Americans gained a profound appreciation for nurses during the COVID-19 pandemic. We saw them risk their health every day to minimize the spread of the disease, as well as administer the vaccinations that have helped life return to close to normal. Even in years when there hasn’t been a major public health crisis, though, nurses have always worked long hours in stressful conditions to help keep people healthy.
Despite the difficulties of the occupation, nurses are generally well-rewarded for their life-saving work. Nursing occupations are some of the most lucrative careers, with a mean annual wage of more than $89,000 and some of the lowest unemployment rates in the U.S.
In light of the ongoing challenges faced by nurses, WalletHub took stock of the nursing industry to help registered nurses, particularly new graduates, pick a place to live that will bring success. We did so by comparing the 50 states across 20 key metrics that collectively speak to the nursing-job opportunities in each market.
Main Findings
Best Places to Work as a Nurse
| Overall Rank | State | Total Score | Opportunity & Competition | Work Environment |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Washington | 62.38 | 3 | 7 |
| 2 | Maine | 60.83 | 9 | 3 |
| 3 | New Mexico | 59.91 | 1 | 32 |
| 4 | Oregon | 59.63 | 15 | 1 |
| 5 | New Hampshire | 58.31 | 13 | 6 |
| 6 | Minnesota | 57.96 | 27 | 2 |
| 7 | Montana | 56.67 | 2 | 36 |
| 8 | Arizona | 56.36 | 6 | 28 |
| 9 | Texas | 55.36 | 11 | 22 |
| 10 | Wyoming | 55.17 | 5 | 33 |
| 11 | Idaho | 54.64 | 23 | 16 |
| 12 | Wisconsin | 54.54 | 28 | 12 |
| 13 | Connecticut | 54.30 | 34 | 4 |
| 14 | New York | 53.80 | 20 | 20 |
| 15 | Illinois | 53.38 | 22 | 23 |
| 16 | Florida | 53.25 | 4 | 45 |
| 17 | Pennsylvania | 53.16 | 31 | 15 |
| 18 | Nevada | 53.13 | 12 | 31 |
| 19 | West Virginia | 53.13 | 18 | 25 |
| 20 | Missouri | 53.12 | 16 | 26 |
| 21 | Alaska | 52.37 | 37 | 13 |
| 22 | North Carolina | 52.27 | 7 | 38 |
| 23 | California | 51.97 | 30 | 21 |
| 24 | Iowa | 51.45 | 25 | 29 |
| 25 | Rhode Island | 51.14 | 33 | 18 |
| 26 | Kansas | 50.68 | 29 | 27 |
| 27 | South Dakota | 50.63 | 48 | 5 |
| 28 | Utah | 50.49 | 40 | 14 |
| 29 | Massachusetts | 50.48 | 44 | 8 |
| 30 | Indiana | 50.48 | 14 | 37 |
| 31 | Ohio | 50.16 | 17 | 35 |
| 32 | North Dakota | 49.87 | 47 | 10 |
| 33 | Maryland | 49.18 | 46 | 11 |
| 34 | Michigan | 49.03 | 10 | 47 |
| 35 | Colorado | 49.03 | 39 | 24 |
| 36 | New Jersey | 49.00 | 41 | 17 |
| 37 | Virginia | 48.96 | 24 | 39 |
| 38 | South Carolina | 48.85 | 21 | 40 |
| 39 | Georgia | 48.74 | 8 | 49 |
| 40 | Kentucky | 48.70 | 19 | 41 |
| 41 | Delaware | 48.25 | 42 | 19 |
| 42 | Vermont | 47.34 | 49 | 9 |
| 43 | Tennessee | 46.88 | 36 | 34 |
| 44 | Nebraska | 46.04 | 43 | 30 |
| 45 | Louisiana | 45.14 | 26 | 50 |
| 46 | Mississippi | 44.84 | 35 | 44 |
| 47 | Alabama | 44.69 | 32 | 48 |
| 48 | Arkansas | 43.49 | 38 | 46 |
| 49 | Oklahoma | 41.85 | 45 | 42 |
| 50 | Hawaii | 38.86 | 50 | 43 |
Note: With the exception of “Total Score,” all of the columns in the table above depict the relative rank of that state, where a rank of 1 represents the best conditions for that metric category.
- Most
- 1. New Hampshire
- 2. Massachusetts
- 3. Maine
- 4. Pennsylvania
- 5. Vermont
- Fewest
- 46. Mississippi
- 47. Hawaii
- 48. California
- 49. Nevada
- 50. Utah
- Highest
- 1. Michigan
- 2. Illinois
- 3. Minnesota
- 4. Ohio
- 5. West Virginia
- Lowest
- 46. Rhode Island
- 47. Alaska
- 48. Vermont
- 49. Maryland
- 50. Hawaii
- Most
- 1. Minnesota
- 2. Iowa
- 3. Montana
- 4. Idaho
- 5. North Dakota
- Fewest
- 46. Texas
- 47. Colorado
- 48. Illinois
- 49. Delaware
- 50. Nevada
- Lowest
- 1. Nevada
- 2. Alaska
- 3. Arizona
- 4. Utah
- 5. Florida
- Highest
- 46. Massachusetts
- 47. West Virginia
- 48. Nebraska
- 49. South Dakota
- 50. North Dakota
- Highest
- 1. Florida
- 2. Maine
- 3. Wyoming
- 4. New Mexico
- 5. Montana
- Lowest
- 46. Colorado
- 47. Georgia
- 48. Texas
- 49. Alaska
- 50. Utah
Ask the Experts
WalletHub turned to a panel of nursing-industry experts for insight into the future of the profession and how recent graduates can find success. You can check out their bios and thoughts below.
- What is the long-term outlook for the field of nursing?
- What tips do you have for recent nursing school grads looking for a place to live and work?
- What can local governments and health systems do to attract and retain high quality nurses?
- With nearly four out of 10 nurses reporting they felt burned out in recent years, what are some strategies for combating nurse burnout?
- Will nursing shortage continue to impact the nursing healthcare trends in 2023 as well?
Ask the Experts
DNP APRN BC-FNP – Professor School of Nursing, Mason and Partners Clinic Director, Empowered Community Opioid Project; Co-Director Public Health AmeriCorps; PI HRSA Learning Laboratory for Community Health – George Mason University - College of Public Health
Read More
Ph.D. – Associate Professor, Department of Health Administration & Policy – George Mason University
Read More
MD, MPH – Associate Dean for Public Health & Health Policy, Professor of Medicine and Director, Graduate Public Health Programs, Larner College of Medicine – University of Vermont
Read More
Methodology
In order to determine the best and worst states for nurses, WalletHub compared the 50 states across two key dimensions, “Opportunity & Competition” and “Work Environment.”
We evaluated those dimensions using 20 relevant metrics, which are listed below with their corresponding weights. Each metric was graded on a 100-point scale, with a score of 100 representing the most favorable conditions for nurses.
We then determined each state’s weighted average across all metrics to calculate its overall score and used the resulting scores to rank-order the states.
Opportunity & Competition – Total Points: 70
- Monthly Average Starting Salary for Nurses: Full Weight (~6.67 Points)
Note: This metric was adjusted for the cost of living. - Average Annual Salary for Nurses: Double Weight (~13.33 Points)
Note: This metric was adjusted for the cost of living. - Health-Care Facilities per Capita: Full Weight (~6.67 Points)
- Share of Population Living in a Primary-Care HPSA: Full Weight (~6.67 Points)
Note: “HPSAs,” as defined by the Health Resources & Services Administration, “are designations that indicate health care provider shortages in: Primary care; Dental health; or Mental Health” and “may be geographic-, population-, or facility-based.” - Projected Share of Elderly Population in 2030: Full Weight (~6.67 Points)
Note: “Elderly population” includes adults aged 65 and older. - Quality of Nursing Schools: Half Weight (~3.33 Points)
- Tuition Cost per Credit for BSN Online Program: Full Weight (~6.67 Points)
- Nursing-Job Openings per Capita: Full Weight (~6.67 Points)
- Nurses per 1,000 Residents: Full Weight (~6.67 Points)
- Projected Competition in 2030: Full Weight (~6.67 Points)
Note: “Competition” refers to the number of nurses per 1,000 residents.
Work Environment – Total Points: 30
- Mandatory Overtime Restrictions: Double Weight (~5.45 Points)
- Ratio of Nurses to Hospital Beds: Full Weight (~2.73 Points)
- Nurses Job Growth (2021 vs 2017): Double Weight (~5.45 Points)
- Presence of Nursing Licensure Compact Law: Full Weight (~2.73 Points)
Note: This metric considers the presence or absence of a Nursing Licensure Compact law in the state. The compact allows nurses to practice in their home state and other participating states. - Regulatory Requirement for Nurse Practitioners: Full Weight (~2.73 Points)
- Share of Best Nursing Homes: Full Weight (~2.73 Points)
Note: This metric is based on U.S. News & World Report’s “Best Nursing Homes” rating. - Quality of Public Hospital System: Full Weight (~2.73 Points)
Note: This metric is based on data from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services. - Friendliness Toward Working Moms: Full Weight (~2.73 Points)
Note: This metric is based on WalletHub’s “Best & Worst States for Working Moms” ranking. In 2011, there were 3.5 million employed nurses in the U.S., and about 3.2 million were female. - Average Number of Work Hours: Half Weight (~1.36 Points)
- Average Commute Time: Half Weight (~1.36 Points)
Sources: Data used to create this ranking were collected from the U.S. Census Bureau, Bureau of Labor Statistics, Council for Community and Economic Research, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, HRSA Data Warehouse, Indeed.com, National Council of State Boards of Nursing, Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, U.S. News & World Report, Projections Central - State Occupational Projections, Nurse.org, Wage//Advocates, American Association of Nurse Practitioners and WalletHub research.
