What is the average RN salary in 2024?

According to BLS May 2024 OEWS data, the mean annual wage for registered nurses is $98,430 and the median is $93,600. The mean hourly wage is $47.32. California pays the highest at $148,330 mean annual.

Which state pays nurses the most in 2024?

California pays the highest RN salary at $148,330 mean annual wage according to BLS May 2024 data. However, when adjusted for cost of living, Oregon leads at $51.71/hr effective pay, followed by Minnesota at $50.28/hr.

How much do CRNAs make?

Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetists (CRNAs) earn a mean annual wage of $231,700 and a median of $223,210 according to BLS May 2024 OEWS data. CRNAs are the highest-paid nursing specialty, representing a 461% salary increase over CNAs.

How bad is the nursing shortage in 2024?

According to the NCSBN 2024 National Nursing Workforce Survey, 138,000 nurses have left the profession since 2022, 40% of RNs intend to leave or retire within 5 years, and the median RN age is 50. Baby boomers are expected to largely exit the workforce by 2027.

What are the fastest growing nursing specialties?

BLS projects Nurse Practitioners will grow 40% from 2024-2034, making NPs the 3rd fastest growing job in the U.S. economy. APRNs combined grow 35%. Staff RNs grow 5%, LPN/LVNs 3%, and CNAs 2%.

How much more do travel nurses make than staff nurses?

Travel nurses earn an average of $2,178/week compared to $1,893/week for staff RNs based on BLS 2024 and Vivian Health March 2026 data. Travel nurses also receive tax-free stipends of approximately $1,388/week including a $770/week housing stipend.

What is the highest-paying healthcare career in 2025?

According to BLS May 2024 data, physicians and surgeons earn the highest median salary at $239,200+, followed by nurse anesthetists at $212,650, and pharmacists at $137,480.

Which healthcare jobs are growing the fastest from 2024 to 2034?

Nurse practitioners lead with 35% projected growth, followed by home health aides at 17%, speech-language pathologists at 15%, and occupational therapists at 14%.

Nursing by the Numbers

Every salary figure, workforce trend, and career insight — animated, verified, and cited. Built for nurses who want the real data.

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Pay

Top-Paying States Specialty Salaries APRN Pay Ladder Cost-of-Living Pay Travel vs Staff

Workforce

RN Quick Facts Nursing Shortage Burnout Gauge Where RNs Work

Growth

Fastest Growing Roles Education Pays

Career Pulse

Healthcare Salaries Fastest Growing Careers Annual Openings Career Comparison

Compensation

How Much Do Nurses Earn in 2024?

Top 5 States

Highest-Paying States for Staff RNs

Annual mean wage, BLS May 2024 OEWS (SOC 29-1141). National average: $98,430.

$148,330

$123,720

$120,470

$115,740

$112,610

Nat'l Avg

$98,430

Source: BLS OEWS May 2024 | SOC 29-1141

Specialty Pay

Nursing Specialty Salaries

Mean annual wage by specialty, BLS May 2024 OEWS.

CRNA $231,700

+135% vs RN

Nurse Practitioner $132,000

+34% vs RN

Nurse Midwife $128,110

+30% vs RN

Staff RN $98,430

Baseline

APRN Job Growth (2024–2034)

NPs alone: 40% — 3rd fastest in the U.S. economy

35%

Source: BLS OEWS May 2024

Career Progression

The APRN Pay Ladder

Mean annual wage by role. Nursing Assistant (CNA) to Nurse Anesthetist (CRNA) = 461% salary increase. BLS May 2024.

CNA Nursing Assistant

$41,270

LPN Licensed Practical Nurse

$64,150

RN Registered Nurse

$98,430

Midwife Certified Nurse-Midwife

$128,110

NP Nurse Practitioner

$132,000

CRNA Nurse Anesthetist

$231,700

Nursing Assistant → Nurse Anesthetist

+461%

Registered Nurse → Nurse Practitioner

+34%

Nurse Practitioner → Nurse Anesthetist

+76%

Source: BLS OEWS May 2024

Real Pay

Cost-of-Living Adjusted RN Pay

When you adjust for cost of living, the rankings flip. Oregon beats California.

$51.71/hr

$50.28/hr

$49.25/hr

$48.72/hr

$48.63/hr

Lowest adjusted: Hawaii — $31.82/hr (raw $59.48/hr, COL 186.9)

Source: BLS OEWS May 2024 | Missouri COLI Index

Comparison

Travel Nurse vs. Staff Nurse

Staff salary from BLS May 2024. Travel data from Vivian Health, March 2026.

Metric	Staff RN	Travel RN
Avg Weekly Pay	$1,893	$2,178
Annualized	$98,430	~$113,100
Tax-Free Stipends	None	~$1,388/wk
Housing Stipend	N/A	~$770/wk

Top State (Travel)

Alaska

$2,617/wk

Post-Pandemic

Normalized

Below pre-COVID (inflation-adj)

Source: BLS OEWS May 2024 | Vivian Health March 2026

Workforce

What Is the State of the Nursing Workforce?

National Overview

RN Workforce Quick Facts

May 2024 BLS OEWS and OOH for Registered Nurses (29-1141).

Active RN Jobs

Mean Annual Wage

Median Annual Wage

Mean Hourly Wage

Job Growth (2024–34)

Annual Openings

Source: BLS OOH Registered Nurses | May 2024

Crisis Data

The Nursing Shortage

NCSBN 2024 National Nursing Workforce Survey (published April 2025).

Nurses left since 2022

Intend to leave/retire in 5 years

Median RN age (years)

Baby boomer workforce exit

Why they leave

41.3% stress/burnout · 32.8% workload · 26.0% understaffing · 61.4% retirement

Source: NCSBN 2024 National Nursing Workforce Survey

Burnout Index

Nursing Burnout Gauge

Composite burnout reading across multiple 2024–2025 surveys.

Extreme Burnout

Low Moderate High Extreme

57%

Feel burnt out
(Nurse.org 2024)

58%

Burnout most days
(AMN 2025)

52%

Feel unsupported
(Nurse.org 2024)

41%

Leave due to burnout
(NCSBN 2024)

Source: NCSBN 2024 | ANA Surveys 2024–2025

Employment

Where Do RNs Work?

Employment distribution by industry setting, BLS 2024.

3.28M

Total RN Jobs

Hospitals — 59% ($97,260 median)

Ambulatory Care — 19% ($83,780)

Nursing/Residential Facilities — 6% ($81,820)

Government — 5% ($106,480)

Education — 3% ($74,360)

Other — 8%

Source: BLS OOH Registered Nurses | May 2024

Education & Growth

What Are the Fastest Growing Nursing Roles?

Growth

Fastest Growing Nursing Roles

BLS Employment Projections 2024–2034. Average for all occupations: 3%.

NPs (alone)

40%

APRNs (combined)

35%

Staff RNs

LPN/LVNs

CNAs

NPs = 3rd fastest growing job in the entire U.S. economy

Behind wind turbine techs (50%) and solar installers (42%)

Source: BLS Employment Projections 2024–2034

Education

Education Pays

BSN vs ADN salary gap and credential trends. NCSBN 2024.

+$3.89

per hour BSN premium

73%+

RNs hold BSN or higher

The highest educational level ever documented by NCSBN. Diploma as first credential decreased from 14.3% (2015) to 8.6% (2024). Hispanic/Latino RNs doubled from 3.6% to 7.2%.

Annual BSN premium at 40 hrs/wk = ~$8,091/year

Source: BLS OEWS May 2024 | NCSBN 2024

Live BLS Data — Updated 2026

Healthcare Career Pulse

Interactive infographics mapping salary, growth, and opportunity across 15+ healthcare occupations — all verified from BLS May 2024 OEWS and 2024–2034 Employment Projections.

Annual Job Openings

Median Practitioner Salary

Practitioner Growth Rate

Occupations Tracked

Salary Data