Recently, Indeed.com – a massive job search platform that greets over 200 million monthly visitors – took a look at which cities in the U.S. pay nurses the most while giving them the biggest bang for their bucks. The west of the U.S. – California especially – was overwhelmingly dominant.
See the list below.
15. Atlanta, Georgia. Average Salary, Adjusted for cost of living: $63,862
14. San Diego, California. Average Salary, Adjusted for cost of living: $65,092
13. Los Angeles, California. Average Salary, Adjusted for cost of living: $65,092
12. San Jose. Average Salary, Adjusted for cost of living: $65,113
11. Oxnard, California. Average Salary, Adjusted for cost of living: $65,402
10. Seattle, Washington. Average Salary, Adjusted for cost of living: $65, 856
9. Houston, Texas. Average Salary, Adjusted for cost of living: $67,101
8. Anchorage, Alaska. Average Salary, Adjusted for cost of living: $68,158
7. Phoenix, Arizona. Average Salary, Adjusted for cost of living: $72, 548
6. Riverside, California. Average Salary, Adjusted for cost of living: $73, 742
5. Portland, Oregon. Average Salary, Adjusted for cost of living: $73, 958
4. Sacramento, California. Average Salary, Adjusted for cost of living: $76, 870
3. Modesto, California. Average Salary, Adjusted for cost of living: $80,368
2. Bakersfield, California. Average Salary, Adjusted for cost of living: $80,731
1. Fresno, California. Average Salary, Adjusted for cost of living: $81,344
In compiling its list, Indeed calculating the average hourly salary for registered nurses in the US from 2015 thru 2016 by metropolitan area and adjusted the annual salaries based on cost of living. The numbers used were those published by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS).
The city that offers the best wages and standard of living costs, according to the data, was Fresno, California. In that city of roughly half a million, a nurse can expect $81,344 in annual pay, adjusted for cost of living.
In second place we find Bakersfield, California, where nurses make $80,731 in salary, on average. In third place, Modesto, also in California, they make $80,368.
All in all, California cities accounted for nine of the fifteen spots on the list. Others on the charts are Sacramento (4thplace), Riverside (6th), Oxnard (11th), San Jose (12th), Los Angeles (13th), and San Diego (14th).
The one city not in the western half of the U.S. that made the list was Atlanta, Georgia, which ranked 15th. In Atlanta, nurses make an average $63,862.
Indeed’s report notes that it has seen evidence that there is a shortage of nurses in the United States, with many more postings looking for talent than there is interest (see graphic below). Interest in new positions, the job platform says, meets only about one third of demand.
Why are nurses needed so badly now? Two reasons Indeed puts forward are, A) people are living longer, thanks to advancements in healthcare and require more medical services, and B) More people have become insured over the past several years due to the implementation of the Affordable Care Act, which many have taken to calling ‘ObamaCare.’ Better access to medical insurance has led to more people seeking medical attention for their ills and taking preventative measures like getting checkups.
The position of registered nurse is expected to add more than 439,000 new jobs by 2024, according to the BLS, which the Bureau says is a faster leap than is average.
