Nurse Registered Salary (2025 Guide)

Note: Some links may earn us a commission at no cost to you.

Searching for nurse registered salary is one of the most common ways people try to figure out what a registered nurse (RN) really earns. Salary can vary widely depending on where you work, your experience, specialty, schedule, and education level — but there are clear patterns that can help you plan your career.

This guide breaks down the main factors that affect registered nurse salary, how pay differs by setting and experience, and practical ways to increase your earning potential over time.

🩺 What Does “Registered Nurse” Mean?

A Registered Nurse (RN) is a licensed nurse who has completed an approved nursing program and passed the NCLEX-RN. You can become an RN through:

• ADN (Associate Degree in Nursing)
• BSN (Bachelor of Science in Nursing)

Both paths lead to the same RN license, but your education level can influence your salary, job options, and long-term growth.

💵 What Is the Average Nurse Registered Salary in 2025?

Most Registered Nurses (RNs) in the United States earn $65,000–$120,000 per year depending on their state, experience, and specialty. The current national averages are:

• Average RN Annual Salary: $86,000
• Average RN Hourly Rate: $38–$42 per hour
• Top 10% of RNs: $120,000+ per year
• New Grad RN Salary: $58,000–$72,000 per year

⭐ RN Salary by State (Typical Ranges)

RNs working in higher-cost states tend to earn more. Here are common ranges:

• California: $110,000–$150,000+
• New York: $95,000–$125,000
• Texas: $72,000–$95,000
• Florida: $68,000–$88,000
• Ohio: $70,000–$92,000
• Georgia: $68,000–$90,000

Remote nursing, specialty certifications, advanced practice skills, and non-bedside roles often increase earning potential.

📊 What Affects Registered Nurse Salary the Most?

When people search nurse registered salary, they’re usually trying to understand why two RNs can earn very different amounts. Key factors include:

• Location (state and city): Urban and high-cost-of-living areas often pay more, while some rural regions pay less.
• Experience: New grad RN salary is usually lower than what you’ll earn after a few years in a specialty.
• Education level: BSN-prepared nurses may have access to more roles and higher-paying opportunities over time.
• Specialty: Critical care, OR, ED, ICU, and certain specialized units may offer higher pay or differentials.
• Work setting: Hospitals, clinics, long-term care, home health, government, and travel nursing all pay differently.
• Shift type: Nights, weekends, holidays, and call shifts often come with differential pay.
• Overtime and bonuses: Extra shifts and incentive pay can significantly increase yearly income.

No two RN roles are exactly the same. Understanding these levers can help you choose positions that better match the salary you’re aiming for.

🏥 RN Salary by Work Setting

Registered nurse salary can look very different depending on where you work day to day.

Hospital Nursing

• Pros: Often higher base pay, differentials for nights/weekends, opportunity for overtime, exposure to many specialties.
• Cons: Shift work, weekends, holidays, physical demands, and higher stress in some units.

Clinics and Outpatient Settings

• Pros: More predictable schedules (weekday, daytime hours), less holiday work.
• Cons: Base pay can be lower than hospital roles, fewer differentials.

Long-Term Care and Skilled Nursing Facilities

• Pros: Strong demand, leadership opportunities (charge, DON), chance to build long-term patient relationships.
• Cons: Pay rates vary widely; some facilities pay less than hospitals.

Home Health and Hospice

• Pros: Autonomy, flexible schedules, one-on-one patient care.
• Cons: Travel time, documentation load, pay may be per-visit or salary-based.

Travel Nursing

• Pros: Often among the highest-paying RN roles when demand is high; housing stipends and tax-advantaged pay may be available.
• Cons: Temporary assignments, licensing in multiple states, frequent transitions, and fluctuating market rates.

🎓 How Education Level Influences RN Pay

Education doesn’t change your license name (you’re still an RN), but it can shape your registered nurse salary over a full career.

• ADN-prepared RN: Faster path to earning, strong in many bedside roles, especially where ADN hiring is common.
• BSN-prepared RN: Often preferred for hospital roles, leadership, education, and specialty units.
• MSN and advanced practice: Opens the door to NP and other APRN roles, which typically pay more than staff RN positions.

If you’re not sure which path is right for you, comparing BSN RN vs RN (ADN) can help you see the tradeoffs between time, cost, and long-term opportunity.

🧭 New Grad RN Salary vs Experienced RN Salary

Most RNs don’t stay at their starting pay forever. Over time, you may see increases from:

• Annual raises: Cost-of-living or performance-based adjustments.
• Experience steps: Pay scales that increase at set years of service.
• Moving to a higher-paying specialty: ICU, ED, OR, PACU, or procedural areas.
• Taking on extra responsibilities: Preceptor, charge nurse, or team lead roles.
• Changing settings: From lower-paying settings to higher-paying hospitals or organizations.

As you build experience, your options for remote nursing jobs, case management, utilization review, and other non-bedside roles also tend to expand, which can affect both salary and schedule.

💬 How to Research Nurse Registered Salary in Your Area

Because salary varies so much, the best way to understand your earning potential is to look at data specific to your location and role. You can:

• Check national or state-level salary data from reputable sources (like government labor sites).
• Browse job postings for RN roles in your city and note the listed ranges.
• Talk with trusted colleagues, preceptors, or mentors about typical pay in your specialty.
• Ask about pay structures during interviews (base rate, differentials, bonuses, overtime policies).

When comparing offers, look beyond just the hourly rate and consider benefits, retirement, insurance, tuition support, and schedule flexibility.

📈 Practical Ways to Increase Your RN Salary

If you’re already working as an RN and want to grow your income, common strategies include:

• Gaining experience in higher-paying specialties (ICU, ED, OR, stepdown, etc.).
• Earning certifications relevant to your unit (such as CCRN, CEN, or specialty certifications required by your employer).
• Completing a BSN or MSN if it aligns with your long-term goals.
• Taking per diem, PRN, or extra shifts where possible.
• Exploring travel nursing if your life situation allows for temporary assignments.
• Transitioning to remote or non-bedside roles that better match your lifestyle and target pay.

Sometimes the best increase comes from changing roles or employers rather than staying in the same job indefinitely.

🔗 Helpful Links

• Renewal Requirements Homepage
• Nursing Levels Explained
• Nursing Prerequisites
• Nursing Jobs for New Grads
• Telehealth Nursing Jobs
• Nursing Jobs with Insurance Companies

❓ Nurse Registered Salary: Common Questions

Why do nurse registered salaries vary so much between states?

Registered nurse salary is closely tied to cost of living, local demand, and employer type. States and cities with higher living costs or strong competition for nurses often offer higher pay. Rural or lower-cost areas may pay less but sometimes offer other benefits like lower housing costs or more predictable schedules.

Do BSN RNs always make more than ADN RNs?

Not always at the starting level. In some settings, ADN and BSN RNs are hired at similar base rates. Over time, however, BSN-prepared nurses may have access to more roles, leadership positions, and advanced opportunities, which can lead to higher earnings over a full career.

Is travel nursing always the highest-paying option?

Travel nursing can offer very competitive pay when demand is high, especially for hard-to-fill specialties or locations. However, pay varies by contract, and you’ll need to factor in housing, travel, licensing, and gaps between assignments. It’s not the best fit for everyone, but it can be a strong option for some nurses.

Can remote nursing jobs pay as well as bedside roles?

Some remote nursing roles, such as utilization review, case management, telehealth triage, and insurance-based positions, can pay competitively — especially when you consider schedule, commute savings, and burnout risk. Pay varies by employer and role, so it’s important to compare offers carefully.

How often do RN salaries increase?

It depends on your employer’s policies. Some organizations offer annual raises, step increases, or market adjustments. Others may have slower growth, making it more beneficial to explore new roles or employers after gaining experience. Checking your HR policies and talking with peers can give you a realistic local picture.