Blog | best places to work

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.

With so many choices for Nurses to work including hospitals, schools, hospice, home health care and numerous companies, does your place of employment appear on Becker’s 150 Great Places to Work in Healthcare? Employee development, Mentoring and Leadership opportunities were factors that helped determine who landed on this list.

Other important factors included excellent benefits, high retention rates, commitment to diversity, respect for cultural differences and an overall high employee satisfaction rating. If you’re currently seeking employment, check out the job postings on DiversityNursing.com as well as Becker’s list.

Becker's Healthcare is pleased to release the 2017 edition of its "150 Great Places to Work in Healthcare | 2017" list. The list recognizes hospitals, health systems and organizations committed to fulfilling missions, creating outstanding cultures and offering competitive benefits to their employees.

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