Registered Nurses Salary 2025: $100,797 Median Pay (BLS OEWS)
$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.
Registered Nurse (SOC 29-1141) is a high-paying U.S. occupation: national median wage of $100,797 across 2,035,260 reported workers per the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) survey.
Geographic wage spread is wide: across the 70 cities reporting data, median Registered Nurse wages range from $76,540 to $216,740 — roughly 183% above the floor. The spread reflects cost-of-living, regional supply-and-demand, and industry-mix differences. Registered Nurse is in the Healthcare category — wages here reflect a regulated labor market with state-specific licensing and credentialing, which constrains supply more than it does in unregulated fields.
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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Frequently Asked Questions
The national median salary for Registered Nurse is $100,797 as of 2025. The national mean (average) is $107,562. Salaries range from $76,540 to $216,740 depending on city and cost of living.
Registered Nurse salaries vary significantly by metro area. The highest-paying cities offer median salaries well above the national average of $100,797, though cost of living should be factored in. Check the city breakdown table above for COL-adjusted figures.
There are approximately 2,035,260 Registered Nurse positions in the US across 70 metropolitan areas tracked by the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
Registered Nurse positions at the 90th percentile earn significantly more than the median, suggesting strong income growth potential with experience and specialization. The gap between the 10th and 90th percentile indicates the impact that skills, location, and seniority have on compensation.
Salary data from BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics. COL adjustments use BEA Regional Price Parities.
Source: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, 2026.