Highest-Paying States for Healthcare Jobs (2026)
Pick a healthcare job to see which states pay it the most, with average annual wages from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Below you will find the top states for 22 jobs and an overall state ranking.
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About the Highest-Paying States for Healthcare Jobs (2026)
This page ranks U.S. states by the average annual wage paid to 22 healthcare occupations, using the Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) program, May 2025 estimates. Across all jobs, the states that pay healthcare workers the most compared with each job's national average are California, Washington, Alaska, District of Columbia, Oregon, while Arkansas, Mississippi, Alabama sit at the bottom. Registered nurses earn the most in California ($150,280), surgical technologists in Massachusetts ($83,820) and nurse practitioners in California ($176,760).
A high salary does not always mean more money in your pocket. State income tax, housing costs and licensing rules change what you keep, so use the linked salary calculators and state paycheck pages to see take-home pay.
How to use it
- Choose a healthcare job from the list.
- Choose how many states to show.
- Press Show ranking to see the highest-paying states and the lowest.
- Open the job's salary calculator to see take-home pay after taxes.
Top-paying states for each healthcare job (2026)
| Job | #1 state | #2 state | #3 state | Lowest state |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Registered Nurse | California ($150,280) | Hawaii ($124,340) | Oregon ($123,140) | Alabama ($77,020) |
| Licensed Practical Nurse | Washington ($83,900) | California ($82,340) | Oregon ($81,420) | Mississippi ($51,450) |
| Nurse Practitioner | California ($176,760) | Oregon ($155,780) | New Jersey ($155,750) | Alabama ($110,970) |
| Nurse Anesthetist | Alaska ($311,110) | Massachusetts ($303,310) | New Jersey ($290,920) | Utah ($139,750) |
| Physician Assistant | California ($169,110) | Washington ($164,430) | New Jersey ($162,100) | Mississippi ($106,820) |
| Pharmacist | California ($162,340) | Alaska ($161,220) | Oregon ($159,230) | Rhode Island ($123,300) |
| Pharmacy Technician | Washington ($61,140) | California ($58,330) | Oregon ($55,180) | West Virginia ($40,250) |
| Medical Assistant | Washington ($58,590) | Alaska ($56,630) | California ($55,100) | Louisiana ($36,180) |
| Dental Hygienist | Washington ($131,530) | California ($128,110) | District of Columbia ($127,910) | Alabama ($60,850) |
| Dental Assistant | Minnesota ($64,740) | District of Columbia ($63,360) | Oregon ($60,110) | Utah ($40,550) |
| Physical Therapist | California ($122,580) | Nevada ($120,700) | Alaska ($115,830) | North Dakota ($92,480) |
| Occupational Therapist | California ($121,920) | Nevada ($112,290) | Oregon ($112,000) | North Dakota ($87,670) |
| Respiratory Therapist | New York ($110,200) | California ($109,440) | District of Columbia ($108,020) | Mississippi ($68,120) |
| Sonographer | California ($126,610) | Hawaii ($118,090) | Oregon ($115,390) | Alabama ($69,160) |
| Surgical Tech | Massachusetts ($83,820) | California ($82,810) | New York ($81,990) | Alabama ($50,680) |
| Radiology Tech | California ($117,950) | Massachusetts ($101,910) | Washington ($100,900) | Mississippi ($59,090) |
| MRI Tech | California ($120,560) | Washington ($119,770) | Oregon ($117,610) | Mississippi ($71,340) |
| Phlebotomist | California ($56,600) | Massachusetts ($52,540) | District of Columbia ($52,070) | Mississippi ($36,710) |
| Radiation Therapist | California ($161,890) | Washington ($148,520) | New Jersey ($137,970) | West Virginia ($78,310) |
| EMT | Hawaii ($68,110) | Alaska ($58,800) | Illinois ($56,080) | Oklahoma ($35,050) |
| Medical Coder | District of Columbia ($80,250) | California ($68,230) | Washington ($67,480) | Mississippi ($44,380) |
| Veterinarian | Arizona ($187,410) | California ($169,860) | New Jersey ($166,170) | South-Dakota ($93,990) |
Average (mean) annual wage by state. Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS, May 2025.
Which states pay healthcare workers best overall?
This index compares each state's wage with the average across all states for the same job, then averages the result across the jobs with data. A value of +10% means that state pays about 10% more than the typical state for the same healthcare roles.
| Rank | State | Pay vs typical state |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | California | +27.0% |
| 2 | Washington | +20.4% |
| 3 | Alaska | +16.6% |
| 4 | District of Columbia | +16.6% |
| 5 | Oregon | +16.4% |
| 6 | Massachusetts | +13.6% |
| 7 | New York | +11.9% |
| 8 | New Jersey | +11.9% |
| 9 | Hawaii | +10.4% |
| 10 | Connecticut | +6.9% |
| 11 | Colorado | +6.5% |
| 12 | Minnesota | +6.5% |
| 13 | Maryland | +5.2% |
| 14 | New Hampshire | +5.1% |
| 15 | Rhode Island | +5.0% |
| 16 | Arizona | +5.0% |
| 17 | Nevada | +5.0% |
| 18 | Vermont | +4.4% |
| 19 | Delaware | +2.7% |
| 20 | Illinois | +2.5% |
| 21 | Virginia | +1.6% |
| 22 | Maine | +0.4% |
| 23 | Wisconsin | +0.1% |
| 24 | Texas | -1.4% |
| 25 | Idaho | -2.4% |
| 26 | Nebraska | -3.7% |
| 27 | Montana | -3.8% |
| 28 | Pennsylvania | -4.2% |
| 29 | Indiana | -4.4% |
| 30 | North Carolina | -4.4% |
| 31 | Georgia | -4.5% |
| 32 | Utah | -4.5% |
| 33 | Wyoming | -4.5% |
| 34 | Ohio | -4.7% |
| 35 | North Dakota | -4.9% |
| 36 | New Mexico | -5.1% |
| 37 | Florida | -5.2% |
| 38 | Missouri | -5.3% |
| 39 | Michigan | -5.6% |
| 40 | South Carolina | -6.8% |
| 41 | Iowa | -6.9% |
| 42 | Kansas | -8.0% |
| 43 | Oklahoma | -8.2% |
| 44 | Kentucky | -8.7% |
| 45 | Tennessee | -9.8% |
| 46 | South-Dakota | -10.3% |
| 47 | Louisiana | -11.9% |
| 48 | West Virginia | -12.0% |
| 49 | Arkansas | -12.9% |
| 50 | Mississippi | -17.4% |
| 51 | Alabama | -17.5% |
How to use this data
- Compare job offers across states, but subtract state income tax and housing costs.
- Travel and per-diem roles often pay well above these averages, while rural facilities may pay less.
- Averages include experienced workers; new graduates usually start lower.
- Cite this page as: RoviDev, Healthcare salaries by state 2026, based on BLS OEWS May 2025.
Frequently asked questions
Which state pays registered nurses the most?
California has the highest average registered nurse wage, about $150,280 a year, followed by Hawaii ($124,340) and Oregon ($123,140), according to BLS May 2025 data.
Which state pays surgical technologists the most?
Massachusetts leads at about $83,820 a year, followed by California ($82,810) and New York ($81,990).
Which states pay healthcare workers the most overall?
Comparing 22 jobs against their national averages, the top states are California, Washington, Alaska, District of Columbia, Oregon.
Where does this data come from?
From the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics survey, May 2025 estimates, which is the latest full release.
Are these salaries before or after taxes?
Before taxes. Use the linked salary calculators to estimate take-home pay after federal, Social Security, Medicare and state tax.
Last reviewed: November 2026. Wages are averages from BLS OEWS May 2025 and differ by employer, experience and overtime. Not a job offer or financial advice.