Associate’s Degree in Nursing

Salaries for Nurses with an Associate Degree in Nursing (2023)

The median annual salary for registered nurses is $81,220, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS). This number includes nurses with an Associate Degree of Nursing (ADN) and a Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN). But salaries can vary widely based on education and other factors.

In this Article

Nursing Salary Comparisons | Salary Compared to Other Healthcare Careers | Factors that Influence Salaries | How to Increase Your Earnings

Pursuing an ADN is one of the fastest ways to launch your career as a registered nurse (RN) and reap the financial rewards that go with it.

As a new graduate, you’ll qualify for many of the same positions as nurses with a BSN, though you may notice a difference in pay rates. For example, for staff nurses, who work in hospitals, RNs with a BSN can sometimes earn about 8% more, says Joseph A. Dunmire, a board member of the National Association for Health Care Recruitment (NAHCR).

How Does ADN Pay Compare to Other Entry-level Nursing Jobs?

An RN’s salary is a big step up from pay for lower-level nursing jobs such as certified nursing assistant (CNA) and licensed practical nurse (LPN). That’s because registered nurses are more skilled, have greater responsibilities, and sometimes supervise nursing assistants and LPNs.

Entry-Level Nursing Salary Comparison

Registered Nurses

National data

Median Salary: $81,220

Projected job growth: 5.6%

10th Percentile: $61,250

25th Percentile: $66,680

75th Percentile: $101,100

90th Percentile: $129,400

Projected job growth: 5.6%

State data

State	Median Salary	Bottom 10%	Top 10%
Alabama	$63,090	$48,820	$82,760
Alaska	$102,260	$80,950	$127,280
Arizona	$82,330	$66,040	$105,520
Arkansas	$64,130	$37,630	$83,700
California	$132,660	$84,700	$177,670
Colorado	$82,430	$66,130	$107,260
Connecticut	$95,210	$71,050	$119,600
Delaware	$82,230	$64,100	$101,110
District of Columbia	$98,970	$66,260	$135,260
Florida	$77,710	$61,190	$100,060
Georgia	$79,440	$60,400	$118,270
Hawaii	$120,100	$76,640	$137,710
Idaho	$77,940	$61,530	$100,440
Illinois	$78,980	$62,180	$102,080
Indiana	$73,290	$55,200	$95,600
Iowa	$65,000	$56,330	$83,360
Kansas	$66,460	$52,010	$93,120
Kentucky	$75,800	$56,120	$98,540
Louisiana	$73,180	$57,500	$95,540
Maine	$77,340	$61,170	$100,910
Maryland	$83,850	$64,680	$106,910
Massachusetts	$98,520	$67,480	$154,160
Michigan	$79,180	$64,270	$100,920
Minnesota	$84,060	$65,500	$107,960
Mississippi	$63,330	$49,980	$84,030
Missouri	$71,460	$51,440	$94,340
Montana	$76,550	$62,930	$98,970
Nebraska	$74,990	$58,900	$93,230
Nevada	$94,930	$74,200	$130,200
New Hampshire	$80,550	$62,790	$104,270
New Jersey	$98,090	$76,650	$118,150
New Mexico	$81,990	$64,510	$106,300
New York	$100,370	$64,840	$132,950
North Carolina	$76,430	$59,580	$100,430
North Dakota	$69,640	$60,780	$91,150
Ohio	$76,810	$61,860	$98,380
Oklahoma	$74,520	$53,560	$97,520
Oregon	$106,680	$81,470	$131,210
Pennsylvania	$78,740	$61,450	$101,450
Rhode Island	$85,960	$65,260	$104,790
South Carolina	$75,610	$52,620	$93,190
South Dakota	$62,920	$51,240	$80,860
Tennessee	$65,800	$51,270	$95,490
Texas	$79,830	$61,950	$105,270
Utah	$77,240	$61,850	$98,000
Vermont	$77,230	$60,900	$101,570
Virginia	$79,700	$61,970	$104,410
Washington	$101,230	$77,460	$131,230
West Virginia	$74,160	$47,640	$96,470
Wisconsin	$79,750	$65,110	$100,820
Wyoming	$77,730	$60,910	$102,010

Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) 2022 median salary; projected job growth through 2032. Actual salaries vary depending on location, level of education, years of experience, work environment, and other factors. Salaries may differ even more for those who are self-employed or work part time.

Licensed Practical and Licensed Vocational Nurses

National data

Median Salary: $54,620

Projected job growth: 5.3%

10th Percentile: $40,490

25th Percentile: $47,800

75th Percentile: $62,110

90th Percentile: $72,650

Projected job growth: 5.3%

State data

State	Median Salary	Bottom 10%	Top 10%
Alabama	$46,000	$31,090	$58,500
Alaska	$64,340	$50,270	$81,400
Arizona	$61,840	$50,990	$72,920
Arkansas	$46,190	$36,690	$57,380
California	$66,090	$52,000	$88,140
Colorado	$61,700	$47,730	$73,060
Connecticut	$61,770	$51,970	$72,000
Delaware	$58,880	$48,120	$70,260
District of Columbia	$62,540	$52,000	$73,350
Florida	$50,200	$39,920	$64,960
Georgia	$50,050	$38,680	$61,030
Hawaii	$55,920	$46,750	$65,880
Idaho	$50,850	$41,100	$72,530
Illinois	$59,310	$47,490	$72,230
Indiana	$56,980	$45,410	$65,880
Iowa	$49,350	$40,620	$61,960
Kansas	$49,250	$39,200	$62,150
Kentucky	$49,210	$38,430	$59,090
Louisiana	$47,590	$37,920	$57,740
Maine	$56,050	$44,720	$71,810
Maryland	$60,890	$48,720	$72,340
Massachusetts	$64,680	$58,710	$79,000
Michigan	$58,010	$46,450	$64,720
Minnesota	$54,270	$47,150	$63,140
Mississippi	$45,730	$36,260	$55,790
Missouri	$48,450	$38,220	$59,590
Montana	$51,740	$38,860	$61,980
Nebraska	$50,680	$40,190	$61,280
Nevada	$60,920	$50,450	$81,950
New Hampshire	$63,170	$50,360	$75,770
New Jersey	$61,460	$51,390	$72,340
New Mexico	$60,210	$45,500	$74,570
New York	$57,670	$46,240	$71,610
North Carolina	$51,300	$43,670	$61,780
North Dakota	$50,710	$46,800	$61,530
Ohio	$50,590	$40,720	$60,850
Oklahoma	$47,860	$38,270	$58,000
Oregon	$64,990	$52,580	$76,580
Pennsylvania	$54,370	$44,910	$64,700
Rhode Island	$62,810	$57,500	$81,390
South Carolina	$50,020	$39,100	$61,780
South Dakota	$47,500	$37,190	$55,190
Tennessee	$46,930	$36,360	$57,140
Texas	$50,910	$41,550	$63,610
Utah	$55,290	$40,930	$70,010
Vermont	$59,940	$46,220	$69,430
Virginia	$51,150	$39,640	$63,910
Washington	$68,370	$54,700	$83,060
West Virginia	$44,410	$37,120	$57,660
Wisconsin	$50,760	$41,610	$61,990
Wyoming	$54,180	$45,880	$64,440

Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) 2022 median salary; projected job growth through 2032. Actual salaries vary depending on location, level of education, years of experience, work environment, and other factors. Salaries may differ even more for those who are self-employed or work part time.

Nursing Assistants

National data

Median Salary: $35,760

Projected job growth: 4.1%

10th Percentile: $28,030

25th Percentile: $30,770

75th Percentile: $39,260

90th Percentile: $45,940

Projected job growth: 4.1%

State data

State	Median Salary	Bottom 10%	Top 10%
Alabama	$28,080	$22,850	$35,380
Alaska	$42,310	$37,000	$54,290
Arizona	$37,240	$31,340	$43,620
Arkansas	$29,190	$25,390	$34,770
California	$40,040	$36,070	$56,910
Colorado	$37,470	$32,610	$45,440
Connecticut	$36,680	$31,920	$46,090
Delaware	$37,140	$31,120	$42,650
District of Columbia	$40,730	$36,010	$51,780
Florida	$32,250	$26,880	$39,760
Georgia	$29,850	$23,340	$42,920
Hawaii	$37,250	$29,360	$51,320
Idaho	$35,500	$29,230	$44,220
Illinois	$36,640	$30,240	$44,010
Indiana	$34,200	$28,470	$40,850
Iowa	$34,690	$29,920	$42,140
Kansas	$31,880	$27,980	$40,530
Kentucky	$32,280	$24,650	$37,360
Louisiana	$27,860	$22,240	$35,330
Maine	$36,670	$31,770	$46,390
Maryland	$36,290	$30,340	$46,640
Massachusetts	$39,170	$35,140	$48,800
Michigan	$36,130	$30,310	$40,650
Minnesota	$38,690	$32,400	$49,480
Mississippi	$27,430	$20,800	$34,110
Missouri	$31,480	$25,500	$38,880
Montana	$35,540	$29,550	$48,770
Nebraska	$35,470	$29,440	$42,430
Nevada	$38,540	$30,730	$56,620
New Hampshire	$38,770	$31,670	$45,850
New Jersey	$37,980	$32,440	$47,230
New Mexico	$31,510	$28,820	$42,470
New York	$44,080	$32,020	$52,210
North Carolina	$31,850	$23,150	$38,220
North Dakota	$37,490	$31,290	$46,050
Ohio	$34,990	$28,740	$38,830
Oklahoma	$29,840	$23,960	$35,510
Oregon	$41,360	$34,840	$51,190
Pennsylvania	$36,340	$29,880	$43,050
Rhode Island	$36,830	$31,740	$47,990
South Carolina	$31,040	$24,630	$38,250
South Dakota	$30,890	$26,880	$37,750
Tennessee	$30,540	$25,580	$36,810
Texas	$30,860	$26,500	$39,500
Utah	$33,200	$27,470	$39,150
Vermont	$37,110	$30,630	$44,080
Virginia	$32,620	$24,130	$40,210
Washington	$40,760	$35,620	$50,170
West Virginia	$31,320	$27,540	$37,110
Wisconsin	$36,780	$30,630	$42,370
Wyoming	$34,630	$29,760	$44,500

Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) 2022 median salary; projected job growth through 2032. Actual salaries vary depending on location, level of education, years of experience, work environment, and other factors. Salaries may differ even more for those who are self-employed or work part time.

“An ADN is a great entry-level into healthcare and into nursing,” says Keith Carlson, BSN, RN, NC-BC, and a board-certified nurse coach, nursing career expert, and host of the nursing career podcast “The Nurse Keith Show.” “It’s a great option for someone who wants to go beyond practical nursing or a diploma-based study program.

“For someone who’s not sure, for someone who doesn’t want to go into greater debt, and they’d like to get out of school as quickly as possible and earn a living, then the ADN is the faster path.”

How Does ADN Pay Compared to Other Healthcare Jobs that Require an Associate Degree?

Many other healthcare occupations also have entry-level opportunities at the associate degree level. Here’s how some of them stack up against RNs in terms of salary, according to the BLS.

Career	Median Annual Salary
Registered Nurses	$81,220
Radiologic Technologists and Technicians	$65,140
Respiratory Therapists	$70,540
Diagnostic Medical Sonographers	$81,350
Dental Hygienists	$81,400

Your Salary Can Depend on Many Factors

There’s much more in play than just education: The salary you earn with an ADN may also depend on factors such as where you live, your position, your employer, and your experience.

Registered nurses have the highest employment of all healthcare occupations, the BLS says, so you’ll find a wide range of opportunities to explore. This demand is largely due to a nursing shortage that’s expected to grow in the coming years.

The salary you earn with an ADN may depend on factors such as where you live, your position, your employer, and your experience.

Here are four factors that could influence your salary.

The Care You Provide

Many hospitals look for nurses with a BSN, but many other healthcare settings offer opportunities for nurses with an ADN.

“Long-term care, medical-surgical nursing, rehabilitation, mental health nursing, and home care nursing are areas that readily hire ADN-prepared nurses,” says Damion Jenkins, RN, MSN, an NCLEX prep expert, nurse educator, and CEO of The Nurse Speak. “Some of the more specialized areas, such as pediatrics, maternal newborn, ICU and OR, typically require that their nurses have more experience and therefore would most likely hire BSN-prepared new grads, if a new grad position were available.”

Specialization

Earning a certification in a nursing specialty could increase your job opportunities and earning potential. “The whole issue in the marketplace when you’re looking for work is, ‘How do I differentiate myself from my competition? What makes me different?'” Carlson says.

Requirements for certification vary by specialty. Many require one to five years of practice or a minimum number of hours in the specialty.

The American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC) offers credentials in nine nursing specialties, including pediatrics and pain management. Many specialty nursing organizations offer certifications as well.

Requirements for certification vary by specialty. Many require one to five years of practice or a minimum number of hours in the specialty.

Where You Work

Your healthcare setting can make a substantial difference in your pay, as this chart shows.

Outpatient Care Centers

Provide outpatient care services directly or indirectly to ambulatory patients

Annual RN Salary: $97,200

General Medical and Surgical Hospitals

Provide medical, diagnostic, treatment, and special accommodation services to inpatients and may provide outpatient services as a secondary service

Annual RN Salary: $90,600

Home Healthcare Services

Provide skilled nursing services, including high-tech care such as IV therapy, in the home

Annual RN Salary: $89,920

Nursing Care Facilities (Skilled Nursing Facilities)

Provide a mix of health and social services in a residential care setting

Annual RN Salary: $77,190

Where You Live

Your physical location can also influence your pay. This can be due to the demand for nurses or the cost of living in an area.

The top 10 highest-paying areas in the nation are in California, according to the BLS.

Metro Area	Median Annual Salary
Santa Cruz-Watsonville, CA	$175,350
San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA	$173,510
Vallejo-Fairfield, CA	$164,960
San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA	$163,070
Santa Rosa, CA	$156,250
Sacramento--Roseville--Arden-Arcade, CA	$137,940
Napa, CA	$137,260
Redding, CA	$135,220
Yuba City, CA	$134,930
Modesto, CA	$134,250

How to Increase Your Earnings

As a nurse with an ADN, you have many options to increase your earnings. It all depends on your goals.

Overtime: From a practical standpoint, you may have the opportunity to work overtime or earn a premium on overnight shifts, weekends, or holidays.
Union membership: If you end up joining a union, you could have support in the form of collective bargaining for higher wages.
Certifications and fellowships: These can raise your earnings by adding to your expertise and experience.
Pursue a higher degree: If you decide to return to school, an ADN to BSN program, a degree that can help you move into positions with more responsibility and higher pay, is an excellent foundation.

Employers that encourage nurses to pursue a BSN often have tuition reimbursement programs, which can ease financial concerns. And many schools have online programs, which can give students the flexibility to work while they’re in school.