Nurses are some of the most important and sought after workers in the U.S. labor force. There are nearly 3 million registered nurses in the United States, accounting for 2.0% of total employment.
Despite their abundance, nurses are projected to be even more in demand in the near future. As the large baby boomer generation ages, many will likely require medical care and treatment. The impact of this increased demand can already be felt, as nursing ranks among the college majors with the lowest unemployment rates.
Though this phenomenon is happening all across the country, nurses in certain cities stand to benefit more than others from this demographic shift. 24/7 Wall St. reviewed data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics’ Occupational Employment Statistics program for 2018 on relative employment opportunities, salary, job growth, and several other factors to determine the best and worst cities for nurses.
Like any other job, income plays an important role in whether a city is a desirable place to work for a nurse. The median annual wage for a nurse in America is $71,730. In all of the 20 worst cities for nurses the median income that is over $6,000 below that figure.
Conversely, in each of the 20 best cities for nurses, the median annual wage is at least $10,000 higher than the U.S. median for nurses. In 11 of America’s best cities to be a nurse, the median salary is more than $100,000. If this pay were the norm across the country, nursing would rank among the 25 highest paying jobs in America.
Click here to see the best cities for nurses
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Click here to read our methodology
Best Cities for Nurses
20. San Diego-Carlsbad, California
> Median salary for registered nurses: $99,010
> Median salary for all occupations: $43,390
> Change in health care employment (2010-2018): 45.7% (120,149 to 175,099)
> Total registered nurses: 26,390
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19. Salem, Oregon
> Median salary for registered nurses: $89,530
> Median salary for all occupations: $38,030
> Change in health care employment (2010-2018): 40.1% (18,195 to 25,485)
> Total registered nurses: 3,530
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18. Bakersfield, California
> Median salary for registered nurses: $91,970
> Median salary for all occupations: $35,450
> Change in health care employment (2010-2018): 46.1% (24,049 to 35,145)
> Total registered nurses: 5,310
17. San Luis Obispo-Paso Robles-Arroyo Grande, California
> Median salary for registered nurses: $104,310
> Median salary for all occupations: $37,390
> Change in health care employment (2010-2018): 36.0% (10,618 to 14,440)
> Total registered nurses: 1,850
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16. Chico, California
> Median salary for registered nurses: $87,120
> Median salary for all occupations: $34,730
> Change in health care employment (2010-2018): 47.7% (12,989 to 19,185)
> Total registered nurses: 2,540
15. Carson City, Nevada
> Median salary for registered nurses: $82,610
> Median salary for all occupations: $42,000
> Change in health care employment (2010-2018): 72.5% (2,497 to 4,307)
> Total registered nurses: 870
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14. Fresno, California
> Median salary for registered nurses: $86,820
> Median salary for all occupations: $34,390
> Change in health care employment (2010-2018): 81.9% (35,363 to 64,317)
> Total registered nurses: 7,730
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13. Merced, California
> Median salary for registered nurses: $96,070
> Median salary for all occupations: $35,150
> Change in health care employment (2010-2018): 63.8% (5,823 to 9,540)
> Total registered nurses: 920
12. Napa, California
> Median salary for registered nurses: $109,680
> Median salary for all occupations: $41,780
> Change in health care employment (2010-2018): 34.0% (6,314 to 8,463)
> Total registered nurses: 1,890
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11. Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, California
> Median salary for registered nurses: $98,870
> Median salary for all occupations: $36,610
> Change in health care employment (2010-2018): 78.1% (117,356 to 208,988)
> Total registered nurses: 29,950
10. Vallejo-Fairfield, California
> Median salary for registered nurses: $115,620
> Median salary for all occupations: $41,340
> Change in health care employment (2010-2018): 41.4% (17,246 to 24,381)
> Total registered nurses: 3,000
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9. Redding, California
> Median salary for registered nurses: $103,530
> Median salary for all occupations: $36,700
> Change in health care employment (2010-2018): 34.2% (10,231 to 13,729)
> Total registered nurses: 1,590
8. Modesto, California
> Median salary for registered nurses: $103,180
> Median salary for all occupations: $36,210
> Change in health care employment (2010-2018): 46.6% (21,405 to 31,381)
> Total registered nurses: 4,550
7. El Centro, California
> Median salary for registered nurses: $87,460
> Median salary for all occupations: $32,250
> Change in health care employment (2010-2018): 134.7% (3,508 to 8,233)
> Total registered nurses: 940
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6. Stockton-Lodi, California
> Median salary for registered nurses: $114,890
> Median salary for all occupations: $37,330
> Change in health care employment (2010-2018): 38.3% (23,696 to 32,773)
> Total registered nurses: 4,540
5. San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, California
> Median salary for registered nurses: $132,430
> Median salary for all occupations: $54,090
> Change in health care employment (2010-2018): 48.0% (201,215 to 297,699)
> Total registered nurses: 38,740
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4. Santa Cruz-Watsonville, California
> Median salary for registered nurses: $137,280
> Median salary for all occupations: $40,270
> Change in health care employment (2010-2018): 39.2% (10,882 to 15,153)
> Total registered nurses: 1,480
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3. San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, California
> Median salary for registered nurses: $133,970
> Median salary for all occupations: $60,110
> Change in health care employment (2010-2018): 59.9% (77,225 to 123,502)
> Total registered nurses: 16,450
2. Sacramento–Roseville–Arden-Arcade, California
> Median salary for registered nurses: $124,950
> Median salary for all occupations: $42,950
> Change in health care employment (2010-2018): 63.1% (87,206 to 142,265)
> Total registered nurses: 18,830
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1. Salinas, California
> Median salary for registered nurses: $137,770
> Median salary for all occupations: $35,750
> Change in health care employment (2010-2018): 53.3% (11,339 to 17,382)
> Total registered nurses: 2,510
Worst Cities for Nurses
20. Jefferson City, Missouri
> Median salary for registered nurses: $57,260
> Median salary for all occupations: $34,630
> Change in health care employment (2010-2018): 6.0% (6,933 to 7,349)
> Total registered nurses: 1,410
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19. Ames, Iowa
> Median salary for registered nurses: $58,350
> Median salary for all occupations: $40,530
> Change in health care employment (2010-2018): 23.0% (3,447 to 4,239)
> Total registered nurses: 770
18. Lawrence, Kansas
> Median salary for registered nurses: $61,580
> Median salary for all occupations: $32,670
> Change in health care employment (2010-2018): 10.4% (4,118 to 4,547)
> Total registered nurses: 760
17. Lakeland-Winter Haven, Florida
> Median salary for registered nurses: $59,680
> Median salary for all occupations: $33,210
> Change in health care employment (2010-2018): 14.2% (25,052 to 28,617)
> Total registered nurses: 3,870
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16. Fort Smith, Arkansas
> Median salary for registered nurses: $56,540
> Median salary for all occupations: $29,730
> Change in health care employment (2010-2018): -0.9% (15,637 to 15,489)
> Total registered nurses: 2,390
15. Sumter, South Carolina
> Median salary for registered nurses: $56,490
> Median salary for all occupations: $30,940
> Change in health care employment (2010-2018): 15.9% (5,012 to 5,811)
> Total registered nurses: 660
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14. Blacksburg-Christiansburg-Radford, Virginia
> Median salary for registered nurses: $58,010
> Median salary for all occupations: $34,680
> Change in health care employment (2010-2018): 22.0% (5,885 to 7,177)
> Total registered nurses: 1,010
13. Baton Rouge, Louisiana
> Median salary for registered nurses: $59,550
> Median salary for all occupations: $36,500
> Change in health care employment (2010-2018): 11.2% (41,748 to 46,428)
> Total registered nurses: 6,840
12. Lake Charles, Louisiana
> Median salary for registered nurses: $59,580
> Median salary for all occupations: $37,430
> Change in health care employment (2010-2018): 17.4% (10,989 to 12,905)
> Total registered nurses: 1,510
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11. Odessa, Texas
> Median salary for registered nurses: $65,090
> Median salary for all occupations: $39,130
> Change in health care employment (2010-2018): -4.5% (5,202 to 4,968)
> Total registered nurses: 1,190
10. Anniston-Oxford-Jacksonville, Alabama
> Median salary for registered nurses: $58,250
> Median salary for all occupations: $32,130
> Change in health care employment (2010-2018): -9.5% (4,604 to 4,168)
> Total registered nurses: 910
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9. Jacksonville, North Carolina
> Median salary for registered nurses: $62,260
> Median salary for all occupations: $28,450
> Change in health care employment (2010-2018): 0.6% (3,628 to 3,651)
> Total registered nurses: 750
8. Columbus, Indiana
> Median salary for registered nurses: $58,960
> Median salary for all occupations: $36,150
> Change in health care employment (2010-2018): 19.8% (3,359 to 4,023)
> Total registered nurses: 590
7. Elkhart-Goshen, Indiana
> Median salary for registered nurses: $58,360
> Median salary for all occupations: $36,050
> Change in health care employment (2010-2018): 14.4% (9,414 to 10,767)
> Total registered nurses: 1,950
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6. Florence-Muscle Shoals, Alabama
> Median salary for registered nurses: $48,820
> Median salary for all occupations: $30,900
> Change in health care employment (2010-2018): 8.8% (5,668 to 6,167)
> Total registered nurses: 1,430
5. Springfield, Ohio
> Median salary for registered nurses: $55,190
> Median salary for all occupations: $35,300
> Change in health care employment (2010-2018): -3.3% (8,007 to 7,739)
> Total registered nurses: 1,040
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4. Kingsport-Bristol-Bristol, Tennessee
> Median salary for registered nurses: $51,860
> Median salary for all occupations: $33,700
> Change in health care employment (2010-2018): -2.1% (17,240 to 16,884)
> Total registered nurses: 2,580
3. Midland, Texas
> Median salary for registered nurses: $61,500
> Median salary for all occupations: $42,230
> Change in health care employment (2010-2018): 9.4% (5,621 to 6,152)
> Total registered nurses: 1,160
2. Lawton, Oklahoma
> Median salary for registered nurses: $55,310
> Median salary for all occupations: $30,750
> Change in health care employment (2010-2018): 1.6% (3,516 to 3,572)
> Total registered nurses: 740
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1. Parkersburg-Vienna, West Virginia
> Median salary for registered nurses: $53,310
> Median salary for all occupations: $30,270
> Change in health care employment (2010-2018): -45.5% (11,173 to 6,089)
> Total registered nurses: 880
Methodology
To determine the best and worst cities for nurses, 24/7 Wall St considered employment and salary figures for registered nurses as well as licensed practical and licensed vocational nurses from the Bureau of Labor Statistics’ Occupational Employment Statistics program for 2018. In our index, we considered the following factors: 1. The wages of nurses in a city compared to the wages of nurses across the country. 2. The wages of nurses in a metropolitan area adjusted for cost of living. 3. The share of nurses out of total area employment compared to their share nationwide 4. Projected health care employment growth compared to other metropolitan areas. Cost of living data came from the Bureau of Economic Analysis and is for 2016. Metro areas that did not have data available for any of the index measures were not considered.
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