Registered Nurses
Salary, job outlook, AI risk & career information
Registered Nurses in the United States earn a median salary of $97,550 per year — about $47 per hour, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Roughly 3.4M people work in this occupation nationwide, with projected employment growth of +5%.
AI & Automation Risk
Registered nursing is a hybrid role that combines significant physical labor, such as administering treatments and moving patients, with complex interpersonal care and emotional support. While AI will heavily impact the knowledge-work components—such as patient monitoring, diagnostic analysis, and care planning—the core requirement for physical presence and human empathy creates a strong barrier to full automation.
Salary by City — What You Actually Take Home
Real purchasing power = salary adjusted for cost of living. Higher = more money in your pocket.
| City | Local Salary | Cost of Living | Real Purchasing Power |
|---|---|---|---|
| San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CABEST VALUE | $216,740 | Above avg (110.4) | $196,282 |
| Vallejo, CA | $203,290 | Above avg (108.5) | $187,400 |
| Santa Rosa-Petaluma, CA | $174,550 | Above avg (107.8) | $161,944 |
| San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA | $186,610 | Above avg (115.6) | $161,409 |
| Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom, CA | $171,460 | Above avg (106.7) | $160,739 |
| Santa Cruz-Watsonville, CA | $170,960 | Above avg (109.9) | $155,565 |
| Yuba City, CA | $149,320 | Above avg (104.2) | $143,256 |
| Merced, CA | $131,620 | Average (98.3) | $133,930 |
| Redding, CA | $134,350 | Average (100.7) | $133,437 |
| Kahului-Wailuku, HI | $144,350 | Above avg (109.4) | $131,955 |
| Bend, OR | $135,010 | Above avg (103.6) | $130,310 |
| Stockton-Lodi, CA | $134,580 | Above avg (105.1) | $128,063 |
| San Luis Obispo-Paso Robles, CA | $138,820 | Above avg (108.6) | $127,832 |
| Bakersfield-Delano, CA | $128,810 | Average (100.9) | $127,679 |
| Modesto, CA | $132,590 | Above avg (104.1) | $127,358 |