Registered Nurses Salary in Massachusetts
The median for registered nurses in Massachusetts is $104,550 a year, somewhat above the national $97,550 (+7%); the state ranks 8th of 51 states by median. Registered Nurses earn 64% more than the median across all occupations in Massachusetts ($63,590). Among neighbouring states, New York pays more (up to $109,440 in New York) and Connecticut, Rhode Island, New Hampshire and Vermont pay less (down to $97,460 in Vermont). Massachusetts employs 88,200 registered nurses, 24.2 per 1,000 jobs, the 12th largest count of any state. A location quotient of 1.12 is close to the national share.
Massachusetts vs the United States, May 2025
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||||
| Massachusetts | Hourly | $38.61 | $42.05 | $50.27 | $65.44 | $83.90 | $56.71 | 88,200 | 24.25 | 1.12 |
| Annual | $80,310 | $87,460 | $104,550 | $136,110 | $174,510 | $117,960 | ||||
| United States | Hourly | $33.14 | $38.62 | $46.90 | $54.02 | $66.09 | $48.76 | 3,379,720 | – | – |
| Annual | $68,940 | $80,330 | $97,550 | $112,350 | $137,470 | $101,420 | ||||
- Rank by median
- 8th of 51 states
- Rank by employment
- 12th of 51 states
- Location quotient
- 1.12
- Jobs per 1,000
- 24.25
Ranks count the 50 states and DC with a published value. The location quotient is the occupation's share of Massachusetts's employment divided by its national share; 1.00 means the same share as the nation. Take-home pay at these wages: FastCalc's take-home pay calculator.
Metropolitan areas in Massachusetts
7 metropolitan areas and 1 nonmetropolitan area touching Massachusetts publish a row for registered nurses, sorted by median. Areas crossing a state line are listed under every state they touch; a linked metro has its own profile.
| Area | Median hourly | Median annual | 10th pct (annual) | 90th pct (annual) | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH | $51.05 | $106,180 | $81,880 | $188,670 | 64,240 | 23.76 | 1.09 |
| Pittsfield, MA | $50.46 | $104,950 | $74,000 | $135,520 | 1,230 | 21.66 | 1.00 |
| Barnstable Town, MA | $49.70 | $103,380 | $80,140 | $155,570 | 1,860 | 19.76 | 0.91 |
| Amherst Town-Northampton, MA | $48.69 | $101,270 | $74,140 | $128,860 | 1,150 | 17.48 | 0.80 |
| Worcester, MA | $48.19 | $100,240 | $79,940 | $168,870 | 10,070 | 28.77 | 1.32 |
| Providence-Warwick, RI-MA | $48.02 | $99,880 | $77,410 | $135,240 | 15,180 | 21.26 | 0.98 |
| Springfield, MA | $47.31 | $98,410 | $73,420 | $127,470 | 5,830 | 28.97 | 1.33 |
| Massachusetts nonmetropolitan area | $50.94 | $105,960 | $77,780 | $155,690 | 770 | 18.56 | 0.85 |
Neighbouring states
| State | Median hourly | Median annual | Employment | Location quotient |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Massachusetts | $50.27 | $104,550 | 88,200 | 1.12 |
| Connecticut | $49.39 | $102,740 | 40,110 | 1.09 |
| New Hampshire | $47.93 | $99,700 | 15,390 | 1.04 |
| New York | $52.62 | $109,440 | 205,810 | 0.98 |
| Rhode Island | $48.39 | $100,640 | 10,090 | 0.93 |
| Vermont | $46.86 | $97,460 | 7,410 | 1.12 |
See the national page for Registered Nurses (every state ranked) and the Massachusetts wage profile (every occupation in the state).
Source and notes
Data: BLS OEWS May 2025, released 2026-05-15. Cross-industry estimates, all ownerships. BLS page: OEWS Massachusetts estimates.
- Annual wages assume 2,080 hours a year at the hourly rate; occupations BLS publishes on one basis only show an en dash (–) on the other.
- Employment is rounded to the nearest 10 by BLS. Where BLS withholds a cell, nothing is estimated in its place.