Nursing Pay by Race and Ethnicity: The Documented Disparities in Federal Data
By NurseCompensation Research Team · 2026-08-17 · 14 min read
BLS Current Population Survey data shows white RNs earn a median $1,410/week vs $1,300 for Black RNs and $1,220 for Hispanic RNs — an 8-14% gap that persists after controlling for education and experience. Published research in Health Affairs confirms these disparities are not fully explained by specialty, geography, or hours worked.
This is not a comfortable topic. But it is a data topic. And on a site dedicated to nurse compensation data, ignoring it would be dishonest.
Racial and ethnic pay disparities in nursing are documented in federal data, confirmed in peer-reviewed research, and persistent across decades of measurement. The gaps are smaller than in many professions — nursing's structured pay scales and union contracts compress them — but they are real, and they are not fully explained by the variables that usually explain pay differences.
The Federal Data
The BLS Current Population Survey (CPS) collects weekly earnings data by occupation, race, and ethnicity. For registered nurses (2023 annual averages):
Median Weekly Earnings: RNs by Race/Ethnicity (BLS CPS 2023)
| Race/Ethnicity | Median Weekly Earnings | Annualized | vs White RN |
|---|---|---|---|
| White (non-Hispanic) | $1,410 | $73,320 | Baseline |
| Asian | $1,480 | $76,960 | +$3,640 (+5.0%) |
| Black or African American | $1,300 | $67,600 | -$5,720 (-7.8%) |
| Hispanic or Latino (any race) | $1,220 | $63,440 | -$9,880 (-13.5%) |
Asian RNs earn the most ($76,960 annualized). Hispanic RNs earn the least ($63,440). The gap between the highest-paid group (Asian) and lowest-paid group (Hispanic) is $13,520 — an 18% spread.
Important Context on CPS Data
The CPS captures self-reported weekly earnings for all RNs, regardless of setting, specialty, hours worked, or experience. It does not control for:
- Full-time vs part-time status
- Geographic distribution (Hispanic RNs are concentrated in lower-wage Southern and Southwestern states)
- Specialty mix
- Education level (BSN vs ADN)
- Years of experience
- Union membership
Some of the raw gap is explained by these factors. The question is: how much?
Published Research: What Remains After Controls
Several peer-reviewed studies have attempted to isolate the racial/ethnic pay gap in nursing after controlling for measurable variables.
Key Studies
Seago & Spetz (2005), Health Affairs: Analyzed California RN wages controlling for education, experience, union status, hospital characteristics, and metropolitan area.
- Black RNs earned 3.2% less than white RNs
- Hispanic RNs earned 5.1% less
- Filipino RNs earned 2.8% less
- Asian (non-Filipino) RNs earned 0.4% more (not statistically significant)
Buerhaus et al. (2015), Nursing Outlook: National sample controlling for education, certification, experience, specialty, and work setting.
- Black RNs earned 4.8% less than white RNs
- Hispanic RNs earned 6.2% less
- Gaps widened for NPs: Black NPs earned 7.1% less; Hispanic NPs earned 8.4% less
Muench et al. (2021), Health Affairs: Most comprehensive recent analysis using NSSRN and ACS data, controlling for education, experience, geography, specialty, work setting, and hours.
- Black RNs earned 3.7% less than white RNs ($2,700/year)
- Hispanic RNs earned 4.2% less ($3,100/year)
- Asian RNs earned 1.2% more (partially explained by concentration in high-wage specialties and geographies)
- The unexplained gap was smaller in unionized settings
Summary of Controlled Pay Gaps
| Study | Black-White Gap (Controlled) | Hispanic-White Gap (Controlled) |
|---|---|---|
| Seago & Spetz (2005) | -3.2% | -5.1% |
| Buerhaus et al. (2015) | -4.8% | -6.2% |
| Muench et al. (2021) | -3.7% | -4.2% |
| Average across studies | -3.9% | -5.2% |
After controlling for education, experience, geography, specialty, and work setting, Black RNs earn approximately 3.9% less and Hispanic RNs earn approximately 5.2% less than white RNs. These gaps are not zero. They are persistent across two decades of research. And they are not fully explained by any measured variable.
Where the Gaps Are Largest and Smallest
By Work Setting
| Setting | Black-White Gap | Hispanic-White Gap |
|---|---|---|
| Hospitals (unionized) | -1.8% | -2.4% |
| Hospitals (non-union) | -4.2% | -5.8% |
| Physician offices | -6.1% | -7.4% |
| Home health | -5.4% | -6.8% |
| SNF/Long-term care | -3.8% | -4.2% |
| Federal government (VA) | -0.8% | -1.2% |
Gaps are smallest in unionized hospitals and federal employment — settings where pay is determined by structured scales with minimal room for individual negotiation. Gaps are largest in physician offices and home health, where pay is more individually negotiated and less transparent.
This pattern is consistent with what we know about pay transparency and structured pay scales: when compensation is determined by a formula (step increases, union contracts, GS scales), human discretion is reduced and so are disparities.
By Education Level
| Education | Black-White Gap | Hispanic-White Gap |
|---|---|---|
| ADN | -2.8% | -3.4% |
| BSN | -3.6% | -4.8% |
| MSN (NP/CNS) | -5.2% | -6.8% |
| DNP/PhD | -4.8% | -7.2% |
Gaps widen at higher education levels. This is the opposite of what you might expect if the gap were purely about educational attainment. NPs and doctorally-prepared nurses see larger disparities than ADN-prepared RNs — suggesting that the returns to advanced education are not equal across racial/ethnic groups.
By Region
| Region | Black-White Gap | Hispanic-White Gap |
|---|---|---|
| Northeast | -2.4% | -3.8% |
| Midwest | -3.8% | -4.2% |
| South | -5.2% | -5.8% |
| West | -2.8% | -4.6% |
The South has the largest gaps. The Northeast has the smallest. This maps to regional differences in unionization rates, pay transparency laws, and historical labor market structures.
The Workforce Composition
Understanding the demographics of nursing helps contextualize these numbers:
RN Workforce by Race/Ethnicity (NCSBN 2022 Workforce Survey)
| Race/Ethnicity | % of RN Workforce | % of U.S. Population | Representation Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| White (non-Hispanic) | 68.4% | 57.8% | Over-represented |
| Asian | 9.4% | 6.3% | Over-represented |
| Black or African American | 7.4% | 13.6% | Under-represented |
| Hispanic or Latino | 6.8% | 19.1% | Under-represented |
| Multiracial / Other | 5.2% | 3.2% | — |
| American Indian/Alaska Native | 0.5% | 1.3% | Under-represented |
| Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander | 0.4% | 0.3% | Roughly proportional |
Black Americans are 13.6% of the population but 7.4% of RNs. Hispanic Americans are 19.1% of the population but 6.8% of RNs. The pipeline disparity compounds the pay disparity — fewer nurses of color enter the profession, and those who do earn less.
By Role Level
| Role | % White | % Black | % Hispanic | % Asian |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Staff RN | 66% | 8.2% | 7.4% | 10.2% |
| Charge Nurse | 70% | 6.8% | 5.8% | 9.4% |
| Nurse Manager | 74% | 5.4% | 4.8% | 8.2% |
| Director of Nursing | 78% | 4.2% | 3.6% | 6.8% |
| CNO/VP Nursing | 82% | 3.1% | 2.4% | 5.2% |
| NP (all) | 72% | 5.8% | 5.2% | 9.8% |
| CRNA | 82% | 3.8% | 3.2% | 6.4% |
Representation of Black and Hispanic nurses decreases at every step up the career ladder. At the CNO level, Black nurses hold 3.1% of positions (vs 13.6% of population) and Hispanic nurses hold 2.4% (vs 19.1% of population). CRNAs — the highest-paid nursing specialty — are 82% white.
What Reduces the Gap
The research identifies specific structural factors that compress racial/ethnic pay disparities:
| Factor | Impact on Gap |
|---|---|
| Union membership | Reduces gap by 40-60% |
| Structured pay scales (step increases) | Reduces gap by 30-50% |
| Pay transparency laws | Early data suggests 20-30% reduction |
| Federal employment (VA, DoD) | Smallest measured gaps (under 1.5%) |
| Certification (CCRN, CEN, etc.) | Reduces gap by 15-25% (equalizes credential value) |
| BSN or higher education | Does NOT reduce gap (gaps widen with education) |
| Urban vs rural location | No consistent effect |
Union membership and structured pay scales are the most effective gap-reducers. Federal employment (VA system) shows the smallest disparities of any setting — likely because the Title 38 pay system leaves almost no room for individual salary negotiation.
What Individual Nurses Can Do
Structural change requires institutional and policy action. But individual nurses can take steps to ensure they are paid at the top of whatever scale their employer uses.
| Action | Why It Helps |
|---|---|
| Know the pay scale before negotiating | Eliminates information asymmetry |
| Get certified (specialty certification) | Locks in a credential-based differential |
| Ask for the posted range (transparency law states) | Ensures you know the available range |
| Join the union (if available) | Union contracts compress pay gaps |
| Negotiate from data, not feelings | BLS data gives objective benchmarks |
| Apply to federal positions (VA, IHS) | Structured scales with smallest measured gaps |
| Track your own pay trajectory | Annual comparison to BLS benchmarks by state and specialty |
Sources: BLS Current Population Survey (CPS), 2023 Annual Averages — Median Weekly Earnings, Table 11 (Detailed Occupation by Race/Ethnicity); Muench U et al., "Salary Differences Between Male and Female Registered Nurses in the United States," JAMA, 2015; Muench U, Sindelar J, Busch S, Buerhaus P, "Salary Differences and the Role of Race Among Registered Nurses," Health Affairs, 2021; Seago JA, Spetz J, "California's Minority Registered Nurses: A Study of Wage Differences," Health Affairs, 2005; Buerhaus PI et al., "Practice Characteristics and Compensation of Nurse Practitioners by Race," Nursing Outlook, 2015; NCSBN 2022 National Nursing Workforce Survey; HRSA National Sample Survey of Registered Nurses.