Registered nurse salary by state: what official data shows
The Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) reports a national median registered nurse salary of $97,550 per year in May 2025 (SOC 29-1141). Pay varies by state, industry and employer, so look up your own state in the BLS OEWS tables. The median is the midpoint: half earn more, half earn less.
At a glance
| Item | BLS figure | Reference period |
|---|---|---|
| Median annual wage, registered nurses | $97,550 | May 2025 |
| Lowest 10 percent earned less than | $68,940 | May 2025 |
| Highest 10 percent earned more than | $137,470 | May 2025 |
Source: BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook, pay tab, accessed 31 October 2026. The career guide for registered nurses covers duties, licensing and outlook.
Pay by industry
BLS prints median annual wages for registered nurses in the industries that employ the most of them, for May 2025:
| Industry | Median annual wage |
|---|---|
| Government, excluding state and local education and hospitals | $110,780 |
| Hospitals; state, local, and private | $100,220 |
| Ambulatory healthcare services | $91,230 |
| Nursing and residential care facilities | $84,300 |
These are national medians, not state figures.
How to look up registered nurse pay in your state
BLS publishes pay for registered nurses by state and by metropolitan area in its OEWS data. We do not reproduce a state ranking here, because BLS updates it every year and a copied table would go out of date. To get your state's figures yourself:
- Open the BLS May 2025 state occupational employment and wage estimates.
- Use the BLS one-screen data search or download the state file.
- Find occupation code 29-1141, Registered Nurses.
- Read your state's median and, where printed, the 25th and 75th percentiles.
- Check the metropolitan area table too. Pay in a large city can differ from the state as a whole.
Be careful which statistic you read. Some BLS tables print an annual mean (average) wage and others print a median. Label the number correctly when you compare it with an offer.
How to read the range
The 10th percentile means 10 percent of nurses earned less. The 90th percentile means 10 percent earned more. Early-career nurses, lower-cost areas and some care settings tend toward the lower end. Experienced nurses, specialties and high-cost areas tend toward the higher end. These are patterns, not guarantees.
What this data leaves out
BLS defines OEWS wages as straight-time, gross pay, exclusive of premium pay. Per the OEWS definition, overtime, shift differentials, weekend and holiday premium pay and on-call pay are excluded, and so are year-end bonuses and employer costs of benefits. Nurses often earn extra through shift differentials and overtime, so total earnings can be higher than the wage figures. See total compensation.
Using the data in a job offer
- Look up your state and metropolitan area figures.
- Place yourself in the range by experience, specialty and shift.
- Ask what the shift differentials, sign-on terms and benefits are, in writing.
- Use salary negotiation steps to ask.
For the full method, see how to research pay.
Frequently asked questions
What is the median registered nurse salary? BLS reports $97,550 per year for May 2025. Half of registered nurses earned more and half earned less.
Which industry pays registered nurses the most? Among the industries BLS lists, government (excluding state and local education and hospitals) had the highest median, $110,780 in May 2025.
Does the figure include overtime? No. OEWS wages exclude overtime and shift differentials, so actual earnings may be higher.
How do I find pay for my state? Use the BLS state occupational wage estimates and look up code 29-1141.
Next step
Look up your state in the BLS tables, note the range, then browse current openings on LiveRec at search jobs.
Related guides
Sources
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Outlook Handbook, Registered Nurses: https://www.bls.gov/ooh/healthcare/registered-nurses.htm#tab-5 (accessed 31 October 2026)
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS frequently asked questions: https://www.bls.gov/oes/oes_ques.htm (accessed 31 October 2026)
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, May 2025 State Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates: https://www.bls.gov/oes/2025/may/oessrcst.htm (accessed 31 October 2026)
This is general information, not legal, tax or immigration advice. Rules change and your situation may differ. Consult a licensed attorney or qualified adviser.