Registered Nurses Salary
Salary data across 60 metro areas in the US & CanadaUSD & CAD
Search Jobs on IndeedAvg Median Salary
$86,283
Highest Paying City
San Jose
$125,000
Cities Tracked
60
What Do Registered Nurses Do?
Registered nurses provide and coordinate patient care, educate patients about health conditions, and offer emotional support to patients and their families. They administer medications, monitor vital signs, develop care plans, and work closely with physicians and other healthcare professionals to deliver quality care.
Work settings include hospitals, clinics, private practices, and outpatient care centers. Many healthcare professionals work shifts, including nights, weekends, and holidays. The work can be physically and emotionally demanding.
Key Skills for Registered Nurses
Education Requirements
Doctoral or professional degree for physicians; bachelor's or associate's for technicians
Requirements range from associate's degrees for technicians to doctoral degrees for physicians. Most practitioners require professional licensure or certification. Continuing education is mandatory to maintain credentials.
Career Outlook
Employment is projected to grow much faster than average, driven by an aging population, advances in medical technology, and increased access to healthcare services.
How to Increase Your Registered Nurses Salary
- 1.Develop subspecialty expertise in a high-demand area
- 2.Consider leadership roles in healthcare administration
- 3.Build experience with electronic health records and health informatics
- 4.Pursue advanced degrees or fellowships for career advancement
- 5.Develop strong patient communication and bedside manner skills
Registered Nurses Salary by City
| City | Median | Average | Range (10th-90th) | Currency | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| San Jose, CA | $125,000 | $132,000 | $69,000 - $167,000 | USD | Apply |
| San Francisco, CA | $119,000 | $133,000 | $65,000 - $159,000 | USD | Apply |
| Seattle, WA | $112,000 | $119,000 | $62,000 - $150,000 | USD | Apply |
| Washington DC, DC | $107,000 | $112,000 | $59,000 - $143,000 | USD | Apply |
| New York, NY | $105,000 | $107,000 | $58,000 - $140,000 | USD | Apply |
| Los Angeles, CA | $104,000 | $116,000 | $57,000 - $139,000 | USD | Apply |
| Boston, MA | $104,000 | $115,000 | $57,000 - $139,000 | USD | Apply |
| San Diego, CA | $100,000 | $102,000 | $60,000 - $130,000 | USD | Apply |
| Denver, CO | $98,000 | $101,000 | $59,000 - $127,000 | USD | Apply |
| Anchorage, AK | $97,000 | $108,000 | $58,000 - $126,000 | USD | Apply |
| Honolulu, HI | $96,000 | $103,000 | $58,000 - $125,000 | USD | Apply |
| Austin, TX | $95,000 | $99,000 | $57,000 - $124,000 | USD | Apply |
| Sacramento, CA | $95,000 | $103,000 | $57,000 - $124,000 | USD | Apply |
| Philadelphia, PA | $94,000 | $96,000 | $56,000 - $122,000 | USD | Apply |
| Minneapolis, MN | $94,000 | $102,000 | $56,000 - $122,000 | USD | Apply |
| Portland, OR | $94,000 | $102,000 | $56,000 - $122,000 | USD | Apply |
| Hartford, CT | $94,000 | $102,000 | $56,000 - $122,000 | USD | Apply |
| Baltimore, MD | $92,000 | $100,000 | $55,000 - $120,000 | USD | Apply |
| Raleigh, NC | $90,000 | $95,000 | $54,000 - $117,000 | USD | Apply |
| Dallas, TX | $89,000 | $96,000 | $53,000 - $116,000 | USD | Apply |
| Chicago, IL | $88,000 | $94,000 | $53,000 - $114,000 | USD | Apply |
| Houston, TX | $88,000 | $98,000 | $53,000 - $114,000 | USD | Apply |
| Atlanta, GA | $87,000 | $94,000 | $52,000 - $113,000 | USD | Apply |
| Richmond, VA | $87,000 | $95,000 | $52,000 - $113,000 | USD | Apply |
| Charlotte, NC | $86,000 | $93,000 | $52,000 - $112,000 | USD | Apply |
| Salt Lake City, UT | $85,000 | $94,000 | $51,000 - $110,000 | USD | Apply |
| Phoenix, AZ | $84,000 | $90,000 | $50,000 - $109,000 | USD | Apply |
| Indianapolis, IN | $84,000 | $92,000 | $50,000 - $109,000 | USD | Apply |
| Nashville, TN | $83,000 | $86,000 | $50,000 - $108,000 | USD | Apply |
| Las Vegas, NV | $83,000 | $89,000 | $50,000 - $108,000 | USD | Apply |
| Columbus, OH | $83,000 | $89,000 | $50,000 - $108,000 | USD | Apply |
| Pittsburgh, PA | $83,000 | $91,000 | $50,000 - $108,000 | USD | Apply |
| St. Louis, MO | $83,000 | $91,000 | $50,000 - $108,000 | USD | Apply |
| Toronto, ON | $83,000 | $88,000 | $50,000 - $108,000 | CAD | Apply |
| Miami, FL | $82,000 | $87,000 | $49,000 - $107,000 | USD | Apply |
| Detroit, MI | $82,000 | $88,000 | $49,000 - $107,000 | USD | Apply |
| Kansas City, MO | $82,000 | $90,000 | $49,000 - $107,000 | USD | Apply |
| Cleveland, OH | $82,000 | $90,000 | $49,000 - $107,000 | USD | Apply |
| Cincinnati, OH | $82,000 | $86,000 | $49,000 - $107,000 | USD | Apply |
| Milwaukee, WI | $82,000 | $86,000 | $49,000 - $107,000 | USD | Apply |
| Buffalo, NY | $82,000 | $85,000 | $49,000 - $107,000 | USD | Apply |
| Orlando, FL | $81,000 | $90,000 | $49,000 - $105,000 | USD | Apply |
| New Orleans, LA | $80,000 | $89,000 | $48,000 - $104,000 | USD | Apply |
| Vancouver, BC | $80,000 | $87,000 | $48,000 - $104,000 | CAD | Apply |
| Jacksonville, FL | $79,000 | $86,000 | $47,000 - $103,000 | USD | Apply |
| Louisville, KY | $79,000 | $83,000 | $47,000 - $103,000 | USD | Apply |
| Birmingham, AL | $79,000 | $85,000 | $47,000 - $103,000 | USD | Apply |
| Tampa, FL | $78,000 | $81,000 | $47,000 - $101,000 | USD | Apply |
| San Antonio, TX | $78,000 | $85,000 | $47,000 - $101,000 | USD | Apply |
| Memphis, TN | $78,000 | $86,000 | $47,000 - $101,000 | USD | Apply |
| Oklahoma City, OK | $77,000 | $85,000 | $46,000 - $100,000 | USD | Apply |
| Calgary, AB | $77,000 | $79,000 | $46,000 - $100,000 | CAD | Apply |
| Tucson, AZ | $76,000 | $84,000 | $46,000 - $99,000 | USD | Apply |
| Ottawa, ON | $75,000 | $83,000 | $45,000 - $98,000 | CAD | Apply |
| Edmonton, AB | $72,000 | $77,000 | $43,000 - $94,000 | CAD | Apply |
| Montreal, QC | $67,000 | $73,000 | $44,000 - $85,000 | CAD | Apply |
| Hamilton, ON | $67,000 | $74,000 | $44,000 - $85,000 | CAD | Apply |
| Winnipeg, MB | $65,000 | $67,000 | $42,000 - $82,000 | CAD | Apply |
| Halifax, NS | $63,000 | $67,000 | $41,000 - $80,000 | CAD | Apply |
| Quebec City, QC | $61,000 | $66,000 | $40,000 - $77,000 | CAD | Apply |