25 Best States For Registered Nurses

If you are a registered nurse looking to find your perfect new home state, take a look into our list of the 25 best states for registered nurses.

I have personally had mixed experiences with nurses. Some nurses have been absolutely horrible, like the man who could not find my vein to take blood for thirty minutes and left me with a bruise the size of a baseball on my arm. On the other hand, some nurses have been amazing, and truly made my hospital visit. Recently, I was tested for Strep Throat, and the nurse was so kind and careful, which helped to offset how rude and rough the doctor was (she shoved the otoscope into my ear so hard that I winced three times, and then laughed and said I was being a baby).

Becoming a registered nurse requires medical education and training. While a 2-year Associates degree is enough to generally land you an entry-level position, a Bachelors degree in Nursing will be necessary to attain most higher-level or higher-paying positions. “Registered nurses (RNs) provide and coordinate patient care, educate patients and the public about various health conditions, and provide advice and emotional support to patients and their family members”, according to the US Department of Labor.

The Bureau of Labor Statistics claims the median annual salary for registered nurses is $68,450 per year ($32.91 hourly). RNs have quite a few options when it comes to they type of working environments they may choose from. Emergency rooms, major hospitals, private doctors’ offices, nursing homes, private homes, correctional facilities, military installations, and even schools are all facilities that require nurses. Nursing is not an easy field of work. It requires patience, meticulousness, compassion, professionalism, communication skills, and physical closeness with ill and injured patients.

Also feel free to check out our list of 25 best states for microbiologists.

Deciding which states qualify as the “best” is not a simple task. Different factors matter more to different people. We decided to consult the Bureau of Labor Statistics for information on the average mean wage and the number of employed microbiologists in each state. We then sourced information on the cost of living index from Missouri Economic Research And Information Center. Considering all of these factors, we were able to sort our list.

Without further ado, here is our list of 25 best states for registered nurses.

25. Virginia

Cost of living index: 100.2

Annual mean wage: $66,670

Hourly mean wage: $32.05

Number of employees: 63,820

24. New Jersey

Cost of living index: 121

Annual mean wage: $80,580

Hourly mean wage: $38.74

Number of employees: 79,400

23. Pennsylvania

Cost of living index: 102.8

Annual mean wage: $68,770

Hourly mean wage: $33.06

Number of employees: 139,480

22. Missouri

Cost of living index: 90.8

Annual mean wage: $60,830

Hourly mean wage: $29.24

Number of employees: 67,920

21. Louisiana

Cost of living index: 94.4

Annual mean wage: $63,370

Hourly mean wage: $30.46

Number of employees: 44,780

20. Utah

Cost of living index: 92.8

Annual mean wage: $62,360

Hourly mean wage: $29.98

Number of employees: 21,470

19. Indiana

Cost of living index: 87.9

Annual mean wage: $60,050

Hourly mean wage: $28.87

Number of employees: 63,870

18. Oklahoma

Cost of living index: 88.6

Annual mean wage: $60,630

Hourly mean wage: $29.14

Number of employees: 27,660

17. Wyoming

Cost of living index: 91.7

Annual mean wage: $62,980

Hourly mean wage: $30.27

Number of employees: 4,970

16. Ohio

Cost of living index: 93

Annual mean wage: $63,960

Hourly mean wage: $30.75

Number of employees: 128,030

15. Delaware

Cost of living index: 102.6

Annual mean wage: $70,820

Hourly mean wage: $34.04

Number of employees: 11,320

14. Colorado

Cost of living index: 102.1

Annual mean wage: 70,550

Hourly mean wage: $33.91

Number of employees: 47,590

13. Idaho

Cost of living index: 89.6

Annual mean wage: $62,470

Hourly mean wage: $30.03

Number of employees: 12,330

12. Wisconsin

Cost of living index: 96.9

Annual mean wage: $67,930

Hourly mean wage: $32.65

Number of employees: 55,410

We’re halfway through our list of best states for registered nurses, and now, let’s see the other half.

11. Georgia

Cost of living index: 91.4

Annual mean wage: $64,750

Hourly mean wage: $31.12

Number of employees: 73,310

10. New Mexico

Cost of living index: 95.7

Annual mean wage: $68,670

Hourly mean wage: $33.01

Number of employees: 16,200

9. Minnesota

Cost of living index: 101.1

Annual mean wage: $73,940

Hourly mean wage: $35.54

Number of employees: 61,830

8. Illinois

Cost of living index: 95.5

Annual mean wage: $70,890

Hourly mean wage: $34.08

Number of employees: 121,670

7. Washington

Cost of living index: 107.1

Annual mean wage: $80,120

Hourly mean wage: $38.51

Number of employees: 55,350

6. Arizona

Cost of living index: 98.1

Annual mean wage: $73,430

Hourly mean wage: $35.30

Number of employees: 52,610

5. Oregon

Cost of living index: 115.4

Annual mean wage: $87,000

Hourly mean wage: $41.82

Number of employees: 35,220

4. California

Cost of living index: 134.8

Annual mean wage: $101,750

Hourly mean wage: $48.91

Number of employees: 274,650

3. Texas

Cost of living index: 90.7

Annual mean wage: $70,390

Hourly mean wage: $33.84

Number of employees: 207,810

2. Michigan

Cost of living index: 88.2

Annual mean wage: $69,100

Hourly mean wage: $33.22

Number of employees: 92,670

1. Nevada

Cost of living index: 104.5

Annual mean wage: $83,790

Hourly mean wage: $40.28

Number of employees: 20,250

This was our list of 25 best states for registered nurses. We hope we managed to show you some great options, and what you should expect from each state when deciding where to move.