Registered Nurse pay in United States: Los Angeles leads, San Antonio trails
The United States national median for a registered nurse is $109,000 a year. Among 9 metros with observed data, pay runs from about $81,300 in San Antonio to $136,000 in Los Angeles (1.7×).
Registered nurses provide and coordinate patient care across clinics, hospitals, and community settings. Common screening skills include Patient care, Clinical assessment, EMR, and Empathy.
A modeled national band runs about $79,600–$145,000 around that midpoint. Many top cash roles in the United States still run through employer sponsorship and specialty licensing. Employment outlook for the occupation is sketched at +6% over a decade — a national demand guess, not a hiring guarantee in every American city.
Los Angeles sits +25% vs the national median; San Antonio sits -25%. Relocating inside United States for this title can move cash more than a small raise at the same desk. Open a city page for take-home and rent context — this national page is the map, not the offer.
United States shows about 2.9% CPI in 2024. A registered nurse raise that trails inflation is a real-pay cut even if it still beats last year’s peers. This occupation is also covered in 39 other countries — useful for remote or relocation shortlists, after FX and local tax. Nearby healthcare titles on this site include Nurse Practitioner, Physician, Pharmacist, and Physical Therapist.
How to use Registered Nurse pay data in United States
Start with the national median ($109,000), then pick the metro where you would actually work. Observed city rows below are stronger than a pay-index guess. If your city is missing, stay on this page for the country figure and check the United States hub for other careers.
Convert gross through the salary calculator before comparing two cities — tax and rent often reorder a cash ranking. Figures are estimates for research, not employer bands.
National band vs top metro
National sketch: $79,600 (10th) → $109,000 (median) → $145,000 (90th). Los Angeles’s observed median is $136,000, with a local band about $101,000–$174,000. If an offer is “at the United States median” but the job is in Los Angeles, you may still be under local market.