According to a survey published by the National Council of State Boards of Nursing, roughly 100,000 nurses left the health care workforce during the pandemic. Another 800,000 are expected to leave by 2027. From stress to burnout to retirement, nurses have been leaving the workforce in droves. For those still working, often lacking support and overwhelmed, it begs the question: How much am I getting paid for my efforts?

Certified registered nurse anesthetists make an average $191,257 a year right now. Psychiatric nurse practitioners earn a whopping $127,290 salary. From intensive care unit training to clinical nursing specialties, many nurses are scrambling for additional certifications and nursing trainings to set themselves apart from the workforce’s competition.

But registered nurses without additional training or certifications are also making significant sums this year. The trick, however, is that the state in which you work makes a significant difference to your total salary.

U.S. employment marketplace ZipRecruiter has reported 2023 nursing salary estimates based on data collected from employer job postings and some third party sources, revealing where nurses can make the most money this year. According to the employment marketplace, nurses make an average of $77,976 per year within the U.S.

“While ZipRecruiter is seeing annual salaries as high as $129,000 and as low as $35,500, the majority of RN salaries currently range between $60,500 (25th percentile) to $86,500 (75th percentile) with top earners (90th percentile) making $107,000 annually across the United States,” ZipRecruiter reported. “The average pay range for a RN varies greatly (by as much as $26,000), which suggests there may be many opportunities for advancement and increased pay based on skill level, location and years of experience.”

StateAnnual Salary
Hawaii$86,423
Nevada$85,225
Connecticut$84,738
Massachusetts$84,570
Rhode Island$82,157
Oregon$82,021
Alaska$81,167
North Dakota$79,959
Washington$79,846
New York$78,584
South Dakota$76,677
Maryland$76,415
Virginia$74,317
Idaho$73,395
Kansas$73,155
Kentucky$73,150
Colorado$73,011
New Hampshire$72,767
California$72,139
Delaware$72,079
Mississippi$71,805
Nebraska$71,741
Vermont$71,445
South Carolina$71,251
Tennessee$71,230
Arizona$69,475
New Jersey$69,367
Arkansas$69,312
Wyoming$68,904
Oklahoma$68,551
Minnesota$68,486
Maine$68,452
Illinois$68,347
Michigan$68,039
Missouri$67,122
Indiana$67,083
Montana$66,349
West Virginia$66,240
Texas$65,142
Pennsylvania$64,665
Wisconsin$64,612
Ohio$64,508
Iowa$63,969
Utah$63,548
New Mexico$61,176
Alabama$60,517
North Carolina$59,704
Florida$57,003
Georgia$55,677
Louisiana$54,832

Topping the list of most lucrative states for nurses in 2023, Hawaii nurses make a stunning $86,423 per year. Nevada and Connecticut are close behind in their nurse salary estimates. Georgia, however, took home the 49th spot with an average nursing salary of just $55,677, just barely beating out Louisiana.