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Top 10 Best and Worst States to Be a Nurse
NursingLink.com and CareerVoyages.gov
There is a projected need for 1,001,000 nurses needed in the United States by 2016. Nurses are one of the most in demand professions in America, but with so many job openings, it begs the question: Where should you work? NursingLink is committed to providing its members with the most most pertinent career research available. Below is the 10 best and worst places to be a Nurse based on salary and job openings.
Top 10 Highest Nurse Paying States
| State | Salary (hourly) |
| 1. California | $25.45 |
| 2. Hawaii | $24.76 |
| 3. Massachusetts | $23.38 |
| 4. New Jersey | $23.33 |
| 5. Alaska | $23.09 |
| 6. Delaware | $22.98 |
| 7. Oregon | $22.91 |
| 8. Nevada | $22.83 |
| 9. Maryland | $22.79 |
| 10. Connecticut | $22.62 |
cesiley
about 1 year ago
2 comments
"The hourly rate for California and Nevada listed above is inaccurate and does not adequately reflect the rate nurses are truly being paid. I am really unsure how these numbers came about, where they averages? If so, from when? Definately not 2008. Please see Bureau of Labor statistics for more accurately reflected information. California pays significantly higher than is listed above, especially in the Bay area where I live and work. The average rate up here is $45/hr. In addition, I came from Nevada (Las Vegas/Henderson) and they start their new grads at $29/hr. Thanks to our wonderful unions, we've all got great wage increases in the last few years! "
theala
about 1 year ago
410 comments
I made the lower ten state's wages as an LPN in Maryland---ten years ago. Working in North Dakota was horrible for me financially. California was great, and you can make more than the numbers listed here in the big cities.
AbusyRN2go
about 1 year ago
12114 comments
These are terrible numbers, I would not work for this low amount I am sorry, I made this hourly wage in 1992! For California at least, WOW
armstrongcj
about 1 year ago
7334 comments
I live in Oregon. It is good to see that Oregon is one of the top 10 states to be a nurse. I am currently working as a CNA and going to school to become a RN.
mashell4
about 1 year ago
1078 comments
I didnt see pennsylvania on the list either, anyone know starting rate for LPN's in pa
MoonLightFades
about 1 year ago
18 comments
Is there any AZ RN's out there ? What are you guys making and how much exp do you have? Am an LPN from IN but will be an RN by next spring. My plan is to work here in IN for a year or so but my goal is to move back to Flagstaff, AZ any ideas on what kind of $ I can make and how much exp should I walk in with ??? Thank you
verna34
about 1 year ago
4 comments
I'm an LPN in Colorado, and average starting wage is $15.33/hr. I fortunately make $20.00/hr with 1 yr experience. Colorado didn't make either list...lol...I guess we are just average...lol
gdhipp
about 1 year ago
42 comments
I agree that with the shortage the nursing industry will have to do something about the wages to attract more people to be nurses. But we all knew coming into this field that the hours were long and wages weren't great. There are many other jobs out there with half the job description that make more money. But for me are not as rewarding. I make alittle over $26/hour with one year experience as a floor nurse. and loving every minute of it.
iCY
about 1 year ago
6 comments
i HAVE AlMOST 2 YEARS OF EXPEiRiANCE..
i'M A ROOKiE i GUESS..
iCY
about 1 year ago
6 comments
O' YEA.. i FORGOT TO ADD i MAKE $33 PER HOUR.. BUT SOME OF MY COllEGUES MAKE UP TO $40 AN HOUR. YOUR SAlARY Will PROBABlY DEPEND ON WHETHER YOUR HAVE AN "ADN" OR A "BSN. iT Will AlSO DEPEND ON YOUR YEARS OF EXPERiANCE WHERE YOU WORK.. liKE iF YOU WORK iN A NURSiNG HOME, A HOSTPiTAl, OR AS A TRAVEliNG NURSE.
AlSO THE OVERTiME, BONUS', & BENEFiTS ARE EXCEllENT. i MAKE AlMOST $50 AN HOUR FOR OVERTiME. iF ANYONE iS CONSiDERiNG GOiNG inTO A NURSiNG CAREER, i WOUlD HiGHlY RECCOMEND iT iF YOU liVE iN THE HiGH PAYiNG STATES.. iT'S A VERY SATiSFYiNG CAREER CHOiCE. & YOU CAN AlWAYS FURTHER YOUR CAREER iF YOU ARE NOT SATiSFiED WiTH jUST BEiNG AN "RN". BY THE WAY, THiS CHART iS EXTREMElY iNACCURATE.. iT MiTE BE ClOSE TO BEiNG ACCURATE iF WE WERE TAlKiNG ABOUT "LPN'S"..
iCY
about 1 year ago
6 comments
i liVE iN MARYLAND, AND i MUST SAY THAT MARYLAND iS THE 2ND HiGHEST PAYiNG STATE FOR RN'S NEXT TO CAliFORNiA.. WE EARN $30 OR MORE PER HOUR HERE iN EASTON, MD
AND THE liViNG EXPENSES ARE NOT NEARlY AS HiGH AS CAliFORNiA.. AND THE DEMAND HERE iS AlSO VERY HiGH. i HAVE EARNED AN ASSOSiATE DEGREE iN NURSiNG(ADN), AND iT DOESN'T TAKE VERY lONG. iF U DON'T WORK, U CAN BE DONE iN A YEAR AND A FEW MONTHS.. BUT iF U WORK, iT MAY TAKE 2 YRS. OR lONGER. BUT iT'S All WORTH iT iN THE STATE OF MARYlAND i MUST SAY..
patpat
about 1 year ago
4 comments
i have been to cna school & would love to be a nurse,i need help on line to get my ged do you have any information? thanks patty
patpat
about 1 year ago
4 comments
i need some help with my ged,any suggestions for on line ? patty
snowbunnyRN
about 1 year ago
258 comments
My state , Pa. , didn't even make the top 10 list ! After reading the comments from nurses in Tx and California , I realize how low my hourly pay is - $27. ! I have been at this hospital for 15 yrs! Believe it or not this is considered the "higher pay scale " for my area. I live 1 hr north of Pittsburgh!
SPECIALTY_RN
about 1 year ago
2 comments
I live in MI. I only have 6 yrs of RN exp and making $30.29/hr working for a Union Hospital. The economy and cold weather are terrible MI. Local community hospitals are making about $4/00/hr lesser then Union Hospitals in MI. I want to move to Grand Prarie TX so I can be closer to my relatives. What do you think?