RateOrchard
State comparison · 2025

Registered Nurses salary: Alabama vs California

Occupation

Registered Nurses in California earn a median of $140,270. In Alabama, $77,080. After cost-of-living, the gap is 31.5% — not 45%.

Nominal pay gap
-45%
Alabama vs California
COL-adjusted gap
-31.5%
After BEA Regional Price Parities

Alabama

Registered Nurses

Median
$77,080
p25
$63,500
p75
$83,380
p10
$58,150
p90
$98,910
COL index (BEA RPP)100 = US average
88.8
Hiring velocity (180d)
+100%
See full breakdown for Alabama

California

Registered Nurses

Median
$140,270
p25
$122,440
p75
$173,170
p10
$101,260
p90
$213,320
COL index (BEA RPP)100 = US average
110.7
Hiring velocity (180d)
-86%
See full breakdown for California

BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025. Cost-of-living adjustment from BEA Regional Price Parities (overall index). Hiring velocity from DOL OFLC public disclosure data, recent 180 days vs prior. See methodology.