The national median salary for a registered nurse in 2026 is $97,550 per year or $46.90 per hour, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics survey (May 2025). That’s the most authoritative number available and the right place to start.
But if you’ve already searched this question, you’ve probably seen figures ranging from $77,090 in Mississippi to $140,270 in California for what appears to be the same job and salary aggregator sites showing numbers even higher than that. The range isn’t wrong. It reflects how dramatically location, specialty, experience, and work setting change what an RN actually earns. Understanding why the range exists is more useful than the average alone.
This guide covers all of it: national baseline, state-by-state breakdown, cost-of-living adjusted comparisons, salary by specialty, salary by experience, work setting differences, and how travel nursing changes the math entirely. Whether you’re a student researching whether nursing is financially worth it or a working RN benchmarking your current pay, the data here gives you a complete picture.
Average Registered Nurse Salary in 2026 — The National Baseline
What the Bureau of Labor Statistics Reports
The BLS OEWS May 2025 data, the latest released, shows the national median is $97,550 annually ($46.90 per hour) for 3,379,720 employed RNs. This is the median, which is a number such that half of the RNs make more than the median and half make less than the median. It’s also the number that’s most likely to reflect what a mid-career staff RN makes, as it’s based on employer-reported payroll data rather than job postings, or self-reported surveys.
To put this into perspective, the median U.S. household income is $59,540 (BLS 2024). While RNs make more than the national median, the geographic and specialty premiums that can take salaries well above the national average are not included in this figure.
New Grad RN Salary vs. Experienced RN Salary
The national median does not tell a nursing student what the nurse will make in year one, nor does it tell a 15-year veteran if they are under-compensated. Both groups require the experience specific picture (discussed below). One thing that must be laid out first: the initial salary is not the career salary. A new graduate ADN’s salary differs by more than $60,000 per year when compared to a nurse with 20 years experience working in a high-demand specialty. The median is the middle number within a large number range and not an upper bound.
Registered Nurse Salary by State — The Full 2026 Breakdown
Highest-Paying States for Registered Nurses
Location is the single largest salary lever available to most RNs, bigger than experience level in many cases, and bigger than specialty for staff nurses. The difference between the highest and lowest paying states is over $63,000 per year for equivalent work.
| Rank | State | Median Annual Salary | Median Hourly Rate |
| 1 | California | $140,270 | $67.44 |
| 2 | Hawaii | $136,320 | $65.54 |
| 3 | Oregon | $129,010 | $62.02 |
| 4 | Washington | $124,200 | $59.71 |
| 5 | Alaska | $109,480 | $52.64 |
| 6 | New York | $109,440 | $52.62 |
| 7 | New Jersey | $106,500 | $51.20 |
| 8 | Massachusetts | $104,550 | $50.27 |
| 9 | Nevada | $103,670 | $49.84 |
| 10 | Connecticut | $102,740 | $49.39 |
Source: BLS OEWS May 2025 (registerednursing.org, careslink.com, tagmedstaffing.com)
California’s $140,270 median reflects several factors working together: the highest cost of living in the continental U.S., the only state-mandated nurse-to-patient ratio law in the country (which structurally increases nursing demand year-round) and a dense concentration of large academic medical centers in the Bay Area and Southern California. Specific metro areas like San Francisco, San Jose, Oakland push significantly above the state median.
Lowest-Paying States for Registered Nurses
| State | Median Annual Salary |
| Mississippi | $77,090 |
| Alabama | $77,080 |
| South Dakota | $78,060 |
| Iowa | $78,630 |
| Arkansas | $78,940 |
| Kansas | $79,320 |
| West Virginia | $80,130 |
Source: BLS OEWS May 2025
The gap between California ($140,270) and Mississippi ($77,090) is $63,180 annually for the same RN license and equivalent clinical skills. That’s not a marginal difference. For a nurse making a geographic decision, it’s the most important number on this page.
Why the Gap Exists
Pay disparities among states are not solely due to cost of living. Structural increases of demand are due to mandatory nurse-to-patient ratio laws, which are in place in only one state (currently California). Collective bargaining and union presence is stronger in states in the Northeast and coastal areas. The amount of money hospitals can pay their doctors and nurses depends on their state health care budgets and Medicaid reimbursement rates. The high-acuity facilities (academic medical centers, trauma centers, specialty hospitals) are clustered in states that already pay high wages, compounding the advantage.
Cost-of-Living Adjusted RN Salary — The Comparison That Actually Matters
Why Gross Salary Doesn’t Tell the Full Story
One final number for a nurse thinking of relocating from New Mexico to California: what is $140,270 worth in California versus what it is worth in the home state?
The cost of living makes a big difference in the ranking. Based on this purchasing power analysis made by nursa.com:
| State | Gross Annual Salary | COL-Adjusted Salary |
| California | $140,270 | $135,754 |
| Hawaii | $136,320 | $113,036 |
| Oregon | $129,010 | $119,091 |
| Washington | $124,200 | $113,589 |
| Nevada | $103,670 | $105,710 |
| New Mexico | ~$94,000 | $103,351 |
| Minnesota | ~$95,000 | $104,888 |
When adjusted for the very high cost of living in Hawaii, the gross salary appears impressive but is significantly diminished. In Nevada, on the other hand, the raw number is being boosted by no state income tax and a lower cost of living than California. Even in the best top-10 salary lists, New Mexico doesn’t show up but makes $103,000 in purchasing power, compared to $101,195 in adjusted dollars for New Jersey.
The lesson to be learned: The state with the highest number of people earning the most is not necessarily the state with the most valuable people. Depending on housing costs and taxes, a nurse in Nebraska or Wisconsin, who makes $88,000, could have a better standard of living than one in New York making $109,000. Before you move away just for the job, find out what your job is worth to you.
RN Salary by Specialty — From Med-Surg to CRNA
How Specialty Affects RN Pay
Specialty is typically the second-largest salary factor after geography for RNs. The gap between the lowest-paid nursing specialty and the highest exceeds $150,000 annually — more than the entire salary of a new graduate nurse. Acuity level, required expertise, years of training required and supply-demand dynamics in each specialty drive the differences.
| Specialty | Average Annual Salary |
| CRNA (Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetist) | $214,000+ |
| Certified Nurse Midwife (CNM) | $122,000–$140,000 |
| Nurse Practitioner (NP) | $120,000–$140,000 |
| CVOR / Cardiac Surgical RN | $100,000–$130,000 |
| ICU / Critical Care RN | $95,000–$130,000 |
| Emergency Department RN | $90,000–$125,000 |
| OR / Perioperative RN | $88,000–$118,000 |
| Telemetry RN | $80,000–$98,000 |
| NICU RN | $84,490–$100,000 |
| Labor & Delivery RN | $82,000–$102,000 |
| Pediatric RN | $76,000–$88,000 |
| Med-Surg RN | $72,000–$90,000 |
| Home Health RN | $65,000–$85,000 |
| School / Clinic RN | $55,000–$75,000 |
Sources: careerbldr.com, BLS specialty data, Salary.com (2026)
A few things stand out in this table. CVOR nurses (who work in cardiac operating rooms) command some of the highest staff RN salaries because the specialty requires both OR and cardiac critical care skills and the nurse pool with both is genuinely small. ICU nurses’ wide range ($95,000–$130,000) reflects the difference between a community hospital ICU and a Level I trauma center ICU in a high-cost state. And the Med-Surg floor (where most nurses begin) is one of the lower ranges on this list, which is part of why experienced nurses move toward higher-acuity specialties as their careers develop.
The Advanced Practice Ceiling
The top three rows CRNA, CNM and NP require graduate-level education (MSN or DNP), and the salary premium reflects it. CRNAs earn $214,000+ on average, making them the highest-paid nursing professionals in the country by a significant margin. The CRNA pathway requires completing an accredited nurse anesthesia program (typically 3 years post-BSN) and passing national certification, a meaningful investment that pays back quickly given the salary differential.
NP and CNM roles earn $120,000–$140,000 and are growing rapidly as health systems expand their use of advanced practice providers. For a nurse considering a long-term career trajectory, the advanced practice ceiling is worth planning toward early.
For a deeper look at specific specialty salaries, see our guides on How Much Do NICU Nurses Make, How Much Do L&D Nurses Make and How Much Do Pediatric Nurses Make.
RN Salary by Experience Level
How Pay Grows Over a Nursing Career
| Experience Level | Approximate Annual Salary |
| New grad ADN | $55,000–$65,000 |
| New grad BSN | $65,000–$80,000 |
| 2–5 years | $79,500–$91,000 |
| 5–10 years | $91,000–$103,500 |
| 10–20 years | $103,500–$118,000 |
| 20+ years | $118,000+ |
| Advanced practice (NP / CRNA) | $120,000–$214,000+ |
Sources: salaryinfo.blog, nuecareer.com (2026)
The progression from new grad to senior RN adds roughly $50,000–$60,000 over a career in most markets before factoring in specialty moves or geographic changes, which can accelerate it significantly. Each major step on this table from new grad to 5-year nurse, from 5-year nurse to 10-year nurse reflects accumulated clinical judgment, specialty depth and the leverage that comes from being genuinely difficult to replace.
Does a BSN Pay More Than an ADN?
Yes, and the gap is real from day one. BSN new graduates start $5,000–$15,000 higher than ADN peers in most markets. The difference is larger in some states and hospital systems Magnet-designated hospitals frequently require a BSN for hire and for advancement past staff nurse level.
The gap compounds over time in two ways. First, BSN nurses access charge nurse, nurse manager, and advanced practice pathways faster than ADN nurses at most institutions. Second, the BSN is the prerequisite for graduate nursing programs the NP and CRNA roles at the top of the salary table. An ADN nurse who earns a BSN later in their career recovers the salary premium, but loses the time advantage.
The financial case for BSN over ADN is usually clear within 3–5 years of practice, when the cumulative salary difference and advancement acceleration more than cover the additional education cost.
RN Salary by Work Setting
Hospital vs. Clinic vs. Home Health vs. Other Settings
Where you work — not just what specialty — significantly affects your salary. The same RN license and clinical skill set earns meaningfully different amounts in different settings, and the trade-offs aren’t just financial.
| Work Setting | Average Annual Salary | Trade-Off |
| Hospital (inpatient) | $97,000–$110,000+ | Highest pay, highest intensity |
| Outpatient surgery center | $90,000–$105,000 | Strong pay, more predictable hours |
| Outpatient clinic | $82,000–$92,000 | Lower intensity, lower pay |
| Long-term care / SNF | $75,000–$88,000 | High demand, growing pay |
| Home health | $65,000–$85,000 | Flexibility, lower base |
| School nursing | $55,000–$75,000 | Best work-life balance, lowest pay |
Inpatient hospital nursing pays the most because it demands the most. Acute care intensity, rotating shifts, higher patient acuity and the credentialing burden that comes with hospital-based practice. Outpatient surgery centers offer a strong middle ground: pay that approaches inpatient levels with more predictable scheduling and no overnight rotations.
The Shift Differential Factor
The salary table above reflects base rates. Shift differentials add meaningfully on top for nurses working evenings, nights, and weekends:
- Night shift differential: typically $3–$6/hour above base rate
- Weekend differential: $2–$5/hour additional at most facilities
- Holiday pay: 1.5x–2x base rate depending on facility and contract
A full-time hospital RN working two night shifts per week earns approximately $6,000–$12,000 more annually than the base salary figure suggests. For a nurse who is willing to work nights and isn’t making that calculation, the gap is real money being left on the table.
Travel Nurse Salary vs. Staff Nurse Salary — The Real Comparison
What Travel RNs Actually Earn
Travel nursing is the income ceiling available to most RNs without an advanced degree, and the gap from staff nursing is substantial.
The national travel nurse average is $2,161 per week and approximately $112,372 annualized. Top-demand specialties push significantly higher:
- CVOR, ICU, and OR travel nurses regularly clear $2,500–$3,500/week
- California travel nurses earn $2,800–$4,500+/week in premium contracts
- Annual equivalent at $2,500/week: approximately $130,000
| Employment Type | Approximate Annual Income |
| Staff RN — national median | $97,550 |
| Travel RN — national average | ~$112,372 |
| Travel RN — high-demand specialty, top markets | $130,000–$160,000+ |
The gap between staff median ($97,550) and travel average ($112,372) is roughly $15,000 annually at the national level. In high-demand specialties and high-paying states, that gap widens to $30,000–$60,000+.
Why Travel Pays More — And What the Trade-Offs Are
Travel nurse pay includes two components: a taxable base rate and tax-free stipends for housing and meals, which apply when a nurse is working away from their tax home and maintaining a permanent residence. The tax-free component — typically $500–$1,500/week depending on the location’s cost of living — is what creates the most significant income advantage over equivalent staff positions.
The trade-offs are real. Travel contracts require relocating every 13 weeks (unless taking local contracts, which have different stipend rules), adapting to new unit cultures and EMR systems quickly, and managing benefits independently rather than through an employer. For nurses who can manage the lifestyle, it’s one of the highest-leverage income moves available without additional education.
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How to Earn More as a Registered Nurse in 2026
The 6 Highest-Impact Moves
If your current salary is below where you want it, these are the moves that consistently produce the largest results — in rough order of speed of impact:
- Relocate or take a travel contract. Geography is the fastest single-step income increase available. Moving from Mississippi ($77,090) to California ($140,270) increases base pay by $63,180 without changing specialty or experience. A travel contract achieves the same effect in 13-week increments without permanent relocation.
- Move into a higher-acuity specialty. Each step up the acuity ladder — from med-surg to telemetry, telemetry to ICU — adds $5,000–$20,000+ annually. The skills required take time to build, but the career planning starts now.
- Pick up shift differentials strategically. Night and weekend differentials add $6,000–$12,000/year without changing jobs, specialties, or locations. For nurses who are willing to work these shifts, it’s the most immediate income increase available.
- Pursue BSN if you hold an ADN. The pay premium starts immediately upon BSN completion, and the advancement ceiling expands significantly.
- Earn a specialty certification. CCRN, CEN, CNOR, and other specialty certifications are tied to pay bumps at most hospital systems — either as step increases or one-time bonuses. They also improve travel contract rates and negotiating leverage.
- Explore an NP or CRNA pathway. The advanced practice salary premium is $30,000–$120,000+ over staff RN pay. CRNA in particular represents the single highest earning potential in nursing without moving into administration.
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Frequently Asked Questions
What Is the Average Salary of a Registered Nurse in 2026?
The national median for registered nurses is $97,550 per year ($46.90/hour) based on BLS OEWS May 2025 data across 3.38 million employed RNs. This is a median figure, half of all RNs earn above it, half below. Individual salaries range from approximately $77,090 in the lowest-paying states to $140,270 in California, with advanced practice nurses (NP, CNM, CRNA) earning $120,000–$214,000+.
Do Registered Nurses Make Good Money?
Yes, RNs earn significantly above the U.S. median household income ($59,540) and the income ceiling is high relative to the required education. A BSN takes four years; a CRNA program adds three more. Starting salaries range from $55,000–$80,000 depending on degree and market, with mid-career earning potential well above $100,000 in most states and travel nursing offering $112,000–$160,000+ annualized without advanced practice credentials.
What State Pays Registered Nurses the Most?
California pays the highest median RN salary at $140,270 per year ($67.44/hour) based on BLS 2025 data. Hawaii ($136,320), Oregon ($129,010), and Washington ($124,200) round out the top four. When adjusted for cost of living, the rankings shift. Nevada and some Midwestern states rise, while Hawaii falls, because purchasing power varies significantly from gross salary.
What Type of Nurse Gets Paid the Most?
CRNAs (Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetists) are the highest-paid nursing professionals in the country, averaging $214,000+ annually. Among staff RNs without advanced practice credentials, CVOR and ICU nurses in high-paying markets earn the most, approximately $100,000–$130,000. Specialty and geography together determine the top of the staff RN range.
What Is the Starting Salary for a New Graduate RN?
New grad ADN nurses typically start at $55,000–$65,000. New grad BSN nurses start at $65,000–$80,000. The difference reflects both the educational credential and the fact that BSN programs provide more advanced clinical training. Starting salary also varies significantly by state and facility type. A new grad in California earns substantially more than one in Mississippi with the same degree.
Does a Bsn Make More Money Than an Adn?
Yes. BSN new graduates start $5,000–$15,000 higher than ADN peers in most markets, and the gap compounds over time as BSN nurses access charge nurse, leadership, and advanced practice pathways faster. Magnet-designated hospital systems often require a BSN for hire or for advancement. The financial return on the BSN credential typically outpaces its cost within 3–5 years of practice.
How Much Do Travel Nurses Make Compared to Staff Nurses?
Travel nurses earn a national average of $2,161 per week, approximately $112,372 annualized versus the staff RN median of $97,550. In high-demand specialties (ICU, CVOR, OR) and high-paying markets (California, New York), travel nurses regularly earn $130,000–$160,000+ annually. The premium reflects both the higher hourly rate and the tax-free housing and meal stipends available to qualifying travel nurses.
How Can an RN Increase Their Salary?
The six highest-impact moves: relocate or take a travel contract for an immediate geographic premium; move into a higher-acuity specialty; work night and weekend shifts for differential pay ($6,000–$12,000/year additional); earn a BSN if you hold an ADN; pursue specialty certifications (CCRN, CEN, CNOR) tied to pay bumps at most facilities; and consider an NP or CRNA pathway for the advanced practice salary premium of $30,000–$120,000+ over staff RN pay.
