Registered Nurse Salary 2026 — Take-Home Pay by State
Registered nurses are the largest healthcare profession in the US, providing direct patient care, administering medications, coordinating with physicians, and educating patients on health management.
National Median
$86,070
Best State (Net)
$90,934
California
Take-Home TX
$69,138
No state tax
Job Growth
6%
Key Facts — Registered Nurse 2026
Over 3.1 million active RNs — largest US healthcare profession
National median: ~$86,070/year (BLS May 2023 OES)
CRNA specialty averages $223,000 — highest nursing specialty
California mandates nurse-to-patient ratios, driving higher wages
Rural states face critical shortages — loan forgiveness programs available
Salary by Experience Level
New Graduate (0–2 yrs)
$72,000
gross/year
Est. take-home (TX):
$59,240
General med/surg, learning environment
Mid Level (3–7 yrs)
$86,000
gross/year
Est. take-home (TX):
$69,089
Specialty units, growing autonomy
Experienced (8+ yrs)
$105,000
gross/year
Est. take-home (TX):
$82,456
Charge nurse, specialty lead
Nurse Practitioner
$129,000
gross/year
Est. take-home (TX):
$99,174
Advanced practice, prescribing authority
Specialties & Salary Premiums
| Specialty | Est. Salary | Premium |
|---|---|---|
| CRNA (Anesthesia) | $234,110 | +172% |
| Nurse Practitioner | $134,269 | +56% |
| ICU / Critical Care | $103,284 | +20% |
| Travel Nurse | $111,891 | +30% |
| ER / Emergency | $98,980 | +15% |
| Med/Surg (General) | $86,070 | 0% |
Best States for Registered Nurses — Real Take-Home Pay
Ranked by estimated take-home pay (single filer, no additional deductions). The highest gross salary doesn't always mean the most money in your pocket.
▲Top 5 — Highest Take-Home
Registered Nurse Salary by State — All 50 States
Take-home estimates for a single filer with no additional deductions. Click any state for the full breakdown.
| State | Gross Salary | Est. Take-Home |
|---|---|---|
| $133,000 | $90,934 | |
| $107,000 | $83,863 | |
| $103,000 | $81,049 | |
| $113,000 | $79,264 | |
| $98,000 | $77,531 | |
| $104,000 | $77,302 | |
| $105,000 | $76,291 | |
| $100,000 | $73,524 | |
| $103,000 | $72,337 | |
| $88,000 | $70,496 | |
| $87,000 | $69,793 | |
| $92,000 | $69,460 | |
| $89,000 | $68,240 | |
14Arizona | $87,000 | $67,993 |
| $95,000 | $67,541 | |
16Colorado | $87,000 | $66,625 |
17Maryland | $87,000 | $66,373 |
| $86,000 | $66,178 | |
| $83,000 | $64,891 | |
| $85,000 | $64,676 | |
21Delaware | $85,000 | $64,536 |
| $79,000 | $64,165 | |
| $79,000 | $64,165 | |
24Michigan | $82,000 | $63,428 |
25Illinois | $82,000 | $62,959 |
26Ohio | $80,000 | $62,593 |
27Vermont | $84,000 | $62,438 |
28Idaho | $81,000 | $61,744 |
29Virginia | $80,000 | $61,131 |
| $79,000 | $61,125 | |
31Montana | $80,000 | $61,033 |
32Georgia | $79,000 | $60,651 |
33Utah | $78,000 | $60,595 |
| $73,000 | $59,944 | |
| $74,000 | $59,172 | |
36Oklahoma | $76,000 | $59,157 |
| $75,000 | $58,801 | |
38Missouri | $75,000 | $58,381 |
| $74,000 | $57,992 | |
40Nebraska | $75,000 | $57,847 |
41Maine | $76,000 | $57,693 |
| $75,000 | $57,511 | |
43Indiana | $72,000 | $57,445 |
44Kentucky | $73,000 | $57,334 |
45Kansas | $70,000 | $55,083 |
| $67,000 | $53,643 | |
| $64,000 | $53,472 | |
48Arkansas | $67,000 | $53,435 |
49Iowa | $68,000 | $53,405 |
50Alabama | $65,000 | $52,276 |
Maximize Your Take-Home
401(k) — $24,500 max
Reduces taxable income dollar-for-dollar
HSA — $4,400 single
Triple tax advantage — deductible, grows tax-free, tax-free withdrawals
FSA — $3,300 max
Medical expenses with pre-tax dollars
State consideration
Moving to TX, FL, WA can save $5,000–$15,000/year in taxes
Calculate Your Exact Take-Home as a Registered Nurse
Add 401(k), HSA, dependents, and more to see your personalized take-home in your state.
Open Calculator →Frequently Asked Questions
Find answers to common questions about your taxes and our calculator.
Registered Nurse Salary by State — Detailed Pages
Alabama
$52,276
net
AlaskaNo state tax
$81,049
net
Arizona
$67,993
net
Arkansas
$53,435
net
California
$90,934
net
Colorado
$66,625
net
Connecticut
$69,460
net
Delaware
$64,536
net
FloridaNo state tax
$64,165
net
Georgia
$60,651
net
Hawaii
$79,264
net
Idaho
$61,744
net
Illinois
$62,959
net
Indiana
$57,445
net
Iowa
$53,405
net
Kansas
$55,083
net
Kentucky
$57,334
net
Louisiana
$58,801
net
Maine
$57,693
net
Maryland
$66,373
net
Massachusetts
$77,302
net
Michigan
$63,428
net
Minnesota
$67,541
net
Mississippi
$53,643
net
Missouri
$58,381
net
Montana
$61,033
net
Nebraska
$57,847
net
NevadaNo state tax
$77,531
net
New HampshireNo state tax
$69,793
net
New Jersey
$73,524
net
New Mexico
$66,178
net
New York
$76,291
net
North Carolina
$61,125
net
North Dakota
$59,172
net
Ohio
$62,593
net
Oklahoma
$59,157
net
Oregon
$72,337
net
Pennsylvania
$64,891
net
Rhode Island
$68,240
net
South Carolina
$57,511
net
South DakotaNo state tax
$53,472
net
TennesseeNo state tax
$59,944
net
TexasNo state tax
$70,496
net
Utah
$60,595
net
Vermont
$62,438
net
Virginia
$61,131
net
WashingtonNo state tax
$83,863
net
West Virginia
$57,992
net
Wisconsin
$64,676
net
WyomingNo state tax
$64,165
net