlehem-Easton, PA-NJ $101,440 +4% above national
67 Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX $101,420 +4% above national
68 Carson City, NV $101,370 +4% above national
69 Norwich-New London-Willimantic, CT $101,330 +4% above national
70 Amherst Town-Northampton, MA $101,270 +4% above national
71 Madison, WI $101,190 +4% above national
72 Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD $101,180 +4% above national
73 Denver-Aurora-Centennial, CO $101,130 +4% above national
74 Kingston, NY $101,030 +4% above national
75 Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler, AZ $100,830 +3% above national
76 Santa Fe, NM $100,790 +3% above national
77 Flagstaff, AZ $100,780 +3% above national
78 Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA $100,490 +3% above national
79 Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN $100,490 +3% above national
80 Ithaca, NY $100,320 +3% above national
81 Worcester, MA $100,240 +3% above national
82 Trenton-Princeton, NJ $99,990 +3% above national
83 Albany-Schenectady-Troy, NY $99,970 +2% above national
84 Providence-Warwick, RI-MA $99,880 +2% above national
85 Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands, TX $99,830 +2% above national
86 Baltimore-Columbia-Towson, MD $99,550 +2% above national
87 Atlantic City-Hammonton, NJ $99,320 +2% above national
88 Charlottesville, VA $99,320 +2% above national
89 Bozeman, MT $99,310 +2% above national
90 Buffalo-Cheektowaga, NY $99,060 +2% above national
91 Coeur d'Alene, ID $98,910 +1% above national
92 Helena, MT $98,690 +1% above national
93 Manchester-Nashua, NH $98,600 +1% above national
94 Reading, PA $98,470 +1% above national
95 Springfield, MA $98,410 +1% above national
96 La Crosse-Onalaska, WI-MN $98,370 +1% above national
97 Burlington-South Burlington, VT $98,330 +1% above national
98 Austin-Round Rock-San Marcos, TX $97,890 same as national
99 Boise City, ID $97,880 same as national
100 Flint, MI $97,780 same as national
101 Fort Collins-Loveland, CO $97,600 same as national
102 Battle Creek, MI $97,520 same as national
103 Milwaukee-Waukesha, WI $97,360 same as national
104 Detroit-Warren-Dearborn, MI $97,280 same as national
105 Duluth, MN-WI $96,940 1% below national
106 Harrisburg-Carlisle, PA $96,770 1% below national
107 Greeley, CO $96,300 1% below national
108 Lebanon, PA $96,270 1% below national
109 York-Hanover, PA $96,210 1% below national
110 Colorado Springs, CO $96,140 1% below national
111 Watertown-Fort Drum, NY $96,070 2% below national
112 Albuquerque, NM $96,040 2% below national
113 Grand Junction, CO $95,990 2% below national
114 Pueblo, CO $95,720 2% below national
115 Winchester, VA-WV $95,650 2% below national
116 Saginaw, MI $95,160 2% below national
117 Salisbury, MD $94,880 3% below national
118 Lexington Park, MD $94,780 3% below national
119 Cheyenne, WY $94,540 3% below national
120 San Antonio-New Braunfels, TX $94,370 3% below national
121 Yuma, AZ $94,320 3% below national
122 Utica-Rome, NY $94,300 3% below national
123 Williamsport, PA $94,300 3% below national
124 Tucson, AZ $94,110 4% below national
125 Lake Havasu City-Kingman, AZ $93,990 4% below national
126 Bangor, ME $93,940 4% below national
127 Fond du Lac, WI $93,890 4% below national
128 Richmond, VA $93,580 4% below national
129 South Bend-Mishawaka, IN-MI $93,540 4% below national
130 Killeen-Temple, TX $93,440 4% below national
131 Eau Claire, WI $93,410 4% below national
132 Naples-Marco Island, FL $93,330 4% below national
133 Janesville-Beloit, WI $93,030 5% below national
134 Waco, TX $92,890 5% below national
135 Charleston-North Charleston, SC $92,800 5% below national
136 Hagerstown-Martinsburg, MD-WV $92,770 5% below national
137 Staunton-Stuarts Draft, VA $92,390 5% below national
138 Dover, DE $91,620 6% below national
139 Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach, FL $91,380 6% below national
140 Lake Charles, LA $90,690 7% below national
141 Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC $90,620 7% below national
142 Champaign-Urbana, IL $90,230 8% below national
143 Lancaster, PA $89,620 8% below national
144 Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk, VA-NC $89,450 8% below national
145 Wausau, WI $89,190 9% below national
146 Racine-Mount Pleasant, WI $89,090 9% below national
147 Portland-South Portland, ME $88,470 9% below national
148 Gettysburg, PA $88,260 10% below national
149 Kalamazoo-Portage, MI $88,200 10% below national
150 Elkhart-Goshen, IN $88,100 10% below national
151 Augusta-Richmond County, GA-SC $87,760 10% below national
152 Lewiston, ID-WA $87,650 10% below national
153 Lincoln, NE $87,530 10% below national
154 Oshkosh-Neenah, WI $87,340 10% below national
155 Decatur, IL $87,170 11% below national
156 Syracuse, NY $86,960 11% below national
157 Amarillo, TX $86,850 11% below national
158 Savannah, GA $86,760 11% below national
159 Appleton, WI $86,680 11% below national
160 Rochester, NY $86,570 11% below national
161 St. George, UT $86,380 11% below national
162 Midland, MI $86,360 11% below national
163 Sumter, SC $86,260 12% below national
164 Kankakee, IL $86,220 12% below national
165 North Port-Bradenton-Sarasota, FL $86,130 12% below national
166 Logan, UT-ID $86,120 12% below national
167 Winston-Salem, NC $86,120 12% below national
168 El Paso, TX $86,100 12% below national
169 Iowa City, IA $85,940 12% below national
170 Salt Lake City-Murray, UT $85,890 12% below national
171 Lewiston-Auburn, ME $85,870 12% below national
172 Sebring, FL $85,690 12% below national
173 Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater, FL $85,470 12% below national
174 Sierra Vista-Douglas, AZ $85,380 12% below national
175 Chambersburg, PA $85,270 13% below national
176 Macon-Bibb County, GA $85,070 13% below national
177 Jefferson City, MO $85,010 13% below national
178 Louisville/Jefferson County, KY-IN $84,850 13% below national
179 Raleigh-Cary, NC $84,830 13% below national
180 Tulsa, OK $84,790 13% below national
181 Jacksonville, NC $84,750 13% below national
182 Green Bay, WI $84,700 13% below national
183 Omaha, NE-IA $84,600 13% below national
184 Johnstown, PA $84,390 13% below national
185 Columbia, MO $84,330 14% below national
186 Lansing-East Lansing, MI $84,320 14% below national
187 Sheboygan, WI $84,240 14% below national
188 Indianapolis-Carmel-Greenwood, IN $84,230 14% below national
189 Springfield, IL $84,220 14% below national
190 Burlington, NC $84,180 14% below national
191 Deltona-Daytona Beach-Ormond Beach, FL $84,180 14% below national
192 Idaho Falls, ID $84,110 14% below national
193 Nashville-Davidson--Murfreesboro--Franklin, TN $84,040 14% below national
194 Lakeland-Winter Haven, FL $84,030 14% below national
195 Cleveland, OH $83,940 14% below national
196 Grand Rapids-Wyoming-Kentwood, MI $83,920 14% below national
197 Columbus, OH $83,900 14% below national
198 Rome, GA $83,880 14% below national
199 Evansville, IN $83,820 14% below national
200 Casper, WY $83,760 14% below national
201 Sherman-Denison, TX $83,700 14% below national
202 Traverse City, MI $83,690 14% below national
203 Victoria, TX $83,680 14% below national
204 Cincinnati, OH-KY-IN $83,650 14% below national
205 Orlando-Kissimmee-Sanford, FL $83,550 14% below national
206 Jacksonville, FL $83,520 14% below national
207 Kokomo, IN $83,370 15% below national
208 Las Cruces, NM $83,310 15% below national
209 Dalton, GA $83,290 15% below national
210 Wichita Falls, TX $83,280 15% below national
211 St. Louis, MO-IL $83,180 15% below national
212 Kenosha, WI $83,110 15% below national
213 College Station-Bryan, TX $83,090 15% below national
214 Farmington, NM $83,070 15% below national
215 Fayetteville, NC $83,060 15% below national
216 Kansas City, MO-KS $83,040 15% below national
217 Oklahoma City, OK $82,920 15% below national
218 Cape Coral-Fort Myers, FL $82,860 15% below national
219 Greensboro-High Point, NC $82,860 15% below national
220 Elmira, NY $82,820 15% below national
221 Goldsboro, NC $82,740 15% below national
222 Corpus Christi, TX $82,690 15% below national
223 Twin Falls, ID $82,680 15% below national
224 Scranton--Wilkes-Barre, PA $82,650 15% below national
225 Cape Girardeau, MO-IL $82,640 15% below national
226 Brunswick-St. Simons, GA $82,630 15% below national
227 Jackson, MS $82,630 15% below national
228 Grand Island, NE $82,590 15% below national
229 Dayton-Kettering-Beavercreek, OH $82,510 15% below national
230 Columbus, GA-AL $82,500 15% below national
231 Hinesville, GA $82,490 15% below national
232 Altoona, PA $82,410 16% below national
233 Pittsburgh, PA $82,370 16% below national
234 Spartanburg, SC $82,360 16% below national
235 Billings, MT $82,300 16% below national
236 Michigan City-La Porte, IN $82,300 16% below national
237 Rocky Mount, NC $82,300 16% below national
238 Athens-Clarke County, GA $82,200 16% below national
239 Monroe, MI $82,170 16% below national
240 Missoula, MT $82,160 16% below national
241 Fargo, ND-MN $82,120 16% below national
242 Midland, TX $82,120 16% below national
243 Port St. Lucie, FL $82,090 16% below national
244 Lafayette, LA $81,960 16% below national
245 Columbia, SC $81,920 16% below national
246 Gainesville, FL $81,870 16% below national
247 New Orleans-Metairie, LA $81,850 16% below national
248 Ogden, UT $81,840 16% below national
249 Topeka, KS $81,820 16% below national
250 Provo-Orem-Lehi, UT $81,780 16% below national
251 Alexandria, LA $81,680 16% below national
252 Greenville, NC $81,670 16% below national
253 Asheville, NC $81,590 16% below national
254 Terre Haute, IN $81,550 16% below national
255 Pinehurst-Southern Pines, NC $81,520 16% below national
256 Memphis, TN-MS-AR $81,500 16% below national
257 Lubbock, TX $81,480 16% below national
258 State College, PA $81,480 16% below national
259 Lima, OH $81,440 17% below national
260 Greenville-Anderson-Greer, SC $81,400 17% below national
261 Hilton Head Island-Bluffton-Port Royal, SC $81,400 17% below national
262 Odessa, TX $81,370 17% below national
263 Sandusky, OH $81,310 17% below national
264 Mansfield, OH $81,300 17% below national
265 Sebastian-Vero Beach-West Vero Corridor, FL $81,300 17% below national
266 Crestview-Fort Walton Beach-Destin, FL $81,260 17% below national
267 Blacksburg-Christiansburg-Radford, VA $81,230 17% below national
268 Beaumont-Port Arthur, TX $81,180 17% below national
269 Florence, SC $81,170 17% below national
270 Slidell-Mandeville-Covington, LA $81,160 17% below national
271 Baton Rouge, LA $81,130 17% below national
272 Bismarck, ND $81,120 17% below national
273 Brownsville-Harlingen, TX $81,090 17% below national
274 Little Rock-North Little Rock-Conway, AR $81,070 17% below national
275 Toledo, OH $81,050 17% below national
276 Huntington-Ashland, WV-KY-OH $81,010 17% below national
277 Peoria, IL $81,010 17% below national
278 Wilmington, NC $80,970 17% below national
279 Rockford, IL $80,930 17% below national
280 Palm Bay-Melbourne-Titusville, FL $80,900 17% below national
281 Lafayette-West Lafayette, IN $80,790 17% below national
282 Akron, OH $80,770 17% below national
283 Myrtle Beach-Conway-North Myrtle Beach, SC $80,640 17% below national
284 Texarkana, TX-AR $80,610 17% below national
285 Lawton, OK $80,570 17% below national
286 McAllen-Edinburg-Mission, TX $80,540 17% below national
287 Minot, ND $80,490 17% below national
288 Lynchburg, VA $80,450 18% below national
289 Punta Gorda, FL $80,410 18% below national
290 Albany, GA $80,390 18% below national
291 Bloomington, IN $80,370 18% below national
292 Tyler, TX $80,340 18% below national
293 Longview, TX $80,330 18% below national
294 Abilene, TX $80,240 18% below national
295 Charleston, WV $80,230 18% below national
296 Morgantown, WV $80,130 18% below national
297 Roanoke, VA $80,090 18% below national
298 San Angelo, TX $80,080 18% below national
299 Shreveport-Bossier City, LA $80,080 18% below national
300 Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton, NC $80,060 18% below national
301 Springfield, OH $80,060 18% below national
302 Erie, PA $80,000 18% below national
303 Bloomington, IL $79,970 18% below national
304 Paducah, KY-IL $79,920 18% below national
305 Fort Smith, AR-OK $79,870 18% below national
306 Chattanooga, TN-GA $79,770 18% below national
307 Fort Wayne, IN $79,630 18% below national
308 Canton-Massillon, OH $79,610 18% below national
309 Montgomery, AL $79,570 18% below national
310 Muncie, IN $79,500 19% below national
311 Mobile, AL $79,490 19% below national
312 Clarksville, TN-KY $79,450 19% below national
313 Daphne-Fairhope-Foley, AL $79,450 19% below national
314 Tallahassee, FL $79,430 19% below national
315 Rapid City, SD $79,380 19% below national
316 Springfield, MO $79,370 19% below national
317 Ocala, FL $79,230 19% below national
318 Bowling Green, KY $79,120 19% below national
319 Grand Forks, ND-MN $79,070 19% below national
320 Lexington-Fayette, KY $79,040 19% below national
321 Parkersburg-Vienna, WV $79,000 19% below national
322 Warner Robins, GA $78,980 19% below national
323 Gulfport-Biloxi, MS $78,960 19% below national
324 Manhattan, KS $78,960 19% below national
325 Jonesboro, AR $78,940 19% below national
326 Pocatello, ID $78,780 19% below national
327 Beckley, WV $78,680 19% below national
328 Birmingham, AL $78,680 19% below national
329 Youngstown-Warren, OH $78,680 19% below national
330 Des Moines-West Des Moines, IA $78,630 19% below national
331 Hot Springs, AR $78,590 19% below national
332 Cedar Rapids, IA $78,370 20% below national
333 Great Falls, MT $78,290 20% below national
334 Wheeling, WV-OH $78,280 20% below national
335 Monroe, LA $78,270 20% below national
336 Homosassa Springs, FL $78,080 20% below national
337 Enid, OK $78,060 20% below national
338 Auburn-Opelika, AL $78,040 20% below national
339 Lawrence, KS $78,020 20% below national
340 Elizabethtown, KY $77,930 20% below national
341 Fayetteville-Springdale-Rogers, AR $77,910 20% below national
342 Pensacola-Ferry Pass-Brent, FL $77,890 20% below national
343 Gadsden, AL $77,810 20% below national
344 Johnson City, TN $77,660 20% below national
345 Weirton-Steubenville, WV-OH $77,400 21% below national
346 Knoxville, TN $77,240 21% below national
347 St. Joseph, MO-KS $77,240 21% below national
348 Ames, IA $77,160 21% below national
349 Davenport-Moline-Rock Island, IA-IL $77,150 21% below national
350 Wildwood-The Villages, FL $77,110 21% below national
351 Huntsville, AL $77,090 21% below national
352 Laredo, TX $77,050 21% below national
353 Columbus, IN $77,030 21% below national
354 Waterloo-Cedar Falls, IA $76,920 21% below national
355 Dubuque, IA $76,790 21% below national
356 Kingsport-Bristol, TN-VA $76,730 21% below national
357 Wichita, KS $76,540 22% below national
358 Hattiesburg, MS $76,270 22% below national
359 Hammond, LA $76,200 22% below national
360 Sioux City, IA-NE-SD $75,840 22% below national
361 Houma-Bayou Cane-Thibodaux, LA $75,740 22% below national
362 Morristown, TN $75,680 22% below national
363 Jackson, TN $75,610 22% below national
364 Sioux Falls, SD-MN $75,350 23% below national
365 Panama City-Panama City Beach, FL $75,310 23% below national
366 Tuscaloosa, AL $75,250 23% below national
367 Joplin, MO-KS $74,930 23% below national
368 Valdosta, GA $74,360 24% below national
369 Eagle Pass, TX $73,660 24% below national
370 Cleveland, TN $72,800 25% below national
371 Anniston-Oxford, AL $72,730 25% below national
372 Decatur, AL $68,320 30% below national
373 Dothan, AL $67,430 31% below national
374 Florence-Muscle Shoals, AL $66,360 32% below national
375 San Juan-Bayamon-Caguas, PR $41,980 57% below national
376 Mayaguez, PR $39,280 60% below national
377 Guayama, PR $38,800 60% below national
378 Ponce, PR $38,570 60% below national
379 Aguadilla, PR $38,000 61% below national
380 Arecibo, PR $37,460 62% below national

Same SOC major group

Other detailed occupations in SOC major group 29 (Healthcare Practitioners and Technical Occupations) - category peers, not a pay match.

Showing 5 of 70 detailed occupations BLS assigns to this SOC major group.

Nationwide occupations with similar pay or employment scale

Two OEWS peer sets outside this SOC major group (Healthcare Practitioners and Technical Occupations). Same-category cards above stay inside the group; these neighborhoods are cross-group nearest neighbors on national median pay ($97,550 here) and reported employment (3,379,720 jobs here).

Peers are nearest-neighbor matches on BLS OEWS national median annual wage and reported employment. Employment peers exclude occupations already listed in the pay column so the two link sets stay distinct.

Frequently Asked Questions

How much do Registered Nurses make?
The median annual salary for Registered Nurses is $97,550 ($46.90/hour). The salary range spans from $68,940 at the 10th percentile to $137,470 at the 90th percentile.
Where does Registered Nurses pay rank nationally?
At a published national median of $97,550, Registered Nurses pay is higher than 82% of the 825 detailed occupations with a published BLS annual median in the May 2025 OEWS release. This compares occupation-level medians, not individual workers, job offers, or this occupation's own worker pay-percentile range.
What state pays Registered Nurses the most?
California pays the highest median salary for Registered Nurses at $140,270/year, which is +44% above the national median.
What education do Registered Nurses need?
BLS assigns Registered Nurses to Bachelor's degree for typical education needed for entry.
Does BLS publish a safety rate for Registered Nurses?
BLS does not publish a separate occupation-specific fatality and injury rate for Registered Nurses in this release. WageDex shows the Healthcare Practitioners and Technical Occupations SOC-group rate only as broad context and does not rank it as this occupation's measured rate.
Is Registered Nurses a good career?
Employment for Registered Nurses is projected to grow 4.9% from 2024 to 2034, which is about as fast as average. About 189,100 openings are projected each year.
How does Registered Nurses pay vary by state?
Registered Nurses salaries vary significantly by state. The highest-paying state is California at $140,270/year, while Puerto Rico pays the least at $39,880/year. BLS data covers 53 states and territories.
Which metro areas pay the most for Registered Nurses?
The highest published metropolitan-area median in this ranking is San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA at $216,740/year. BLS reports a median for 380 metropolitan areas for this occupation. The ranking does not establish why values differ.

What to do with this data

How to use Registered Nurses pay figures in a real decision

  • The 75th-percentile wage is about $112,350/year. Treat it as the upper-quartile market boundary, not an automatic target for experience alone; role scope, location, industry, credentials, performance, and employer context still need separate evidence. Salary calculator
  • Location moves pay significantly: California leads at $140,270/year for this role. Weigh state pay against local cost of living before relocating or negotiating remote. Pay by state
  • Compare this occupation against similar roles before you decide, so you are reading the pay band in context rather than in isolation. Compare jobs

These are BLS survey estimates for the occupation, not a salary offer or a prediction for any individual. Your pay depends on experience, employer, exact role, and location.

Data as of May 2025. Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS).

Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2025 annual release. Employment projections from BLS Employment Projections program, 2024–2034. Data reflects cross-industry estimates for all ownership types.

These are survey estimates for the occupation, not a salary offer or a prediction for any individual. See how to use them.

Source data and WageDex calculations are identified in context on this page. Occupation wages use BLS OEWS May 2025; outlook uses BLS Employment Projections for 2024–2034; safety, skills, knowledge, and task panels identify their BLS or O*NET sources in context. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error.

This page is for informational purposes only and does not constitute financial or career advice. Actual pay for a specific role, employer, or offer may differ from these national/state figures, consult a qualified career counselor, recruiter, or financial advisor before making decisions based on this data.