Highest Paying States for Nursing Jobs in 2024
We rank the states that pay the highest salaries for nursing jobs in 2023.
Key Takeaways
- The nursing profession offers strong salary potential.
- Salary potential for registered nurses can vary from state to state, particularly in some specialties.
- Registered nurses may be able to improve their salary potential with special certifications or advanced degrees.
The nursing profession is an excellent career path for those with the compassion, patience, and desire to care for others. With a high average annual salary range, steady growth in job opportunities, and many opportunities for career advancement, a nursing job could be a direct pathway to a high paying and highly rewarding career.
But earnings for registered nurses can actually be quite varied depending on factors like specialization, workplace setting, and geography. Location in particular can play a big part in earning potential. Nurses earn more in some states than others. In fact, there is an almost $50,000 difference in average RN salaries just between the highest paying states and lowest paying states on our list of 20.
If you’re just starting your pursuit of a nursing career, dive in with a look at the best nursing colleges and universities today.
If you’d like to learn more about nurse’s salaries in the top paying states for nurses, read on...
Overview of the Average RN Salary Range
Nursing is a profession brimming with high-paying opportunities. Registered nurses earned a median pay of $77,600 in 2021, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
Even more importantly, with more than 3 million registered nurses working in the field today, the nursing sector is expected to add an additional 195,400 positions over the next decade. This means that students earning their nursing degree today will enter into the field with plenty of opportunities and a high national average salary.
You may also be able to improve your earning potential by getting a specialized bachelor’s degree or master’s degree and becoming a nurse practitioner, licensed practical nurse, or seizing a host of other healthcare industry leadership opportunities.
The 20 States With Highest Average Salary for Nurses
Using data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics 2022 Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics report, we ranked the 20 highest paying states for registered nurses based on average annual salary.
- 1
California
- Average Nurse Salary: $124,000
California is home to some of the nation’s top schools both online and on-campus. The state’s largest university is the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA). UCLA serves nearly 44,000 students and offers a tuition rate around $13,000. And with more than 30 high quality online programs, you can earn a degree in California from anywhere in the world. And with more than 324,400 nurses working in California today, this state boasts not just the highest pay for nurses, but the most job opportunities as well.
Check out the Best Online Colleges in California to get started on your nursing degree.
- 2
Hawaii
- Average Nursing Salaries: $106,530
The majority of the universities and colleges in The Aloha State are public institutions, including Hawaiʻi’s largest school, the University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa. The nearly 15,000 students who attend this school pay tuition fees around $12,000. Prospective nursing students attending public colleges can choose from a wide range of on campus and online degree programs. As a smaller state, Hawaii is home to an estimated 11,110 RNs. But what this workforce lacks in size, they make up for with earnings. Hawaii is the second highest paying state for RNs.
Check out the Best Online Colleges in Hawaii to get started on your nursing degree.
- 3
Oregon
- Average Pay for Registered Nurses: $98,630
With more than 40 higher education institutions, students in Oregon State have plenty of options. The largest university in Oregon, Oregon State University in Corvallis, currently enrolls more than 30,000 students. In-state students enjoy an annual tuition rate of $11,000, including those aspiring to join Oregon’s 37,770 active RNs.
Check out the Best Online Colleges in Oregon to get started on your nursing degree.
- 4
District of Columbia
- Average RN Salary: $98,540
The nation’s capital is home to 19 colleges and universities, including several of the nation’s oldest and most prestigious private colleges and universities. Notable higher education institutions located in Washington, D.C. include George Washington University and Georgetown which was founded 1789. Most of the top colleges in the District of Columbia offer access to excellent nursing programs for those interested in joining a registered nursing workforce of 11,540 healthcare professionals.
- 5
Alaska
- Average RN Salary: $97,230
There are roughly 6,060 nurses working in the State of Alaska today. If you wish to be among them, your most direct path is to attend one of the six colleges and universities in The Frontier State. Most campuses are concentrated around Alaska’s two largest cities—Anchorage and Fairbanks, though the University of Alaska Southeast houses campuses in the island towns of Juneau, Ketchikan, and Sitka. Nursing students living in Alaska’s remote regions may be able to access relevant degree programs through one of Alaska’s two online education programs.
Check out the Best Online Colleges in Alaska to get started on your nursing degree.
- 6
Massachusetts
- Average RN Salary: $96,630
Massachusetts has a reputation for producing some of the world’s most prestigious schools including vaunted private institutions like Boston University, Harvard University, Northeastern University, and Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Tuition for these prestigious schools runs between $50,000 and $54,000. Fortunately, Massachusetts is also home to 23 online degree programs with varying tuition rates. This means you have a lot of options if you plan to join the state’s 88,270 nurses in the healthcare field.
Check out the Best Online Colleges in Massachusetts to get started on your nursing degree.
- 7
Washington
- Average Nursing Pay: $95,350
Students living in Washington state have 40 public colleges to choose from, including the University of Washington in Seattle. The state’s largest school is home to roughly 40,000 students, including those enrolled in its robust nursing program. In fact, nursing students pursuing public options in the state of Washington generally enjoy excellent in-state tuition rates. You can earn a degree, and join a current workforce of 62,470 RNs, for an in-state rate of under $12,000 per year at any of Washington’s public schools.
Check out the Best Online Colleges in Washington to get started on your nursing degree.
- 8
New York
- Average Salary for RNs: $93,320
New York state is at once a highly affordable place to earn a degree and an excellent environment for pursuing opportunities in nursing. Today, there are roughly 188,300 registered nurses working in New York. And with nearly 80 public school options, degree seekers pay about $7,900 per year in college tuition. For instance, you may be able to attend the University of Buffalo for roughly $10,000 per year or earn your degree from the United States Merchant Marine Academy for as little as $1000 per year.
Check out the Best Online Colleges in New York to get started on your nursing degree.
- 9
New Jersey
- Average RN Salary: $89,690
New Jersey is densely populated with both people and universities. With 31 public options, students in New Jersey may be able to complete a college-level nursing program for between $4,000 to $17,000 per year. And if you plan to join the state’s 77,980 practicing RNs, you could also choose from an array of excellent private schools including the highly prestigious Princeton University.
Check out the Best Online Colleges in New Jersey to get started on your nursing degree.
- 10
Nevada
- Average RN Salary: $88,800
The Nevada higher education landscape is dominated by two friendly rivals in the University of Nevada, Las Vegas and the University of Nevada, Reno. These public institutions are home to 25,000 and 19,000 students respectively. Both schools also offer online courses, which can be highly convenient if you’re a working professional hoping to join the state’s 24,590 registered RNs.
Check out the Best Online Colleges in Nevada to get started on your nursing degree.
- 11
Connecticut
- Average RN Salary: $88,530
The higher education landscape in Connecticut is almost evenly divided between public and private school options. Naturally, the most prestigious of these private schools is Yale University. But with 19 public schools and 20 private schools, those aspiring to join Connecticut’s 34,320 working nurses have plenty of options at various price points.
Check out the Best Online Colleges in Connecticut to get started on your nursing degree.
- 12
Rhode Island
- Average RN Salary: $85,270
Rhode Island may be a small state, but it offers strong earnings for its 10,860 practicing RNs. If you plan to earn your nursing degree through a public option in Rhode Island, you have three schools to choose from. The largest of these, the University of Rhode Island in Kingston, enrolls more than 15,000 students and charges an in-state tuition rate of $14,000. Rhode Island is also home to the highly prestigious Brown University in Providence.
Check out the Best Online Colleges in Rhode Island to get started on your nursing degree.
- 13
Minnesota
- Average RN Salary: $84,030
The University of Minnesota is not just the largest school in Minnesota but is in fact one of the largest schools in the world, with two well-populated main campuses in the Twin Cities of Saint Paul and Minneapolis. In-state students will pay about $15,000 per year to access the university’s excellent nursing programs. Graduates will join an estimated 69,000 nurses in the Minnesota healthcare workforce.
Check out the Best Online Colleges in Minnesota to get started on your nursing degree.
- 14
Maryland
- Average RN Salary: $82,660
With 46 colleges and universities, nursing students in Maryland have plenty of options. Of those options, 30 are public institutions, which means that those aspiring to join the state’s 51,550 working RNs can do so for excellent in-state tuition rates. Maryland is also home to the prestigious Johns Hopkins University, a Baltimore research university noteworthy for its groundbreaking scientific and medical discoveries.
Check out the Best Online Colleges in Maryland to get started on your nursing degree.
- 15
Arizona
- Average RN Salary for Registered Nurses: $81,600
Arizona offers an extremely broad and varied higher education landscape. In particular, Arizona is home to 14 fully online degree options. And the state’s largest school, Arizona University in Tucson is home to 39,000 students. Nursing students at Arizona U can pay the highly affordable in-state rate of $12,000 per year to join a workforce of 57,260 nurses.
Check out the Best Online Colleges in Arizona to get started on your nursing degree.
- 16
Colorado
- Average RN Salary: $80,670
The state of Colorado isn’t just beautiful. It’s also home to more than 40 colleges and universities. Not only that, but students can earn their degree for the highly affordable average in-state tuition rate of $10,800. This means Colorado nursing students hoping to join a state workforce of 51,680 registered nurses typically see a great return on their investment.
Check out the Best Online Colleges in Colorado to get started on your nursing degree.
- 17
Texas
- Average RN Salary: $79,120
As the second largest U.S. state both in terms of population (California is #1) and area (Alaska is #1), Texas is home to 30 colleges and universities with student populations of 10,000 or more. The largest school in both Texas and in the nation is Texas A&M University in College Station, with more than 65,000 students. Other large Texas institutions include The University of Texas at Austin, Baylor University and Southern Methodist University, all of which are noted for their excellent nursing degree programs. As a Texan, you have numerous excellent pathways to joining the state’s 217,630 practicing RNs.
Check out the Best Online Colleges in Texas to get started on your nursing degree.
- 18
New Hampshire
- Average RN Salary: $78,270
New Hampshire boasts a high rate of pay for its 12,890 nursing professionals. This is good news because students who earn their degree from the prestigious Dartmouth College will pay more than $55,000 per year. Fortunately, among its 21 institutions of higher learning, New Hampshire does include public options with in-state tuition rates such as the University of New Hampshire in Durham.
Check out the Best Online Colleges in New Hampshire to get started on your nursing degree.
- 19
Illinois
- Average RN Salary: $78,260
Illinois offers an enormous selection of excellent institutions for those who wish to join the state’s 129,260 practicing RNs. With more than 130 higher education institutes throughout the state, students have numerous options both online and on-campus. The state’s largest public institutions–the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign and the University of Illinois at Chicago–charge in-state tuition rates of $13,000 to $15,000 respectively.
Check out the Best Online Colleges in Illinois to get started on your nursing degree.
- 20
Delaware
- Average Annual Salary for Registered Nurses: $77,760
The “First State” is also the final entry in our ranking. There are 11,760 registered nurse professionals working in Delaware today. If you wish to join them, you can choose from six colleges and universities–two public and four private–in the state of Delaware. And at just $8,000 for a year at Delaware State University and 14,000 per year at the University of Delaware, in-state students can access an array of excellent nursing degree programs at an affordable cost.
Check out the Best Online Colleges in Delaware to get started on your nursing degree.
How Registered Nurses Can Improve Their Earning Potential
You can increase your earnings even further by pursuing an advanced degree. The online master’s in nursing (MSN) is a great pathway toward becoming a nurse manager and significantly improving your earning potential.
Another way to increase your earning potential regardless of geography is to add a Bachelor of Science in Nursing degree to your credentials. Many nursing schools provide accessible pathways to working registered nurses with an interest in leadership opportunities. Check out some of the Best RN to BSN Online degree programs to advance your nursing career.
Other ways to improve your earning potential may include the pursuit of nursing certifications for specialized roles. There are often increased pay opportunities for certified registered nurse anesthetists, nurse practitioners, certified nurse midwives, and others with specialized knowledge, skills, and credentials.
