How much does a Registered Nurses make?

The median annual wage for Registered Nurses is $97,550 ($47 per hour). Pay ranges from about $68,940 at the 10th percentile to $137,470 at the 90th percentile.

What is the average salary for a Registered Nurses?

The average (mean) annual salary is $101,420, which is higher than the median because a small number of high earners pull the average up.

Which state pays Registered Nursess the most?

California has the highest median annual wage for this occupation at $140,270.

Is Registered Nurses a growing occupation?

BLS employment data for May 2025 counts about 3.4M people in this occupation. Projected growth is published separately in the BLS Employment Projections program.

What does a Registered Nurses do?

Record patients' medical information and vital signs.; Administer medications to patients and monitor patients for reactions or side effects.; Maintain accurate, detailed reports and records..

Registered Nurses Salary

Healthcare Practitioners and Technical Occupations · 3.4M employed in the U.S.

Median annual

$97,550

Median hourly

$47

Average annual

$101,420

Typical range

$68,940–$137,470

Pay distribution

10th to 90th percentile, with the median marked.

10th$68,940

25th$80,330

Median$97,550

75th$112,350

90th$137,470

What this role pays

The median annual salary for Registered Nurses is $97,550 as of May 2025, based on the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) survey. That works out to about $47 an hour at a full-time schedule.

Assess patient health problems and needs, develop and implement nursing care plans, and maintain medical records. Administer nursing care to ill, injured, convalescent, or disabled patients.

Most earn between $68,940 and $137,470 a year. There are roughly 3.4M people employed as registered nurses in the United States. Use the state and metro pages below to see how pay changes by location, and the calculator to convert any hourly or annual figure.

Salary calculator

Convert your pay and see where it lands for Registered Nurses.

Pay amountPay period

Hours / weekWeeks / year

Hourly: $46.90
Daily: $375
Weekly: $1,876
Bi-weekly: $3,752
Monthly: $8,129
Annual: $97,550

$97,550 a year is around the 50th percentile for Registered Nursess. The median is $97,550.

Registered Nurses — U.S., May 2025
Percentile	Hourly	Annual
10th percentile	$33.10	$68,940
25th percentile	$38.60	$80,330
Median	$46.90	$97,550
75th percentile	$54.00	$112,350
90th percentile	$66.10	$137,470
Average (mean)	$48.80	$101,420
Employment	3,379,720 people

Key skills

Active Listening
Social Perceptiveness
Speaking
Monitoring
Reading Comprehension
Critical Thinking
Service Orientation
Coordination
Writing
Judgment and Decision Making

Highest-paying states

Median annual wage by state.

1California$140,270
2Hawaii$136,320
3Oregon$129,010
4Washington$124,200
5Alaska$109,480
6New York$109,440
7New Jersey$106,500
8Massachusetts$104,550
9Nevada$103,670
10Connecticut$102,740
11District of Columbia$102,540
12Minnesota$101,510

Top-paying metro areas

Median annual wage by metro area.

1San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA$216,740
2Vallejo, CA$203,290
3San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA$186,610
4Santa Rosa-Petaluma, CA$174,550
5Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom, CA$171,460
6Santa Cruz-Watsonville, CA$170,960
7Yuba City, CA$149,320
8Kahului-Wailuku, HI$144,350
9San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA$139,520
10Urban Honolulu, HI$139,260
11San Luis Obispo-Paso Robles, CA$138,820
12Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, CA$137,360

Related job titles

Employers advertise Registered Nurses roles under these titles.

Related occupations

What a Registered Nurses does

Record patients' medical information and vital signs.
Administer medications to patients and monitor patients for reactions or side effects.
Maintain accurate, detailed reports and records.
Monitor, record, and report symptoms or changes in patients' conditions.
Monitor all aspects of patient care, including diet and physical activity.
Instruct individuals, families, or other groups on topics such as health education, disease prevention, or childbirth and develop health improvement programs.
Modify patient treatment plans as indicated by patients' responses and conditions.
Conduct specified laboratory tests.

Frequently asked questions

How much does a Registered Nurses make?: The median annual wage for Registered Nurses is $97,550 ($47 per hour). Pay ranges from about $68,940 at the 10th percentile to $137,470 at the 90th percentile.
What is the average salary for a Registered Nurses?: The average (mean) annual salary is $101,420, which is higher than the median because a small number of high earners pull the average up.
Which state pays Registered Nursess the most?: California has the highest median annual wage for this occupation at $140,270.
Is Registered Nurses a growing occupation?: BLS employment data for May 2025 counts about 3.4M people in this occupation. Projected growth is published separately in the BLS Employment Projections program.
What does a Registered Nurses do?: Record patients' medical information and vital signs.; Administer medications to patients and monitor patients for reactions or side effects.; Maintain accurate, detailed reports and records..