The average hourly pay for registered nurses in the U.S. is $42.80, according to the most recent U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics occupational employment statistics survey, but wages can vary based on the cost of living in every state.
The highest average hourly wage for RNs is in California, but the state also is one of the most expensive places to live. After adjusting for cost of living, Georgia holds the best average RN wages.
Here is every state, ranked by its living cost-adjusted average RN wage:
|
State |
RN hourly mean wage |
Cost index |
Cost of living vs. US avg. |
COL-adjusted RN wage |
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Georgia |
$40.95 |
88.8 |
-0.11 |
$45.54 |
|
California |
$64.10 |
142.2 |
0.42 |
$45.14 |
|
New Mexico |
$41.15 |
91 |
-0.09 |
$44.85 |
|
Washington |
$48.88 |
111.6 |
0.12 |
$43.80 |
|
Texas |
$40.54 |
92.1 |
-0.08 |
$43.74 |
|
Nevada |
$46.30 |
106.3 |
0.06 |
$43.56 |
|
Minnesota |
$42.72 |
100 |
0.00 |
$42.72 |
|
Michigan |
$38.78 |
91.3 |
-0.09 |
$42.15 |
|
Illinois |
$39.53 |
94.3 |
-0.06 |
$41.78 |
|
Oklahoma |
$36.98 |
87.9 |
-0.12 |
$41.45 |
|
Wyoming |
$38.95 |
94.3 |
-0.06 |
$41.17 |
|
Ohio |
$37.72 |
91.3 |
-0.09 |
$41.00 |
|
Arizona |
$41.70 |
103.2 |
0.03 |
$40.41 |
|
New Jersey |
$46.48 |
115.2 |
0.15 |
$40.35 |
|
Wisconsin |
$38.94 |
96.4 |
-0.04 |
$40.34 |
|
Kentucky |
$37.32 |
93.1 |
-0.07 |
$39.90 |
|
Indiana |
$36.34 |
90.6 |
-0.09 |
$39.76 |
|
Colorado |
$41.63 |
105.3 |
0.05 |
$39.53 |
|
Oregon |
$51.26 |
130.1 |
0.30 |
$39.40 |
|
Kansas |
$34.61 |
86.5 |
-0.14 |
$39.28 |
|
Alaska |
$49.67 |
127.1 |
0.27 |
$39.08 |
|
Louisiana |
$36.50 |
93 |
-0.07 |
$39.06 |
|
North Carolina |
$37.22 |
95.7 |
-0.04 |
$38.82 |
|
Tennessee |
$34.85 |
89 |
-0.11 |
$38.68 |
|
Virginia |
$39.36 |
101.8 |
0.02 |
$38.66 |
|
Florida |
$38.42 |
100.3 |
0.00 |
$38.31 |
|
Missouri |
$34.55 |
89.8 |
-0.10 |
$38.07 |
|
West Virginia |
$34.73 |
90.5 |
-0.10 |
$38.03 |
|
South Carolina |
$35.74 |
93.6 |
-0.06 |
$38.03 |
|
Delaware |
$40.88 |
107.9 |
0.08 |
$37.89 |
|
Pennsylvania |
$38.76 |
102.5 |
0.03 |
$37.81 |
|
Nebraska |
$35.34 |
93.7 |
-0.06 |
$37.57 |
|
Montana |
$37.67 |
100.7 |
0.01 |
$37.41 |
|
Connecticut |
$45.32 |
121.6 |
0.22 |
$37.27 |
|
Utah |
$36.73 |
99 |
-0.01 |
$37.10 |
|
Massachusetts |
$50.07 |
135 |
0.35 |
$37.09 |
|
Idaho |
$37.79 |
102.1 |
0.02 |
$37.01 |
|
Iowa |
$33.35 |
89.9 |
-0.10 |
$36.72 |
|
North Dakota |
$36.06 |
98.2 |
-0.02 |
$36.71 |
|
New Hampshire |
$40.11 |
109.9 |
0.10 |
$36.50 |
|
Rhode Island |
$42.43 |
117.2 |
0.17 |
$36.20 |
|
Alabama |
$32.17 |
87.9 |
-0.12 |
$36.06 |
|
Arkansas |
$31.98 |
90.9 |
-0.09 |
$34.89 |
|
Mississippi |
$32.66 |
83.3 |
-0.07 |
$34.85 |
|
Maryland |
$42.30 |
124 |
0.24 |
$34.11 |
|
Vermont |
$38.46 |
117 |
0.17 |
$32.87 |
|
New York |
$48.14 |
148.2 |
0.48 |
$32.48 |
|
Maine |
$37.22 |
115 |
0.15 |
$32.37 |
|
South Dakota |
$31.01 |
101 |
0.01 |
$30.70 |
|
Hawaii |
$54.43 |
193.3 |
0.93 |
$28.16 |