Mean annual pay for physician assistants was $99,270 and for registered nurses was $71,000, as of May 2015, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
Here are the five top-paying states for PAs and RNs:
PAs:
• Nevada: $124,180
• Rhode Island: $114,650
• New Hampshire: $113,070
• North Dakota: $111,940
• Connecticut: $111,200
RNs:
• California: $101,260
• Hawaii: $90,130
• Massachusetts: $88,650
• Alaska: $88,510
• Oregon: $83,800