Recently released data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) reports that there were over 3,072,700 registered nurses (RNs) employed in the U.S. as of May 2022.  More than 776,300 of those RN jobs were in the twelve-state Southeast region of the country.  BLS data reveals the Southeast as a generally weak region for registered nurse pay.  The average annual mean wage for registered nurses in every state in the region fell below the national average, and five states in the region ranked among the bottom ten states in the nation for RN annual mean wages.  BLS data from May 2022 reveals the following about registered nurse pay in the Southeastern U.S.:

Registered Nurse Pay in the Southeastern U.S.

State	# Employed	Annual Mean Wages	Wage Rank*
AL	49,370	$66,910	49th
AR	28,490	$66,530	50th
FL	197,630	$79,910	29th
GA	82,970	$85,180	18th
KY	44,970	$77,620	33rd
LA	43,790	$75,920	38th
MS	29,370	$67,930	48th
NC	104,300	$77,420	34th
SC	44,030	$74,330	41st
TN	60,840	$72,480	43rd
VA	69,510	$81,860	23rd
WV	21,110	$72,230	44th
U.S.	3,072,700	$89,010	-------

(*) annual mean wage ranking among the 50 states and the District of Columbia

Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics OES. Data extracted on May 8, 2023