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Do Registered Nurses Get Paid According to Location?

Salaries for registered nurses vary according to location in the United States as well as by nursing specialty and level of experience. As registered nurses continue to be in demand, they can expect salaries and benefits to increase.

  1. Geography

    • According to September 2010 data posted by PayScale, registered nurses earned anywhere from $37,000 to $85,000 per year, with an average rate of $30 per hour. Top-paying cities in the United States include San Francisco, San Jose and Sacramento, California, where the hourly rate was as high as $54.20. In contrast, the lowest-paying cities include St. Paul, Minnesota; Las Vegas and Seattle, where hourly pay was as low as $25.38.

    Expert Insight

    • The Bureau of Labor Statistics reports that in May 2009, the median salary for nurses was $63,750, with wages varying considerably by state. South Dakota had the highest concentration of registered nurses in May 2009, with an average salary of only $53,520. Massachusetts, with the second-highest concentration of RNs, had an average wage of $81,780. Only California had a higher average salary ($85,080). Other top-paying states included Hawaii ($80,020), Maryland ($76,330) and New Jersey ($74,990).

    Potential

    • As demand for nurses continues to increase, employers are not just offering higher salaries. NursingLink reports they are also offering more benefits such as sign-on bonuses, tuition reimbursement and flexible hours.

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