There were approximately 3,040,000 registered nurses (RNs) working in the U.S. as of May 2021 according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS). RNs work in varied healthcare settings, including hospitals, physician offices, home health care agencies, skilled nursing facilities, and outpatient care centers. Like many other healthcare professionals with advanced training and skills, registered nurses usually earn higher salaries and wages than workers in most other occupations. Per BLS estimates, as of May 2021, the national mean wage for registered nurses was $82,750 per year. While RNs realize better than average pay in comparison to most workers, there is much variation from state to state in how much registered nurses earn. Per BLS data, as of May 2021, these were the ten best and worst states for registered nurse pay:
The Best and Worst States for Registered Nurse Pay
| State | # Employed | Annual Mean Wages | Wage Rank* |
| CA | 324,400 | $124,000 | 1st |
| HI | 11,110 | $106,530 | 2nd |
| OR | 37,780 | $98,630 | 3rd |
| DC | 11,540 | $98,540 | 4th |
| AK | 6,060 | $97,230 | 5th |
| MA | 88,270 | $96,630 | 6th |
| WA | 62,470 | $95,350 | 7th |
| NY | 188,300 | $93,320 | 8th |
| NJ | 77,980 | $89,690 | 9th |
| NV | 24,590 | $88,800 | 10th |
| U.S. | 3,047,530 | $82,750 | ------- |
| MO | 69,240 | $67,790 | 42nd |
| WV | 19,800 | $67,640 | 43rd |
| KY | 43,540 | $67,260 | 44th |
| TN | 62,250 | $66,680 | 45th |
| KS | 28,980 | $66,560 | 46th |
| AR | 26,320 | $65,810 | 47th |
| IA | 32,650 | $64,990 | 48th |
| MS | 29,140 | $63,130 | 49th |
| AL | 49,780 | $61,920 | 50th |
| SD | 14,140 | $60,540 | 51st |
(*) annual mean wage ranking among the 50 states and the District of Columbia
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics OES. Data extracted on August 6, 2022