Contents
Registered Nurse Salary
| Percentile | 10% | 25% | 50% | 75% | 90% |
| Hourly Wage | $21.65 | $25.80 | $31.48 | $37.84 | $45.54 |
| Annual Wage | $45,000 | $53,700 | $65,500 | $78,700 | $94,700 |
How much do registered nurses make? Registered nurses are trained to provide medical care to patients. They are also charged with educating patients about different health conditions and follow-up care. Registered nurses generally have a bachelor’s degree in nursing and must be licensed in the state where they practice. A breakdown of the full process of becoming a Registered Nurse can be found here.
Registered Nurse Salary
According to figures from the U.S. Department of Labor, the lowest 10% of registered nurses earn under $ 45,040 per year, whereas the top 10% earn over $94,720 per year. The median annual income, which is defined as that amount where half the registered nurses earned less than this figure and half earned more, is $65,470.
Variables Impacting RN Salary
There are many variables that impact salary earnings. Here are a few considerations for someone interested in becoming a registered nurse to keep in mind.
- Full vs. Part Time Employment
Since medical care is required by patients at any time of the day or night, registered nurses have a variety of employment options available to them. Some nurses consolidate their work into three 12-hour shifts per week, while others may work Monday through Friday for eight hours per day. Nurses are often given the opportunity to work overtime.
- Educational Background
Registered nurses who enter the field after completing an associate’s degree in nursing or by receiving their diploma from an approved nursing program generally earn less than a nurse holding a bachelor of science degree in nursing.
- Specialties
Registered nurses holding additional certification or training in a specialty area may increase their opportunity to earn a higher salary.
- Geographic Area of Practice
The geographic area of practice can impact the salary earned by registered nurses. States with the highest salaries include California, Hawaii and Oregon. The lowest paid nurses are generally employed in the southern United States.
Employment Opportunities
Registered nurses may work in hospitals, physicians’ offices or nursing homes. They may work in urgent care centers, public schools and even major corporate business locations. The range of employment opportunities for registered nurses allows nurses to seek employment in settings that suit their area of practice.
Job Outlook
The job outlook for registered nurses is very good, as job opportunities are expected to increase by 19% between 2012 and 2022.
Salary Data
Top Paying Industries
| Industry | Employment | % of industry employment | Hourly mean wage | Annual mean salary |
| Other Transit and Ground Passenger Transportation | 50 | 0.06 | $41.72 | $86,780 |
| Federal Executive Branch (OES Designation) | 69,810 | 3.48 | $38.07 | $79,190 |
| Insurance and Employee Benefit Funds | 80 | 0.92 | $37.79 | $78,600 |
| Aerospace Product and Parts Manufacturing | 180 | 0.04 | $35.67 | $74,200 |
| Outpatient Care Centers | 102,410 | 15.24 | $35.62 | $74,100 |
Salary By State
| State | 10% | 25% | Median | 75% | 90% | Jobs (2010) | Jobs (2020) | Outlook |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alabama | $40,400 | $45,700 | $54,100 | $63,400 | $73,300 | 42,890 | 55,050 | +28% |
| Alaska | $60,300 | $68,400 | $80,600 | $92,500 | $106,000 | 4,860 | 6,210 | +28% |
| Arizona | $52,000 | $60,900 | $71,200 | $83,600 | $92,800 | 45,080 | 59,020 | +31% |
| Arkansas | $39,700 | $45,300 | $54,400 | $64,700 | $74,200 | 24,160 | 26,490 | +10% |
| California | $63,500 | $74,500 | $91,300 | $113,800 | $136,400 | 251,800 | 306,100 | +22% |
| Colorado | $49,800 | $56,400 | $67,000 | $79,100 | $91,100 | 42,910 | 58,840 | +37% |
| Connecticut | $54,600 | $64,600 | $74,600 | $88,200 | $97,900 | 37,370 | 44,510 | +19% |
| Delaware | $52,200 | $61,200 | $69,900 | $80,600 | $92,500 | 10,430 | 12,930 | +24% |
| District of Columbia | $53,800 | $65,300 | $75,500 | $88,700 | $98,400 | 10,080 | 12,150 | +21% |
| Florida | $44,600 | $51,800 | $60,100 | $71,000 | $81,200 | 165,400 | 202,190 | +22% |
| Georgia | $43,100 | $51,400 | $61,200 | $70,700 | $77,200 | 69,190 | 90,020 | +30% |
| Hawaii | $58,400 | $69,400 | $85,200 | $103,300 | $114,600 | 10,450 | 12,640 | +21% |
| Idaho | $42,400 | $50,300 | $58,300 | $68,800 | $76,600 | 11,530 | 16,190 | +40% |
| Illinois | $44,600 | $53,600 | $65,200 | $76,900 | $90,900 | 124,100 | 140,750 | +13% |
| Iowa | $38,800 | $43,600 | $51,700 | $60,400 | $70,900 | 32,460 | 40,110 | +24% |
| Kansas | $40,600 | $46,300 | $55,400 | $65,600 | $73,600 | 29,480 | 36,960 | +25% |
| Kentucky | $42,100 | $48,300 | $56,600 | $66,700 | $74,600 | 47,450 | 59,370 | +25% |
| Louisiana | $42,900 | $50,400 | $59,800 | $71,100 | $82,700 | 42,440 | 52,020 | +23% |
| Maine | $45,000 | $52,000 | $59,800 | $69,800 | $76,800 | 15,340 | 18,360 | +20% |
| Maryland | $51,000 | $59,000 | $70,300 | $83,700 | $93,700 | 49,340 | 62,420 | +27% |
| Massachusetts | $53,400 | $64,500 | $79,500 | $100,400 | $124,900 | 87,520 | 110,100 | +26% |
| Michigan | $48,600 | $54,600 | $63,800 | $72,600 | $82,700 | 87,170 | 104,000 | +19% |
| Minnesota | $49,800 | $58,300 | $70,600 | $83,900 | $93,400 | 57,080 | 69,660 | +22% |
| Mississippi | $40,100 | $45,800 | $55,200 | $67,300 | $80,800 | 20,090 | 23,600 | +17% |
| Missouri | $39,700 | $45,300 | $55,500 | $67,900 | $77,300 | 67,850 | 80,040 | +18% |
| Montana | $45,400 | $51,300 | $58,200 | $68,600 | $77,500 | 8,700 | 12,060 | +39% |
| Nebraska | $41,100 | $46,400 | $55,200 | $65,900 | $74,900 | 22,000 | 24,690 | +12% |
| Nevada | $57,900 | $66,600 | $77,600 | $89,900 | $101,000 | 17,410 | 20,370 | +17% |
| New Hampshire | $45,500 | $52,800 | $62,200 | $75,000 | $88,000 | 13,960 | 17,060 | +22% |
| New Jersey | $56,400 | $65,500 | $75,900 | $87,800 | $95,100 | 81,590 | 90,640 | +11% |
| New Mexico | $49,300 | $55,700 | $66,000 | $76,200 | $89,700 | 15,150 | 19,070 | +26% |
| New York | $49,900 | $60,400 | $73,100 | $88,600 | $103,100 | 178,470 | 203,360 | +14% |
| North Carolina | $42,300 | $49,100 | $58,000 | $68,600 | $75,800 | 92,540 | 109,790 | +19% |
| North Dakota | $40,800 | $46,200 | $53,300 | $60,000 | $70,000 | 7,140 | 8,700 | +22% |
| Ohio | $46,200 | $52,300 | $60,000 | $70,000 | $77,000 | 126,130 | 152,380 | +21% |
| Oklahoma | $39,900 | $46,300 | $55,700 | $65,900 | $74,000 | 29,480 | 38,140 | +29% |
| Oregon | $57,000 | $66,600 | $78,800 | $90,300 | $100,800 | 31,300 | 39,400 | 0% |
| Pennsylvania | $45,500 | $53,300 | $63,600 | $74,700 | $88,900 | 136,470 | 159,610 | +17% |
| Rhode Island | $52,800 | $61,800 | $72,900 | $85,800 | $94,100 | 12,960 | 15,000 | +16% |
| South Carolina | $40,200 | $48,200 | $57,700 | $68,700 | $76,000 | 42,330 | 53,180 | +26% |
| South Dakota | $39,800 | $43,400 | $50,400 | $61,100 | $71,700 | 6,400 | 7,920 | +24% |
| Tennessee | $41,000 | $47,300 | $55,100 | $64,100 | $73,000 | 56,290 | 69,010 | +23% |
| Texas | $46,800 | $54,600 | $65,700 | $76,900 | $90,400 | 184,700 | 245,870 | +33% |
| Utah | $44,800 | $51,300 | $58,700 | $68,700 | $75,600 | 19,850 | 26,380 | +33% |
| Vermont | $44,800 | $52,100 | $61,100 | $73,900 | $87,400 | 6,470 | 7,360 | +14% |
| Virginia | $42,700 | $51,000 | $62,600 | $74,000 | $87,300 | 63,120 | 77,860 | +23% |
| Washington | $51,800 | $61,900 | $74,300 | $89,000 | $103,200 | 55,400 | 67,520 | +22% |
| West Virginia | $37,400 | $43,800 | $53,100 | $63,100 | $74,500 | 19,260 | 23,720 | +23% |
| Wisconsin | $49,100 | $54,200 | $63,000 | $73,000 | $84,800 | 57,760 | 71,540 | +24% |
| Wyoming | $45,000 | $52,000 | $59,600 | $70,200 | $78,100 | 5,130 | 6,460 | +26% |
