The latest occupational employment data released data by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) reported that over 3,072,000 registered nurses (RNs) were working in the U.S. as of May 2022.  More than 470,000 of those RN jobs were in the six-state Far Western region of the country.  BLS data reveals the Far West as the best region in the nation for registered nurse pay.  Not only was the average annual mean wage for registered nurses in every state in the region above the national average, but all six states in the region ranked among the top ten states in the nation for RN annual mean wages.  Further examination of May 2022 BLS data reveals the following about registered nurse pay in the Far Western U.S.:

Registered Nurse Pay in the Far Western U.S.

State	# Employed	Annual Mean Wages	Wage Rank*
AK	6,730	$103,310	5th
CA	325,620	$133,340	1st
HI	11,800	$113,220	2nd
NV	23,970	$96,310	10th
OR	37,400	$106,610	3rd
WA	64,920	$101,670	6th
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