--- title: "Registered Nurse: Salary" description: Average Registered Nurse Pay vs. All Healthcare Jobs image: http://money.usnews.com/img/jobs_43._228x153-mm.jpg --- ![](http://money.usnews.com/img/jobs_43._228x153-mm.jpg) ### Registered Nurse: Salary *Posted By* Alycia Sullivan Fri, Nov 30, 2012 @ 02:35 PM - - - Article from [U.S. News](http://money.usnews.com/careers/best-jobs/registered-nurse/salary) ![describe the image](http://money.usnews.com/img/jobs_43._228x153-mm.jpg) ## #1 in [U.S. News Best Jobs 2012](http://money.usnews.com/careers/best-jobs/rankings/the-25-best-jobs) ### Overall Score: 8.2 | **Number of Jobs: **711,900 | **Median Salary: **$64,690 | | --- | --- | | **Unemployment Rate: **5.5% | **Job Satisfaction: **MEDIUM | ## Salary Outlook The Bureau of Labor Statistics reports the median annual wage for a registered nurse was $64,690 in 2010. The best-paid 10 percent of RNs made approximately $95,130, while the bottom 10 percent made approximately $44,190. The highest wages are reserved for personal care nurses, or those working for private-sector pharmaceutical or medical device manufacturers. By location, the highest-paid positions are clustered in the metropolitan areas of northern California, including municipalities in and around San Jose, Oakland, and San Francisco. ## Average Registered Nurse Pay vs. All Healthcare Jobs Registered nurses make an average salary of $64,690, which is pretty good pay compared with some of the other [Healthcare Jobs](http://money.usnews.com/careers/best-jobs/rankings/best-healthcare-jobs) on this year's list of The Best Jobs of 2012. That's comparable to the pay of [occupational](http://money.usnews.com/careers/best-jobs/occupational-therapist) and [physical therapists](http://money.usnews.com/careers/best-jobs/physical-therapist). [Medical assistants](http://money.usnews.com/careers/best-jobs/medical-assistant) take home far less money in a year—approximately $35,830 less in 2010 than the average RN earned that same year. And with an average salary that's a little more than $30,000 per year, [paramedics](http://money.usnews.com/careers/best-jobs/paramedic) also have a lower average salary than nurses. ## Best Paying Cities for Registered Nurses The highest paid in the registered nurse profession work in the metropolitan areas of San Jose, Calif., Oakland, Calif., and San Francisco. The Salinas, Calif. area also pays well, as does the city of Napa, Calif.. ![](http://money.usnews.com/img/jobs-cities_16._198x134-mm.jpg) ### San Jose, Calif. Salary: $116,150 The annual median wage of a registered nurse working in San Jose, Calif. is $116,150, which is $51,460 more than the average pay in the profession. [» See Registered Nurse Jobs in San Jose, Calif.](http://jobs.usnews.com/jobs?q=%22Registered%20Nurse%22&l=San%20Jose%2C%20Calif.&r=30) ![](http://money.usnews.com/img/jobs-cities_10._198x134-mm.jpg) ### Oakland, Calif. Salary: $100,900 The annual median wage of a registered nurse working in Oakland, Calif. is $100,900, which is $36,210 more than the average pay in the profession. [» See Registered Nurse Jobs in Oakland, Calif.](http://jobs.usnews.com/jobs?q=%22Registered%20Nurse%22&l=Oakland%2C%20Calif.&r=30) ![](http://money.usnews.com/img/jobs-cities_14._198x134-mm.jpg) ### San Francisco Salary: $97,600 The annual median wage of a registered nurse working in San Francisco is $97,600, which is $32,910 more than the average pay in the profession. [» See Registered Nurse Jobs in San Francisco](http://jobs.usnews.com/jobs?q=%22Registered%20Nurse%22&l=San%20Francisco&r=30) ![](http://money.usnews.com/img/jobs-cities_120._198x134-mm.jpg) ### Salinas, Calif. Salary: $97,450 The annual median wage of a registered nurse working in Salinas, Calif. is $97,450, which is $32,760 more than the average pay in the profession. [» See Registered Nurse Jobs in Salinas, Calif.](http://jobs.usnews.com/jobs?q=%22Registered%20Nurse%22&l=Salinas%2C%20Calif.&r=30) ![](http://money.usnews.com/img/jobs-cities_15._198x134-mm.jpg) ### Napa, Calif. Salary: $97,090 The annual median wage of a registered nurse working in Napa, Calif. is $97,090, which is $32,400 more than the average pay in the profession. [» See Registered Nurse Jobs in Napa, Calif.](http://jobs.usnews.com/jobs?q=%22Registered%20Nurse%22&l=Napa%2C%20Calif.&r=30) Topics : - [United States](https://blog.diversitynursing.com/blog/topic/united-states) - [RN](https://blog.diversitynursing.com/blog/topic/rn) - [salary](https://blog.diversitynursing.com/blog/topic/salary) ### Recent Posts [![](https://blog.diversitynursing.com/hubfs/GettyImages-1428257600.jpg) ##### Advancing Mental Health Equity for Every Community Thu, Jul 02, 2026 @ 09:34 AM Every July, the United States observes National Minority Mental Health Month, a time dedicated to raising awareness about the unique mental health challenges experienced by racial and ethnic minority... Read More ](https://blog.diversitynursing.com/blog/advancing-mental-health-equity-for-every-community) [![](https://blog.diversitynursing.com/hubfs/GettyImages-2196910512.jpg) ##### Overcoming Imposter Syndrome in Nursing School and Beyond Wed, Jun 24, 2026 @ 01:29 PM There's a moment almost every nursing student experiences. You're standing at the bedside, maybe it's your first clinical day, maybe it's your first week on the floor as a new grad, and a small, cold... Read More ](https://blog.diversitynursing.com/blog/overcoming-imposter-syndrome-in-nursing-school-and-beyond) [![](https://blog.diversitynursing.com/hubfs/GettyImages-2173000043.jpg) ##### We're Still Burning: A Nurse's Take on the 2026 Burnout Statistics Wed, Jun 17, 2026 @ 10:33 AM I've been a Nurse long enough to remember when "burnout" wasn't something we talked about openly. You pushed through a brutal shift, grabbed a lukewarm coffee from the break room, and did it all... Read More ](https://blog.diversitynursing.com/blog/were-still-burning-a-nurses-take-on-the-2026-burnout-statistics) #### Subscribe to Email Our Newsletter [![Education_Award_Square](https://blog.diversitynursing.com/hs-fs/hubfs/Education_Award_Square.jpeg?width=485&height=317&name=Education_Award_Square.jpeg) ](https://blog.diversitynursing.com/education-award)