California pays the highest average salary according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics with an average annual wage of $120,560 and an hourly wage of $57.96. This is followed by Hawaii ($104,830 per year, 50.40 per hour), Massachusetts ($96,250 per year, $46.27 per hour), Oregon ($96,230 per year, $46.27 per hour), and Alaska ($95,270 per year, $45.81 per hour).
One thing to keep in mind as a traveling RN is that seeks the highest paying contract doesn't always mean that you will get paid the most when factoring in the cost of living of each state. When comparing adjusted registered nurse salaries, California is still the highest paying state for RNs in part because their average RN salary is $40,550 higher than the national average and more than double the average salary of nurses in Alabama. The rest of the top five highest paying states include New Mexico, Nevada, Texas, and Wisconsin.