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.”
| State | Annual 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.
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