Registered Nurses in Massachusetts

Considering a career as a Registered Nurse in Massachusetts?

You’re in luck! Jobs for Registered Nurses in Massachusetts are projected to grow and these jobs tend to pay higher than average.

• Projected employment for Registered Nurses in Massachusetts is growing faster than average.

• Registered Nurses in Massachusetts earn higher salaries than the typical U.S. wage earner.

What Major Will Prepare You For a Registered Nurse Career?

• Health Professions
• Nursing
• Registered Nursing
• Nursing Administration
• Adult Health Nurse/Nursing
• Family Practice Nurse/Nursing
• Maternal/Child Health and Neonatal Nurse/Nursing
• Nursing Science
• School Nursing
• Psychiatric/Mental Health Nurse/Nursing
• Public Health/Community Nurse/Nursing
• Perioperative/Operating Room and Surgical Nurse/Nursing
• Clinical Nurse Specialist
• Critical Care Nursing
• Occupational and Environmental Health Nursing
• Emergency Room/Trauma Nursing
• Nursing Practice
• Palliative Care Nursing
• Clinical Nurse Leader
• Geriatric Nurse/Nursing
• Other Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing

How Many Registered Nurses Work in Massachusetts?

In 2018, there were 80,630 Registered Nurses working in the state.

There were 82,870 Registered Nurses employed in this state in 2017.

That’s a decline of 2,240 jobs between 2017 and 2018.

The typical state has 43,110 Registered Nurses working in it, which means Massachusetts has more Registered Nurses than average.

Job Projections for Massachusetts

Jobs for Registered Nurses in this state are growing at a rate of 12.8% which is slower than the nationwide estimated projection of 14.8%.

Massachusetts Annual Job Openings

The BLS estimates there will be 5,510 annual job openings, and 93,590 total jobs in 2026 for Registered Nurses in this state.

Nationwide, the prediction is 203,700 annual jobs and 3,393,200 total jobs in 2026.

What do Registered Nurses Make in Massachusetts?

In 2018 wages for Registered Nurses ranged from $58,620 to $139,220 with $86,860 being the median annual salary.

Broken down to an hourly rate, workers in this field made anywhere from $28.18 to $66.93. The median hourly rate was $41.76.

Workers in this field were paid a median of $40.72 an hour in 2017.

The hourly rate grew by $1.04.

The median salary in Massachusetts is higher than the nationwide median salary.

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Top Massachusetts Metros for Registered Nurses

The table below shows some of the metros in this state with the most Registered Nurses.

Metro	Number Employed	Annual Median Salary
Boston-Cambridge-Nashua, MA-NH	59,060	$89,900
Providence-Warwick, RI-MA	15,070	$76,940
Springfield, MA-CT	7,280	$79,220
Worcester, MA-CT	7,080	$81,640
Barnstable Town, MA	2,450	$78,200
New Bedford, MA	1,450	$75,850
Leominster-Gardner, MA	1,190	$74,410
Pittsfield, MA	1,060	n/a

Top States for Registered Nurses Employment

View the list below to see where most Registered Nurses work.

State	Number Employed	Annual Median Salary
California	294,510	$104,410
Texas	210,350	$72,000
New York	182,490	$85,300
Florida	177,600	$64,400
Pennsylvania	148,520	$69,170
Illinois	129,400	$72,250
Ohio	125,380	$64,200
North Carolina	102,500	$62,940
Michigan	96,680	$70,590
Massachusetts	80,630	$86,860
New Jersey	79,530	$81,820
Georgia	76,640	$67,870
Missouri	71,770	$62,270
Minnesota	69,000	$77,940
Indiana	67,870	$62,330
Virginia	64,750	$68,000
Tennessee	60,360	$60,120
Wisconsin	59,030	$70,150
Washington	56,290	$79,920
Arizona	54,690	$75,770

Below are the states where Registered Nurses get paid the most:

State	Annual Median Salary
Hawaii	$105,300
California	$104,410
Oregon	$91,220
District of Columbia	$88,800
Alaska	$87,650
Massachusetts	$86,860
New York	$85,300
Nevada	$85,210
New Jersey	$81,820
Connecticut	$79,920

References

• Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS)
• College Factual
• National Center for Education Statistics
• O*NET Online
• Image Credit: By Aleksahgabrielle under License

More about our data sources and methodologies.