Your starting salary as a new grad RN depends more on where you work than what specialty you choose. The difference between the highest and lowest-paying states exceeds $30,000 per year. Here's what the data shows for 2026.
New Grad RN Salaries by State (2026 BLS Estimates)
These are starting salaries for nurses with 0–1 year of experience, not median RN salaries:
Highest Paying States
- California: $82,000–$95,000 (union hospitals often start at $90K+)
- Washington: $75,000–$88,000
- Massachusetts: $72,000–$85,000
- Hawaii: $70,000–$83,000 (high COL, though)
- New York: $68,000–$82,000 (NYC metro significantly higher)
- Oregon: $67,000–$80,000
Mid-Range States
- Texas: $60,000–$75,000 (no state income tax benefit)
- Arizona: $62,000–$74,000
- Colorado: $63,000–$76,000
- Illinois: $60,000–$73,000 (Chicago metro much higher)
- Georgia: $58,000–$70,000
- Florida: $56,000–$70,000 (no state income tax benefit)
Lower-Paying States (But Worth Considering)
- Tennessee: $54,000–$66,000 (no state income tax, low COL)
- Ohio: $55,000–$67,000
- North Carolina: $56,000–$68,000
- Michigan: $56,000–$68,000
Cost of Living Matters More Than Base Salary
A $95,000 starting salary in San Francisco leaves you with less purchasing power than $65,000 in Nashville. Before comparing offers, adjust for local housing, taxes, and cost of living. A simple rule: take your salary offer and divide by the city's median 1-bedroom rent. Higher ratio = better real pay.
What Moves New Grad Salaries Up
Several factors push starting salaries above the state baseline:
- Union hospital: Can add $5,000–$15,000 to base, plus stronger benefits
- High-acuity unit: ICU, ER, or OR new grad programs often include a premium
- Night shift differential: $3–$8/hr extra — roughly $6,000–$16,000/year on a night schedule
- Signing bonus: Negotiable even as a new grad (see our sign-on bonus guide)
- Rural or underserved facility: Often pays rural shortage premiums
Your First Raise: When and How Much
Most hospitals schedule the first merit review at 6 months or 1 year. Typical increases are 2–4% annually unless you're in a union (step increases are often larger). New grads who negotiate their first review date to 6 months accelerate their earnings by 6 months relative to peers who wait a full year.
Before you sign your first offer, run it through our free Contract Red Flag Audit — sign-on bonus clawbacks, floating clauses, and probationary period terms are especially important for new grads to understand before day one.
Use the Salary Calculator on our homepage to see how your specialty and state combination compares to national BLS data.