Top 10 Highest Paying Cities for Registered Nurses
Find out which cities offer the best salaries for Registered Nurses. Data based on 2023 Bureau of Labor Statistics wage estimates.
Highest Paying City
$114,513
San Jose, CA
National Average
$81,711
Across 50 metros
Top 10 Minimum
$87,192
To rank in top 10
| Rank | City | Median Salary | Hourly Rate | vs. Average | Details |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | San Jose, CA Cost of Living: 179.8 | $114,513 | $55.05/hr | +40.1% | View Details |
| 2 | San Francisco, CA Cost of Living: 169.3 | $111,167 | $53.45/hr | +36.0% | View Details |
| 3 | Seattle, WA Cost of Living: 149.6 | $100,488 | $48.31/hr | +23.0% | View Details |
| 4 | New York, NY Cost of Living: 128.7 | $98,687 | $47.45/hr | +20.8% | View Details |
| 5 | Boston, MA Cost of Living: 148.4 | $96,063 | $46.18/hr | +17.6% | View Details |
| 6 | Washington, DC Cost of Living: 140.1 | $92,951 | $44.69/hr | +13.8% | View Details |
| 7 | Los Angeles, CA Cost of Living: 146.3 | $89,007 | $42.79/hr | +8.9% | View Details |
| 8 | Denver, CO Cost of Living: 118.4 | $87,894 | $42.26/hr | +7.6% | View Details |
| 9 | Austin, TX Cost of Living: 105.3 | $87,825 | $42.22/hr | +7.5% | View Details |
| 10 | Portland, OR Cost of Living: 118.8 | $87,192 | $41.92/hr | +6.7% | View Details |
All 50 Cities Ranked
San Jose, CA
$115k
/year
San Francisco, CA
$111k
/year
Seattle, WA
$100k
/year
New York, NY
$99k
/year
Boston, MA
$96k
/year
Washington, DC
$93k
/year
Los Angeles, CA
$89k
/year
Denver, CO
$88k
/year
Austin, TX
$88k
/year
Portland, OR
$87k
/year
San Diego, CA
$87k
/year
Sacramento, CA
$86k
/year
Hartford, CT
$86k
/year
Philadelphia, PA
$84k
/year
Chicago, IL
$84k
/year
Riverside, CA
$83k
/year
Minneapolis, MN
$83k
/year
Houston, TX
$83k
/year
Atlanta, GA
$82k
/year
Baltimore, MD
$82k
/year
Dallas, TX
$82k
/year
Providence, RI
$81k
/year
Miami, FL
$80k
/year
Nashville, TN
$80k
/year
Raleigh, NC
$80k
/year
Detroit, MI
$79k
/year
Columbus, OH
$79k
/year
Salt Lake City, UT
$78k
/year
Cleveland, OH
$78k
/year
Charlotte, NC
$78k
/year
Phoenix, AZ
$78k
/year
Las Vegas, NV
$78k
/year
Richmond, VA
$77k
/year
Kansas City, MO
$77k
/year
Tampa, FL
$76k
/year
Pittsburgh, PA
$76k
/year
Milwaukee, WI
$76k
/year
Jacksonville, FL
$75k
/year
Orlando, FL
$75k
/year
Louisville, KY
$75k
/year
New Orleans, LA
$74k
/year
Cincinnati, OH
$74k
/year
Indianapolis, IN
$73k
/year
Tucson, AZ
$73k
/year
San Antonio, TX
$73k
/year
St. Louis, MO
$73k
/year
Memphis, TN
$71k
/year
Oklahoma City, OK
$71k
/year
Birmingham, AL
$70k
/year
El Paso, TX
$68k
/year
Frequently Asked Questions
What city pays Registered Nurses the most?
San Jose, CA pays Registered Nurses the most, with a median salary of $114,513 per year.
What is the average Registered Nurse salary across all cities?
The average Registered Nurse salary across all 50 major US metro areas is $81,711 per year.
Should I consider cost of living when comparing salaries?
Yes! Cities like San Francisco and New York pay higher salaries, but also have higher costs of living. A $80,000 salary in a city with 90 cost of living index has more purchasing power than$100,000 in a city with 150 cost of living index.