Looking at nurse salary by country, the highest paying countries for nurses in 2024 were Luxembourg, the United States, Belgium, the Netherlands and Australia, once pay is adjusted for local prices. That is the result of the OECD’s comparison of what hospital nurses earn in 38 countries. For nurses who want to work in English, the US and Australia pay best, Ireland and Canada come next, and the UK pays least.
This guide puts the official numbers side by side: the OECD comparison, the national pay scales for the UK, Ireland, the US and Canada, and a straight answer on nurse salary UK vs USA. All figures were checked on the official pages in October 2026.
Pay is only one part of the choice. Licensing, visas, tax and living costs also matter, so this is general information, not financial or immigration advice. Pay scales change every year, so check the official links before you decide.
How we compare pay between countries
Comparing salaries across countries is harder than converting currencies. A salary that looks high in dollars can buy less if rent and food are expensive. So this guide uses three kinds of numbers:
- The OECD comparison. The OECD collects the average gross pay of hospital nurses from each member country. It converts them into US dollars at purchasing power parity (PPP), which adjusts for the price of everyday goods. This is the fairest single comparison that exists.
- National pay scales. In countries with public health services (the UK, Ireland, much of Australia), pay follows a published scale by grade and years of service. These tell you what you would actually be paid.
- National wage surveys. In the US and Canada, pay is set by each employer, so we use the government’s wage statistics.
The OECD figures are for 2024 for most countries, the latest year it publishes. Scales and surveys are newer, so the numbers will not match exactly.
Highest paying countries for nurses: the OECD table
The table shows average yearly pay for hospital nurses in 2024 (Germany 2022), from the OECD’s health statistics (OECD data). “Times the average wage” compares nurse pay with the average pay of all employees in that country.
| Country | Pay in local currency | USD at PPP | Times the average wage |
|---|---|---|---|
| Luxembourg | €115,079 | $136,182 | 1.38 |
| United States | $101,070 | $101,070 | 1.22 |
| Belgium | €73,244 | $97,378 | 1.24 |
| Netherlands | €71,665 | $96,590 | 1.23 |
| Australia | AUD 123,453 | $86,488 | 1.22 |
| Norway | NOK 726,264 | $82,156 | 1.01 |
| Denmark | DKK 547,251 | $80,902 | 1.04 |
| Germany (2022) | €56,420 | $78,440 | 1.15 |
| Ireland | €68,142 | $77,262 | 1.15 |
| Switzerland | CHF 82,268 | $74,302 | 0.85 |
| Canada | CAD 88,894 | $71,637 | 1.07 |
| New Zealand | NZD 105,280 | $70,190 | 1.13 |
| United Kingdom | £38,708 | $56,695 | 0.86 |
The OECD says that in 2023 hospital nurses earned on average 20% more than the average worker across member countries, and that nurses in Switzerland, the UK, Finland and Italy earned less than the average worker (OECD Health at a Glance 2025). It also links the high pay in the US to the several thousand nurses the country recruits from abroad each year.
Two things to keep in mind:
- These are averages for all hospital nurses, from new graduates to senior staff. A newly arrived nurse usually starts lower.
- Several top countries work in other languages. Hospitals in Luxembourg, Belgium, the Netherlands, Norway, Denmark, Germany and Switzerland mostly work in French, German, Dutch or a Nordic language. Check the regulator’s language rules before you plan a move.
The Gulf states (Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Qatar, Kuwait, Oman and Bahrain) are not in the OECD data, and their public health services do not publish pay scales we could check. Pay there is set in each contract and often includes housing and flights. Compare the full package in writing.
Nurse pay scales in the main English-speaking countries
United States
The US Bureau of Labor Statistics says the median pay for registered nurses was $97,550 a year ($46.90 an hour) in May 2025. The lowest 10% earned less than $68,940 and the highest 10% more than $137,470 (BLS). About 3.5 million people work as registered nurses in the US.
Pay depends heavily on the state. California pays the most, but it is also the most expensive state. Our guide to the best US states for international nurses compares every state, adjusted for living costs.
United Kingdom (NHS England)
NHS nurses in England are paid on the Agenda for Change scale. From 1 April 2026 (NHS Employers):
| NHS band | Typical role | Entry | Top of band |
|---|---|---|---|
| Band 5 | Newly registered staff nurse | £32,073 | £39,043 |
| Band 6 | Experienced or specialist nurse, deputy sister | £39,959 | £48,117 |
| Band 7 | Ward manager, advanced practitioner | £49,387 | £56,515 |
In and around London, the NHS adds a high cost area supplement of 5% to 20% of basic pay, depending on the zone. A band 5 nurse in inner London starts at £38,488 with this supplement. Unsocial hours, nights and weekends are paid extra on top.
Ireland (HSE)
In the Irish public health service (HSE), a staff nurse is paid on a 13-point scale. From 1 June 2026 it runs from €38,166 to €56,592 with long-service increments. Staff midwives are on the same scale (HSE pay scales, June 2026). A Clinical Nurse Manager 2 starts at €62,699.
Your starting point depends on the experience the HSE recognises. Read our guide on how to become a nurse in Ireland.
Canada
Canada’s Job Bank, using Statistics Canada data for 2023 to 2024, gives a median of CAD 43.27 an hour for registered nurses across Canada, with a low of CAD 30.00 and a high of CAD 54.37 (Job Bank). The medians are higher in Alberta (CAD 47.50) and British Columbia (CAD 47.58). Full-time, that is roughly CAD 84,000 to 93,000 a year at the medians, before overtime and shift pay. See how to become a nurse in Canada.
Australia and New Zealand
In Australia and New Zealand, public hospital nurses are paid under state or national agreements that change often. We could not open the current official scales when we checked, so this guide uses the OECD averages: AUD 123,453 in Australia and NZD 105,280 in New Zealand for 2024. Ask the employer for the exact grade and pay point before you accept. Our guides on Australia and the New Zealand register explain registration.
Nurse salary UK vs USA
Is it better to be a nurse in the UK or the USA? On pay alone, the US wins clearly.
| United Kingdom | United States | |
|---|---|---|
| Typical pay | NHS band 5 £32,073 to £39,043 | Median $97,550 |
| Average hospital nurse, USD at PPP (2024) | $56,695 | $101,070 |
| Pay compared with the average worker | 0.86 times | 1.22 times |
| Visa route | Health and Care Worker visa | Usually an EB-3 green card |
| Time to get there | Often months | Often years, because of green card waits |
Sources: NHS Employers, BLS, OECD.
The UK is faster and simpler to reach. The Health and Care Worker visa fee is £324 for up to 3 years, and nurses do not pay the immigration health surcharge (GOV.UK). The US route needs the NCLEX-RN, a state licence and usually a green card that an employer files for you, and the wait for the green card can be long. Our guides cover the UK route and the US route.
Best country for nurses: more than the salary
The best country for nurses to work and live depends on what you need. Ask yourself these questions:
- How fast can I register? The UK, Ireland and the Gulf states often take months. The US often takes years.
- Can I bring my family? Check the dependant rules of the visa before you choose.
- Does pay keep up with living costs? A high salary in an expensive city can leave less at the end of the month than a modest one elsewhere.
- Is there a path to permanent residence? Some countries let skilled workers settle after some years, others only offer renewable work permits. Check the official rules for the visa you would hold.
- Do I need another language? Many of the best-paid European countries need it.
What the job ads on Nurse Jobs World pay
On Nurse Jobs World on 16 October 2026, our October 2026 report counted 56,846 live nursing jobs. About 40% stated a salary. For registered nurse ads with a yearly salary in US dollars, the median was $91,000, and for advanced practice nurses it was $143,643. Most of these ads are from the US, so they mostly show US pay.
Only 66 of those jobs (under 1%) said they offer visa sponsorship. You can see them all on the visa sponsorship jobs page, and the employers behind them on employers sponsoring visas.
Frequently asked questions
Which country pays nurses the most?
On the OECD’s 2024 data, adjusted for local prices, Luxembourg pays hospital nurses the most (about $136,182 a year at PPP), followed by the United States ($101,070), Belgium and the Netherlands. Among English-speaking countries, the US pays the most, followed by Australia.
What are the highest paying countries for nurses in Europe?
On OECD data for 2024, adjusted for prices, the highest paying European countries for hospital nurses are Luxembourg, Belgium, the Netherlands, Norway and Denmark. Most of them need the local language at work. Ireland is the best-paid English-speaking country in Europe in the same data.
Is it better to be a nurse in the UK or the USA?
The US pays far more: a median of $97,550 a year in May 2025, against £32,073 to £39,043 for a band 5 NHS nurse in England from April 2026. The UK route is usually faster and cheaper, with a visa that can take weeks rather than the years a US green card can take.
How much do nurses earn in the UK compared with Canada?
An NHS band 5 nurse in England earns £32,073 to £39,043 from April 2026. In Canada, the median for registered nurses is CAD 43.27 an hour. On the OECD’s price-adjusted data for 2024, Canadian hospital nurses earned about $71,637 against $56,695 in the UK.
Do nurses in the Gulf earn more than in the UK?
It depends on the contract. Gulf packages often include housing and flights, which a UK salary does not. But the Gulf states do not publish nurse pay scales we could check, so compare each written offer in full, including tax, housing, flights and end-of-service pay.