Registered Nurses Salary 2025: $100,797 Median Pay (BLS OEWS)
- Official U.S. BLS OEWS data (May 2025)
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- Not self-reported estimates
$100,797 per year is the national median annual wage for registered nurses (BLS OEWS, May 2025 reference period). That works out to about $48/hour, with a 10th–90th percentile range of $124,140 to $235,190. The Bureau of Labor Statistics classifies this role under SOC code 29-1141.
Key Facts (BLS OEWS, May 2025)
- Median annual wage
- $100,797
- Median hourly wage
- $48/hr
- Mean annual wage
- $107,562
- Total US employment
- 2,035,260
- Top-paying metro
- San Jose, CA, CA ($216,740)
- BLS SOC code
- 29-1141
Source: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025 release.
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The national median wage for registered nurses (BLS SOC 29-1141) is $100,797 per year — about $48/hour — across 2,035,260 workers in 70 U.S. metros in the BLS OEWS May 2025 release. The mean wage of $107,562 sits above the median, which means a minority of high earners pulls the average up — the median is the more honest benchmark for a typical offer.
Experience drives the range as much as anything: the 10th percentile earns $80,108 while the 90th earns $137,107 — a 1.7× gap from entry-level to the top of the field. Most registered nurses land in the $90,428–$121,507 band (25th–75th percentile), which is the right anchor when you size up an offer.
Location matters too. San Jose, CA, CA posts the highest median at $216,740, versus $76,540 in Wichita, KS, KS — a 183% gap. But adjusted for cost of living, Sacramento, CA delivers the strongest real purchasing power ($137,498 in national-average dollars), which can flip the nominal ranking for anyone weighing a move.
In Healthcare, registered nurse wages reflect a regulated labor market: state licensing and credentialing constrain supply, so pay holds up more evenly across regions than in unregulated fields. The figures here are base wage and exclude shift differentials and overtime.
Registered Nurses Salary by Experience Level (2025)
BLS OEWS doesn’t publish wages by years of experience, but its national percentile bands map cleanly to career stages. Here’s what registered nurses earn from entry-level to the top of the field.
| Career stage | Typical experience | BLS percentile | Annual wage |
|---|---|---|---|
| Entry-level | 0–2 years | 10th | $80,108 |
| Junior / early-career | 2–5 years | 25th | $90,428 |
| Mid-career | 5–10 years | 50th (median) | $105,907 |
| Senior | 10–15 years | 75th | $121,507 |
| Top earners | 15+ years | 90th | $137,107 |
Experience bands are SalaryTruth’s interpretation of BLS OEWS percentiles, not a separate BLS series. Actual pay varies by employer, specialization, and region.
Salary Range (BLS Percentiles)
Registered Nurses salaries range from $76,540 to $216,740 median across cities, depending on location, experience, and industry.
Registered Nurses Salary by City (BLS OEWS)
| City | 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | COL-Adjusted | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| San Jose, CA | $124,140 | $161,180 | $216,740 | $225,965 | $235,190 | $110,695 | 22,930 |
| San Francisco, CA | $119,290 | $146,218 | $186,610 | $205,190 | $223,770 | $103,903 | 41,750 |
| Sacramento, CA | $100,630 | $128,962 | $171,460 | $195,120 | $218,780 | $137,498 | 23,590 |
| San Diego, CA | $102,480 | $117,296 | $139,520 | $157,365 | $175,210 | $87,091 | 28,680 |
| Los Angeles, CA | $100,980 | $114,812 | $135,560 | $154,880 | $174,200 | $81,663 | 109,360 |
| Riverside-San Bernardino, CA | $100,510 | $113,882 | $133,940 | $153,420 | $172,900 | $109,428 | 35,290 |
| Portland, OR | $97,180 | $110,432 | $130,310 | $142,980 | $155,650 | $100,161 | 24,220 |
| Bakersfield, CA | $87,760 | $104,180 | $128,810 | $145,415 | $162,020 | $128,042 | 5,620 |
| Seattle, WA | $99,020 | $110,716 | $128,260 | $146,075 | $163,890 | $85,850 | 39,900 |
| Fresno, CA | $89,890 | $104,102 | $125,420 | $146,290 | $167,160 | $118,882 | 11,030 |
| New York, NY | $87,180 | $100,196 | $119,720 | $139,480 | $159,240 | $63,953 | 197,740 |
| Anchorage, AK | $85,840 | $97,620 | $115,290 | $135,220 | $155,150 | $90,780 | 4,990 |
| Spokane, WA | $82,560 | $94,236 | $111,750 | $129,940 | $148,130 | $114,733 | 6,850 |
| Reno, NV | $80,380 | $91,236 | $107,520 | $120,020 | $132,520 | $100,958 | 4,850 |
| Boston, MA | $81,880 | $91,600 | $106,180 | $147,425 | $188,670 | $69,809 | 64,240 |
| Bridgeport, CT | $83,030 | $92,082 | $105,660 | $123,495 | $141,330 | $76,844 | 8,370 |
| Las Vegas, NV | $79,030 | $88,994 | $103,940 | $118,605 | $133,270 | $95,358 | 20,410 |
| Minneapolis, MN | $82,180 | $90,524 | $103,040 | $118,245 | $133,450 | $97,024 | 43,600 |
| Washington, DC | $80,750 | $89,534 | $102,710 | $117,805 | $132,900 | $67,219 | 46,830 |
| Hartford, CT | $80,440 | $88,852 | $101,470 | $113,275 | $125,080 | $90,115 | 13,850 |
| Dallas, TX | $73,400 | $84,608 | $101,420 | $115,565 | $129,710 | $97,426 | 76,680 |
| Madison, WI | $81,760 | $89,532 | $101,190 | $112,215 | $123,240 | $97,486 | 10,650 |
| Philadelphia, PA | $79,160 | $87,968 | $101,180 | $111,540 | $121,900 | $85,456 | 73,790 |
| Denver, CO | $81,210 | $89,178 | $101,130 | $113,500 | $125,870 | $89,654 | 30,380 |
| Phoenix, AZ | $70,730 | $82,770 | $100,830 | $115,880 | $130,930 | $100,129 | 53,700 |
| Chicago, IL | $77,410 | $86,642 | $100,490 | $109,875 | $119,260 | $93,653 | 100,240 |
| Atlanta, GA | $77,510 | $86,702 | $100,490 | $116,360 | $132,230 | $101,300 | 56,460 |
| Albany, NY | $77,150 | $86,278 | $99,970 | $115,470 | $130,970 | $99,275 | 10,230 |
| Providence, RI | $77,410 | $86,398 | $99,880 | $117,560 | $135,240 | $83,652 | 15,180 |
| Houston, TX | $74,860 | $84,848 | $99,830 | $115,135 | $130,440 | $103,451 | 65,910 |
| Baltimore, MD | $77,600 | $86,380 | $99,550 | $112,285 | $125,020 | $87,172 | 30,930 |
| Buffalo, NY | $78,490 | $86,718 | $99,060 | $108,520 | $117,980 | $107,092 | 13,830 |
| Austin, TX | $73,440 | $83,220 | $97,890 | $112,700 | $127,510 | $95,039 | 18,920 |
| Boise, ID | $79,110 | $86,618 | $97,880 | $111,205 | $124,530 | $95,867 | 8,550 |
| Milwaukee, WI | $78,730 | $86,182 | $97,360 | $108,425 | $119,490 | $99,959 | 22,400 |
| Detroit, MI | $78,140 | $85,796 | $97,280 | $103,965 | $110,650 | $102,292 | 44,310 |
| Colorado Springs, CO | $77,460 | $84,932 | $96,140 | $109,695 | $123,250 | $92,000 | 6,800 |
| Albuquerque, NM | $80,090 | $86,470 | $96,040 | $109,790 | $123,540 | $102,170 | 10,290 |
| San Antonio, TX | $66,430 | $77,606 | $94,370 | $108,680 | $122,990 | $103,137 | 23,660 |
| Tucson, AZ | $65,880 | $77,172 | $94,110 | $111,325 | $128,540 | $98,648 | 10,120 |
| Richmond, VA | $74,730 | $82,270 | $93,580 | $105,775 | $117,970 | $91,655 | 15,700 |
| Miami, FL | $72,640 | $80,136 | $91,380 | $110,265 | $129,150 | $74,232 | 61,670 |
| Charlotte, NC | $69,680 | $78,056 | $90,620 | $100,320 | $110,020 | $93,713 | 27,010 |
| Rochester, NY | $79,340 | $82,232 | $86,570 | $96,460 | $106,350 | $93,186 | 12,340 |
| Salt Lake City, UT | $71,700 | $77,376 | $85,890 | $100,675 | $115,460 | $84,704 | 14,070 |
| Tampa, FL | $73,290 | $78,162 | $85,470 | $104,970 | $124,470 | $85,813 | 38,720 |
| Louisville, KY | $65,300 | $73,120 | $84,850 | $101,525 | $118,200 | $94,069 | 18,180 |
| Raleigh, NC | $72,460 | $77,408 | $84,830 | $97,525 | $110,220 | $85,000 | 12,780 |
| Tulsa, OK | $57,240 | $68,260 | $84,790 | $96,970 | $109,150 | $97,684 | 10,880 |
| Omaha, NE | $69,070 | $75,282 | $84,600 | $98,770 | $112,940 | $92,157 | 13,200 |
| Indianapolis, IN | $69,160 | $75,188 | $84,230 | $94,735 | $105,240 | $93,485 | 25,800 |
| Nashville, TN | $69,480 | $75,304 | $84,040 | $98,035 | $112,030 | $83,789 | 25,100 |
| Columbus, OH | $67,720 | $74,192 | $83,900 | $94,835 | $105,770 | $90,118 | 30,510 |
| Cincinnati, OH | $67,820 | $74,152 | $83,650 | $95,420 | $107,190 | $91,721 | 28,520 |
| Orlando, FL | $68,890 | $74,754 | $83,550 | $99,880 | $116,210 | $81,038 | 30,150 |
| Jacksonville, FL | $68,950 | $74,778 | $83,520 | $94,195 | $104,870 | $87,823 | 18,940 |
| St. Louis, MO | $63,440 | $71,336 | $83,180 | $93,820 | $104,460 | $92,422 | 35,200 |
| Kansas City, MO | $66,970 | $73,398 | $83,040 | $93,290 | $103,540 | $87,044 | 29,650 |
| Oklahoma City, OK | $67,600 | $73,728 | $82,920 | $92,820 | $102,720 | $95,861 | 16,530 |
| Greensboro, NC | $66,400 | $72,984 | $82,860 | $102,710 | $122,560 | $90,756 | 6,240 |
| Pittsburgh, PA | $67,910 | $73,694 | $82,370 | $97,080 | $111,790 | $89,242 | 29,360 |
| New Orleans, LA | $65,660 | $72,136 | $81,850 | $92,515 | $103,180 | $85,349 | 11,530 |
| Memphis, TN | $65,280 | $71,768 | $81,500 | $96,905 | $112,310 | $97,024 | 13,760 |
| Greenville, SC | $68,530 | $73,678 | $81,400 | $91,015 | $100,630 | $90,344 | 9,730 |
| Little Rock, AR | $60,270 | $68,590 | $81,070 | $97,630 | $114,190 | $91,916 | 11,550 |
| Lexington, KY | $66,270 | $71,378 | $79,040 | $93,460 | $107,880 | $86,572 | 8,070 |
| Birmingham, AL | $62,230 | $68,810 | $78,680 | $90,820 | $102,960 | $87,035 | 17,850 |
| Des Moines, IA | $64,680 | $70,260 | $78,630 | $89,565 | $100,500 | $84,277 | 8,130 |
| Knoxville, TN | $57,070 | $65,138 | $77,240 | $87,300 | $97,360 | $85,537 | 9,500 |
| Wichita, KS | $60,300 | $66,796 | $76,540 | $88,035 | $99,530 | $91,119 | 7,460 |
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Registered Nurse & H-1B Prevailing Wage
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Frequently Asked Questions
The national median salary for Registered Nurse is $100,797 as of 2025 (BLS OEWS). The national mean (average) is $107,562. Salaries range from $76,540 to $216,740 median depending on city and cost of living.
Entry-level registered nurses (10th percentile) earn about $80,108 per year nationally. Pay rises with experience to a median of $100,797, $121,507 at the 75th percentile, and $137,107 for the top 10% of earners.
The median registered nurse earns about $48/hour, based on the $100,797 annual median over a standard 2,080-hour work year (BLS OEWS, May 2025).
San Jose, CA, CA posts the highest median for Registered Nurse at $216,740, well above the national median of $100,797. Cost of living matters, though — see the COL-adjusted column in the city table above, which can reorder the rankings.
There are approximately 2,035,260 Registered Nurse positions in the US across 70 metropolitan areas tracked by the Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS survey.
The 90th percentile registered nurse earns $137,107 — about 1.7× the $80,108 entry-level wage. A spread that wide signals real income growth potential with experience, specialization, and location.
No. BLS OEWS reports base wages only — bonuses, commissions, overtime, and equity are excluded. For roles where variable pay is common, total compensation runs above the figures shown here.
Salary data from BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics. COL adjustments use BEA Regional Price Parities.
Source: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025 release.