Nursing may be a profession taken for granted in the U.S. (just like teachers), but the numbers speak differently to their value. As a career, there’s a lot of flexibility, stability, and earning potential working as a nurse.
Nurses make up the country's largest group of healthcare professionals — more than clinical practitioners, technologists, and even administrators. Even so, it’s not enough. The U.S. currently has an increasing shortage of nurses that is expected to grow through 2030.
It’s an opportunistic time to work as a nurse, though consider that nurse salaries can vary significantly depending on what state you’re practicing in and what position you’re working. The data shows which states can be most lucrative to work in as a nurse and which are not.
We have analyzed the following key Nursing Positions and will add to this list over time with the most up-to-date information available.
The data below is the average of all median salaries for key Nursing positions to get an idea of salaries across all states.
We have conducted a detailed analysis for each of the nursing positions below, so please click through for more information.
Median Nursing Salary by State
Across the country, it’s estimated that 1.1 million nurses are already needed in 2022 to fill open nursing positions. That number will continue to grow according to job prospect data from the BLS.
For nurses, that means there are plenty of opportunities across the country for available work, giving flexibility to where you want to live. Consider the following data of the highest and lowest paying states for nursing salaries.
A note about our data. We use the median of the data gathered from The BLS at data.bls.gov and other salary data sources such as Salary.com, Indeed.com and Zippia.com. We believe that this is the best average to follow, rather than the mean or mode. The mean will find the average of all salaries in each state; the mode will favor the most frequently reported salaries. However, the median will find the middle. All data in this report will favor the middle salary from all ranges, which means 50% will fall below and 50% will be above the salary data reported below. On another note, we have removed data from Puerto Rico, Guam, and The Virgin Islands from the data we have sourced as we have focused on the 50 US States plus The District Of Colombia.
Comparison of salaries against the USA cost of living index.
We have also compared the data against the USA cost of living index on worldpopulationreview.com
State | costIndex | groceryCost | housingCost | utilitiesCost | transportationCost | miscCost |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Hawaii | 193.3 | 152.9 | 315 | 164.2 | 133.7 | 126.7 |
New York | 148.2 | 118.4 | 230.1 | 99.8 | 108.7 | 114.8 |
California | 142.2 | 113.7 | 201.9 | 124.3 | 131.7 | 111.3 |
Massachusetts | 135 | 119.3 | 177.6 | 111.1 | 111.3 | 116.1 |
Oregon | 130.1 | 107.8 | 172.6 | 90.2 | 125.9 | 118.5 |
Alaska | 127.1 | 134.5 | 126.9 | 154.8 | 109.9 | 113.7 |
Maryland | 124 | 110.4 | 165.9 | 105.1 | 107.6 | 108 |
Connecticut | 121.6 | 106.4 | 134.6 | 132.4 | 111.1 | 114.1 |
Rhode Island | 117.2 | 107.7 | 121.7 | 127.6 | 107.6 | 118.7 |
Vermont | 117 | 109.2 | 136.2 | 119 | 114.2 | 104.1 |
New Jersey | 115.2 | 107.3 | 136.6 | 104.6 | 105.5 | 106.6 |
Maine | 115 | 102.2 | 136.6 | 102.3 | 104.6 | 108.4 |
Washington | 111.6 | 108.4 | 119 | 90.8 | 117.4 | 110.4 |
New Hampshire | 109.9 | 103.6 | 108.1 | 113.6 | 97.2 | 110.8 |
Delaware | 107.9 | 114 | 103.1 | 96.5 | 113 | 113.7 |
Nevada | 106.3 | 107 | 117.9 | 88.4 | 119.7 | 99.3 |
Colorado | 105.3 | 98.1 | 116.4 | 88.4 | 105.6 | 107.4 |
Arizona | 103.2 | 101.5 | 107.7 | 104.8 | 98.8 | 99.7 |
Pennsylvania | 102.5 | 107.8 | 98 | 109.7 | 105.6 | 102.9 |
Idaho | 102.1 | 93.8 | 110.4 | 82.3 | 111.7 | 100.9 |
Virginia | 101.8 | 95.2 | 111.5 | 96.7 | 90.4 | 100.2 |
South Dakota | 101 | 102.1 | 112.8 | 91.8 | 89.7 | 91.1 |
Montana | 100.7 | 103.4 | 106.3 | 88 | 94.7 | 98.6 |
Florida | 100.3 | 105.6 | 99 | 105.3 | 98.8 | 98.4 |
Minnesota | 100 | 103.9 | 90.2 | 96.5 | 99.4 | 108.8 |
Utah | 99 | 97.3 | 98.4 | 90.9 | 109.9 | 99.5 |
North Dakota | 98.2 | 101 | 95.4 | 95.2 | 104.2 | 96.3 |
Wisconsin | 96.4 | 99.5 | 88.4 | 99.4 | 99.5 | 98.9 |
North Carolina | 95.7 | 97.6 | 88.6 | 97.7 | 92.8 | 99.2 |
Illinois | 94.3 | 98.4 | 86.6 | 96.5 | 105.8 | 96.7 |
Wyoming | 94.3 | 102.7 | 81.3 | 85.2 | 99.9 | 105.5 |
Nebraska | 93.7 | 98.6 | 86.6 | 89.3 | 100.2 | 96.8 |
South Carolina | 93.6 | 99.5 | 79.6 | 105.2 | 95.2 | 99.4 |
Kentucky | 93.1 | 92.1 | 79.9 | 104.7 | 103 | 103.7 |
Louisiana | 93 | 96.8 | 86 | 87 | 96.5 | 98.4 |
Texas | 92.1 | 90.8 | 83.8 | 103.2 | 94.1 | 97 |
Michigan | 91.3 | 90.1 | 80.7 | 99.7 | 103.2 | 96.4 |
Ohio | 91.3 | 99.2 | 76.5 | 92 | 98.6 | 98.7 |
New Mexico | 91 | 95.5 | 84.3 | 89.6 | 98.1 | 91.9 |
Arkansas | 90.9 | 93.1 | 79.1 | 92.3 | 92.3 | 97.4 |
Indiana | 90.6 | 92.7 | 78.3 | 99 | 98.3 | 95.2 |
West Virginia | 90.5 | 96.5 | 78.6 | 89.4 | 92.2 | 102.9 |
Iowa | 89.9 | 98.4 | 76 | 94.9 | 97.7 | 93.7 |
Missouri | 89.8 | 95 | 80.3 | 95.4 | 92.4 | 95.8 |
Tennessee | 89 | 94.7 | 79.3 | 92.5 | 88.8 | 92.9 |
Georgia | 88.8 | 95.9 | 74.4 | 90.5 | 92.6 | 96.6 |
Alabama | 87.9 | 98.2 | 70.1 | 100.7 | 92.7 | 94.1 |
Oklahoma | 87.9 | 94.5 | 74.7 | 95.1 | 94.8 | 93.5 |
Kansas | 86.5 | 91.7 | 72.6 | 100.2 | 97.3 | 90.3 |
Mississippi | 83.3 | 92.2 | 66.3 | 90.4 | 86.7 | 91.4 |
High salaries will generally fall in line with the highest cost of living, we have included this information for each state in addition to salary information.
Top Five Highest Paying States for Nurses
According to data on the median salary for nurses in each state, these are the top five highest-paying states in the country for nurses:
Rank | State | Median Annual Salary |
|---|---|---|
1 | California | $84,997 |
2 | Washington | $80,067 |
3 | Oregon | $79,598 |
4 | Alaska | $77,079 |
5 | Connecticut | $76,783 |
Some interesting notes about the highest paying states for nurses:
California not only has the highest earning potential for nurses, but it’s also the state expected to have the highest demand for certain nursing professions by 2030.
New York, on the other hand, is expected to be in the bottom five states in terms of nursing demand by 2030.
Five Lowest Paying States for Nurses
According to data on the median salary for nurses in each state, the following five states are the lowest-paying states in the country:
Rank | State | Median Annual Salary |
|---|---|---|
47 | South Carolina | $58,357 |
48 | Louisiana | $58,290 |
49 | Tennessee | $57,799 |
50 | Virginia | $57,044 |
51* | Alabama | $56,489 |
* List includes the District of Columbia, bringing the total number of entries to 51
Nursing Salaries by State: Highest to Lowest
Nursing salaries can vary greatly depending on what state you’re in, considering that the highest-paying state for nurses in the country has a median average salary that’s over $30,000 more per year than the lowest-paying state.
The list below ranks each state by its median average salary (annual) from highest to lowest. That salary data is a median average of the median incomes of RNs, NPs, CNAs, HHAs, and LPN/LVNs.
For each state, the median average salary of each of those positions is also listed, along with a note if it lands in the top ten highest paying in the country or bottom ten lowest paying.
States in Descending Order of Median Salaries.
1st California
$84,997.78 is the California statewide average median salary of nurses, the country's highest salary. However California is the third highest state in the USA in the cost of living index.
3rd place in the USA Cost of living index: 142.2
The following are the median salaries for specific nursing positions in California.
Registered Nurse: $124,000 (highest)
Nurse Practitioner: $129,477 (highest)
Certified Nursing Assistant: $37,450 (sixth highest)
Home Health Aide: $29,680
LPN/LVN: $61,600 (second highest)
2nd Washington
$80,067 is the Washington statewide average median salary of nurses, which makes it the second-highest paying state for nurses in the country.
13th place in the USA Cost of living index: 111.6
The following are the median salaries for specific nursing positions in Washington.
Registered Nurse: $96,980 (fifth highest)
Nurse Practitioner: $110,960 (fourth highest)
Certified Nursing Assistant: $37,140 (seventh highest)
Home Health Aide: $36,300 (joint highest with Massachusetts)
LPN/LVN: $61,160 (third highest)
3rd Oregon
$79,598 is the Oregon statewide average median salary of nurses, which is the third-highest paying state in the country.
5th place in the USA Cost of living index: 130.1
The following are the median salaries for specific nursing positions in Oregon.
Registered Nurse: $99,410 (third highest)
Nurse Practitioner: $111,127 (third highest)
Certified Nursing Assistant: $37,460 (fourth highest)
Home Health Aide: $30,060 (seventh highest)
LPN/LVN: $60,240 (fourth highest)
4th Alaska
$77,079 is the Alaska statewide average median salary of nurses, which is fourth highest on the list. It is also the second non-contiguous state (along with Hawaii) to offer the top-10 highest nursing salaries in the country.
6th place in the USA Cost of living index: 127.1
The following are the median salaries for specific nursing positions in Alaska.
Registered Nurse: $99,110 (fourth highest)
Nurse Practitioner: $125,342 (second highest)
Certified Nursing Assistant: $41,040 (highest)
Home Health Aide: $36,060 (third highest)
LPN/LVN: $61,680 (highest)
5th Connecticut
$76,783 is the Connecticut statewide average median salary of nurses.
8th place in the USA Cost of living index: 121.6
The following are the median salaries for specific nursing positions in Connecticut.
Registered Nurse: $83,860 (tenth highest)
Nurse Practitioner: $105,897 (tenth highest)
Certified Nursing Assistant: $36,770 (tenth highest)
Home Health Aide: $29,740 (tenth highest)
LPN/LVN: $60,120 (seventh highest)
6th Massachusetts
$75,788 is the Massachusetts statewide average median salary of nurses.
4th place in the USA Cost of living index: 135
The following are the median salaries for specific nursing positions in Massachusetts.
Registered Nurse: $94,960 (eighth highest)
Nurse Practitioner: $108,982 (sixth highest)
Certified Nursing Assistant: $37,370 (sixth highest)
Home Health Aide: $36,300 (highest)
LPN/LVN: $60,190 (sixth highest)
7th New York
$75,587 is the New York statewide average median salary of nurses.
2nd place in the USA Cost of living index: 148.2
The following are the median salaries for specific nursing positions in New York.
Registered Nurse: $96,170 (sixth highest)
Nurse Practitioner: $105,390
Certified Nursing Assistant: $38,130 (second highest)
Home Health Aide: $30,300 (sixth highest)
LPN/LVN: $50,410
8th New Jersey
$75,395 is the New Jersey statewide average median salary of nurses.
11th place in the USA Cost of living index: 115.2
The following are the median salaries for specific nursing positions in New Jersey.
Registered Nurse: $94,690 (ninth highest)
Nurse Practitioner: $107,314 (eighth highest)
Certified Nursing Assistant: $36,730
Home Health Aide: $29,500
LPN/LVN: $60,070 (eighth highest)
9th District of Columbia
$72,408 is the District of Columbia average median salary of nurses.
No data on the Cost of living index:
The following are the median salaries for specific nursing positions in the District of Columbia.
Registered Nurse: $95,220 (seventh highest)
Nurse Practitioner: $99,178
Certified Nursing Assistant: $37,500 (third highest)
Home Health Aide: $31,280 (fourth highest)
LPN/LVN: $59,810 (tenth highest)
10th Rhode Island
$72,072 is the Rhode Island statewide average median salary of nurses.
9th place in the USA Cost of living index: 117.2
The following are the median salaries for specific nursing positions in Rhode Island.
Registered Nurse: $78,900
Nurse Practitioner: $101,766
Certified Nursing Assistant: $37,110 (eighth highest)
Home Health Aide: $29,300
LPN/LVN: $60,240
11th New Hampshire
$70,314 is the New Hampshire statewide average median salary of nurses.
14th place in the USA Cost of living index: 109.9
The following are the median salaries for specific nursing positions in New Hampshire.
Registered Nurse: $77,230
Nurse Practitioner: $99,317
Certified Nursing Assistant: $36,770
Home Health Aide: $29,370
LPN/LVN: $59,380
12th North Dakota
$69,891 is the North Dakota statewide average median salary of nurses.
27th place in the USA Cost of living index: 98.2
The following are the median salaries for specific nursing positions in North Dakota.
Registered Nurse: $73,250
Nurse Practitioner: $93,577
Certified Nursing Assistant: $36,770
Home Health Aide: $30,410 (fifth highest)
LPN/LVN: $47,320
13th Minnesota
$69,718 is the Minnesota statewide average median salary of nurses.
25th place in the USA Cost of living index: 100
The following are the median salaries for specific nursing positions in Minnesota.
Registered Nurse: $79,100
Nurse Practitioner: $97,853
Certified Nursing Assistant: $36,770
Home Health Aide: $29,320
LPN/LVN: $47,970
14th Nevada
$69,611 is the Nevada statewide average median salary of nurses.
16th place in the USA Cost of living index: 106.3
The following are the median salaries for specific nursing positions in Nevada.
Registered Nurse: $79,360
Nurse Practitioner: $108,551 (seventh highest)
Certified Nursing Assistant: $36,580
Home Health Aide: $23,460
LPN/LVN: $59,850 (ninth highest)
15th Maryland
$69,379 is the Maryland statewide average median salary of nurses.
7th place in the USA Cost of living index: 124
The following are the median salaries for specific nursing positions in Maryland.
Registered Nurse: $78,350
Nurse Practitioner: $96,154
Certified Nursing Assistant: $31,570
Home Health Aide: $29,290
LPN/LVN: $58,760
16th Michigan
$69,267 is the Michigan statewide average median salary of nurses in.
37th place in the USA Cost of living index: 91.3
The following are the median salaries for specific nursing positions in Michigan.
Registered Nurse: $76,710
Nurse Practitioner: $96,385
Certified Nursing Assistant: $35,580
Home Health Aide: $28,150
LPN/LVN: $56,310
17th Hawaii
$68,994 is the Hawaii statewide average median salary of nurses.
1st place in the USA Cost of living index: 193.3
The following are the median salaries for specific nursing positions in Hawaii.
Registered Nurse: $111,070 (second highest)
Nurse Practitioner: $98,282
Certified Nursing Assistant: $36,990 (ninth highest)
Home Health Aide: $29,470
LPN/LVN: $51,790
18th Pennsylvania
$68,947 is the Pennsylvania statewide average median salary of nurses.
19th place in the USA Cost of living index: 102.5
The following are the median salaries for specific nursing positions in Pennsylvania.
Registered Nurse: $76,940
Nurse Practitioner: $88,221
Certified Nursing Assistant: $35,780
Home Health Aide: $28,390
LPN/LVN: $48,220
19th Vermont
$68,873 is the Vermont statewide average median salary of nurses.
10th place in the USA Cost of living index: 117
The following are the median salaries for specific nursing positions in Vermont.
Registered Nurse: $75,380
Nurse Practitioner: $104,520
Certified Nursing Assistant: $36,590
Home Health Aide: $30,040 (eighth highest)
LPN/LVN: $58,810
20th Maine
$67,826 is the Maine statewide average median salary of nurses.
12th place in the USA Cost of living index: 115
The following are the median salaries for specific nursing positions in Maine.
Registered Nurse: $75,040
Nurse Practitioner: $99,434
Certified Nursing Assistant: $36,040
Home Health Aide: $29,700
LPN/LVN: $47,900
21st Arizona
$67,388 is the Arizona statewide average median salary of nurses.
18th place in the USA Cost of living index: 103.2
The following are the median salaries for specific nursing positions in Arizona.
Registered Nurse: $78,260
Nurse Practitioner: $107,054 (ninth highest)
Certified Nursing Assistant: $36,090
Home Health Aide: $29,000
LPN/LVN: $59,490
22nd Wisconsin
$67,343 is the Wisconsin statewide average median salary of nurses.
28th place in the USA Cost of living index: 96.4
The following are the median salaries for specific nursing positions in Wisconsin.
Registered Nurse: $76,560
Nurse Practitioner: $96,178
Certified Nursing Assistant: $34,760
Home Health Aide: $28,400
LPN/LVN: $47,750
23rd Delaware
$67,080 is the Delaware statewide average median salary of nurses.
15th place in the USA Cost of living index: 107.9
The following are the median salaries for specific nursing positions in Delaware.
Registered Nurse: $75,380
Nurse Practitioner: $99,196
Certified Nursing Assistant: $34,970
Home Health Aide: $24,420
LPN/LVN: $55,290
24th Colorado
$66,904 is the Colorado statewide average median salary of nurses.
17th place in the USA Cost of living index: 105.3
The following are the median salaries for specific nursing positions in Colorado.
Registered Nurse: $78,070
Nurse Practitioner: $92,853
Certified Nursing Assistant: $36,590
Home Health Aide: $29,910 (ninth highest)
LPN/LVN: $58,810
25th Illinois
$66,509 is the Illinois statewide average median salary of nurses.
30th place in the USA Cost of living index: 94.3
The following are the median salaries for specific nursing positions in Illinois.
Registered Nurse: $77,580
Nurse Practitioner: $91,700
Certified Nursing Assistant: $33,090
Home Health Aide: $29,340
LPN/LVN: $52,700
26th Utah
$66,147 is the Utah statewide average median salary of nurses.
26th place in the USA Cost of living index: 99
The following are the median salaries for specific nursing positions in Utah.
Registered Nurse: $75,000
Nurse Practitioner: $92,655
Certified Nursing Assistant: $29,690
Home Health Aide: $29,110
LPN/LVN: $47,940
27th New Mexico
$65,823 is the New Mexico statewide average median salary of nurses.
39th place in the USA Cost of living index: 91
The following are the median salaries for specific nursing positions in New Mexico.
Registered Nurse: $78,340
Nurse Practitioner: $109,385
Certified Nursing Assistant: $29,600
Home Health Aide: $22,970
LPN/LVN: $57,490
28th Texas
$64,157 is the Texas statewide average median salary of nurses.
36th place in the USA Cost of living index: 92.1
The following are the median salaries for specific nursing positions in Texas.
Registered Nurse: $77,320
Nurse Practitioner: $98,902
Certified Nursing Assistant: $29,420
Home Health Aide: $22,500 (fifth lowest)
LPN/LVN: $48,520
29th Ohio
$64,145 is the Ohio statewide average median salary of nurses.
38th place in the USA Cost of living index: 91.3
The following are the median salaries for specific nursing positions in Ohio.
Registered Nurse: $74,080
Nurse Practitioner: $87,224
Certified Nursing Assistant: $29,840
Home Health Aide: $24,000
LPN/LVN: $47,270
30th Wyoming
$62,866 is the Wyoming statewide average median salary of nurses.
31st place in the USA Cost of living index: 94.3
The following are the median salaries for specific nursing positions in Wyoming.
Registered Nurse: $75,000
Nurse Practitioner: $87,714
Certified Nursing Assistant: $30,410
Home Health Aide: $29,250
LPN/LVN: $48,030
31st Idaho
$62,811 is the Idaho statewide average median salary of nurses.
20th place in the USA Cost of living index: 102.1
The following are the median salaries for specific nursing positions in Idaho.
Registered Nurse: $75,560
Nurse Practitioner: $94,410
Certified Nursing Assistant: $29,450
Home Health Aide: $23,910
LPN/LVN: $47,450
32nd Iowa
$62,782 is the Iowa statewide average median salary of nurses.
43rd place in the USA Cost of living index: 89.9
The following are the median salaries for specific nursing positions in Iowa.
Registered Nurse: $61,790 (sixth lowest)
Nurse Practitioner: $84,827 (tenth lowest)
Certified Nursing Assistant: $29,990
Home Health Aide: $28,900
LPN/LVN: $47,000
33rd North Carolina
$62,712 is the North Carolina statewide average median salary of nurses.
29th place in the USA Cost of living index: 95.7
The following are the median salaries for specific nursing positions in North Carolina.
Registered Nurse: $72,220
Nurse Practitioner: $87,085
Certified Nursing Assistant: $29,230
Home Health Aide: $23,150
LPN/LVN: $47,340
34th Indiana
$62,347 is the Indiana statewide average median salary of nurses.
41st place in the USA Cost of living index: 90.6
The following are the median salaries for specific nursing positions in Indiana.
Registered Nurse: $62,400
Nurse Practitioner: $88,861
Certified Nursing Assistant: $29,690
Home Health Aide: $24,070
LPN/LVN: $48,070
35th Montana
$62,307 is the Montana statewide average median salary of nurses.
23rd place in the USA Cost of living index: 100.7
The following are the median salaries for specific nursing positions in Montana.
Registered Nurse: $75,000
Nurse Practitioner: $94,018
Certified Nursing Assistant: $29,690
Home Health Aide: $28,760
LPN/LVN: $47,000
36th Kentucky
$61,510 is the Kentucky statewide average median salary of nurses.
34th place in the USA Cost of living index: 93.1
The following are the median salaries for specific nursing positions in Kentucky.
Registered Nurse: $62,480
Nurse Practitioner: $81,578
Certified Nursing Assistant: $29,060
Home Health Aide: $27,690
LPN/LVN: $46,950
37th Georgia
$61,485 is the Georgia statewide average median salary of nurses.
46th place in the USA Cost of living index: 88.8
The following are the median salaries for specific nursing positions in Georgia.
Registered Nurse: $75,040
Nurse Practitioner: $84,661 (ninth lowest)
Certified Nursing Assistant: $28,560 (fifth lowest)
Home Health Aide: $23,340
LPN/LVN: $46,910
38th Oklahoma
$61,017 is the Oklahoma statewide average median salary of nurses.
48th place in the USA Cost of living index: 87.9
The following are the median salaries for specific nursing positions in Oklahoma.
Registered Nurse: $62,170 (eighth lowest)
Nurse Practitioner: $88,686
Certified Nursing Assistant: $28,820 (seventh lowest)
Home Health Aide: $22,350 (fourth lowest)
LPN/LVN: $46,910
39th Mississippi
$60,965 is the Mississippi statewide average median salary of nurses.
50th place in the USA Cost of living index: 83.3
The following are the median salaries for specific nursing positions in Mississippi.
Registered Nurse: $60,790 (third lowest)
Nurse Practitioner: $92,988
Certified Nursing Assistant: $23,780 (lowest)
Home Health Aide: $22,350 (fourth lowest)
LPN/LVN: $38,610 (third lowest)
40th West Virginia
$60,444 is the West Virginia statewide average median salary of nurses.
42nd place in the USA Cost of living index: 90.5
The following are the median salaries for specific nursing positions in West Virginia.
Registered Nurse: $62,390 (ninth lowest)
Nurse Practitioner: $80,704 (third lowest)
Certified Nursing Assistant: $28,910 (ninth lowest)
Home Health Aide: $22,280 (third lowest)
LPN/LVN: $37,790 (lowest)
41st Missouri
$60,282 is the Missouri statewide average median salary of nurses.
44th place in the USA Cost of living index: 89.8
The following are the median salaries for specific nursing positions in Missouri.
Registered Nurse: $61,920 (seventh lowest)
Nurse Practitioner: $82,627 (seventh lowest)
Certified Nursing Assistant: $28,680 (sixth lowest)
Home Health Aide: $23,110 (tenth lowest)
LPN/LVN: $46,520 (ninth lowest)
42nd Kansas
$59,949 is the Kansas statewide average median salary of nurses, which is the tenth lowest rate in the country.
49th place in the USA Cost of living index: 86.5
The following are the median salaries for specific nursing positions in Kansas.
Registered Nurse: $61,790 (fifth lowest)
Nurse Practitioner: $83,303 (seventh lowest)
Certified Nursing Assistant: $29,060
Home Health Aide: $23,210
LPN/LVN: $46,660 (tenth lowest)
43rd South Dakota
$59,889 is the South Dakota statewide average median salary of nurses, which makes it the ninth-lowest median salary in the nation.
22nd place in the USA Cost of living index: 101
The following are the median salaries for specific nursing positions in South Dakota.
Registered Nurse: $60,550 (lowest)
Nurse Practitioner: $85,706
Certified Nursing Assistant: $28,970 (tenth lowest)
Home Health Aide: $28,950
LPN/LVN: $38,480 (second lowest)
44th Nebraska
$59,798 is the Nebraska statewide average median salary of nurses, making it the eighth-lowest paying state in the country.
32nd place in the USA Cost of living index: 93.7
The following are the median salaries for specific nursing positions in Nebraska.
Registered Nurse: $64,000
Nurse Practitioner: $82,423 (sixth lowest)
Certified Nursing Assistant: $29,960
Home Health Aide: $28,840
LPN/LVN: $47,140
45th Florida
$59,654 is the Florida statewide average median salary of nurses, making it the seventh-lowest paying state in the country.
24th place in the USA Cost of living index: 100.3
The following are the median salaries for specific nursing positions in Florida.
Registered Nurse: $75,000
Nurse Practitioner: $87,641
Certified Nursing Assistant: $29,070
Home Health Aide: $23,910
LPN/LVN: $47,000
46th Arkansas
$58,544 is the Arkansas statewide average median salary of nurses, making it the sixth lowest-paying state for nurses.
40th place in the USA Cost of living index: 90.9
The following are the median salaries for specific nursing positions in Arkansas.
Registered Nurse: $61,530 (fourth lowest)
Nurse Practitioner: $84,830
Certified Nursing Assistant: $28,420 (fourth lowest)
Home Health Aide: $23,540
LPN/LVN: $435,180 (fifth lowest)
47th South Carolina
$58,357 is the South Carolina statewide average median salary of nurses, which is the fifth-lowest median salary in the nation.
33rd place in the USA Cost of living index: 93.6
The following are the median salaries for specific nursing positions in South Carolina.
Registered Nurse: $72,650
Nurse Practitioner: $80,136 (second lowest)
Certified Nursing Assistant: $28,900 (eighth lowest)
Home Health Aide: $22,900 (seventh lowest)
LPN/LVN: $46,820
48th Louisiana
$58,291 is the Louisiana statewide average median salary of nurses, making it the fourth lowest-paying state in the country.
35th place in the USA Cost of living index: 193
The following are the median salaries for specific nursing positions in Louisiana.
Registered Nurse: $64,450
Nurse Practitioner: $86,963
Certified Nursing Assistant: $24,220 (second lowest)
Home Health Aide: $218,210 (lowest)
LPN/LVN: $46,160 (seventh lowest)
49th Tennessee
$57,799 is the Tennessee statewide average median salary of nurses, making it the third-lowest paying state in the country.
45th place in the USA Cost of living index: 89
The following are the median salaries for specific nursing positions in Tennessee.
Registered Nurse: $62,390 (tenth lowest)
Nurse Practitioner: $81,801 (fifth lowest)
Certified Nursing Assistant: $29,130
Home Health Aide: $23,370
LPN/LVN: $45,970 (sixth lowest)
50th Virginia
$57,044 is the Virginia statewide average median salary of nurses, making it the second-lowest paying state in the country.
21st place in the USA Cost of living index: 101.8
The following are the median salaries for specific nursing positions in Virginia.
Registered Nurse: $76,900
Nurse Practitioner: $88,016
Certified Nursing Assistant: $29,690
Home Health Aide: $23,010 (ninth lowest)
LPN/LVN: $47,210
51st Alabama
$56,489 is the Alabama statewide average median salary of nurses, which is the lowest in the United States.
47th place in the USA Cost of living index: 87.9
The following are the median salaries for specific nursing positions in Alabama.
Registered Nurse: $60,510 ( lowest)
Nurse Practitioner: $79,818 (lowest)
Certified Nursing Assistant: $24,300 (third lowest)
Home Health Aide: $21,920 (second lowest)
LPN/LVN: $40,120 (fourth lowest)
Comparison of the median average salary and The cost of living index by State
Please note that this is a snapshot of data based on the nursing positions we have chosen as listed above from the most reliable and most up to date data sources we can find.
Position | State | costIndex | Position | State | Median Avg Nursing Salary |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | Hawaii | 193.3 | 1 | California | $84,997.78 |
2 | New York | 148.2 | 2 | Washington | $80,067.11 |
3 | California | 142.2 | 3 | Oregon | $79,598.00 |
4 | Massachusetts | 135 | 4 | Alaska | $77,079.00 |
5 | Oregon | 130.1 | 5 | Connecticut | $76,783.89 |
6 | Alaska | 127.1 | 6 | Massachusetts | $75,788.44 |
7 | Maryland | 124 | 7 | New York | $75,587.89 |
8 | Connecticut | 121.6 | 8 | New Jersey | $75,395.67 |
9 | Rhode Island | 117.2 | 9 | District of Columbia | $72,408.78 |
10 | Vermont | 117 | 10 | Rhode Island | $72,072.78 |
11 | New Jersey | 115.2 | 11 | New Hampshire | $70,314.33 |
12 | Maine | 115 | 12 | North Dakota | $69,891.22 |
13 | Washington | 111.6 | 13 | Minnesota | $69,718.67 |
14 | New Hampshire | 109.9 | 14 | Nevada | $69,611.00 |
15 | Delaware | 107.9 | 15 | Maryland | $69,379.89 |
16 | Nevada | 106.3 | 16 | Michigan | $69,267.89 |
17 | Colorado | 105.3 | 17 | Hawaii | $68,994.22 |
18 | Arizona | 103.2 | 18 | Pennsylvania | $68,947.00 |
19 | Pennsylvania | 102.5 | 19 | Vermont | $68,873.00 |
20 | Idaho | 102.1 | 20 | Maine | $67,826.33 |
21 | Virginia | 101.8 | 21 | Arizona | $67,388.56 |
22 | South Dakota | 101 | 22 | Wisconsin | $67,343.78 |
23 | Montana | 100.7 | 23 | Delaware | $67,080.67 |
24 | Florida | 100.3 | 24 | Colorado | $66,904.67 |
25 | Minnesota | 100 | 25 | Illinois | $66,509.56 |
26 | Utah | 99 | 26 | Utah | $66,147.78 |
27 | North Dakota | 98.2 | 27 | New Mexico | $65,823.22 |
28 | Wisconsin | 96.4 | 28 | Texas | $64,157.00 |
29 | North Carolina | 95.7 | 29 | Ohio | $64,145.00 |
30 | Illinois | 94.3 | 30 | Wyoming | $62,866.33 |
31 | Wyoming | 94.3 | 31 | Idaho | $62,811.56 |
32 | Nebraska | 93.7 | 32 | Iowa | $62,781.56 |
33 | South Carolina | 93.6 | 33 | North Carolina | $62,711.56 |
34 | Kentucky | 93.1 | 34 | Indiana | $62,346.56 |
35 | Louisiana | 93 | 35 | Montana | $62,307.22 |
36 | Texas | 92.1 | 36 | Kentucky | $61,509.67 |
37 | Michigan | 91.3 | 37 | Georgia | $61,484.67 |
38 | Ohio | 91.3 | 38 | Oklahoma | $61,016.78 |
39 | New Mexico | 91 | 39 | Mississippi | $60,965.22 |
40 | Arkansas | 90.9 | 40 | West Virginia | $60,443.89 |
41 | Indiana | 90.6 | 41 | Missouri | $60,281.67 |
42 | West Virginia | 90.5 | 42 | Kansas | $59,949.00 |
43 | Iowa | 89.9 | 43 | South Dakota | $59,887.56 |
44 | Missouri | 89.8 | 44 | Nebraska | $59,798.11 |
45 | Tennessee | 89 | 45 | Florida | $59,653.67 |
46 | Georgia | 88.8 | 46 | Arkansas | $58,544.11 |
47 | Alabama | 87.9 | 47 | South Carolina | $58,357.33 |
48 | Oklahoma | 87.9 | 48 | Louisiana | $58,290.56 |
49 | Kansas | 86.5 | 49 | Tennessee | $57,799.00 |
50 | Mississippi | 83.3 | 50 | Virginia | $57,044.25 |
|
|
| 51 | Alabama | $56,489.00 |