State comparison · 2025
Registered Nurses salary: California vs Tennessee
Registered Nurses in California earn a median of $140,270. In Tennessee, $81,500. After cost-of-living, the gap is 42.9% — not 72.1%.
Nominal pay gap
+72.1%
California vs Tennessee
COL-adjusted gap
+42.9%
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%
Tennessee
Registered Nurses
- Median
- $81,500
- p25
- $75,460
- p75
- $95,250
- p10
- $63,970
- p90
- $104,920
- COL index (BEA RPP)100 = US average
- 91.9
- Hiring velocity (180d)
- -48%
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.