Registered Nurse vs Software Developer Salary

Side-by-side salary comparison for Registered Nurse and Software Developer — national medians, pay ranges, and city-by-city data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics.

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Software Developers earn more nationally

$133,080 median vs $93,600 — a $39,480/yr difference (42% higher)

Registered Nurse →

Median Salary

$93,600

Salary Range

$66,030 – $135,320

10th–90th percentile

Software Developer →

Median Salary

$133,080

Salary Range

$79,850 – $211,450

10th–90th percentile

+42% difference

Registered Nurse vs Software Developer Salary by City

CityRegistered NurseSoftware Developer
San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA$208,940$208,270
Vallejo, CA$192,470$134,570
San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA$188,020$174,910
Santa Cruz-Watsonville, CA$178,900$138,740
Santa Rosa-Petaluma, CA$172,390$141,140
Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom, CA$169,210$141,030
Yuba City, CA$144,220$145,550
Chico, CA$141,720$126,490
California$140,330$170,910
Kahului-Wailuku, HI$139,310$139,650
Salinas, CA$135,080$134,300
Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, CA$133,470$163,020
San Luis Obispo-Paso Robles, CA$133,470$132,010
Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA$133,440$155,330
San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA$133,090$159,240
Stockton-Lodi, CA$131,840$128,440
North Valley-Northern Mountains Region of California nonmetropolitan area$130,680$127,890
Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA$130,160$136,760
Bend, OR$130,150$128,230
North Coast Region of California nonmetropolitan area$129,740$127,420
Oxnard-Thousand Oaks-Ventura, CA$128,520$138,480
Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA$127,980$149,010
Bakersfield-Delano, CA$127,510$132,590
Merced, CA$126,880$133,370
Fresno, CA$126,630$126,290

Green = higher-paying role in that city. Source: BLS OEWS.

Frequently Asked Questions

Does Registered Nurse or Software Developer pay more?▾

Software Developers earn more nationally, with a median salary of $133,080 versus $93,600 for Registered Nurse. That's a difference of about $39,480 per year.

What's the salary range for a Registered Nurse vs a Software Developer?▾

Registered Nurse salaries range from $66,030 (10th percentile) to $135,320 (90th percentile). Software Developer salaries range from $79,850 to $211,450.

Which career has more growth potential — Registered Nurse or Software Developer?▾

Salary growth depends on experience, specialization, location, and industry sector. Both roles show strong upper-quartile earnings. Check city-by-city data above — in some metros one role significantly outpaces the other, which often reflects local industry demand and competition.

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