Here’s some great news: According to U.S. News & World Reports’ Best Jobs of 2020 rankings, registered nurses cracked the list of the top 10 best healthcare jobs in the U.S.!
Coming in at #9 (and #13 for Best Overall Job), RNs have a whole lot to look forward to when it comes to their career trajectory. Though the median salary ($71,730) is a little lower than other healthcare professions on the list, the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) projects that RN jobs will grow by about 12.1 percent between 2018 and 2028 – which will translate into about 371,500 new job openings during that time. This means that, over the course of the next 8 years, you and your peers will be in extremely high demand.
That said, these opportunities will differ from state to state, so the real question is: Which states will give you the BEST chances for professional — and personal — satisfaction?
The Best & Worst States for Registered Nurses
The Metrics
To help you answer this question, we identified four key factors that contribute to whether a state is considered the “best” or “worst” for an RN to live in:
- Job Demand
- Salaries
- Affordability/Cost of Living
- Quality of Life
Then, we pulled all the most recent data for these factors and identified the best and worst states for RNs in 2020.
The Results
Take a look at the following infographic to see which states came out on top -- and which didn't:
Want to dig a little deeper into the data? Below, you'll find tables for the top five and bottom five states for each metric. And, at the very bottom of this article, you'll also find the full datasets we pulled from.
The States With the Most & Least Demand for Registered Nurses
First, we wanted to know which states will have the greatest need for RNs in the near future. (Or, in other words, which states will have the most RN jobs available.) In turn, we also wanted to know which states would have the least need for RNs.
Below, we’ve shared job growth projection numbers from Projections Central to show you the five states that are predicted to have the biggest number of RN job openings between 2016 and 2026, and the five that are predicted to have the smallest number of openings. For each state, we've also provided the percentage of job growth each can expect to see by 2026.
The 5 States Projected To Have Most Demand for Registered Nurses
These are the five states that are projected to have the most RN jobs open up each year between now and 2026, on average. (It’s worth noting that these states also happen to make the list for the top 10 most populated states in 2019.)
States With Most Demand for RNs
| Rank | State | Average Annual Job Openings for RNs | Job Growth Percentage (2016-2026) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | California | 19,940 | 16.2% |
| 2 | Texas | 16,980 | 24.1% |
| 3 | New York | 14,990 | 20.1% |
| 4 | Florida | 14,310 | 21.4% |
| 5 | Pennsylvania | 9,940 | 13.4% |
The 5 States Projected To Have the Least Demand for Registered Nurses
These are the five states that are projected to have the least amount of jobs open up each year between now and 2026. (Here, it makes sense that some of the least-populous states would have fewer jobs available than those with larger populations.)
States With Least Demand for RNs
| Rank | State | Average Annual Job Openings for RNs | Job Growth Percentage (2016-2026) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 46 | Rhode Island | 740 | 6.8% |
| 47 | North Dakota | 660 | 19.8% |
| 48 | Alaska | 420 | 20.8% |
| 49 | Vermont | 400 | 13% |
| 50 | Wyoming | 360 | 17.3% |
The Highest- & Lowest-Paying States for Registered Nurses
Once we knew which states had the most job availability, we then wanted to focus on RNs' earning potential in each state.
Below, we’ve provided data from the BLS to show you the five states that offer the highest salaries for RNs, as well as the five that offer the lowest.
Keep in mind that all BLS data reflects the employment and wage numbers for RNs as of May 2018. We'll update these tables when the BLS releases their 2019 data in May 2020.
The 5 Highest-Paying States for Registered Nurses
If you’re looking to earn a salary on the higher end of the pay scale, these are the states where you could make the most money as an RN.
Highest-Paying States for RNs
| Rank | State | Average Annual Salary for RNs | Average Hourly Pay for RNs |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | California | $106,950 | $51.42 |
| 2 | Hawaii | $98,080 | $47.16 |
| 3 | Massachusetts | $92,140 | $44.30 |
| 4 | Oregon | $91,080 | $43.79 |
| 5 | Alaska | $89,310 | $42.94 |
The 5 Lowest-Paying States for Registered Nurses
Here are the five states where you could make the least amount of money as an RN.
Lowest-Paying States for RNs
| Rank | State | Average Annual Salary for RNs | Average Hourly Pay for RNs |
|---|---|---|---|
| 46 | Arkansas | $60,780 | $29.22 |
| 47 | Alabama | $59,470 | $28.59 |
| 48 | Iowa | $59,130 | $28.43 |
| 49 | Mississippi | $58,490 | $28.12 |
| 50 | South Dakota | $58,340 | $28.05 |
The Most & Least Affordable States for Registered Nurses
When considering your job growth and earning potential in different states, one important factor to keep in mind is your cost of living - in other words, the amount of money you'll need to put towards basic living and housing expenses.
To help you get a better and more realistic picture of your earning potential state by state, we turned to U.S. News & World Report's Best States of 2019 Rankings. This ranking took into account each state's performance across 71 different metrics. (We'll revisit this list in more detail later.) For the purposes of this section, we focused on just one of their factors: Affordibility. U.S. News & World Report analysts gave each state scores for cost of living and housing affordability. Based on those scores, each state then received an overall affordability ranking on a scale of 1 to 50, with 1 being the most affordable and 50 being the least. Below, we've shared the five states that ranked highest and lowest in this category, as well as their scores for the two metrics so you can see how they contributed to each state's rank.
Keep in mind that U.S. News & World Report last updated their rankings in May 2019. We'll update the tables below when they release the new data in May 2020.
The 5 Most Affordable States for Registered Nurses
Here are the five states that are most affordable for RNs to live in.
Most Affordable States for RNs
| Rank | State | Cost of Living Score | Housing Affordability Score |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Iowa | 13 | 1 |
| 2 | Ohio | 16 | 2 |
| 3 | Indiana | 9 | 3 |
| 4 | Oklahoma | 2 | 7 |
| 5 | Michigan | 5 | 9 |
The 5 Least Affordable States for Registered Nurses
Here are the five states that are least affordable for RNs to live in.
Least Affordable States for RNs
| Rank | State | Cost of Living Score | Housing Affordability Score |
|---|---|---|---|
| 46 | Massachusetts | 43 | 41 |
| 47 | New York | 48 | 39 |
| 48 | Oregon | 45 | 47 |
| 49 | California | 49 | 49 |
| 50 | Hawaii | 50 | 50 |
The Best & Worst States for Overall Quality of Life
After we identified the best states for RN career stability and salary potential, we finally turned our attention to the states that could provide RNs with the best (and worst) quality of life.
For this metric, we turned again to U.S. News & World Report's 2019 Best States Rankings. Analysts gave each state performance scores for the following eight categories:
- Healthcare
- Education
- Economy
- Infrastructure
- Opportunity
- Fiscal Stability
- Crime & Corrections
- Natural Environment
Then, the analysts used those scores to give each state an overall ranking. States that made the top of the list do the best job of promoting their residents’ well-being, whereas those who made the bottom of the list do the worst job.
Remember: This data was last updated in May 2019. We'll update the tables below when U.S. News & World Report releases their new rankings in May 2020.
The 5 Best States for Overall Quality of Life
Below, you'll find the five best states for RN's overall quality of life, along with their scores for the eight different performance categories.
Best States for RNs' Quality of Life
| Rank | State | Healthcare Score | Education Score | Economy Score | Infrastructure Score | Opportunity Score | Fiscal Stability Score | Crime & Corrections Score | Natural Environment Score |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Washington | 4 | 4 | 3 | 2 | 19 | 22 | 15 | 14 |
| 2 | New Hampshire | 16 | 5 | 13 | 31 | 1 | 10 | 1 | 4 |
| 3 | Minnesota | 10 | 17 | 18 | 6 | 3 | 25 | 16 | 3 |
| 4 | Utah | 9 | 10 | 2 | 3 | 24 | 5 | 12 | 49 |
| 5 | Vermont | 11 | 8 | 29 | 28 | 10 | 19 | 2 | 7 |
The 5 Worst States for Overall Quality of Life
Below, you'll find the five worst states for RNs' overall quality of life, along with their scores for the eight different performance categories.
Worst States for RNs' Quality of Life
| Rank | State | Healthcare Score | Education Score | Economy Score | Infrastructure Score | Opportunity Score | Fiscal Stability Score | Crime & Corrections Score | Natural Environment Score |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 46 | New Mexico | 34 | 49 | 47 | 17 | 48 | 47 | 49 | 23 |
| 47 | West Virginia | 48 | 44 | 50 | 50 | 30 | 34 | 21 | 41 |
| 48 | Mississippi | 50 | 46 | 48 | 45 | 44 | 44 | 26 | 11 |
| 49 | Alabama | 46 | 50 | 45 | 38 | 45 | 23 | 45 | 35 |
| 50 | Louisiana | 45 | 48 | 49 | 48 | 50 | 43 | 50 | 50 |
Any Triple-Hitters?
Unfortunately, no one state has it all. While California, Hawaii, and Massachusetts secured the #1, 2, and 3 spots for RN salaries, respectively, each missed the mark when it came to affordability. (In fact, they all made it into the bottom five for that metric.) And although Pennsylvania and Texas both ranked high on the list in terms of job growth, they fell to the middle of the pack for salaries and the bottom of the pack for quality of life.
BONUS: National Registered Nurse Data
As promised, here are the full datasets we used to identify the best and worst states for RNs in terms of projected demand/job growth, salary, affordability, and quality of life. If your state didn't make any of the lists above, take a look at the following tables to see what's in store for RNs in your neck of the woods.
Projected Job Growth for Registered Nurses, Nationwide
| State | Average Annual Job Openings for RNs | Job Growth Percentage (2016-2026) |
|---|---|---|
| Alabama | 3,270 | 12.9% |
| Alaska | 420 | 20.8% |
| Arizona | 5,540 | 37.3% |
| Arkansas | 1,720 | 15.7% |
| California | 19,940 | 16.2% |
| Colorado | 4,720 | 35.7% |
| Connecticut | 2,130 | 9.2% |
| Delaware | 760 | 14.3% |
| Florida | 14,310 | 21.4% |
| Georgia | 5,410 | 18.3% |
| Hawaii | 770 | 13.3% |
| Idaho | 1,150 | 29.4% |
| Illinois | 8,700 | 15.4% |
| Indiana | 4,610 | 16.5% |
| Iowa | 2,270 | 14.4% |
| Kansas | 1,870 | 10% |
| Kentucky | 3,040 | 12.1% |
| Louisiana | 3,010 | 13.6% |
| Maine | 940 | 11.1% |
| Maryland | 3,350 | 11.4% |
| Massachusetts | 5,510 | 12.8% |
| Michigan | 6,650 | 13.5% |
| Minnesota | 4,200 | 11.1% |
| Mississippi | 1,860 | 10% |
| Missouri | 5,180 | 15.8% |
| Montana | 760 | 18.5% |
| Nebraska | 1,600 | 11.6% |
| Nevada | 1,750 | 27.3% |
| New Hampshire | 910 | 13.9% |
| New Jersey | 5,730 | 12.3% |
| New Mexico | 1,180 | 12.9% |
| New York | 14,990 | 20.1% |
| North Carolina | 7,060 | 15.7% |
| North Dakota | 660 | 19.8% |
| Ohio | 8,850 | 14.2% |
| Oklahoma | 2,070 | 10.1% |
| Oregon | 2,630 | 16.8% |
| Pennsylvania | 9,940 | 13.4% |
| Rhode Island | 740 | 6.8% |
| South Carolina | 3,130 | 18.6% |
| South Dakota | 840 | 13.9% |
| Tennessee | 4,320 | 18.9% |
| Texas | 16,980 | 24.1% |
| Utah | 2,090 | 36% |
| Vermont | 400 | 13% |
| Virginia | 4,430 | 14.4% |
| Washington | 4,460 | 20.7% |
| West Virginia | 1,490 | 13.3% |
| Wisconsin | 3,470 | 8.3% |
| Wyoming | 360 | 17.3% |
Source: Projections Central - Long-Term Occupational Projections for 2016-2026 (July 2019)
Registered Nurse Salaries, Nationwide
| State | Average Annual Salary for RNs | Average Hourly Pay for RNs |
|---|---|---|
| Alabama | $59,470 | $28.59 |
| Alaska | $89,310 | $42.94 |
| Arizona | $77,000 | $37.02 |
| Arkansas | $60,780 | $29.22 |
| California | $106,950 | $51.42 |
| Colorado | $74,240 | $35.69 |
| Connecticut | $81,220 | $39.05 |
| Delaware | $74,800 | $35.96 |
| Florida | $66,210 | $31.83 |
| Georgia | $68,950 | $33.15 |
| Hawaii | $98,080 | $47.16 |
| Idaho | $67,110 | $32.26 |
| Illinois | $73,890 | $35.53 |
| Indiana | $64,860 | $31.18 |
| Iowa | $59,130 | $28.43 |
| Kansas | $61,030 | $29.34 |
| Kentucky | $63,100 | $30.34 |
| Louisiana | $63,970 | $30.76 |
| Maine | $67,610 | $32.51 |
| Maryland | $76,820 | $36.93 |
| Massachusetts | $92,140 | $44.30 |
| Michigan | $71,330 | $34.29 |
| Minnesota | $78,920 | $37.94 |
| Mississippi | $58,490 | $28.12 |
| Missouri | $65,130 | $31.31 |
| Montana | $67,450 | $32.43 |
| Nebraska | $64,470 | $31.00 |
| Nevada | $85,620 | $41.16 |
| New Hampshire | $72,760 | $34.98 |
| New Jersey | $82,750 | $39.78 |
| New Mexico | $71,730 | $34.49 |
| New York | $85,610 | $41.16 |
| North Carolina | $64,850 | $31.18 |
| North Dakota | $65,740 | $31.61 |
| Ohio | $66,820 | $32.13 |
| Oklahoma | $63,080 | $30.33 |
| Oregon | $91,080 | $43.79 |
| Pennsylvania | $70,390 | $33.84 |
| Rhode Island | $78,420 | $37.70 |
| South Carolina | $64,940 | $31.22 |
| South Dakota | $58,340 | $28.05 |
| Tennessee | $61,320 | $29.48 |
| Texas | $72,890 | $35.04 |
| Utah | $65,670 | $31.57 |
| Vermont | $69,160 | $33.25 |
| Virginia | $69,790 | $33.55 |
| Washington | $82,670 | $39.75 |
| West Virginia | $61,780 | $29.70 |
| Wisconsin | $71,470 | $34.36 |
| Wyoming | $67,360 | $32.38 |
Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics (May 2018)
Affordability Rankings, Nationwide
| Rank | State | Cost of Living Score | Housing Affordability Score |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Iowa | 13 | 1 |
| 2 | Ohio | 16 | 2 |
| 3 | Indiana | 9 | 3 |
| 4 | Oklahoma | 2 | 7 |
| 5 | Michigan | 5 | 9 |
| 6 | Nebraska | 21 | 5 |
| 7 | Missouri | 4 | 11 |
| 8 | West Virginia | 20 | 8 |
| 9 | Kansas | 8 | 12 |
| 10 | Pennsylvania | 30 | 4 |
| 11 | North Dakota | 27 | 6 |
| 12 | Arkansas | 3 | 14 |
| 13 | Kentucky | 14 | 13 |
| 14 | South Dakota | 29 | 10 |
| 15 | Mississippi | 1 | 18 |
| 16 | Wisconsin | 22 | 15 |
| 17 | Illinois | 23 | 16 |
| 18 | Georgia | 11 | 19 |
| 19 | Alabama | 6 | 20 |
| 20 | Louisiana | 17 | 22 |
| 21 | Minnesota | 31 | 17 |
| 22 | Tennessee | 7 | 28 |
| 23 | Texas | 12 | 27 |
| 24 | North Carolina | 19 | 30 |
| 25 | New Mexico | 15 | 34 |
| 26 | New Hampshire | 36 | 21 |
| 27 | South Carolina | 25 | 33 |
| 28 | Wyoming | 10 | 38 |
| 29 | Delaware | 35 | 31 |
| 30 | Arizona | 26 | 37 |
| 31 | Virginia | 32 | 35 |
| 32 | Idaho | 18 | 40 |
| 33 | Maine | 39 | 26 |
| 34 | New Jersey | 41 | 23 |
| 35 | Florida | 28 | 42 |
| 36 | Utah | 24 | 44 |
| 37 | Vermont | 40 | 32 |
| 38 | Rhode Island | 41 | 29 |
| 39 | Montana | 33 | 43 |
| 40 | Maryland | 46 | 25 |
| 41 | Connecticut | 47 | 24 |
| 42 | Nevada | 38 | 45 |
| 43 | Colorado | 34 | 48 |
| 44 | Washington | 37 | 46 |
| 45 | Alaska | 44 | 36 |
| 46 | Massachusetts | 43 | 41 |
| 47 | New York | 48 | 39 |
| 48 | Oregon | 45 | 47 |
| 49 | California | 49 | 49 |
| 50 | Hawaii | 50 | 50 |
Source: U.S. News & World Report's Best States 2019 Rankings (May 2019)
Quality of Life Rankings, Nationwide
| Rank | State | Healthcare Score | Education Score | Economy Score | Infrastructure Score | Opportunity Score | Fiscal Stability Score | Crime & Corrections Score | Natural Environment Score |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Washington | 4 | 4 | 3 | 2 | 19 | 22 | 15 | 14 |
| 2 | New Hampshire | 16 | 5 | 13 | 31 | 1 | 10 | 1 | 4 |
| 3 | Minnesota | 10 | 17 | 18 | 6 | 3 | 25 | 16 | 3 |
| 4 | Utah | 9 | 10 | 2 | 3 | 24 | 5 | 12 | 49 |
| 5 | Vermont | 11 | 8 | 29 | 28 | 10 | 19 | 2 | 7 |
| 6 | Maryland | 8 | 13 | 26 | 21 | 5 | 15 | 22 | 25 |
| 7 | Virginia | 18 | 7 | 25 | 35 | 9 | 8 | 9 | 18 |
| 8 | Massachusetts | 2 | 1 | 7 | 44 | 29 | 30 | 4 | 26 |
| 9 | Nebraska | 27 | 6 | 21 | 9 | 15 | 7 | 24 | 27 |
| 10 | Colorado | 12 | 11 | 1 | 8 | 28 | 29 | 29 | 31 |
| 11 | Wisconsin | 14 | 14 | 24 | 30 | 6 | 14 | 30 | 10 |
| 12 | New Jersey | 6 | 2 | 31 | 34 | 8 | 49 | 6 | 13 |
| 13 | Florida | 29 | 3 | 9 | 14 | 38 | 2 | 31 | 21 |
| 14 | Iowa | 20 | 9 | 32 | 23 | 2 | 17 | 19 | 32 |
| 15 | North Dakota | 38 | 20 | 35 | 5 | 4 | 13 | 18 | 28 |
| 16 | Idaho | 26 | 33 | 6 | 29 | 35 | 11 | 8 | 15 |
| 17 | Georgia | 39 | 30 | 11 | 10 | 21 | 9 | 27 | 20 |
| 18 | North Carolina | 30 | 25 | 14 | 18 | 36 | 4 | 14 | 36 |
| 19 | California | 7 | 21 | 4 | 32 | 49 | 42 | 23 | 5 |
| 20 | South Dakota | 32 | 18 | 27 | 16 | 34 | 3 | 40 | 2 |
| 21 | Connecticut | 3 | 12 | 30 | 46 | 33 | 46 | 7 | 6 |
| 22 | Kansas | 33 | 15 | 36 | 7 | 16 | 35 | 32 | 8 |
| 23 | Delaware | 15 | 23 | 17 | 19 | 23 | 18 | 36 | 47 |
| 24 | Hawaii | 1 | 29 | 40 | 12 | 46 | 36 | 5 | 16 |
| 25 | New York | 13 | 22 | 33 | 22 | 47 | 26 | 10 | 24 |
| 26 | Rhode Island | 5 | 41 | 20 | 49 | 31 | 31 | 13 | 1 |
| 27 | Oregon | 17 | 36 | 5 | 1 | 43 | 40 | 38 | 30 |
| 28 | Missouri | 41 | 27 | 23 | 25 | 11 | 16 | 44 | 9 |
| 29 | Montana | 28 | 26 | 22 | 20 | 42 | 24 | 25 | 22 |
| 30 | Tennessee | 43 | 35 | 12 | 13 | 26 | 1 | 43 | 37 |
| 31 | Wyoming | 42 | 16 | 42 | 15 | 22 | 39 | 17 | 17 |
| 32 | Maine | 19 | 28 | 37 | 42 | 27 | 28 | 3 | 39 |
| 33 | Michigan | 24 | 37 | 19 | 41 | 14 | 27 | 35 | 29 |
| 34 | Arizona | 23 | 40 | 10 | 11 | 40 | 33 | 42 | 33 |
| 35 | Illinois | 22 | 19 | 41 | 24 | 17 | 50 | 20 | 43 |
| 36 | Indiana | 40 | 24 | 28 | 37 | 12 | 6 | 34 | 48 |
| 37 | Nevada | 31 | 45 | 8 | 4 | 37 | 37 | 39 | 46 |
| 38 | Texas | 37 | 34 | 15 | 33 | 39 | 12 | 33 | 40 |
| 39 | Ohio | 35 | 31 | 38 | 27 | 7 | 41 | 28 | 44 |
| 40 | Kentucky | 44 | 38 | 39 | 26 | 20 | 45 | 11 | 12 |
| 41 | Pennsylvania | 21 | 32 | 44 | 43 | 13 | 38 | 37 | 38 |
| 42 | South Carolina | 36 | 43 | 16 | 36 | 41 | 20 | 46 | 34 |
| 43 | Oklahoma | 47 | 39 | 34 | 39 | 25 | 32 | 41 | 42 |
| 44 | Alaska | 25 | 47 | 46 | 40 | 18 | 48 | 48 | 45 |
| 45 | Arkansas | 49 | 42 | 43 | 47 | 32 | 21 | 47 | 19 |
| 46 | New Mexico | 34 | 49 | 47 | 17 | 48 | 47 | 49 | 23 |
| 47 | West Virginia | 48 | 44 | 50 | 50 | 30 | 34 | 21 | 41 |
| 48 | Mississippi | 50 | 46 | 48 | 45 | 44 | 44 | 26 | 11 |
| 49 | Alabama | 46 | 50 | 45 | 38 | 45 | 23 | 45 | 35 |
| 50 | Louisiana | 45 | 48 | 49 | 48 | 50 | 43 | 50 | 50 |
Source: U.S. News & World Report's Best States 2019 Rankings (May 2019)
Image courtesy of Unsplash.com/John-Mark Smith