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.

Nursing by the Numbers — 2024 BLS Data & Workforce Stats

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.

CA

$148,330

HI

$123,720

OR

$120,470

WA

$115,740

MA

$112,610

Nat'l Avg

$98,430

Source: BLS OEWS Table 1, May 2024

Specialty Pay

Nursing Specialty Salaries

Mean annual wage by specialty, BLS May 2024 OEWS.

Specialty	Mean Annual	Median
CRNA	$231,700	$223,210
Nurse Practitioner	$132,000	$129,210
Nurse Midwife	$128,110	$128,790
Staff RN	$98,430	$93,600

APRN Job Growth (2024–2034)

35%

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

Source: BLS OEWS Table 1 · APRN OOH

Career Progression

The APRN Pay Ladder

Mean annual wage by role. CNA to CRNA = 461% salary increase. BLS May 2024.

CNA

$41,270

LPN

$64,150

RN

$98,430

CNM

$128,110

NP

$132,000

CRNA

$231,700

CNA → CRNA

+461%

RN → NP

+34%

NP → CRNA

+76%

Source: BLS OEWS Table 1, May 2024

Real Pay

Cost-of-Living Adjusted RN Pay

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

OR

$51.71/hr

MN

$50.28/hr

CA

$49.25/hr

WA

$48.72/hr

NM

$48.63/hr

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

Source: Becker's Hospital Review (Apr 2025) · BLS May 2024

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 · Vivian Health

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).

0

Active RN Jobs

$0

Mean Annual Wage

$0

Median Annual Wage

$0

Mean Hourly Wage

0%

Job Growth (2024–34)

0

Annual Openings

Source: BLS OOH · OEWS Table 1

Crisis Data

The Nursing Shortage

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

0

Nurses left since 2022

0%

Intend to leave/retire in 5 years

0

Median RN age (years)

0

Baby boomer workforce exit

Why they leave

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

Source: NCSBN 2024

Burnout Index

Nursing Burnout Gauge

Composite burnout reading across multiple 2024–2025 surveys.

0

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)

Sources: Nurse.org 2024 · AMN 2025 · NCSBN 2024

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 (Work Environment)

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

5%

LPN/LVNs

3%

CNAs

2%

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

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

Source: BLS Fastest Growing Occupations

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

Sources: Nurse.org 2024 · NCSBN 2024

JM

Jayson Minagawa, BSN, RN

Unit Manager & MDS Coordinator

12+ years of clinical experience spanning ICU/critical care, psychiatric & behavioral health nursing, correctional nursing, telehealth, and multi-state travel nursing. All data on The Nursing Directory is verified against primary government sources — no sponsored content, no paywalls, no ads.