Nurse salary by state and agency

How median pay for full-time federal employees in the Nurse series (series 0610) differs by where they work and who employs them. Nationally the median is $125,739. Full nurse salary profile →

Highest state median

$173,529

California

Lowest state median

$104,360

South Dakota

Agency spread

$36,877

highest vs. lowest agency median

National median

$125,739

92,583 full-time employees

State differences come largely from locality pay, which raises federal salaries in high-cost labor markets, and from differences in the grade mix of the jobs located there. Agency differences often reflect different pay plans and grade structures. Only states and agencies with at least 30 full-time employees with published pay are listed.

By state, highest to lowest median

Nurse median pay by state
State	Employees	Median pay	Middle 50%
California	8,147	$173,529	$151,308–$214,132
Hawaii	419	$150,633	$136,057–$176,105
Alaska	184	$143,956	$127,721–$164,934
Massachusetts	1,838	$141,997	$126,250–$165,552
New Jersey	820	$141,206	$127,866–$148,035
New York	3,222	$136,722	$113,879–$157,867
Oregon	1,337	$136,045	$122,162–$157,859
Washington	1,998	$135,457	$119,462–$151,452
Connecticut	745	$134,332	$121,654–$146,420
Rhode Island	405	$133,817	$120,869–$150,002
Texas	7,410	$132,537	$116,812–$150,430
Delaware	307	$132,350	$121,427–$149,170
Arizona	3,126	$131,732	$119,185–$152,065
Maryland	2,141	$130,087	$118,351–$150,203
District of Columbia	907	$129,752	$117,196–$151,149
Arkansas	1,578	$128,399	$112,079–$150,227
Wyoming	407	$126,437	$112,891–$143,603
Minnesota	1,950	$126,101	$116,358–$141,974
North Carolina	3,729	$125,884	$113,992–$140,894
Colorado	1,512	$125,538	$116,202–$140,228
Nevada	1,438	$125,085	$111,211–$145,518
Georgia	2,562	$123,765	$110,981–$148,272
Virginia	2,548	$123,732	$110,095–$140,433
Illinois	2,979	$123,564	$109,847–$135,816
Ohio	3,956	$122,939	$110,701–$140,538
Tennessee	2,927	$120,427	$105,862–$141,398
Florida	7,993	$120,366	$108,344–$137,388
New Hampshire	293	$119,689	$110,410–$134,422
Oklahoma	1,451	$119,456	$109,047–$137,725
Vermont	295	$119,088	$110,410–$131,894
Montana	530	$119,052	$110,412–$130,591
South Carolina	1,580	$118,770	$104,837–$137,614
Michigan	2,476	$118,139	$108,383–$133,271
Utah	739	$117,872	$109,319–$134,929
Pennsylvania	3,600	$116,136	$101,940–$135,415
Maine	530	$116,112	$106,271–$135,312
Wisconsin	2,316	$114,658	$103,396–$131,846
Missouri	2,410	$114,260	$102,661–$132,340
Kentucky	1,470	$113,763	$102,483–$130,908
Alabama	1,529	$113,756	$100,321–$135,353
New Mexico	1,288	$113,520	$102,904–$127,596
Idaho	591	$113,465	$100,034–$129,038
Indiana	1,435	$113,256	$99,950–$135,916
Mississippi	1,126	$111,450	$97,751–$142,888
West Virginia	1,408	$110,940	$100,167–$124,692
Kansas	1,084	$109,867	$100,531–$127,795
Louisiana	1,327	$109,722	$98,358–$125,949
Iowa	1,002	$109,220	$99,482–$122,961
Nebraska	672	$105,468	$96,763–$118,763
North Dakota	476	$105,316	$95,614–$120,727
South Dakota	860	$104,360	$93,930–$121,173

middle 50% (25th–75th percentile) 10th–90th percentile median all-federal median ($109,641)

By agency, highest to lowest median

Nurse median pay by agency
Agency	Employees	Median pay	Middle 50%
Department of Homeland Security	131	$133,964	$96,329–$150,203
Department of Veterans Affairs	92,762	$126,022	$110,192–$150,553
Department of Health and Human Services	4,001	$124,449	$111,347–$142,084
Department of Justice	1,205	$100,290	$92,835–$109,342
Department of Agriculture	46	$97,087	$82,770–$105,904

middle 50% (25th–75th percentile) 10th–90th percentile median all-federal median ($109,641)