Median hourly base pay for registered nurses varies across states, with RNs in California earning the most, according to SullivanCotter’s “2025 Health Care Staff Compensation Survey Report.”
The survey, released in July, covers nearly 2.5 million healthcare employees across over 2,660 participating organizations, including more than 800,000 individual RNs, licensed practical nurses and nursing managers.
Here is the median per-hour base pay for RNs, by state, according to survey data shared with Becker’s:
Note: States are listed in descending order of pay. Seven states — Alaska, Connecticut, Hawaii, North Dakota, Vermont, West Virginia and Wyoming — were excluded due to insufficient data.
California — $66.00
Washington — $60.59
Oregon — $57.09
New York — $56.65
Massachusetts — $54.90
New Jersey — $52.69
New Hampshire — $49.57
Rhode Island — $49.34
Idaho — $49.23
Nevada — $47.79
Maine — $47.27
Minnesota — $47.16
Maryland — $46.54
Delaware — $46.43
Arizona — $46.35
Colorado — $46.34
Pennsylvania — $46.32
Illinois — $44.18
Georgia — $44.12
Wisconsin — $43.36
North Carolina — $43.35
New Mexico — $43.19
Missouri — $43.16
Montana — $43.03
Michigan — $42.95
Texas — $42.61
Florida — $42.17
Indiana — $41.68
Utah — $41.45
Ohio — $41.17
Nebraska — $41.13
South Dakota — $40.66
Oklahoma — $40.65
Virginia — $40.59
South Carolina — $39.56
Arkansas — $39.37
Louisiana — $39.30
Kansas — $39.28
Kentucky — $39.24
Tennessee — $38.54
Iowa — $38.00
Alabama — $37.65
Mississippi — $36.92
Becker’s 3rd Annual Fall Chief Pharmacy Officer Summit is the top tier event that the people leading the future of pharmacy convene. This 3-day event is built specifically for Chief Pharmacy Officers and senior pharmacy leaders. The sessions examine the workforce, financial and clinical priorities shaping pharmacy today. Becker’s is where candid discussions flourish and new ideas thrive. Becker's 3rd Annual Fall Chief Pharmacy Officer Summit
