State comparison · 2025
Registered Nurses salary: California vs Montana
Registered Nurses in California earn a median of $140,270. In Montana, $85,280. After cost-of-living, the gap is 40.6% — not 64.5%.
Nominal pay gap
+64.5%
California vs Montana
COL-adjusted gap
+40.6%
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%
Montana
Registered Nurses
- Median
- $85,280
- p25
- $80,210
- p75
- $100,800
- p10
- $70,120
- p90
- $113,920
- COL index (BEA RPP)100 = US average
- 94.6
- Hiring velocity (180d)
- -29%
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.