National salary comparison — BLS OES 2024-2025 data
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Registered Nurses earn a national median of $93,600/year vs Paralegals at $59,200/year. Registered Nurses earn 37% more nationally. The gap is $34,400 per year — or $2,867 per month.
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Registered Nurse
$93,600
national median/year
$7,800/mo • $45/hr
VS
Paralegal
$59,200
national median/year
$4,933/mo • $28/hr
Annual salary gap
$34,400
Registered Nurses earn 37% more per year nationally. Over 30 years at 7% investment return that gap compounds to approximately $389,934.
Best states for Paralegals
vs Registered Nurses
Virginia+$-23,800
South Carolina+$-25,400
Tennessee+$-25,400
Florida+$-25,800
Georgia+$-25,800
Best states for Registered Nurses
vs Paralegals
California+$57,100
Alaska+$50,600
Hawaii+$48,600
Oregon+$46,200
Washington+$44,200
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Registered Nurses earn more nationally. The median annual salary for Registered Nurses is $93,600 versus $59,200 for Paralegals — a difference of $34,400 per year or $2,867 per month.
The national median salary gap between Registered Nurses and Paralegals is $34,400 per year. Registered Nurses earn 37% more. Over a 30-year career this difference, if invested at 7% annual return, compounds to approximately $389,934.
Based on BLS OES 2024-2025 data, California pays Registered Nurses the highest median salary at $133,300 per year.
Based on BLS OES 2024-2025 data, California pays Paralegals the highest median salary at $76,200 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 Paralegals and Legal Assistants 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, Registered Nurses earn approximately $45 per hour nationally and Paralegals earn approximately $28 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.
