SOC 291141

Registered Nurses

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. May advise patients on health maintenance and disease prevention or provide case management. Licensing or registration required. Includes Clinical Nurse Specialists. Excludes "Nurse Anesthetists" (29-1151), "Nurse Midwives" (29-1161), and "Nurse Practitioners" (29-1171).

National Median

$93,600

per year

National Salary Overview

Median Annual

$93,600

Entry Level (10th pct)

$66,030

Experienced (90th pct)

$135,320

Total Employed

3,282,010

Salary Distribution

Salary percentiles show the range from entry-level (10th) to top earners (90th)

Salary by Experience Level

Experience Level	Estimated Salary Range
Entry Level0-2 years experience	$66,030 - $78,610
Mid Career2-8 years experience	$78,610 - $107,960
Senior / Expert8+ years experience	$107,960 - $135,320

Highest Paying Locations for Registered Nurses

San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA

$208,940

+123.2% vs national

Vallejo, CA

$192,470

+105.6% vs national

San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA

$188,020

+100.9% vs national

Santa Cruz-Watsonville, CA

$178,900

+91.1% vs national

Santa Rosa-Petaluma, CA

$172,390

+84.2% vs national

Registered Nurses Salary by Location

Compare salaries across 50 metropolitan areas

Metropolitan Area	Median Salary	Employed
San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA	$208,940	21,460
Vallejo, CA	$192,470	4,410
San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA	$188,020	40,750
Santa Cruz-Watsonville, CA	$178,900	1,610
Santa Rosa-Petaluma, CA	$172,390	3,770
Modesto, CA	$169,460	5,260
Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom, CA	$169,210	23,400
Yuba City, CA	$144,220	1,070
Chico, CA	$141,720	2,490
California	$140,330	326,720
Kahului-Wailuku, HI	$139,310	1,170
Urban Honolulu, HI	$138,690	9,930
Hawaii	$136,320	13,100
Salinas, CA	$135,080	3,060
Eastern Sierra-Mother Lode Region of California nonmetropolitan area	$134,620	1,020
Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, CA	$133,470	3,140
San Luis Obispo-Paso Robles, CA	$133,470	1,950
Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA	$133,440	107,340
San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA	$133,090	27,660
Stockton-Lodi, CA	$131,840	5,100
Hanford-Corcoran, CA	$130,740	810
North Valley-Northern Mountains Region of California nonmetropolitan area	$130,680	1,470
Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA	$130,160	34,570
Bend, OR	$130,150	2,290
North Coast Region of California nonmetropolitan area	$129,740	1,850
Oxnard-Thousand Oaks-Ventura, CA	$128,520	5,430
Salem, OR	$128,150	4,000
Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA	$127,980	24,930
Bakersfield-Delano, CA	$127,510	5,410
Merced, CA	$126,880	930
Fresno, CA	$126,630	10,440
Redding, CA	$124,990	1,620
Oregon	$123,990	39,900
Hawaii / Kauai nonmetropolitan area	$122,650	1,990
Visalia, CA	$120,160	2,740
El Centro, CA	$118,580	610
Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA	$118,570	37,250
Corvallis, OR	$114,500	920
New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ	$113,490	195,470
Washington	$112,180	64,690
Medford, OR	$111,980	2,370
Alaska	$110,690	7,040
Anchorage, AK	$110,690	4,570
Eastern Oregon nonmetropolitan area	$108,490	1,140
Alaska nonmetropolitan area	$108,470	1,730
Wenatchee-East Wenatchee, WA	$108,350	1,340
Albany, OR	$108,000	580
Central Oregon nonmetropolitan area	$107,250	970
Coast Oregon nonmetropolitan area	$106,810	2,210
Eugene-Springfield, OR	$106,530	3,390

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the average salary for a Registered Nurses?

The national median annual salary for Registered Nurses is $93,600, according to Bureau of Labor Statistics data. This means half of workers in this occupation earn more, and half earn less.

Where do Registered Nursess earn the most?

The highest-paying metro area for Registered Nursess is San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA, with a median salary of $208,940.

How much can an experienced Registered Nurses make?

Top-earning Registered Nursess (90th percentile) make $135,320 or more annually. This typically reflects workers with significant experience, specialized skills, or positions in high-paying regions.