It’s that time of year again. The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics has released its latest Occupational Employment Statistics (OES) Report. Not surprisingly, healthcare workers report some of the highest wages in the country. Here are all 50 states (plus Washington DC), ranked by average salary for registered nurses in 2017.

51. South Dakota

Average RN Salary: $57,010

Average Hourly: $27.41

Number of RNs in South Dakota:  12,530

50. Mississippi

Average RN Salary: $57,700

Average Hourly: $27.74

Number of RNs in South Dakota:  28,760

49. Alabama

Average RN Salary: $57,890

Average Hourly: $27.83

Number of RNs in South Dakota:  49,290

48.  Iowa

Average RN Salary: $57,930

Average Hourly: $27.85

Number of RNs in Iowa:  33,280

47. Arkansas

Average RN Salary: $58,810

Average Hourly: $28.28

Number of RNs in Arkansas:  24,380

46. Kansas 

Average RN Salary: $59,940

Average Hourly: $28.82

Number of RNs in Kansas:  28,900

45. Tennessee

Average RN Salary: $60,050

Average Hourly: $28.87

Number of RNs in Tennessee:  59,350

44. West Virginia

Average RN Salary: $60,380

Average Hourly: $29.03

Number of RNs in West Virginia:  20,410

43. Kentucky

Average RN Salary: $61,530

Average Hourly: $29.58

Number of RNs in Kentucky:  44,410

42. Oklahoma

Average RN Salary: $61,640

Average Hourly: $29.63

Number of RNs in Kentucky:  28,000

41. Nebraska

Average RN Salary: $62,210

Average Hourly: $29.91

Number of RNs in Nebraska:  22,870

40. Indiana

Average RN Salary: $62,450

Average Hourly: $30.02

Number of RNs in Indiana:  68,530

39. North Carolina

Average RN Salary: $62,560

Average Hourly: $30.08

Number of RNs in North Carolina:  99,210

38. Utah

Average RN Salary: $63,050

Average Hourly: $30.31

Number of RNs in Utah: 21,340

37. North Dakota

Average RN Salary: $63,140

Average Hourly: $30.35

Number of RNs in North Dakota: 9,020

36. Missouri

Average RN Salary: $63,300

Average Hourly: $30.43

Number of RNs in Missouri:  72,090

35. Louisiana

Average RN Salary: $63,560

Average Hourly: $30.56

Number of RNs in Louisiana: 45,970

34. South Carolina

Average RN Salary: $63,630

Average Hourly: $30.59

Number of RNs in South Carolina: 43,200

33. Idaho

Average RN Salary: $64,520

Average Hourly: $31.02

Number of RNs in Idaho: 13,320

32. Florida

Average RN Salary: $64,890

Average Hourly: $31.20

Number of RNs in Florida: 178,330

31. Wyoming

Average RN Salary: $64,900

Average Hourly: $31.20

Number of RNs in Wyoming: 4,910

30. Ohio

Average RN Salary: $65,500

Average Hourly: $31.49

Number of RNs in Ohio: 124,620

29. Maine

Average RN Salary: $65,890

Average Hourly: $31.68

Number of RNs in Maine: 14,200

28. Montana

Average RN Salary: $66,280

Average Hourly: $31.87

Number of RNs in Montana: 10,110

27. Georgia

Average RN Salary: $66,750

Average Hourly: $32.09

Number of RNs in Georgia: 75,000

26. Virginia

Average RN Salary: $67,990

Average Hourly: $32.69

Number of RNs in Virginia: 64,260

25. Michigan

Average RN Salary: $69,120

Average Hourly: $33.23

Number of RNs in Michigan: 94,090

24. Wisconsin

Average RN Salary: $69,200

Average Hourly: $33.27

Number of RNs in Wisconsin: 55,940

23. Vermont

Average RN Salary: $69,560

Average Hourly: $33.44

Number of RNs in Vermont: 6,270

22. Pennsylvania

Average RN Salary: $69,820

Average Hourly: $33.57

Number of RNs in Pennsylvania: 143,130

21. New Mexico

Average RN Salary: $69,840

Average Hourly: $33.58

Number of RNs in New Mexico: 16,290

20. New Hampshire

Average RN Salary: $70,040

Average Hourly: $33.67

Number of RNs in New Hampshire: 13,190 

19. Texas

Average RN Salary: $72,070

Average Hourly: $34.65

Number of RNs in Texas: 212,230

18. Illinois

Average RN Salary: $72,090

Average Hourly: $34.66

Number of RNs in Illinois: 123,100

17. Colorado

Average RN Salary: $72,570

Average Hourly: $34.89

Number of RNs in Colorado: 49,340

16. Delaware

Average RN Salary: $73,180

Average Hourly: $35.18

Number of RNs in Delaware: 11,620

15.  Arizona

Average RN Salary: $75,110

Average Hourly: $36.11

Number of RNs in Arizona: 54,630

14. Maryland

Average RN Salary: $75,250

Average Hourly: $36.18

Number of RNs in Maryland: 53,700

13. Rhode Island

Average RN Salary: $76,650

Average Hourly: $36.85

Number of RNs in Rhode Island: 11,820

12. Minnesota

Average RN Salary: $77,540

Average Hourly: $37.28

Number of RNs in Minnesota: 64,540

11. Washington

Average RN Salary: $79,810

Average Hourly: $38.37

Number of RNs in Washington: 56,880

10. Connecticut

Average RN Salary: $80,200

Average Hourly: $38.56

Number of RNs in Connecticut: 34,310

9. New Jersey

Average RN Salary: $82,010

Average Hourly: $39.43

Number of RNs in New Jersey: 80,560

8. New York

Average RN Salary: $83,450

Average Hourly: $40.12

Number of RNs in New York: 180,170

7. Nevada

Average RN Salary: $84,980

Average Hourly: $40.86

Number of RNs in Nevada: 21,060

6. Alaska

Average RN Salary: $87,510

Average Hourly: $42.07

Number of RNs in Alaska: 5,570

5. Oregon

Average RN Salary: $88,770

Average Hourly: $42.68

Number of RNs in Oregon: 35,140

4. Massachusetts

Average RN Salary: $89,330

Average Hourly: $42.95

Number of RNs in Massachusetts: 82,870

For more information on nursing in Massachusetts, see the state resources page.

3. District of Columbia

Average RN Salary: $90,110

Average Hourly: $43.32

Number of RNs in DC: 11,000

2. Hawaii 

Average RN Salary: $96,990

Average Hourly: $46.63

Number of RNs in Hawaii: 10,800

1. California

Average RN Salary: $102,700

Average Hourly: $49.37

Number of RNs in California: 282,290

 

Highest Paying States for Nurses

State	Average RN Salary	Average Hourly	# of RNs
California	$102,700	$49.37	282,290
Hawaii	$96,990	$46.63	10,800
District of Columbia	$90,110	$43.32	11,000
Massachusetts	$89,330	$42.95	82,870
Oregon	$88,770	$42.68	35,140
Alaska	$87,510	$42.07	5,570
Nevada	$84,980	$40.86	21,060
New York	$83,450	$40.12	180,170
New Jersey	$82,010	$39.43	80,560
Connecticut	$80,200	$38.56	34,310
Washington	$79,810	$38.37	56,880
Minnesota	$77,540	$37.28	64,540
Rhode Island	$76,650	$36.85	11,820
Maryland	$75,250	$36.18	53,700
Arizona	$75,110	$36.11	54,630
Delaware	$73,180	$35.18	11,620
Colorado	$72,570	$34.89	49,340
Illinois	$72,090	$34.66	123,100
Texas	$72,070	$34.65	212,230
New Hampshire	$70,040	$33.67	13,190
New Mexico	$69,840	$33.58	16,290
Pennsylvania	$69,820	$33.57	143,130
Vermont	$69,560	$33.44	6,270
Wisconsin	$69,200	$33.27	55,940
Michigan	$69,120	$33.23	94,090
Virginia	$67,990	$32.69	64,260
Georgia	$66,750	$32.09	75,000
Montana	$66,280	$31.87	10,110
Maine	$65,890	$31.68	14,200
Ohio	$65,500	$31.49	124,620
Wyoming	$64,900	$31.20	4,910
Florida	$64,890	$31.20	178,330
Idaho	$64,520	$31.02	13,320
South Carolina	$63,630	$30.59	43,200
Louisiana	$63,560	$30.56	45,970
Missouri	$63,300	$30.43	72,090
North Dakota	$63,140	$30.35	9,020
Utah	$63,050	$30.31	21,340
North Carolina	$62,560	$30.08	99,210
Indiana	$62,450	$30.02	68,530
Nebraska	$62,210	$29.91	22,870
Oklahoma	$61,640	$29.63	28,000
Kentucky	$61,530	$29.58	44,410
West Virginia	$60,380	$29.03	20,410
Tennessee	$60,050	$28.87	59,350
Kansas	$59,940	$28.82	28,900
Arkansas	$58,810	$28.28	24,380
Iowa	$59,940	$28.82	33,280
Alabama	$57,890	$27.83	49,290
Mississippi	$57,700	$27.74	28,760
South Dakota	$57,010	$27.41	12,530