Most of the top-paying states for nurses are in the Midwest or the West, according to Bureau of Labor Statistics data.
Becker’s used the latest bureau data, released April 18 and up to date as of May 2024, to determine the hourly pay rate by state and adjusted it by cost of living for 2025 in each state.
Here are the top-paying states for five nursing positions, adjusted by cost of living, and their adjusted hourly wage.
| Position | State | Hourly pay, adjusted by cost of living |
| Nurse anesthetists | West Virginia | $142.27 |
| Nurse midwife | Arizona | $78.42 |
| Nurse practitioner | Iowa | $71.29 |
| Registered nurse | California | $53.02 |
| Nursing assistant | Wisconsin | $25.28 |
