National salary comparison — BLS OES 2024-2025 data
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Nurses earn a national median of $89,010/year vs Registered Nurses at $93,600/year. Registered Nurses earn 5% more nationally. The gap is $4,590 per year — or $383 per month.
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Nurse
$89,010
national median/year
$7,418/mo • $43/hr
VS
Registered Nurse
$93,600
national median/year
$7,800/mo • $45/hr
Annual salary gap
$4,590
Registered Nurses earn 5% more per year nationally. Over 30 years at 7% investment return that gap compounds to approximately $52,029.
Best states for Registered Nurses
vs Nurses
Minnesota+$13,680
Maryland+$13,080
New Jersey+$11,080
Oregon+$11,080
New Hampshire+$10,480
Best states for Nurses
vs Registered Nurses
West Virginia+$-1,680
California+$-1,830
Wyoming+$-2,080
Mississippi+$-2,880
North Dakota+$-2,880
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Registered Nurses earn more nationally. The median annual salary for Nurses is $89,010 versus $93,600 for Registered Nurses — a difference of $4,590 per year or $383 per month.
The national median salary gap between Nurses and Registered Nurses is $4,590 per year. Registered Nurses earn 5% more. Over a 30-year career this difference, if invested at 7% annual return, compounds to approximately $52,029.
Based on BLS OES 2024-2025 data, California pays Nurses the highest median salary at $131,470 per year.
Based on BLS OES 2024-2025 data, California pays Registered Nurses the highest median salary at $133,300 per year.
Salary is one factor — Registered Nurses earn more nationally. But career choice involves job satisfaction, work-life balance, education requirements, and job growth. Registered Nurses and Registered Nurses both have different educational paths, licensing requirements, and long-term growth projections. Use salary as a starting point, not the only factor.
Based on a standard 2,080-hour work year, Nurses earn approximately $43 per hour nationally and Registered Nurses earn approximately $45 per hour. Actual hourly rates vary based on overtime, part-time work, and whether the role is salaried or hourly.
Methodology: Salary data from Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) 2024-2025. Figures represent median annual wages for wage and salary workers. Self-employed excluded. Hourly rates calculated at 2,080 hours per year. State salary figures from same BLS OES dataset. Updated annually.
