ADN Nursing Salary Guide: The Best-Paying States, Cities, And More

Whether you're an aspiring nurse who doesn't have time for a BSN degree or an LPN certificate wanting to advance your career, pursuing an associate degree in nursing could be an excellent idea. 

However, before deciding on it, there are numerous aspects to consider, and salary is among the crucial ones. Therefore, you may have many questions in mind, such as "How much do ADN nurses make?", "Does the pay vary by experience?", "Could you earn more by pursuing other nursing degrees?". To get your answers and learn more about the compensation you can expect as an ADN graduate, read this article as we analyze associate's degree nursing salaries in-depth.

What is an Associate Degree in Nursing?

An Associate Degree in Nursing (ADN) is an undergraduate degree providing you with a solid foundation for a nursing career. As an ADN student, you will achieve core knowledge and clinical skills in nursing, making you eligible for the National Council Licensure Examination (NCLEX). This exam enables you to begin practice as a licensed Registered Nurse and start your professional nursing career.

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In addition, an associate degree offers numerous opportunities for various entry-level nursing positions. While a standard bachelor's degree will take four years to complete, you can graduate from an ADN in half that or even less. Hence, you'll be able to work directly with patients in various environments in just two years. All this while still having the chance to advance your education and career later by pursuing higher-level nursing degrees, such as a BSN (Bachelor of Science in Nursing) or an accelerated BSN program.

ADN Nursing Salary Beginner Guide

It is essential that when you are contemplating pursuing a nursing degree and considering the salary aspect to help you make a decision, you do thorough research on it. It is simple enough to find the average salary for the career you want to pursue. However, there is much more to consider regarding wages, including how experience and location influence the salary.

The good news is that you do not have to go from website to website trying to find all the answers. We have compiled all the necessary information related to ADN salaries, so keep reading and find out more.

What is the starting salary for new ADN graduates?

In general, ADN graduates earn less than those with more experience in the field at the beginning of their careers. The average salary for a new ADN graduate ranges from $41,500 to $51,999 per year. However, the salary increases as the nurses get more experience (more on that in a bit).

What is the average salary for ADN nurses?

According to April 2022 data, the average hourly pay for an ADN nurse in the United States is $32.22 per hour. So, in general, nurses with an ADN degree earn an average annual salary of $67,019.

Since ADN nurses can take on various nursing roles, their average salary may vary. For example, an oncology nurse with an ADN degree will earn much more than a patient coordinator with the same degree.

To give you an idea of salary changes, here are some jobs ADN graduates can work:

ADN Nursing Salary by Years of Experience

As mentioned above, your experience on the job will usually affect how much you get paid. As an ADN nurse, you will have a lower salary at the beginning of your career, moving on to higher wages as you pass more years at your job. 

Thus, the salary may vary, starting from $41,500 to $86,000 per year. However, with experience, you can earn as much as 120,500 annually.

Now, let’s look at the ADN careers we mentioned above and how much you could earn as you gain more experience in the field. 

ADN Nursing Salary by Location

The place where you work is another factor that can affect how much you earn, as salary tends to vary significantly by city and state.

When considering the ADN nursing salary in different states within the U.S., we see a 30,000-dollar difference between the highest to lowest paying states. Data shows that wages for nurses who graduated with an ADN range from about $50,000 to $80,000. 

Furthermore, when we check the data for ADN nurse earnings in the U.S. cities, we find that it can range from approximately $75,000 to $80,000 per year for the ten highest paying ones, offering as much as around $40 per hour.

ADN nursing salary by state

Washington tops the list as the highest paying state, offering $37.95 per hour, or $78,929 annually, followed by New York and New Hampshire, offering more than $70,000 per year. Other states like California, Vermont, Massachusetts, Idaho, Wyoming, etc., provide a $65,000 to $70,000 median annual salary.

On the other hand, states like Arkansas, Michigan, Illinois, Missouri, and North Carolina offer a below $60,000 pay for ADN graduates.

Ten highest-paying states for ADN nurses

Here's a list of annual ADN nurse salaries for the ten highest-paying U.S. states. 

  1. Washington - $78,929; 

  2. New York - $73,640;

  3. New Hampshire - $71,326;

  4. California - $70,259;

  5. Vermont - $67,356;

  6. Massachusetts - $66,647;

  7. Idaho - $66,152;

  8. Wyoming - $65,804;

  9. Maine - $65,021;

  10. Hawaii - $64,709;

ADN nursing salary by city

The city providing the highest salary is Lakes, AK, with $81,137 annually,  or $39.01 per hour. Next, San Francisco, CA, Santa Clara, CA, and Washington, DC, offer similar salaries of close to $80,000 yearly.

On the other hand, San Jose, CA, and Centennial, CO, are the two last cities on this list, offering around $75,000 per year.

Ten highest paying cities for ADN nurses

Below we listed the ten cities with the highest annual salaries for ADN graduates.

  1. Lakes, AK - $81,137;

  2. San Francisco, CA - $79,956;

  3. Santa Clara, CA - $79,681;

  4. Washington, DC - $78,929;

  5. Fremont, CA - $76,846;

  6. Green River, WY - $76,703;

  7. San Buenaventura, CA - $76,530;

  8. Germantown, MD, - $75,945;

  9. San Jose, CA - $75,294;

  10. Centennial, CO - $75,183.

ADN Nursing Salary Compared to Other Nursing Degrees

As mentioned before, there are various nursing degree options out there. In addition to the course load, academic timeline, requirements, and even outcome, each degree also varies regarding the salary you can expect to earn upon joining the clinical world upon earning your degree.

So, before deciding on whether an ADN degree is the right choice for you, let's compare the expected average salary for each nursing degree option. We have already established that a nurse with an ADN degree earns around $67,019. With that number in mind, look at the following salaries:

Keep in mind that, although some degrees offer higher salaries, they also require more time to complete and generally have more complex core curriculums.

Wrapping Up

Personal fulfillment is generally regarded as the most important thing when choosing your future career or the type of degree you want to pursue. However, the salary is a close second or even an equally as important aspect.

If you are happy with what you do and how you are compensated for your work, the chances are that you will be much better and more thorough with your job. So, closely consider the salary you will be earning when making important decisions about your academic and professional life.

The ADN salary is fair, considering the trade-off between pay and academic journey. In the end, it is all up to you and what you expect from your future career.

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