Nurse Jobs: Highest Paying States, Cities, Industries in USA

What are the highest-paid states, cities, and industries for nurses in the US? How much you earn as a nurse depends on where you work, what degree you have (master’s-prepared nurses often earn far more than BSN-prepared nurses), and what industry you work in. Here below are the states, cities, and industries that pay well for nursing jobs.

Highest Paying States for Nurses 

State	Hourly Pay	Annual Salary
California	$59.62	$124,000
Hawaii	$51.22	$106,530
Oregon	$47.42	$98,630
District of Columbia	$47.38	$98,540
Alaska	$46.74	$97,230

_Source: BLS

Highest Paying Cities for Nurses

City	Hourly Pay	Annual Salary
San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA	$74.63	$155,230
San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA	$72.90	$151,640
Vallejo-Fairfield, CA	$70.37	$146,360
Santa Rosa, CA	$68.00	$141,440
Napa, CA	$67.15	$139,680

Source: BLS

Highest Paying Industries for Nurses

Industry	Hourly Pay	Annual Salary
Nonscheduled Air Transportation	$54.15	$112,630
Pharmaceutical and Medicine Manufacturing	$50.61	$105,270
Merchant Wholesalers, Nondurable Goods	$48.67	$101,240
Federal Executive Branch	$46.93	$97,600
Office Administration Services	$46.46	$96,630

_Source: BLS