What are the highest-paid states, cities, and industries for nurses in the US?
How much you earn as a nurse depends on where you work, what degree you have (master’s-prepared nurses often earn far more than BSN-prepared nurses), and what industry you work in.
Here below are the states, cities, and industries that pay well for nursing jobs.
Table of Contents
Highest Paying States for Nurses
State | Hourly Pay | Annual Salary |
California | $59.62 | $124,000 |
Hawaii | $51.22 | $106,530 |
Oregon | $47.42 | $98,630 |
District of Columbia | $47.38 | $98,540 |
Alaska | $46.74 | $97,230 |
Source: BLS
Highest Paying Cities for Nurses
City | Hourly Pay | Annual Salary |
San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA | $74.63 | $155,230 |
San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA | $72.90 | $151,640 |
Vallejo-Fairfield, CA | $70.37 | $146,360 |
Santa Rosa, CA | $68.00 | $141,440 |
Napa, CA | $67.15 | $139,680 |
Source: BLS
Highest Paying Industries for Nurses
Industry | Hourly Pay | Annual Salary |
Nonscheduled Air Transportation | $54.15 | $112,630 |
Pharmaceutical and Medicine Manufacturing | $50.61 | $105,270 |
Merchant Wholesalers, Nondurable Goods | $48.67 | $101,240 |
Federal Executive Branch | $46.93 | $97,600 |
Office Administration Services | $46.46 | $96,630 |
Source: BLS