Nurses Pay by State 2024

Nursing salaries are dependent on the level of care one provides, the level of education one obtained, and the area of the country one practices in. Average annual salaries vary greatly between positions and between states.

Anyone considering nursing as a profession should be well-rewarded on the financial side, but there are also many other benefits to being a nurse. Like any job, nursing has its ups and downs. Nurses often work long shifts and may deal with stressful situations. Nurses, however, also get the joy of helping people and are often held in high esteem by their communities - regardless of how much money they make.

Nursing Assistant Salary

Nursing Assistants have the lowest average salary of all nurses. Only one state, Alaska, has a salary above $40,000 a year. Most states have an annual salary of $25,000 to $35,000.

The states with the lowest salaries for nursing assistants include Louisiana ($23,340), Mississippi ($23,980), and Alabama ($24,590). On the other end of the spectrum, Alaska ($40,320), New York ($38,810), and Hawaii ($37,710) have the highest nursing assistant salaries.

LPN Salary

Licensed Practical Nurse (LPN) pay varies from state to state. The national average salary for LPNs is $48,070, and while many states have an average salary of $45,000 to $50,000, there are many outliers. Here is a look at what you can expect as an LPN in your state according to data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics.

As the data reveals, LPNs have an annual average income of $50,000 or more. The lowest-paying state for nurses based on average pay is West Virginia ($37,500) followed by South Dakota and Mississippi. Most nurses, regardless of where they live, will still earn an above-average salary.

RN Salary

Most Registered Nurses make an annual salary between $60,000 and $80,000. Some states have annual RN salaries that are much higher. In both California and Hawaii, the average annual salary for an RN is over $100,000. The District of Columbia, Massachusetts, Oregon, and Alaska all have salaries of between $90,000 and $100,000.

South Dakota has the lowest overage RN salary of $59,540. Mississippi ($59,540) is the only other state with an average salary below $60,000.

Nurse Practitioner Salary

Nurse Practitioners (NPs) receive further education and are able to perform more duties than other nurses. As a result, average salaries for nurse practitioners are higher than other nursing professions.

The lowest average salaries for NPs are in Tennessee ($96,510), Kentucky ($99,560), and Alabama ($99,570). These are the only three states with average annual salaries below $100,000.

The highest average salary is in California, where NPs make an average of $138,660. Other states with high average annual pay for NPs are Washington ($126,920), Hawaii ($124,000), New Jersey ($123,810), and Minnesota ($122,850).

State	RN Hourly Mean 2023	RN Annual Mean 2023	RN Hourly Median 2023	RN Annual Median 2023	LPN Hourly Mean 2023	LPN Annual Mean 2023	LPN Hourly Median 2023	LPN Annual Median 2023
California	$66.20	$137,690	$64.42	$133,990	$77.66	$161,540	$78.87	$164,050
Hawaii	$57.55	$119,710	$62.12	$129,210	$63.76	$132,610	$62.10	$129,160
Oregon	$54.54	$113,440	$53.34	$110,940	$69.69	$144,950	$66.08	$137,440
Washington	$53.38	$111,030	$51.79	$107,720	$69.90	$145,400	$67.81	$141,040
Alaska	$52.51	$109,210	$51.16	$106,410	$60.66	$126,170	$64.39	$133,930
Massachusetts	$52.33	$108,850	$47.95	$99,730	$69.24	$144,010	$66.62	$138,570
District of Columbia	$51.37	$106,850	$50.59	$105,220	$64.83	$134,850	$64.08	$133,280
New York	$51.26	$106,620	$50.28	$104,570	$68.67	$142,830	$66.17	$137,630
New Jersey	$49.02	$101,960	$48.15	$100,160	$69.73	$145,030	$68.73	$142,950
Connecticut	$48.96	$101,840	$48.37	$100,620	$65.86	$136,980	$65.09	$135,390
Nevada	$46.97	$97,700	$46.25	$96,210	$71.48	$148,670	$66.72	$138,780
Rhode Island	$45.71	$95,070	$45.60	$94,840	$64.16	$133,460	$61.89	$128,720
Minnesota	$45.59	$94,830	$46.78	$97,300	$64.91	$135,010	$62.98	$131,000
Delaware	$45.51	$94,670	$44.81	$93,200	$63.03	$131,110	$62.63	$130,260
New Mexico	$44.30	$92,140	$40.37	$83,970	$65.76	$136,770	$63.98	$133,090
Maryland	$44.27	$92,090	$42.95	$89,340	$61.54	$127,990	$61.53	$127,990
Colorado	$44.10	$91,730	$41.78	$86,900	$58.65	$121,990	$59.75	$124,280
Arizona	$43.96	$91,430	$42.46	$88,310	$63.73	$132,560	$62.96	$130,960
Texas	$43.37	$90,210	$40.92	$85,110	$62.51	$130,010	$60.86	$126,580
Georgia	$43.27	$90,000	$40.20	$83,620	$58.25	$121,150	$57.45	$119,490
New Hampshire	$42.98	$89,410	$41.65	$86,620	$62.86	$130,740	$61.77	$128,490
Vermont	$42.49	$88,380	$39.37	$81,900	$60.62	$126,100	$59.58	$123,920
Virginia	$42.48	$88,350	$40.43	$84,100	$58.11	$120,870	$59.59	$123,950
Illinois	$42.14	$87,650	$39.65	$82,470	$61.01	$126,900	$61.04	$126,950
Pennsylvania	$42.08	$87,530	$39.80	$82,780	$61.27	$127,450	$60.65	$126,140
Wisconsin	$41.93	$87,220	$40.05	$83,300	$61.70	$128,330	$61.02	$126,910
Michigan	$41.45	$86,210	$39.28	$81,710	$58.02	$120,680	$58.67	$122,040
Florida	$40.75	$84,760	$38.92	$80,960	$57.55	$119,710	$57.87	$120,370
Ohio	$40.59	$84,430	$38.44	$79,940	$59.07	$122,870	$59.46	$123,690
Maine	$40.55	$84,340	$39.24	$81,610	$59.11	$122,940	$59.20	$123,140
Wyoming	$40.38	$83,990	$38.45	$79,970	$59.40	$123,560	$59.11	$122,950
Idaho	$39.95	$83,090	$38.53	$80,130	$59.88	$124,550	$58.97	$122,660
Utah	$39.95	$83,100	$38.36	$79,790	$61.45	$127,820	$59.23	$123,200
Montana	$39.88	$82,950	$38.06	$79,170	$59.92	$124,640	$61.33	$127,570
Indiana	$39.76	$82,700	$37.76	$78,530	$59.29	$123,320	$59.84	$124,470
North Carolina	$39.68	$82,530	$38.26	$79,580	$58.46	$121,590	$58.39	$121,450
Oklahoma	$39.48	$82,110	$37.87	$78,760	$59.77	$124,330	$59.65	$124,070
Kentucky	$39.31	$81,770	$37.42	$77,830	$53.06	$110,370	$52.66	$109,530
South Carolina	$39.13	$81,390	$37.68	$78,380	$56.22	$116,940	$54.09	$112,510
Louisiana	$38.83	$80,760	$36.85	$76,650	$57.06	$118,670	$57.13	$118,830
Nebraska	$38.36	$79,780	$37.55	$78,100	$58.50	$121,680	$58.85	$122,410
North Dakota	$38.07	$79,190	$36.03	$74,930	$61.42	$127,760	$59.63	$124,040
Tennessee	$37.61	$78,240	$36.64	$76,200	$49.86	$103,720	$50.68	$105,420
Missouri	$37.30	$77,590	$37.11	$77,190	$56.10	$116,680	$56.69	$117,910
Kansas	$36.65	$76,240	$36.43	$75,780	$57.34	$119,270	$57.66	$119,930
West Virginia	$36.53	$75,990	$37.85	$78,730	$54.54	$113,450	$52.32	$108,830
Mississippi	$36.30	$75,510	$33.35	$69,370	$56.49	$117,490	$53.14	$110,540
Iowa	$35.87	$74,610	$34.41	$71,570	$62.89	$130,820	$60.88	$126,620
Arkansas	$35.05	$72,900	$35.06	$72,920	$54.53	$113,410	$52.56	$109,330
Alabama	$34.31	$71,370	$31.68	$65,900	$52.89	$110,020	$49.92	$103,830
South Dakota	$33.19	$69,030	$32.23	$67,030	$58.17	$120,980	$57.41	$119,410

State

RN Hourly Mean 2023

RN Annual Mean 2023

RN Hourly Median 2023

RN Annual Median 2023

LPN Hourly Mean 2023

LPN Annual Mean 2023

LPN Hourly Median 2023

LPN Annual Median 2023

California

$66.20

$137,690

$64.42

$133,990

$77.66

$161,540

$78.87

$164,050

Hawaii

$57.55

$119,710

$62.12

$129,210

$63.76

$132,610

$62.10

$129,160

Oregon

$54.54

$113,440

$53.34

$110,940

$69.69

$144,950

$66.08

$137,440

Washington

$53.38

$111,030

$51.79

$107,720

$69.90

$145,400

$67.81

$141,040

Alaska

$52.51

$109,210

$51.16

$106,410

$60.66

$126,170

$64.39

$133,930

Massachusetts

$52.33

$108,850

$47.95

$99,730

$69.24

$144,010

$66.62

$138,570

District of Columbia

$51.37

$106,850

$50.59

$105,220

$64.83

$134,850

$64.08

$133,280

New York

$51.26

$106,620

$50.28

$104,570

$68.67

$142,830

$66.17

$137,630

New Jersey

$49.02

$101,960

$48.15

$100,160

$69.73

$145,030

$68.73

$142,950

Connecticut

$48.96

$101,840

$48.37

$100,620

$65.86

$136,980

$65.09

$135,390

Nevada

$46.97

$97,700

$46.25

$96,210

$71.48

$148,670

$66.72

$138,780

Rhode Island

$45.71

$95,070

$45.60

$94,840

$64.16

$133,460

$61.89

$128,720

Minnesota

$45.59

$94,830

$46.78

$97,300

$64.91

$135,010

$62.98

$131,000

Delaware

$45.51

$94,670

$44.81

$93,200

$63.03

$131,110

$62.63

$130,260

New Mexico

$44.30

$92,140

$40.37

$83,970

$65.76

$136,770

$63.98

$133,090

Maryland

$44.27

$92,090

$42.95

$89,340

$61.54

$127,990

$61.53

$127,990

Colorado

$44.10

$91,730

$41.78

$86,900

$58.65

$121,990

$59.75

$124,280

Arizona

$43.96

$91,430

$42.46

$88,310

$63.73

$132,560

$62.96

$130,960

Texas

$43.37

$90,210

$40.92

$85,110

$62.51

$130,010

$60.86

$126,580

Georgia

$43.27

$90,000

$40.20

$83,620

$58.25

$121,150

$57.45

$119,490

New Hampshire

$42.98

$89,410

$41.65

$86,620

$62.86

$130,740

$61.77

$128,490

Vermont

$42.49

$88,380

$39.37

$81,900

$60.62

$126,100

$59.58

$123,920

Virginia

$42.48

$88,350

$40.43

$84,100

$58.11

$120,870

$59.59

$123,950

Illinois

$42.14

$87,650

$39.65

$82,470

$61.01

$126,900

$61.04

$126,950

Pennsylvania

$42.08

$87,530

$39.80

$82,780

$61.27

$127,450

$60.65

$126,140

Wisconsin

$41.93

$87,220

$40.05

$83,300

$61.70

$128,330

$61.02

$126,910

Michigan

$41.45

$86,210

$39.28

$81,710

$58.02

$120,680

$58.67

$122,040

Florida

$40.75

$84,760

$38.92

$80,960

$57.55

$119,710

$57.87

$120,370

Ohio

$40.59

$84,430

$38.44

$79,940

$59.07

$122,870

$59.46

$123,690

Maine

$40.55

$84,340

$39.24

$81,610

$59.11

$122,940

$59.20

$123,140

Wyoming

$40.38

$83,990

$38.45

$79,970

$59.40

$123,560

$59.11

$122,950

Idaho

$39.95

$83,090

$38.53

$80,130

$59.88

$124,550

$58.97

$122,660

Utah

$39.95

$83,100

$38.36

$79,790

$61.45

$127,820

$59.23

$123,200

Montana

$39.88

$82,950

$38.06

$79,170

$59.92

$124,640

$61.33

$127,570

Indiana

$39.76

$82,700

$37.76

$78,530

$59.29

$123,320

$59.84

$124,470

North Carolina

$39.68

$82,530

$38.26

$79,580

$58.46

$121,590

$58.39

$121,450

Oklahoma

$39.48

$82,110

$37.87

$78,760

$59.77

$124,330

$59.65

$124,070

Kentucky

$39.31

$81,770

$37.42

$77,830

$53.06

$110,370

$52.66

$109,530

South Carolina

$39.13

$81,390

$37.68

$78,380

$56.22

$116,940

$54.09

$112,510

Louisiana

$38.83

$80,760

$36.85

$76,650

$57.06

$118,670

$57.13

$118,830

Nebraska

$38.36

$79,780

$37.55

$78,100

$58.50

$121,680

$58.85

$122,410

North Dakota

$38.07

$79,190

$36.03

$74,930

$61.42

$127,760

$59.63

$124,040

Tennessee

$37.61

$78,240

$36.64

$76,200

$49.86

$103,720

$50.68

$105,420

Missouri

$37.30

$77,590

$37.11

$77,190

$56.10

$116,680

$56.69

$117,910

Kansas

$36.65

$76,240

$36.43

$75,780

$57.34

$119,270

$57.66

$119,930

West Virginia

$36.53

$75,990

$37.85

$78,730

$54.54

$113,450

$52.32

$108,830

Mississippi

$36.30

$75,510

$33.35

$69,370

$56.49

$117,490

$53.14

$110,540

Iowa

$35.87

$74,610

$34.41

$71,570

$62.89

$130,820

$60.88

$126,620

Arkansas

$35.05

$72,900

$35.06

$72,920

$54.53

$113,410

$52.56

$109,330

Alabama

$34.31

$71,370

$31.68

$65,900

$52.89

$110,020

$49.92

$103,830

South Dakota

$33.19

$69,030

$32.23

$67,030

$58.17

$120,980

$57.41

$119,410