The average salary for a nurse in the United States is $68,450. However, this number can vary depending on location and years of experience. For example, nurses in California earn approximately $80,000 per year and nurses with 10 years of experience may make as much as $100,000.
In addition to a salary, nurses may also receive benefits such as health insurance, paid time off and retirement plans. The Bureau of Labor Statistics reports that 90% of nurses are covered by health insurance through their employers while 80% receive paid sick leave and 40% receive paid vacation time.
Nurses Salary In The Us
What you can earn as a nurse depends on your education, experience, role, industry and locale. Your nursing career may begin as a certified nurse assistant or registered nurse, or perhaps you’ve earned a master’s in nursing and became a nurse practitioner.
Whatever your chosen pathway, it could be beneficial to research what the typical salary is for your career in your state of practice. Information on salary for the nursing careers below was last retrieved in February 2021 from the U.S. Bureau of Labor and Statistics.
Nationally, the 2019 mean pay for these nursing careers was as follows:
| Nursing Career | 2019 Mean Salary |
|---|---|
| Nursing Assistant (CNA) | $30,720 |
| Licensed Practical and Licensed Vocational Nurse (LPN/LVN) | $48,500 |
| Registered Nurse (RN) | $77,460 |
| Nurse Practitioners (NP) | $111,840 |
| Nurse Midwife (CNM) | $108,810 |
| Nurse Anesthetist (CRNA) | $181,040 |
| Nursing Instructors and Teachers, Postsecondary | $83,160 |
Annual mean salary for the above nursing careers was retrieved from the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) May 2019 National Occupational Employment and Wages Estimates.
Mean Nursing Salary by State
| State | Nursing Assistant | LPN/LVN | RN | Nurse Practitioner | Nurse Midwife | Nurse Anesthetist | Nursing Instructor/Teacher, Postsecondary |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alabama | $24,590 | $39,310 | $60,230 | $99,570 | N/A | $157,430 | $71,020 |
| Alaska | $40,320 | $63,850 | $90,500 | $115,890 | $85,920 | N/A | $75,940 |
| Arizona | $32,640 | $54,290 | $78,330 | $111,480 | $117,700 | $144,530 | $81,110 |
| Arkansas | $25,950 | $40,760 | $61,330 | $105,840 | N/A | $182,960 | $55,170 |
| California | $36,630 | $60,240 | $113,240 | $138,660 | $154,500 | $227,290 | $101,930 |
| Colorado | $33,980 | $53,180 | $76,230 | $106,760 | $102,520 | $175,100 | $75,530 |
| Connecticut | $34,360 | $57,380 | $83,440 | $115,140 | $112,920 | $198,750 | $97,350 |
| Delaware | $31,770 | $53,520 | $74,100 | $112,430 | $95,110 | N/A | N/A |
| Florida | $27,790 | $45,580 | $67,610 | $101,510 | $84,270 | $160,030 | $122,050 |
| Georgia | $27,890 | $42,570 | $69,590 | $105,670 | $98,440 | $174,310 | $77,270 |
| Guam | $29,160 | $35,740 | $58,070 | $72,970 | N/A | N/A | N/A |
| Hawaii | $37,710 | $51,010 | $104,060 | $124,000 | N/A | $190,330 | $82,800 |
| Idaho | $28,950 | $46,430 | $69,480 | $110,860 | N/A | $150,670 | $76,690 |
| Illinois | $29,760 | $53,290 | $73,510 | $107,860 | $104,640 | $199,660 | $69,770 |
| Indiana | $28,610 | $46,050 | $66,560 | $106,380 | $112,010 | $165,770 | $83,880 |
| Iowa | $30,520 | $44,220 | $60,590 | $109,910 | $104,420 | $202,400 | $75,690 |
| Kansas | $27,280 | $44,260 | $62,450 | $100,550 | N/A | $162,010 | $68,090 |
| Kentucky | $27,280 | $42,740 | $63,750 | $99,560 | $105,890 | $167,400 | $72,240 |
| Louisiana | $23,340 | $40,300 | $65,850 | $106,240 | N/A | $158,500 | $67,080 |
| Maine | $30,770 | $46,930 | $69,760 | $106,960 | $115,200 | $188,840 | $59,220 |
| Maryland | $32,450 | $55,020 | $77,910 | $111,800 | $118,240 | $186,310 | $95,830 |
| Massachusetts | $35,040 | $60,340 | $93,160 | $122,240 | $107,150 | $201,890 | $88,260 |
| Michigan | $31,200 | $50,300 | $73,200 | $108,660 | $92,790 | $194,640 | $81,510 |
| Minnesota | $35,150 | $48,460 | $80,130 | $122,850 | $121,980 | $192,290 | $74,090 |
| Mississippi | $23,980 | $39,020 | $59,750 | $110,740 | $119,640 | $177,820 | $74,070 |
| Missouri | $26,490 | $43,410 | $64,160 | $105,050 | $114,140 | $161,420 | $73,300 |
| Montana | $30,440 | $44,730 | $69,340 | $109,120 | N/A | $239,380 | $77,770 |
| Nebraska | $29,920 | $44,450 | $66,640 | $105,450 | N/A | $179,450 | $75,520 |
| Nevada | $34,890 | $58,470 | $88,380 | $115,970 | N/A | N/A | $72,580 |
| New Hampshire | $33,430 | $54,220 | $73,880 | $110,680 | $108,050 | $196,000 | $72,890 |
| New Jersey | $31,190 | $57,510 | $84,280 | $123,810 | $117,280 | $193,900 | $87,120 |
| New Mexico | $28,850 | $48,330 | $73,300 | $111,930 | $98,750 | $162,320 | $67,120 |
| New York | $38,810 | $49,860 | $87,840 | $122,550 | $120,380 | $200,350 | $97,750 |
| North Carolina | $26,540 | $45,880 | $66,440 | $105,890 | $100,730 | $189,060 | $70,300 |
| North Dakota | $34,320 | $46,760 | $66,290 | $110,950 | N/A | $195,010 | $72,180 |
| Ohio | $28,690 | $45,020 | $68,220 | $103,780 | $103,930 | $184,380 | $79,360 |
| Oklahoma | $26,030 | $42,090 | $64,800 | $113,200 | N/A | $175,090 | $58,440 |
| Oregon | $34,780 | $54,740 | $92,960 | $113,430 | $113,580 | $234,750 | $83,900 |
| Pennsylvania | $31,590 | $49,200 | $71,410 | $101,950 | $98,680 | $174,240 | $81,760 |
| Puerto Rico | $22,540 | $23,170 | $35,040 | N/A | N/A | $54,690 | $35,980 |
| Rhode Island | $33,020 | $59,860 | $82,310 | $115,310 | $108,320 | N/A | $80,220 |
| South Carolina | $26,560 | $42,190 | $64,840 | $100,680 | $99,590 | $165,940 | $74,020 |
| South Dakota | $28,120 | $38,760 | $59,540 | $102,230 | N/A | $190,880 | $73,160 |
| Tennessee | $27,250 | $41,270 | $62,570 | $96,510 | $90,070 | $157,070 | $75,260 |
| Texas | $27,930 | $47,370 | $74,540 | $115,440 | $92,560 | $167,020 | $66,190 |
| Utah | $28,890 | $49,660 | $67,970 | $105,240 | $104,580 | $146,470 | $82,790 |
| Vermont | $31,710 | $50,210 | $70,240 | $105,840 | $94,850 | N/A | N/A |
| Virgin Islands | $31,150 | $48,420 | $68,500 | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A |
| Virginia | $29,400 | $46,070 | $71,870 | $109,110 | $94,920 | $180,120 | $71,640 |
| Washington | $33,800 | $57,940 | $86,170 | $126,920 | $107,810 | $192,440 | $81,980 |
| Washington, D.C | $35,320 | $54,220 | $94,820 | $111,950 | $95,990 | N/A | $157,560 |
| West Virginia | $26,900 | $37,500 | $63,220 | $103,170 | N/A | $188,580 | $58,590 |
| Wisconsin | $31,280 | $46,550 | $72,610 | $112,130 | $115,100 | $233,600 | $83,690 |
| Wyoming | $31,930 | $46,980 | $68,690 | $118,110 | N/A | $243,310 | $66,880 |
