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With pay secrecy slowly becoming a thing of the past across many industries, there seems to be an appetite for greater salary transparency among many Americans. In the last 30 days (as of April 11, 2023), the hashtag #salarytransparency has had 31 million U.S. views on the video platform TikTok and a staggering 437 million views over the last year. An analysis of Google search data shows that U.S. searches for “salary transparency” are up 309% in the last year as market dynamics continue to feed the nation’s appetite for progressive measures in recruitment.
While the desire for salary transparency is growing across all industries, at Vivian Health, we prioritize empowering healthcare professionals. Salary transparency helps reduce pay gaps and enables medical professionals to make more informed career decisions. We applaud those states pushing agendas that support salary transparency. We also play a key role in urging the industry forward by requiring employers to provide details on salaries and benefits within their job postings on our site.
What Is Salary Transparency?
Salary transparency protects job seekers during the recruitment process by requiring employers to provide the pay range for a role they’re advertising upfront. This practice prevents potential employees from wasting time applying for positions that don’t pay enough to meet their needs, attracts suitable candidates to the vacancy and allows individuals to compare different roles and opportunities much more efficiently. Salary transparency also benefits employers by ensuring pay negotiations will be streamlined during the offer process, allowing facilities to hire talent more quickly and cost-effectively.
Which States Have Salary Transparency Laws?
Currently, just seven U.S. states have salary transparency laws in place. Laws vary between states and jurisdictions, but generally, they include providing employees with pay ranges during the hiring process or advertising pay ranges in job postings ahead of the interview process.
States with Salary Transparency Laws |
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| State | Effective Date | Employers Impacted | Requirements |
| Maryland | 10/1/20 | Engaged in business in the state | Requires employers to provide the wage range to applicants for the position they applied for on request |
| Colorado | 1/1/21 | Have at least one employee in the state | Requires employers to announce to all employees any employment advancement opportunities and job openings with the pay ranges for these openings |
| Connecticut | 10/1/21 | Have at least one employee in the state | Provide an applicant for employment the wage range for a position for which they’re applying upon the earliest of the applicant’s request or before or at the time an offer of compensation is made |
| Nevada | 10/1/21 | Located in the state | Provide an applicant who has completed an interview for a position, the wage or salary range or rate for the position |
| Rhode Island | 1/1/23 | Have at least one employee in the state | Provide an applicant for employment with the wage range for the position the applicant is applying for upon request |
| Washington | 1/1/23 | Have 15 or more employees | Provide wage scale or salary range and a general description of all the benefits and other compensation to be offered |
| California | 1/1/23 | Have 15 or more employees | Provide the salary or hourly wage range the employer reasonably expects to pay for the position |
| New York | 9/17/23 | Have 4 or more employees | Provide the compensation or range of compensation |
Source: MD Bill / CO Bill / CT Bill / NV Bill / RI Bill / MD Bill / CA Bill / NY Bill
A handful of cities or counties have specific legislation in place for salary transparency, including areas of New York, which also has pending statewide legislation. These include the cities/counties listed below.
States with Pay Transparency Laws by City
- Cincinnati, Ohio
- Ithaca, New York
- Jersey City, New Jersey
- New York City, New York
- Toledo, Ohio
- Westchester County, New York
Which States Currently Don’t Have Any Salary Transparency Laws?
There are still 43 states that don’t have statewide laws in place for salary transparency. These appear in the following table.
States without Salary Transparency Laws
| Alabama | Iowa | Nebraska | South Carolina |
| Alaska | Kansas | Nevada | South Dakota |
| Arizona | Kentucky | New Hampshire | Tennessee |
| Arkansas | Louisiana | New Jersey | Texas |
| Delaware | Maine | New Mexico | Utah |
| Florida | Massachusetts | North Carolina | Vermont |
| Georgia | Michigan | North Dakota | Virginia |
| Hawaii | Minnesota | Ohio | West Virginia |
| Idaho | Mississippi | Oklahoma | Wisconsin |
| Illinois | Missouri | Oregon | Wyoming |
| Indiana | Montana | Pennsylvania |
Transparent Salary of Staff Healthcare Positions
At Vivian Health, we pride ourselves on being transparent about pay in all 50 states. We offer a database of vacancies that provides candidates with detailed information within the job listing, including salary information, before they even apply. No matter where you live or travel for work, you can use our data to explore salaries in any area of the U.S., allowing you to make informed career decisions nationwide.
Using an analysis of internal data, we looked at various disciplines and specialties in nursing and allied healthcare to highlight salary differences across the nation. The following two tables offer visibility to data that’s typically hidden, showing the top and bottom salaries in healthcare positions for states that don’t currently reveal salaries. By analyzing salary data usually kept “secret” in the majority of states, a difference in salaries for the same positions can be seen across the nation, with some significant pay discrepancies between states.
Top Staff Healthcare Salaries in States without Transparency Laws
| States | Top Hourly Salary | Discipline | Specialty |
| Iowa | $200 | CRNA | Anesthesia |
| Tennessee | $200 | Nurse Practitioner | Orthopedic Surgery |
| Texas | $178 | LPN/LVN | Med-Surg / LPN/LVN |
| Virginia | $132 | CRNA | Anesthesia |
| Montana | $129 | CRNA | Anesthesia |
| South Dakota | $124 | Allied Health Pro | Physicist |
| Michigan | $115 | CRNA | Anesthesia |
| Minnesota | $105 | RN | Emergency Department |
| Illinois | $103 | CRNA | Anesthesia |
| Pennsylvania | $100 | RN | Operating Room |
| Alaska | $96 | Nurse Practitioner | Family Practice |
| Florida | $94 | RN | Administrative |
| Louisiana | $93 | RN | Pediatrics |
| Utah | $90 | RN | Operating Room |
| Oregon | $90 | Nurse Practitioner | Acute Care |
| Massachusetts | $90 | RN | Emergency Department |
| South Carolina | $87 | RN | Director of Nursing |
| Idaho | $86 | RN | Med Surg |
| New Mexico | $85 | Nurse Practitioner | Acute Care |
| Oklahoma | $78 | Nurse Practitioner | Acute Care/Family Practice |
| Missouri | $75 | Therapy | Speech Language Pathologist |
| North Carolina | $75 | RN | Manager |
| Arizona | $75 | Therapy | Occupational Therapist |
| West Virginia | $73 | RN | House Supervisor |
| Indiana | $73 | RN | Operating Room |
| Maine | $73 | RN | Home Health |
| Delaware | $73 | Nurse Practitioner | Pediatrics |
| Vermont | $72 | RN | Psychiatric |
| Wyoming | $72 | RN | Public Health / Outpatient Surgery |
| Wisconsin | $72 | Allied Health Pro | Perfusionist |
Source: Vivian Health (2022 salary data)
The median weekly salary for travel Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetists (CRNA) positions in Washington (a salary-declaring state) is $7,150, which is higher than those salaries in Idaho, Virginia, Montana and other states without salary transparency.
Lowest Staff Healthcare Salaries in States without Transparency Laws
| States | Lowest Hourly Salary | Discipline | Specialty |
| New Hampshire | $7.25 | RN | Endoscopy |
| Oklahoma | $9 | Allied Health | EMT / ER Technician |
| Texas | $10 | RN | Operating Room |
| Missouri | $11 | CNA/CMA | Various |
| Wisconsin | $11 | CNA/CMA | Various |
| Illinois | $11 | CNA/CMA | Various |
| Louisiana | $12 | Allied Health | Respiratory Therapist |
| Arkansas | $12.68 | CMA | CMA |
| Florida | $12.75 | RN | Telemetry / Progressive Care Unit |
| Nebraska | $13 | Allied Health Professional | Sterile Processing Technician |
| New Mexico | $13 | CMA | CMA |
| South Dakota | $13 | CNA | CNA |
| Pennsylvania | $13 | CNA | Mental Health |
| Virginia | $13.45 | Allied Health | Surgical Technologist |
| Indiana | $14 | CNA | CNA |
| Montana | $14 | CNA | Acute |
| Utah | $14 | Allied Health | Behavioral Health Technician |
| South Carolina | $15 | CMA | Clinic |
| North Carolina | $15 | Allied Health | Phlebotomist |
| Idaho | $15 | CNA/Allied Health | Various |
| Oregon | $15 | Allied Health / CMA / RN | Various |
| North Dakota | $16 | Allied Health | Surgical Technologist |
| Massachusetts | $16 | CMA | CMA |
| Tennessee | $16.40 | CNA | CNA |
| Iowa | $17 | Allied Health | Medical Lab Technician |
| Alaska | $17 | CNA | Long Term Care |
| Alabama | $18 | LPN/LVN | Clinic |
| Michigan | $18 | Allied Health | Medical Lab Technician |
| Minnesota | $18 | Allied Health | Medical Assistant |
| Kentucky | $19 | Allied Health | Radiology Technologist |
| Kansas | $19 | RN | Med Surg |
| Mississippi | $20 | Allied Health | EEG Technician |
| West Virginia | $20 | Allied Health | EEG Technician |
| Georgia | $20 | Allied Health / LPN / LVN | EEG Technician / Clinic |
| Maine | $20 | LPN/LVN | Home Health |
| Arizona | $20 | Allied Health | Radiology Technologist |
| Wyoming | $22 | LPN/LVN | LPN/LVN |
| Vermont | $25 | Allied Health | Medical Lab Technician |
| Delaware | $30 | RN | CVICU / Float / CVPICU |
| Hawaii | $35 | CNA | CNA |
Source: Vivian Health (2022 salary data)
Transparent Salaries of Travel Healthcare Positions
Working in a travel healthcare position may require you to be even more thoughtful when planning your finances. Moving locations means added housing costs and paying for travel expenses, making travel job salaries a pivotal factor in deciding your next move.
Compare the travel position salaries in the states with no transparency laws below. Some highlights include Michigan paying Neonatal Nurse Practitioners up to $12,250 weekly, North Carolina paying a Neurosurgery Nurse up to $9,000 weekly and Massachusetts paying a CRNA up to $8,000 per week.
Top Travel Healthcare Salaries in States without Transparency Laws
| States | Top Weekly Salary | Discipline | Specialty |
| Michigan | $12,250 | Nurse Practitioner | Neonatology |
| North Carolina | $9,900 | Nurse Practitioner | Neurosurgery |
| Pennsylvania | $9,289 | RN | Pain Management |
| Kentucky | $8,200 | CRNA | Anesthesia |
| Massachusetts | $8,000 | CRNA | Anesthesia |
| Georgia | $7,899 | CRNA | Anesthesia |
| Mississippi | $7,600 | CRNA | Anesthesia |
| West Virginia | $7,583 | CRNA | Anesthesia |
| Maine | $7,500 | CRNA | Anesthesia |
| Iowa | $7,345 | Allied Health | Physicist |
| Minnesota | $7,150 | CRNA | Anesthesia |
| Missouri | $7,100 | CRNA | Anesthesia |
| Virginia | $6,960 | CRNA | Anesthesia |
| Wisconsin | $6,838 | CRNA | Anesthesia |
| South Dakota | $6,773 | Allied Health | Radiation Therapist |
| Idaho | $6,600 | CRNA | Anesthesia |
| Indiana | $6,534 | Allied Health | Physicist |
| Montana | $6,445 | CRNA | Anesthesia |
| South Carolina | $6,211 | CRNA | Anesthesia |
| New Mexico | $6,077 | CRNA | Anesthesia |
| Louisiana | $6,002 | CRNA | Anesthesia |
| Oklahoma | $5,976 | Allied Health | Radiation Therapist |
| Texas | $5,965 | CRNA | Anesthesia |
| Nebraska | $5,756 | CRNA | Anesthesia |
| Illinois | $5,675 | CRNA | Anesthesia |
| Florida | $5,615 | Allied Health | Physicist |
| Arizona | $5,600 | Nurse Practitioner | Acute Care |
| Tennessee | $5,265 | Allied Health | Physicist |
| North Dakota | $5,200 | Physician Assistant | General Surgery |
| Oregon | $5,102 | Allied Health | Physicist |
| Wyoming | $5,055 | RN | Assistant Director of Nursing |
| Delaware | $4,803 | RN | CVPICU |
| Arkansas | $4,670 | RN | Director of Nursing |
| Alaska | $4,662 | RN | Trauma ICU |
| Hawaii | $4,393 | RN | Educator |
| Alabama | $4,195 | CRNA | Anesthesia |
| Kansas | $4,061 | RN | House Supervisor |
| Utah | $4,044 | RN | Pediatrics Post-Anesthetic Care |
| New Hampshire | $4,000 | Nurse Practitioner | Family Practice / Hospitalist |
| Vermont | $3,996 | RN | Pediatric Intensive Care |
Source: Vivian Health (2022 Salary data)
Lowest Travel Healthcare Salaries in States without Transparency Laws
| States | Lowest Weekly Salary | Discipline | Specialty |
| Virginia | $450 | RN | School RN |
| New Mexico | $452 | CNA | Long Term Care |
| Indiana | $608 | Allied Health | Patient Care Tech |
| Alabama | $478 | CNA | CNA |
| North Dakota | $480 | Non-Healthcare | Clerical |
| Kentucky | $505 | CNA | Long Term Care |
| North Carolina | $532 | CNA | CNA |
| West Virginia | $544 | CNA | Clinic |
| Louisiana | $552 | Allied Health | Telemetry Technician |
| Delaware | $559 | CNA | Long Term Care |
| Nebraska | $600 | CNA | Medical Unit |
| Michigan | $600 | Non-Healthcare | Clerical |
| Utah | $600 | Non-Healthcare | Clerical |
| Iowa | $605 | RN | Urgent Care |
| Texas | $613 | CNA | CNA |
| Kansas | $625 | CNA | Clinic |
| Illinois | $650 | Allied Health | Multi-Modality Technologist |
| New Hampshire | $665 | CNA | Long Term Care |
| Pennsylvania | $672 | CNA | CNA |
| Georgia | $699 | CNA | Acute |
| Minnesota | $700 | Allied Health | Monitor Technician |
| South Carolina | $706 | CNA | Clinic |
| Florida | $706 | CNA | Clinic |
| Missouri | $726 | CNA | Clinic |
| Vermont | $738 | CNA | Home Health |
| Massachusetts | $743 | RN | Telehealth |
| Maine | $767 | CNA | Acute |
| Wisconsin | $771 | CNA | Mental Health |
| Oklahoma | $806 | CNA | Clinic |
| Montana | $840 | CMA | CMA |
| Arizona | $862 | CNA | CNA |
| Oregon | $863 | CMA | Medical Unit |
| Tennessee | $864 | Allied Health | EKG Technician |
| Idaho | $864 | LPN / LVN | Hospice |
| South Dakota | $900 | CNA | Medical Unit |
| Arkansas | $960 | Nurse Practitioner | Adult Medicine |
| Mississippi | $964 | LPN / LVN | Correctional |
| Alaska | $977 | CNA | Home Health |
| Hawaii | $1,000 | CNA | Long Term Care |
| Wyoming | $1,315 | CNA | CNA |
Source: Vivian Health (2022 salary data)
Is Pay Transparency a Trend to Get Onboard With?
While it’s a debated topic across the country, within healthcare, salary transparency can help streamline the recruitment process and ensure suitable candidates find the vacant roles that match their experience. At Vivian, we believe being more transparent with pay could help reduce staffing shortages across disciplines and retain more satisfied employees.
The healthcare industry is calling for reform when it comes to salary transparency. Technological advancements have altered how recruitment takes place nationwide, allowing information to be accessed much easier and strengthening the demand for equal transparency despite location.
Make sure you’re getting paid what you’re worth. Compare your pay with the latest job market data using Vivian’s salary database today.
© Vivian Health 2023
