Pay, location & work-life context
Registered Nurse Salary Map by State (2026)
Median registered nurse pay across 50 states from real job listings — switch views to adjust for cost of living or overlay burnout scores. Medians blend permanent salaries with annualized locums/contract rates. National median: $93,500.
Highest median
California
$119,600
Best real purchasing power
New Mexico
$124,713 adjusted
Best lifestyle score
Nevada
5.3/10 avg burnout score
Compare state markets
Choose a metric, then select a state to see its figures and available breakdown.
Tile positions are approximate, not geographic boundaries. Selection adds an outline without changing the metric color. Work-life scores describe listings, not surveyed clinician burnout.
Registered Nurse pay by state
Sorted by median advertised pay. On smaller screens, scroll the table sideways to compare all metrics.
| State | Median | COL-adjusted | Take-home, COL-adj. | Work-life score | Listings |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| California | $119,600 | $108,020 | $97,974 | 4.6/10 | 497 |
| New Mexico | $115,000 | $124,713 | $117,355 | 3.5/10 | 16 |
| Washington | $114,400 | $106,903 | $106,903 | 4.6/10 | 128 |
| Oregon | $108,160 | $104,643 | $94,283 | 5.0/10 | 71 |
| New York | $104,576 | $96,901 | $90,263 | 4.5/10 | 298 |
| Alaska | $104,364 | $101,959 | $101,959 | 4.8/10 | 21 |
| Vermont | $104,000 | $106,168 | $96,878 | 4.9/10 | 24 |
| Montana | $102,971 | $108,797 | $102,378 | 4.4/10 | 10 |
| New Hampshire | $102,500 | $98,402 | $98,402 | 4.8/10 | 26 |
| Connecticut | $101,000 | $97,481 | $90,667 | 4.2/10 | 47 |
| Nevada | $100,000 | $100,021 | $100,021 | 5.3/10 | 44 |
| Massachusetts | $99,840 | $94,405 | $89,685 | 4.5/10 | 265 |
| Hawaii | $97,760 | $88,912 | $79,132 | 4.9/10 | 12 |
| New Jersey | $97,500 | $89,610 | $83,902 | 5.0/10 | 246 |
| Rhode Island | $94,608 | $92,499 | $86,958 | 4.5/10 | 21 |
| Maryland | $93,954 | $89,515 | $84,368 | 4.5/10 | 99 |
| Utah | $93,600 | $94,676 | $90,368 | 4.7/10 | 52 |
| Illinois | $92,500 | $92,539 | $87,958 | 4.7/10 | 287 |
| Virginia | $92,500 | $91,490 | $86,229 | 4.9/10 | 171 |
| Colorado | $92,173 | $89,443 | $85,508 | 5.1/10 | 145 |
| Delaware | $91,520 | $91,696 | $85,644 | 4.7/10 | 35 |
| Pennsylvania | $91,000 | $93,264 | $90,401 | 4.5/10 | 152 |
| Minnesota | $90,000 | $91,258 | $82,269 | 4.9/10 | 247 |
| Arizona | $90,000 | $89,395 | $87,160 | 4.3/10 | 73 |
| Maine | $89,597 | $92,320 | $85,720 | 4.0/10 | 32 |
| Nebraska | $89,000 | $98,776 | $93,640 | 4.8/10 | 19 |
| Texas | $88,400 | $91,080 | $91,080 | 4.8/10 | 196 |
| North Dakota | $88,400 | $99,372 | $96,887 | 5.2/10 | 23 |
| Wyoming | $88,203 | $95,158 | $95,158 | 4.7/10 | 8 |
| Idaho | $88,000 | $92,152 | $86,904 | 4.5/10 | 11 |
| Georgia | $86,500 | $89,830 | $84,988 | 4.7/10 | 127 |
| Indiana | $86,000 | $92,147 | $89,383 | 4.2/10 | 66 |
| Kansas | $85,500 | $94,928 | $89,631 | 4.3/10 | 25 |
| Michigan | $85,000 | $88,342 | $84,587 | 5.0/10 | 68 |
| West Virginia | $84,575 | $94,500 | $89,945 | 4.3/10 | 22 |
| Ohio | $84,500 | $91,082 | $87,894 | 5.2/10 | 134 |
| Oklahoma | $84,000 | $95,625 | $91,083 | 4.2/10 | 28 |
| Alabama | $83,800 | $94,345 | $89,628 | 4.6/10 | 18 |
| Mississippi | $83,800 | $96,374 | $92,133 | 4.4/10 | 12 |
| Tennessee | $83,500 | $90,889 | $90,889 | 4.7/10 | 49 |
| Missouri | $83,491 | $91,933 | $87,612 | 4.6/10 | 60 |
| South Carolina | $83,200 | $88,748 | $83,245 | 5.0/10 | 71 |
| Kentucky | $83,200 | $92,281 | $88,590 | 4.5/10 | 19 |
| Arkansas | $82,884 | $95,338 | $91,620 | 4.6/10 | 8 |
| Wisconsin | $82,500 | $87,677 | $83,030 | 5.3/10 | 129 |
| Florida | $82,500 | $79,776 | $79,776 | 4.6/10 | 149 |
| North Carolina | $82,500 | $87,463 | $83,745 | 5.0/10 | 126 |
| Louisiana | $78,000 | $88,428 | $85,776 | 5.0/10 | 23 |
| South Dakota | $75,140 | $84,822 | $84,822 | 5.3/10 | 30 |
| Iowa | $71,500 | $81,470 | $78,374 | 4.9/10 | 57 |
Common questions
Which state pays registered nurses the most?
California currently has the highest median registered nurse salary at $119,600, based on 497 real job listings. Adjusted for cost of living, New Mexico offers the highest real purchasing power at $124,713.
Which state offers the best after-tax registered nurse pay?
New Mexico currently leads the take-home view at $117,355 — the state median after its state income tax (Tax Foundation state income tax rates (2025)), divided by the local cost-of-living index. No-income-tax states like Texas, Florida and Tennessee often outrank nominally higher-paying states here.
Why adjust registered nurse salaries for cost of living?
Prices differ across states. The adjusted view divides each state's pay benchmark by its regional price index (U.S. average = 100). Source: BEA Regional Price Parities (2024). This is a state-level comparison, not a personal budget or a city-level cost estimate. Missing price data is shown as unavailable.
Which state has the best registered nurse lifestyle scores?
Nevada currently has the highest average WeekdayDoc burnout score (5.3/10, higher is better) for registered nurse listings — a measure of call burden, weekend requirements, and schedule flexibility across postings.
More salary maps
See the full percentile breakdown on the Registered Nurse salary page.