Nurse Salaries By State + the Highest Paying States For RNs
Wondering where you can make the most money as a nurse in 2025? As it turns out, the average registered nurse salary varies widely from state to state. The latest data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics shows that the difference between the highest and lowest RN salaries is over $100,000 in the U.S. and Puerto Rico.
Read on to find out the highest-paying states for registered nurses and check out the average RN salary by state.
Popular Online Master of Science in Nursing (MSN) Programs
Chamberlain University is the #1 largest school of nursing with a community of more than 177,000 students, faculty, and alumni. Chamberlain offers BSN, MSN, and DNP programs online and has a long history of successfully delivering top quality education.
CCNE
Online
RN Required
Enrollment: Nationwide
GCU's College of Nursing and Health Care Professions has a nearly 35-year tradition of preparing students to fill evolving healthcare roles as highly qualified professionals.
CCNE
Online
RN Required
Enrollment: Nationwide
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MSN - Psychiatric Mental Health NP
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MSN - Family NP
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MSN - Adult-Gerontology Acute Care NP
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MSN - Health Informatics
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MSN - Nursing Education
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MSN - Public Health Nursing
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MSN - Health Care Quality & Patient Safety
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MSN - Nursing Leadership in Health Care Systems
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MBA & MSN - Nursing Leadership in Health Care Systems
Whether you’re taking the first steps toward a nursing degree, seeking to advance as a nurse or want to hone your craft with specialized study, there’s a path for you at Purdue Global’s School of Nursing. Our programs were designed so that you can easily balance your lives at home and work with school - without sacrificing the rigor and cutting-edge curriculum of a quality nursing education.
CCNE
Online
RN Required
Enrollment: Nationwide, but certain programs have state restrictions. Check with Purdue for details.
Earn your nursing degree from one of the largest nursing education providers in the U.S. Walden University’s BSN, MSN, post-master’s APRN certificate, and DNP programs are accredited by the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE). Get enhanced practicum support with our Practicum Pledge.
CCNE
Online
RN Required
Enrollment: Nationwide, excluding CT, NY and RI. Certain programs have additional state restrictions. Check with Walden for details.
Nurse Salaries by State
51. Puerto Rico
Average RN Salary: $37,780
Average Hourly: $18.17
Number of RNs in Puerto Rico: 22,430
50. South Dakota
Average RN Salary: $69,510
Average Hourly: $33.42
Number of RNs in South Dakota: 14,500
49. Alabama
Average RN Salary: $71,040
Average Hourly: $34.16
Number of RNs in Alabama: 53,340
48. Mississippi
Average RN Salary: $74,470
Average Hourly: $35.80
Number of RNs in Mississippi: 29,400
47. Iowa
Average RN Salary: $76,960
Average Hourly: $37.00
Number of RNs in Iowa: 33,480
46. Arkansas
Average RN Salary: $77,130
Average Hourly: $37.08
Number of RNs in Arkansas: 28,320
45. Kansas
Average RN Salary: $78,060
Average Hourly: $37.53
Number of RNs in Kansas: 32,640
44. North Dakota
Average RN Salary: $78,260
Average Hourly: $37.62
Number of RNs in North Dakota: 11,000
Popular Online RN-to-BSN Programs
Chamberlain University is the #1 largest school of nursing with a community of more than 177,000 students, faculty, and alumni. Chamberlain offers BSN, MSN, and DNP programs online and has a long history of successfully delivering top quality education.
CCNE
Online
RN Required
Enrollment: Nationwide
When you earn an ASU nursing degree, you are gaining skills from a respected and accredited institution. Our online nursing degrees are accredited by the Arizona State Board of Nursing and the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education.
CCNE
Online
RN Required
Enrollment: Nationwide
WGU's award-winning online programs are created to help you succeed while graduating faster and with less debt. WGU is a CCNE-accredited, nonprofit university offering bachelor's and master's degrees in nursing, with the additional distinction of being named a Center of Excellence in Nursing Education by the National League for Nursing. Join a trusted, accredited online university to accelerate your nursing career on your schedule. Scholarships and financial aid are available.
CCNE
Online
RN Required
Enrollment: Nationwide
Walden’s online programs for nursing meet rigorous standards for academic quality and integrity, and 100% of our College of Nursing didactic faculty are doctorally trained. With multiple degree completion options, you can choose a bachelor’s in nursing path that makes sense for your busy, unpredictable schedule.
CCNE
Online
RN Required
Enrollment: Nationwide, excluding CT, NY and RI. Certain programs have additional state restrictions. Check with Walden for details.
>> Show Me Online Nursing Programs
40. South Carolina
Average RN Salary: $79,900
Average Hourly: $38.41
Number of RNs in South Carolina: 50,300
38. West Virginia
Average RN Salary: $79,990
Average Hourly: $38.46
Number of RNs in West Virginia: 21,740
31. North Carolina
Average RN Salary: $81,860
Average Hourly: $39.36
Number of RNs in North Carolina: 108,510
>> Show Me Online Nursing Programs
21. Pennsylvania
Average RN Salary: $87,610
Average Hourly: $42.12
Number of RNs in Pennsylvania: 146,840
20. New Mexico
Average RN Salary: $88,260
Average Hourly: $42.43
Number of RNs in New Mexico: 17,510
>> Related: Registered Nurse Salary in Texas
15. New Hampshire
Average RN Salary: $96,830
Average Hourly: $46.55
Number of RNs in New Hampshire: 16,580
>> Show Me Online Nursing Programs
13. Rhode Island
Average RN Salary: $99,960
Average Hourly: $48.06
Number of RNs in Rhode Island: 10,760
11. Connecticut
Average RN Salary: $101,590
Average Hourly: $48.84
Number of RNs in Connecticut: 39,020
10. Massachusetts
Average RN Salary: $101,970
Average Hourly: $49.03
Number of RNs in Massachusetts: 90,190
8. New Jersey
Average RN Salary: $102,730
Average Hourly: $49.39
Number of RNs in New Jersey: 95,150
7. District of Columbia
Average RN Salary: $104,550
Average Hourly: $50.27
Number of RNs in DC: 9,790
>> Show Me Online Nursing Programs
4. Washington
Average RN Salary: $112,180
Average Hourly: $53.93
Number of RNs in Washington: 64,690
1. California
Average RN Salary: $140,330
Average Hourly: $67.47
Number of RNs in California: 326,720
Source: US Bureau of Labor Statistics May 2024
Popular Online RN-to-BSN Programs
Chamberlain University is the #1 largest school of nursing with a community of more than 177,000 students, faculty, and alumni. Chamberlain offers BSN, MSN, and DNP programs online and has a long history of successfully delivering top quality education.
CCNE
Online
RN Required
Enrollment: Nationwide
When you earn an ASU nursing degree, you are gaining skills from a respected and accredited institution. Our online nursing degrees are accredited by the Arizona State Board of Nursing and the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education.
CCNE
Online
RN Required
Enrollment: Nationwide
As a pioneer in distance learning since 1985, Liberty University's online programs offer students an accessible Christian education that can suit their schedule. Their online nursing programs are designed to prepare practicing nurses to serve with integrity by teaching them advanced skills from an ethical perspective. At Liberty, you'll have access to the tools you need to stay on the cutting edge of nursing care and innovation.
CCNE
Online
RN Required
Enrollment: Nationwide
Walden’s online programs for nursing meet rigorous standards for academic quality and integrity, and 100% of our College of Nursing didactic faculty are doctorally trained. With multiple degree completion options, you can choose a bachelor’s in nursing path that makes sense for your busy, unpredictable schedule.
CCNE
Online
RN Required
Enrollment: Nationwide, excluding CT, NY and RI. Certain programs have additional state restrictions. Check with Walden for details.
Factors That Impact Nurse Salaries
The salaries by state listed above represent an average across all types of nurses. So, depending on your specialty, place of work, level of experience, degree, and many other factors, you'll see variances in how much you can expect to earn. Here are some of the things you should keep in mind that can impact how much you make:
1. Types of Nurses
Salaries will vary widely depending on your specialty and the nursing job you work in.
Advanced practice registered nurses (APRN) like nurse practitioners, nurse anesthetists, and nurse midwives can all expect to earn higher salaries than a nurse without a graduate degree.
How you work also plays a big role in the annual salary you can expect to earn. Travel nurses and per diem nurses, for example, tend to earn far more than their traditional nurse counterparts.
2. Years of Experience
Registered nurses, at the start of their careers, will usually make less than nurses with more years of experience under their belts. As you improve your skills and progress in your career, you can expect to see your wages improve as well.
3. Degree Type
Nurses will typically see salary increases when they further their education. Nurses who have earned their Bachelor's degree (BSN) tend to earn more than nurses who have only earned their Associate's degree in Nursing (ADN). While a master's in nursing or a doctorate degree will usually earn nurses even higher salaries.
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