State comparison · 2025
Registered Nurses salary: California vs Iowa
Registered Nurses in California earn a median of $140,270. In Iowa, $78,630. After cost-of-living, the gap is 41.5% — not 78.4%.
Nominal pay gap
+78.4%
California vs Iowa
COL-adjusted gap
+41.5%
After BEA Regional Price Parities
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%
Iowa
Registered Nurses
- Median
- $78,630
- p25
- $68,290
- p75
- $85,940
- p10
- $63,840
- p90
- $100,500
- COL index (BEA RPP)100 = US average
- 87.8
- Hiring velocity (180d)
- -80%
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.