The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics also breaks down each nursing specialty by median hourly rate and educational requirements, including those with an Associate Degree in Nursing (ADN), a Bachelor Degree in Nursing (BSN), Master of Science in Nursing (MSN), and Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP).
Average nurses’ salary by state
The average salary for an RN can also differ by state. According to BLS, the highest paying states for nurses include California, Hawaii, and Oregon.
| State |
Annual mean wage |
Employment |
| California |
$124,000 |
324,400 |
| Hawaii |
$106,530 |
11,110 |
| Oregon |
$98,630 |
37,780 |
| District of Columbia |
$98,540 |
11,540 |
| Alaska |
$97,230 |
6,060 |
Average nurses’ salary by city
Going further, the average pay for nurses vary significantly by city. As BLS reported the top-paying metropolitan areas for RNs include San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA, San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA, and Vallejo-Fairfield, CA. In fact, all of the top 10, highest-paying metropolitan areas for nurses are located in California.
| Metropolitan area |
Annual mean wage |
Employment |
| San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA |
$ 155,230 |
20,640 |
| San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA |
$ 151,640 |
41,160 |
| Vallejo-Fairfield, CA |
$ 146,360 |
3,530 |
| Santa Rosa, CA |
$ 141,440 |
3,510 |
| Napa, CA |
$ 139,680 |
1,520 |
Average nurses’ salary by degree
The higher the nursing degree, the higher the average salary. Nurses with MSNs, for example, generally earn more than nurses with BSNs, according to PayScale. Nurses with advanced degrees in their field can gain the knowledge and skills they need to pursue higher-paying careers in leadership roles.
| Nursing degree |
Average salary |
| Doctor of nursing practice (DNP) |
$107,000 |
| Master of science in nursing (MSN) |
$98,000 |
| Bachelor of science in nursing (BSN) |
$89,000 |
Average hourly rate for nurses
According to PayScale, the average hourly rate for RNs is $31.04 and the average hourly rate for CRNAs is $87.31. Hourly rates across nursing specialties can also vary based on education level, skills, and experience. For example, entry-level RNs earn a median hourly rate of $27.79 while experienced RNs earn a median hourly rate of $36.60.
Nurses can also help raise their hourly rates by gaining skills in certain areas, such as operations management, health information management systems, diagnosis and treatment planning, and acute care.
How to increase your salary as a nurse
Nurses have a unique level of control over their salaries, especially due to the nursing shortage and many opportunities for career advancement.
Along with asking for a raise or promotion, you can use these tips to help increase your average nurse salary:
Adjust your placements and shifts
If night shifts pay more than daytime shifts do, try changing your schedule to take advantage of the higher paying shifts. Or you could take on extra shifts or holiday shifts to increase your pay.
Nurses can also move to different fields or care centers that offer higher wages. As BLS reported, RNs who work for government organizations and state, local, and private hospitals can earn more than nurses who work for nursing and residential care facilities.
Enhance your educational opportunities
Nurses can increase their salaries by furthering their education and developing advanced professional skills in their field. For example, nurses with BSNs might pursue an MSN while nurses with MSNs might pursue a DNP.
Generally, NPs with skills in diagnosis and treatment planning, psychiatric care, acute care, and occupational health can earn higher salaries than those without these skills.
Adjust your budget
Find opportunities to adjust your budget and increase your savings each month. You can use the 50/30/20 budget method, for instance. With this plan, 50% of your income goes to necessary purchases like rent and bills, 30% is used for things you want, and 20% is moved to savings.
You can make budgeting even easier with Laurel Road, which created the first checking account specifically for nurses. With our Loyalty Checking account, nurses can earn up to $540 in cash rewards in their first year with qualifying direct deposits.1 Or, if you refinance your student loans with Laurel Road and open a Linked Checking account, you could qualify for additional discounts on your refi rate.
Factors that impact Nursing Salaries
Many factors impact the average pay for nurses, including:
- Career demand and growth – According to BLS, jobs for RNs will grow by 9% from 2020-2030. However, jobs for advanced practice RNs like NPs, CRNAs, and CNMs will grow by 45%.
- Education and skills level – Nurses with DNPs can earn up to $18,000 more on average than nurses with BSNs.
- Work environment – RNs who work for government organizations earn a median salary of $85,970 while those who work for nursing and residential care facilities earn a median salary of $72,420.
- Location – Metropolitan areas in Northern California top the list of highest-paying cities for nurses.
- Specialty – Nurses who specialize in anesthetics, midwifery, and clinical care can earn higher salaries than those who don’t.
Trends for nursing education & hiring
Job opportunities for nurses are expected to increase as the nursing shortage continues. Especially in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, nurses will be hired to provide telehealth services and outpatient care for those in need.
One of the biggest trends in nursing is that more companies are seeking to hire professionals with advanced-level degrees such as MSNs and DNPs. In fact, as of January 2022, new CRNAs are required to have doctoral degrees instead of just master’s degrees. By 2025, APRNs will be required to have doctoral degrees as well. NPs can still build careers with MSNs, but DNPs will be the recommended degrees for these job roles by 2025.
