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 (113.1) | $191,705 |
| Vallejo, CA | $203,290 | Above avg (109.4) | $185,892 |
| San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA | $186,610 | Above avg (117.6) | $158,748 |
| Santa Rosa-Petaluma, CA | $174,550 | Above avg (110.3) | $158,318 |
| Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom, CA | $171,460 | Above avg (109.1) | $157,172 |
| Santa Cruz-Watsonville, CA | $170,960 | Above avg (112.8) | $151,595 |
| Yuba City, CA | $149,320 | Above avg (103.8) | $143,884 |
| Kahului-Wailuku, HI | $144,350 | Above avg (107.2) | $134,664 |
| Merced, CA | $131,620 | Average (99.6) | $132,125 |
| Redding, CA | $134,350 | Above avg (103.0) | $130,436 |
| Hanford-Corcoran, CA | $128,160 | Average (98.6) | $130,011 |
| Salem, OR | $131,750 | Average (102.5) | $128,588 |
| Bend, OR | $135,010 | Above avg (105.3) | $128,244 |
| Modesto, CA | $132,590 | Above avg (105.1) | $126,124 |
| San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA | $139,520 | Above avg (110.7) | $125,988 |