In the U.S., nurses earn from $39k to $200k+ yearly, with registered nurses at a $93,600 median and advanced practice roles higher.
Nurses power hospitals, clinics, home care, and every corner of direct patient work. If you’re weighing school, an offer, or a move, you want clear numbers you can act on. Below you’ll find plain, current pay data across licenses, common work settings, and states—so you can gauge how much money do nurses make per year? and what drives the spread.
Nursing Pay By Role And Typical Training
Pay starts with license level and scope. Entry roles help with daily care. Mid-level licensure adds clinical tasks and medication work. Registered nurses run care plans and patient education. Advanced practice nurses diagnose, treat, and prescribe under state rules.
| Role (U.S.) | Typical Education | Median Pay / Year* |
|---|---|---|
| Nursing Assistant (CNA) | State-approved program + exam | $39,530 |
| Licensed Practical / Vocational Nurse (LPN/LVN) | Practical nursing program + license | $62,340 |
| Registered Nurse (RN) | ADN/BSN + license | $93,600 |
| RN — Government | ADN/BSN + license | $106,480 |
| RN — Hospitals | ADN/BSN + license | $97,260 |
| RN — Ambulatory Care | ADN/BSN + license | $83,780 |
| RN — Nursing/Residential Care | ADN/BSN + license | $81,820 |
| RN — Educational Services | ADN/BSN + license | $74,360 |
| Advanced Practice (NP/CRNA/CNM) | Graduate degree + national cert. | $132,050 |
*Medians reflect May 2024 U.S. data where available; “RN — setting” rows show RN medians by industry.
How Much Money Do Nurses Make Per Year? Factors That Move Pay
License and scope matter most. Work setting, state, shifts, and differentials stack on top. Here’s what changes a paycheck the most.
Work Setting And Shift Mix
Hospitals trend higher than long-term care. Government roles often land at the top for RNs. Nights, weekends, and holidays can add differentials that raise the annual total. Outpatient clinics trade a steadier schedule for less pay than acute care. Academic roles bring mission and breaks, with lower base pay than hospital work.
State And Metro Pay
States with dense systems and higher living costs pay more. California, Hawaii, and parts of the Pacific Northwest lead average RN pay. Rural regions and central states tend to offer lower ranges, with exceptions where shortages or specialty centers lift rates.
Experience, Certifications, And Unit Type
Seasoned nurses earn more through steps or merit ladders. Specialty units—ICU, OR, ED, cath lab—often add premiums. Certifications (CCRN, CNOR, CEN, OCN, and others) can bump base rates or unlock specialty posts. Charge duties or preceptor status can add stipends.
Overtime And Contracts
Time-and-a-half, bonus shifts, and incentive programs add up fast for staff nurses. Short-term local contracts or travel assignments can spike gross pay, while benefits and tax rules make net comparisons tricky. Always run numbers across the full package—base, differentials, retirement match, health plan, leave, and any education perks.
Nurse Pay Per Year: Real-World Ranges You Can Expect
Numbers below anchor realistic target bands for each license. These aren’t ceilings. Top metro systems, specialty units, or premium shifts can push higher.
CNA Pay Range
Entry pay often lands in the high-$30k range, matching the national median. Union shops, hospital roles, or night shifts may lift it. CNA experience also builds a path toward LPN/LVN or RN school.
LPN/LVN Pay Range
Mid-$50k to low-$70k is common across many states. Wound care, dialysis, and clinic float pools can bump base pay. Long-term care tends to hire steadily, with shift differentials in 24/7 facilities.
RN Pay Range
Low-$90k at the national median, with wide spread by state and unit. Acute care, charge roles, and night shifts often push earnings into six figures in high-pay markets. Outpatient clinics trade schedule perks for lower base wages.
Advanced Practice Pay Range
Advanced practice nurses sit above six figures at the median, with broad range by specialty and setting. Primary care NPs in rural clinics may trade a community-centered scope for lighter pay than urban specialty practices. CRNAs sit much higher due to anesthesia scope and coverage demands.
Where The Numbers Come From
For decisions that hinge on pay, use primary data. The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) publishes fresh medians and industry-level pay. You’ll find RN and LPN/LVN details in the Occupational Outlook Handbook, while state maps and industry tables sit in the OEWS data suite. Link up to the Registered Nurses profile and the combined page for nurse anesthetists, nurse midwives, and nurse practitioners to confirm the latest figures.
How To Benchmark An Offer Fast
Use three anchors: your license median, your local market, and your setting. Start with the national number for your license, then check your state or metro. If you’re stepping into nights or weekends, add the posted differentials to see where you land across a year.
Step-By-Step Check
- Pick the national median for your license from the table.
- Pull your state’s RN or LPN/LVN wage page from OEWS maps.
- Adjust for setting: hospitals or government trend higher than long-term care or education.
- Add shift, weekend, and holiday differentials based on your unit grid.
- Tally the full package: base, overtime rules, bonus plan, retirement match, health plan, and any tuition help.
Top States For RN Pay
These figures list annual means for registered nurses by state, drawn from the latest BLS release that news outlets summarize each spring. Use them as directional anchors alongside your local offer and cost of living.
| State | RN Annual Mean | Quick Context |
|---|---|---|
| California | $148,330 | Large systems, union presence, high COL |
| Hawaii | $123,720 | Island supply constraints, high COL |
| Oregon | $120,470 | Strong hospital pay mix |
| Washington | $115,740 | Metro demand lifts rates |
| Massachusetts | $112,610 | Academic centers, specialty units |
| New York | $111,840 | Downstate vs. upstate spread |
| Alaska | $109,210 | Remote logistics, staffing gaps |
| Nevada | $108,700 | Urban hospital demand |
| Connecticut | $108,000 | Academic and community mix |
| New Jersey | $106,810 | Dense metro corridor |
State figures are means, not medians. Use with a local cost-of-living lens.
Role-By-Role Takeaways You Can Use Today
If You’re A CNA
Stack paid experience while you plan school. Hospital tech roles can add skills and pay. Certification ladders in wound care or behavioral health can open doors.
If You’re An LPN/LVN
Dialysis, clinic float teams, and long-term care leadership can raise base pay. Bridge programs toward RN expand your ceiling. Keep current on state scope rules.
If You’re An RN
Target specialty units, earn a certification, and pick a shift plan that fits your life and income goal. If you’re weighing a move, compare base pay and differentials across metro systems, not just the posted hourly rate.
If You’re An APRN
Setting and specialty drive the spread. Primary care panels, urgent care footprints, anesthesia coverage, and call can shift total pay. Review non-competes and malpractice terms along with base and bonus.
Answering The Core Question
So, how much money do nurses make per year? At the national level, CNAs cluster near $40k, LPN/LVNs land in the low-$60k zone, RNs sit near $94k, and advanced practice crosses $130k at the median. State, setting, shifts, and specialty then swing that number up or down.
Method Notes And Sources
Figures rely on recent U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics releases. Medians and industry splits for RNs and LPN/LVNs come from the Occupational Outlook Handbook. The advanced practice median reflects the combined OOH page for nurse anesthetists, nurse midwives, and nurse practitioners. State means follow the latest OEWS release news coverage that cites BLS tables each spring. For deeper cuts—percentiles, metro maps, or fresh updates—start with the RN OOH profile and the OEWS state tables.