How much does a registered nurse make? Registered Nurse salary and hourly pay
A registered nurse in the US earns a median of $97,550 a year, about $46.90 an hour. The lowest-paid 10% earn under $68,940 and the top 10% earn over $137,470. Pay depends heavily on the state: the top-paying state, California, has a median of $140,270.
Registered Nurse pay calculator
Gross pay before taxes. If you enter your own hourly rate, it replaces the BLS figure. Otherwise hourly rate = BLS annual figure ÷ 2,080 hours (40 hours × 52 weeks), the same convention BLS uses.
How much does a registered nurse make an hour?
The median registered nurse earns $46.90 an hour. Hourly pay ranges from about $33.14 for the lowest-paid 10% to $66.09 for the highest-paid 10%.
| Pay level | Per year | Per hour |
|---|---|---|
| Entry level (bottom 10%) | $68,940 | $33.14 |
| Lower 25% | $80,330 | $38.62 |
| Median (typical) | $97,550 | $46.90 |
| Upper 25% | $112,350 | $54.02 |
| Top 10% | $137,470 | $66.09 |
Registered Nurse salary by state
Median annual pay for registered nurses in every state, from BLS May 2025 data.
| State | Median per year | ≈ Per hour |
|---|---|---|
| Alabama | $77,080 | $37.06 |
| Alaska | $109,480 | $52.63 |
| Arizona | $99,500 | $47.84 |
| Arkansas | $78,940 | $37.95 |
| California | $140,270 | $67.44 |
| Colorado | $100,260 | $48.20 |
| Connecticut | $102,740 | $49.39 |
| Delaware | $99,520 | $47.85 |
| District of Columbia | $102,540 | $49.30 |
| Florida | $84,190 | $40.48 |
| Georgia | $93,550 | $44.98 |
| Hawaii | $136,320 | $65.54 |
| Idaho | $92,460 | $44.45 |
| Illinois | $95,990 | $46.15 |
| Indiana | $83,500 | $40.14 |
| Iowa | $78,630 | $37.80 |
| Kansas | $79,320 | $38.13 |
| Kentucky | $81,040 | $38.96 |
| Louisiana | $80,230 | $38.57 |
| Maine | $86,990 | $41.82 |
| Maryland | $99,790 | $47.98 |
| Massachusetts | $104,550 | $50.26 |
| Michigan | $94,300 | $45.34 |
| Minnesota | $101,510 | $48.80 |
| Mississippi | $77,090 | $37.06 |
| Missouri | $81,780 | $39.32 |
| Montana | $85,280 | $41.00 |
| Nebraska | $84,730 | $40.74 |
| Nevada | $103,670 | $49.84 |
| New Hampshire | $99,700 | $47.93 |
| New Jersey | $106,500 | $51.20 |
| New Mexico | $94,340 | $45.36 |
| New York | $109,440 | $52.62 |
| North Carolina | $84,350 | $40.55 |
| North Dakota | $80,730 | $38.81 |
| Ohio | $82,510 | $39.67 |
| Oklahoma | $82,920 | $39.87 |
| Oregon | $129,010 | $62.02 |
| Pennsylvania | $96,430 | $46.36 |
| Rhode Island | $100,640 | $48.38 |
| South Carolina | $82,360 | $39.60 |
| South Dakota | $78,060 | $37.53 |
| Tennessee | $81,500 | $39.18 |
| Texas | $95,970 | $46.14 |
| Utah | $84,600 | $40.67 |
| Vermont | $97,460 | $46.86 |
| Virginia | $93,600 | $45.00 |
| Washington | $124,200 | $59.71 |
| West Virginia | $80,130 | $38.52 |
| Wisconsin | $95,530 | $45.93 |
| Wyoming | $83,760 | $40.27 |
Highest-paying states for registered nurses
- California: $140,270 median
- Hawaii: $136,320 median
- Oregon: $129,010 median
- Washington: $124,200 median
- Alaska: $109,480 median
The lowest medians are in Alabama ($77,080), Mississippi ($77,090), South Dakota ($78,060), Iowa ($78,630), Arkansas ($78,940). The most registered nurse jobs are in California (338,940 jobs), Texas (271,380 jobs), Florida (229,940 jobs), New York (205,810 jobs), Pennsylvania (146,520 jobs).
How much does a registered nurse make a month?
At the median salary of $97,550, a registered nurse earns about $8,129 a month, $3,752 every two weeks or $1,876 a week, before taxes.
Entry-level vs. experienced registered nurse pay
New registered nurses typically start near the bottom of the range: the lowest-paid 10% earn under $68,940 a year and the lowest 25% under $80,330. The top 25% earn over $112,350 and the top 10% over $137,470. BLS does not break pay down by years of experience; these percentiles are the closest official measure.
Registered Nurse salary vs. similar jobs
| Job | Median per year |
|---|---|
| Registered nurse | $97,550 |
| Nurse practitioner | $132,300 |
| CRNA | $236,590 |
| LPN | $64,400 |
| CNA | $42,260 |
Common questions
How much does a registered nurse make?
The US median is $97,550 a year ($46.90 an hour), based on BLS May 2025 data.
How much does a registered nurse make an hour?
The median is about $46.90 an hour. The bottom 10% earn about $33.14 and the top 10% about $66.09 an hour.
Which state pays registered nurses the most?
California has the highest median at $140,270, followed by Hawaii ($136,320) and Oregon ($129,010).
How much does a registered nurse make a month?
At the US median of $97,550 a year, about $8,129 a month or $3,752 every two weeks, before taxes.
How much does an entry-level registered nurse make?
The lowest-paid 10% earn under $68,940 a year and the lowest 25% under $80,330, the closest official measure of starting pay.
How much do the top 10% of registered nurses make?
The top 10% earn over $137,470 a year; the top 25% earn over $112,350.
How much does a registered nurse make in California, Texas, Florida and New York?
Median annual pay is $140,270 in California, $95,970 in Texas, $84,190 in Florida, $109,440 in New York, per BLS May 2025 data.
Last reviewed October 31, 2026. All figures are from the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025 survey (occupation code 29-1141, “Registered Nurses”), the most recent official release; “median” means half earn more and half earn less. Figures are gross pay before taxes and benefits. See the BLS OEWS tables and the BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook. This page is general information, not career or financial advice.