Quick Answer
California pays registered nurses the most and keeps the lead after tax: a median nurse there earns $140,270 and takes home $96,517 a year as a single filer under 2026 rules.
California pays registered nurses the most before tax — $140,270 at the median, against a national spread down to $77,080 in Alabama. It holds the lead after tax too, at $96,517 — its income tax is steep, but not steep enough to erase a gross-pay advantage that large. Further down the table the two rankings come apart.
That is the point of the exercise. Gross pay is what job listings advertise; take-home pay is what you live on, and the two orderings are not the same list.
Ranked by what a nurse actually keeps
| # | State | Median salary | Take-home | Rank on gross |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | California | $140,270 | $96,517 | 1 |
| 2 | Hawaii | $136,320 | $95,878 | 2 |
| 3 | Washington | $124,200 | $94,434 | 4 |
| 4 | Oregon | $129,010 | $88,702 | 3 |
| 5 | Alaska | $109,480 | $85,578 | 5 |
| 6 | Nevada | $103,670 | $81,762 | 9 |
| 7 | New York | $109,440 | $79,941 | 6 |
| 8 | New Hampshire | $99,700 | $78,969 | 16 |
| 9 | New Jersey | $106,500 | $78,521 | 7 |
| 10 | Massachusetts | $104,550 | $76,892 | 8 |
| 11 | Arizona | $99,500 | $76,743 | 18 |
| 12 | Texas | $95,970 | $76,345 | 22 |
| 13 | Connecticut | $102,740 | $75,429 | 10 |
| 14 | Rhode Island | $100,640 | $75,352 | 13 |
| 15 | District of Columbia | $102,540 | $75,219 | 11 |
| 16 | Colorado | $100,260 | $75,219 | 14 |
| 17 | Maryland | $99,790 | $74,656 | 15 |
| 18 | Minnesota | $101,510 | $74,416 | 12 |
| 19 | Pennsylvania | $96,430 | $73,641 | 20 |
| 20 | Vermont | $97,460 | $73,364 | 19 |
| 21 | Delaware | $99,520 | $73,217 | 17 |
| 22 | New Mexico | $94,340 | $71,906 | 24 |
| 23 | Wisconsin | $95,530 | $71,873 | 23 |
| 24 | Illinois | $95,990 | $71,752 | 21 |
| 25 | Michigan | $94,300 | $71,413 | 25 |
| 26 | Georgia | $93,550 | $70,723 | 27 |
| 27 | Virginia | $93,600 | $70,110 | 26 |
| 28 | Idaho | $92,460 | $69,829 | 28 |
| 29 | Florida | $84,190 | $68,058 | 34 |
| 30 | Wyoming | $83,760 | $67,755 | 35 |
| 31 | Tennessee | $81,500 | $66,165 | 41 |
| 32 | Nebraska | $84,730 | $65,462 | 31 |
| 33 | Maine | $86,990 | $65,394 | 29 |
| 34 | Ohio | $82,510 | $65,375 | 38 |
| 35 | Montana | $85,280 | $65,367 | 30 |
| 36 | North Carolina | $84,350 | $65,313 | 33 |
| 37 | North Dakota | $80,730 | $65,309 | 43 |
| 38 | Indiana | $83,500 | $65,139 | 36 |
| 39 | Utah | $84,600 | $64,691 | 32 |
| 40 | South Carolina | $82,360 | $64,227 | 39 |
| 41 | Oklahoma | $82,920 | $63,978 | 37 |
| 42 | South Dakota | $78,060 | $63,745 | 49 |
| 43 | Missouri | $81,780 | $63,456 | 40 |
| 44 | Louisiana | $80,230 | $63,251 | 44 |
| 45 | Kentucky | $81,040 | $63,123 | 42 |
| 46 | West Virginia | $80,130 | $62,421 | 45 |
| 47 | Arkansas | $78,940 | $61,931 | 47 |
| 48 | Iowa | $78,630 | $61,810 | 48 |
| 49 | Kansas | $79,320 | $61,005 | 46 |
| 50 | Mississippi | $77,090 | $60,711 | 50 |
| 51 | Alabama | $77,080 | $59,848 | 51 |
Where the two rankings disagree most
These states move at least 3 places between the gross ranking and the take-home ranking. A positive shift means the state is better than its headline salary suggests.
- Texas — up 10 places after tax (gross 22, net 12)
- Tennessee — up 10 places after tax (gross 41, net 31)
- New Hampshire — up 8 places after tax (gross 16, net 8)
- Arizona — up 7 places after tax (gross 18, net 11)
- South Dakota — up 7 places after tax (gross 49, net 42)
- North Dakota — up 6 places after tax (gross 43, net 37)
- Florida — up 5 places after tax (gross 34, net 29)
- Wyoming — up 5 places after tax (gross 35, net 30)
Wage figures: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2025 state estimates, occupation code 29-1141. Tax computed for a single filer, 2026, excluding local income taxes.
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Use the free calculatorFrequently Asked Questions
Which state is best for registered nurse take-home pay?
Does the highest-paying state for nurses also leave the most after tax?
Where is registered nurse pay lowest?
Useful calculators for this guide
Disclaimer: Figures are estimates of annual tax liability from published federal and state rules, not paycheck withholding, and not tax advice. Your own situation may differ.
