How Many Nursing Jobs Are There In The US?

Nursing is the largest healthcare profession in the country. The American Association of Colleges of Nursing counts more than 5 million licensed registered nurses in the U.S. Even with those numbers, the country still faces a nursing shortage, and demand keeps climbing. High demand plus high pay is what makes nursing a strong career bet.

Demand Is Not Slowing Down

The population is aging and current nurses are retiring, so the need for new RNs keeps growing. The BLS projects RN employment to grow 5% from 2024 to 2034, faster than average, with about 189,100 openings every year over the decade. Schools have to train enough students to fill them.

The shortage is real and the demographics make it worse. The AACN puts the median age of working RNs at 46, and the American Nurses Association reports that more than a quarter of RNs plan to leave or retire within five years. As nurses exit and demand rises, the people who stay should see strong job security and bargaining power for years.

States With the Highest Demand

Shortages don't hit evenly. Drawing on HRSA's 2022 nurse workforce projections through 2035, the states facing the steepest projected RN shortfalls are:

• Washington: 26%
• Georgia: 21%
• California: 18%
• Oregon: 16%
• Michigan: 15%

Idaho, Louisiana, North Carolina, New Jersey, and South Carolina all project shortfalls above 10%. Many of these states already lean on travel nurses to fill in-demand roles, and RNs willing to work where the need is greatest often command higher pay.

What Nurses Earn

The RN median wage is $93,600 a year, according to the BLS. The top-paying specialties go well beyond that.

Nurse practitioners, nurse anesthetists, and nurse midwives are advanced practice registered nurses (APRNs), which generally requires a master's or doctorate and an APRN license. Their median wages run highest:

• Nurse anesthetist: $223,210
• Nurse practitioner: $129,210
• Nurse midwife: $128,790

You don't need a graduate degree to earn above the national average, either. Specialties like informatics, oncology, trauma, dialysis, and infection control nursing all pay above the RN median and rank among the better-paying healthcare jobs open to someone with a bachelor's. Across the board, pay tends to rise with experience and with specialized roles or graduate education.

Getting Into Nursing

Becoming an RN takes a nursing degree, the NCLEX-RN, and a state license. Many nurses then add certifications or further education to widen their options.

Earn a Degree

You need a nursing degree to sit for licensure. If you already hold a bachelor's in another field, accelerated BSN programs run about 12 to 18 months and include clinical hours. Without a prior degree, a two-year associate program meets the requirement for an RN license, though many employers prefer a bachelor's. RN-to-BSN programs let working RNs finish the degree later.

Pass the NCLEX and Get Licensed

Every RN has to pass the NCLEX-RN and apply for a state license. Each state sets its own requirements, which usually include an accredited degree, passing scores, specific coursework, and a background check. Your program will walk you through studying and applying.

Certify in a Specialty

Certification signals real expertise in a specialty, whether that's emergency, critical care, or informatics nursing. The American Nurses Credentialing Center and the American Association of Critical-Care Nurses both offer credentials. Many employers also require CPR, basic life support, and advanced cardiac life support certification.

Choose Your Setting and Location

RNs work in hospitals, physician offices, home health, and outpatient centers, and the setting shapes your hours. Hospitals typically run 12-hour shifts; a physician office usually doesn't. Location matters too: rural areas face larger shortages, and travel nurses willing to relocate earn some of the highest RN pay. Pick the environment that fits how you want to work.