To determine the best cities for nurses, many factors come into play. For example, Cost of living, complexity of the job, experience in the field, salary rate and other factors can affect the salary you get. California has 19 of the 25 most paid nursing cities. One reason for this is the strength of California’s nurses union. The rest of them are also good, some even better than in California.
Nurses are needed everywhere, when it comes to salary, benefits, workload, and opportunity, location is everything. Some areas in US are having nurse shortage while some areas are affluent with nurses and those places provide great deal of benefits for the nurses. Here are some of the best compiled lists for highest paying cities for nurses.
1. San Francisco, CA
San Francisco easily tops the list in every BLS report. Even though it is the financial center of California, the cost of living is reasonable and the transportation system is good. It is also home to some big corporate giants like uber, Levis Strauss & Co., drop box, Mozilla etc. The city has great economy and it is very convenient to live there compare to other cities in the list.
Median hourly rate: $65.68/hr.
Annual Mean Wage: $136,610
Highest Paid Skills: Critical care, telemetry, oncology, cardiology, acute care
Overall Cost of Living: 53% above the national average
Monthly Cost of Living (Single Adult): $3,632
Annual Cost of Living (Single Adult): $43,581
2. San Jose Sunnyvale, Santa Clara CA
San Jose also known as the capital of Silicon Valley is one of the most technologically advanced city. It is also the largest city of Northern California. The cost of living is very high here but so is the salary and wages. The salary rate is very high and everything is well organized. The city hosts to some of the world’s largest technological companies such as Apple, Cisco, Google, HP, Intel and Oracle. The city is considered the global center for high technology, innovation, venture capital and social media.
Median hourly rate: $58.02/hr.
Annual Mean Wage: $120,680
Highest Paid Skills: Cardiology, oncology, telemetry, critical care, intensive care
Overall Cost of Living: 40% above national average
Monthly Cost of Living (Single Adult): $3,449
Annual Cost of Living (Single Adult): $41,386
3. Boston, MA
Boston is a popular cities for nurses. It has a rich history of nursing. There are many medical facilities and organizations which are also affiliated with top universities. Boston has one of the highest costs of living and currently has the highest pay scale for nurses on the East Coast. Nurses planning post-graduate studies may want to consider Boston for the many opportunities available in the greater metro area, including Cambridge, the home of Harvard University and the Massachusetts
Institute of Technology (MIT).
Median hourly rate: $47.13/hr.
Annual Mean Wage: $98,040
Highest Paid Skills: PACU, Oncology, Labor and Delivery, Intensive Care.
4. New York, NY
New York’s population is booming day by day, as the needs for the public service are increasing, the demands in the healthcare industry are growing. NYC has plentiful healthcare facilities. The cost of living in NYC is one of the highest in the country, but the extensive subway system makes the transportation affordable and convenient. NYC has also one of the highest pay rate in the country, the cost of living is also very high.
Median hourly rate: $42.36/hr.
Annual Mean Wage: $88,100
Highest Paid Skills: Oncology, Critical Care, Telemetry
Overall Cost of Living: 49% above national average
Monthly Cost of Living (Single Adult): $3,627
Annual Cost of Living (Single Adult): $43,519
5. Honolulu, HI
Unlike many other cities, there’s very little nursing shortage in Honolulu. The high rejection rate is making job opportunities a little more difficult but the good news is that millions are being invested here in the healthcare facilities which will open up many opportunities for the nurses and other healthcare members. The location is very desirable for work and the salary rate is pretty good as well.
Median hourly rate: $42.93/hr.
Annual Mean Wage: $89,290
Highest Paid Skills: Geriatrics, Hospice, Trauma
Overall Cost of Living: 53% above national average
Monthly Cost of Living (Single Adult): $3,859
Annual Cost of Living (Single Adult): $46,308
6. Anchorage, AK
This city has high turnover rates in hospital and clinics which ensures many opportunities for job and living. Anchorage is one of the northest city in the list. Working in this city is like an adventure or so the nurses and other healthcare members say. There are a lot of nurse residency programs which will recruit nurses for either temporary or permanent basis.
Median Hourly Rate: $41.75/hr.
Annual Mean Wage: $86,850
Highest Paid Skills: Labor and delivery, intensive care, cardiology
Monthly Cost of Living (Single Adult): $2,751
Annual Cost of Living (Single Adult): $33,015
7. Philadelphia, PA
Philadelphia is amazingly popular for its uncountable children’s hospitals and other healthcare and pediatric facilities. Philadelphia is also the birthplace of American medicine, the first hospital and the first medical school was founded here. This city is one of the most ideal cities to live a peaceful life. Nursing salaries in Philadelphia is consistent and solid average. The cost of living is medium to high.
Median hourly rate: $39.04
Annual Mean Wage: $81,210
Highest Paid Skills: Pediatrics, NICU, Trauma, Intensive Care
Overall Cost of Living: 16% above national average
Monthly Cost of Living (Single Adult): $2,814
Annual Cost of Living (Single Adult): $33,765
8. Phoenix, AZ
Phoenix is a really warm city, the weather is generally sunny. While nurses in Phoenix are not paid as high as other cities, the cost of living is very reasonable and job opportunities are abundant. The city has a large retirement community which means the opportunities in geriatrics and hospice are the highest paid.
Median hourly rate: $36.03/hr.
Annual Mean Wage: $74,930
Highest Paid Skills: Geriatrics, Hospice, Case Management
Overall Cost of Living: 5% above national average
Monthly Cost of Living (Single Adult): $2,349
Annual Cost of Living (Single Adult): $28,187
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