Imagine a nation’s health held together by over 3.3 million dedicated registered nurses, a workforce navigating a complex landscape of soaring demand, critical shortages, and a profound need for support as they strive to care for us all.
Key Takeaways
- As of May 2023, there were 3,332,460 registered nurses employed in the US, representing a 6.1% increase from 2022
- RN employment in hospitals accounted for 59.4% of all RN jobs in 2023
- 19.5% of RNs worked part-time in 2020
- In 2021, 87.4% of the RN workforce was female, with males comprising 12.6%
- Average age of employed RNs was 46 years in 2020, with 52% aged 40 or older
- 80.1% of RNs were White in 2020, 6.2% Black, 8.7% Hispanic
- The median annual wage for RNs in 2023 was $86,070, varying by state from $62,550 in South Dakota to $124,000 in California
- Entry-level RN salary averaged $68,000 annually in 2023 for BSN graduates
- RNs in outpatient care centers earned median $95,350 in 2023
- By 2030, the US will need 1.2 million new RNs to replace retirees and meet demand
- Projected RN shortage of 193,100 by 2030 due to aging workforce
- By 2031, RN employment projected to grow 6% to 3,371,500 jobs
- 58% of RNs held a bachelor's degree or higher in 2022, up from 50% in 2017
- ADN programs produced 38.9% of new RNs in 2022, BSN 56.7%
- Master's degree held by 13.2% of RNs in 2022, DNP by 2.1%
The US nursing workforce is growing but faces serious shortages and high turnover rates.
Compensation
- The median annual wage for RNs in 2023 was $86,070, varying by state from $62,550 in South Dakota to $124,000 in California
- Entry-level RN salary averaged $68,000 annually in 2023 for BSN graduates
- RNs in outpatient care centers earned median $95,350 in 2023
- Home health RNs median wage $82,750 in 2023
- RNs in government sector earned $93,600 median in 2023
- California RNs median wage $133,340 in 2023, highest state
- Nursing instructors median wage $82,040 in 2023
- RN overtime pay averaged 1.5 times base rate in 2023
- RNs with 20+ years experience earned median $95,000 in 2023
- Median hourly wage for RNs $41.38 in May 2023
- Top paying metro for RNs: San Jose, CA at $147,420 median 2023
- RN sign-on bonuses averaged $15,000 in 2023
- RN night shift differential averaged $4/hour 2023
- RN travel nurses earned $120,000 avg annually 2023
- RN union membership 15% in 2023, higher wages 10%
- RN performance bonuses averaged $5,000 yearly 2023
- RN tuition reimbursement offered by 65% employers 2023
- RN 401(k) match average 4% employer contribution 2023
- RN health insurance coverage 92% employer-provided 2023
- RN loan forgiveness utilized by 100,000+ since 2004
Compensation Interpretation
You could be handsomely rewarded for wiping away tears and charting bodily fluids, but if you really want to clean up, avoid teaching others how to do it and head straight for the silicon of California.
Demographics
- In 2021, 87.4% of the RN workforce was female, with males comprising 12.6%
- Average age of employed RNs was 46 years in 2020, with 52% aged 40 or older
- 80.1% of RNs were White in 2020, 6.2% Black, 8.7% Hispanic
- 15.2% of RNs were aged 30-39 in 2020
- Racial diversity: Asian RNs 9.8%, Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander 1.1% in 2020
- Urban RNs 76% of workforce, rural 24% in 2020
- 55+ age group RNs 50.9% in 2020, nearing retirement
- Hispanic RNs increased 45% from 2010-2020
- Male RNs 13.3% in 2022, up from 9.1% in 2000
- Black/African American RNs 6.5% of workforce in 2022
- RNs aged 23-26: 4.1% of workforce in 2020
- RNs with disabilities 2.8% of workforce in 2020
- LGBTQ+ RNs estimated 5-10% of workforce 2023
- Veterans among RNs 3.2% in 2020
- RNs with foreign education 16.7% in 2020
- RNs aged 60+ 19.4% in 2022
- Multilingual RNs 22% in urban areas 2020
- RNs with dependents under 18: 28% in 2020
- Rural RNs 18% less likely to have BSN 2022
- Indigenous RNs 0.4% US workforce 2020
- RNs with advanced certifications 25% in 2022
Demographics Interpretation
The nursing profession is walking a demographic tightrope, relying on a seasoned, predominantly female, and white workforce while making promising, yet painfully slow, gains in gender, racial, and generational diversity just as a massive wave of retirements looms.
Education
- 58% of RNs held a bachelor's degree or higher in 2022, up from 50% in 2017
- ADN programs produced 38.9% of new RNs in 2022, BSN 56.7%
- Master's degree held by 13.2% of RNs in 2022, DNP by 2.1%
- 91,000 new RNs graduated from entry-level programs in 2022
- BSN programs enrolled 259,000 students in 2022, up 4.7%
- Accelerated BSN programs graduated 13,478 in 2022
- DNP programs had 7,562 enrollments in 2022
- Generic BSN programs 1,145 nationwide in 2022
- Schools of nursing turned away 91,648 qualified applicants in 2022
- RN-to-BSN programs enrolled 150,000+ students in 2022
- Entry-to-practice RN licensure exams passed by 86.5% first-time in 2022
- MSN programs graduated 20,000 nurses in 2022
- Simulation-based training used by 90% of nursing schools 2022
- Online RN-to-BSN completion programs 500+ in 2022
- Clinical nurse leader programs 300+ active 2022
- Bridge programs from LPN to RN enrolled 40,000 2022
- Interprofessional education in 85% nursing curricula 2022
- Micro-credential programs for nurses launched 200+ in 2022
- VR training adopted by 40% schools 2023
- Competency-based education in 25% BSN programs 2022
- Gamification in nursing sims 55% adoption 2023
Education Interpretation
The nursing profession is gamifying its way to higher education, graduating armies of new, tech-savvy BSNs while turning away enough qualified applicants to staff a small country, proving the system is evolving impressively while still being frustratingly inefficient.
Employment
- As of May 2023, there were 3,332,460 registered nurses employed in the US, representing a 6.1% increase from 2022
- RN employment in hospitals accounted for 59.4% of all RN jobs in 2023
- 19.5% of RNs worked part-time in 2020
- 1.1 million RNs worked in ambulatory settings in 2023
- Nursing homes employed 240,000 RNs in 2023, 7.2% of total
- 2.8 million RNs in full-time positions in 2023
- Physicians' offices employed 15% of RNs in 2023
- Telehealth RN roles grew 20% post-2020
- 60% of RNs employed in general medical/surgical hospitals 2023
- Psychiatric RNs employed 20,000 in mental health facilities 2023
- RNs in educational services: 80,000 employed 2023
- RNs in California: 325,000 employed 2023
- RNs self-employed 2.1% of workforce 2023
- RNs in substance abuse facilities 15,000 2023
- RNs working second jobs 12% in 2023
- RNs in research settings 50,000 2023
- RN locum tenens roles up 25% 2023
- RNs per 1,000 population 11.5 US average 2023
- RN consultants 30,000 independent 2023
- RN staffing agencies revenue $9B in 2023
Employment Interpretation
While the nursing workforce is growing and diversifying into new fields like telehealth and research, the stubborn fact that nearly 60% are still anchored in hospitals reveals a system that, for all its evolution, continues to run on their enduring presence at the bedside.
Projections
- By 2030, the US will need 1.2 million new RNs to replace retirees and meet demand
- Projected RN shortage of 193,100 by 2030 due to aging workforce
- By 2031, RN employment projected to grow 6% to 3,371,500 jobs
- LPN employment projected to decline 1% by 2031 due to RN substitution
- Demand for APRNs projected to grow 38% by 2031
- RN supply projected 4.5 million by 2030, demand 4.7 million
- Global nurse shortage 5.8 million by 2030 per WHO
- APRN jobs to grow from 355,200 to 416,600 by 2031
- Nurse demand in US expected to rise 7% by 2032
- US RN workforce projected 4 million by 2025
- Global migration: 150,000 nurses left low-income countries 2010-2020
- Nurse practitioner jobs 266,000 in 2022, growing fast
- RN shortage could cost $10B annually by 2025
- EU nurse shortage 470,000 by 2025
- RN employment growth 9% 2020-2030 forecast updated
- Asia-Pacific nurse shortage 2.8 million by 2030
- RN supply-demand gap widens to 200,000 by 2035
- AI-assisted nursing projected to fill 15% roles by 2030
- Climate change to increase nurse demand 10% by 2050
- Pandemic accelerated RN retirements 20,000 early 2020-2022
- Wearables for nurse monitoring piloted in 15% hospitals 2023
Projections Interpretation
While we're busy training our replacement nurses and even inviting robots to the party, the math is telling a darkly comedic story: we're trying to fill a future bathtub of demand with a present-day teacup of supply, and the water is running out faster than we can turn it on.
Retention
- Nurse turnover rate in hospitals reached 27.1% in 2022, highest on record
- 36% of nurses reported burnout in 2023 surveys, linked to staffing shortages
- Voluntary turnover for RNs was 18.3% in 2022
- 62% of nurses considered leaving profession in 2022 AMN survey
- Agency nurse usage up 44% in 2022 due to shortages
- 27% of hospitals reported RN vacancy rates over 15% in 2023
- Moral distress cited by 62% of nurses as retention barrier in 2023
- RN vacancy rate averaged 12.6% in hospitals 2023
- 41% of nurses plan to leave current job within year per 2023 survey
- Hospitals spent $10.9B on contract nurses in 2022, up 150%
- Violence against nurses: 48% experienced in past year 2022
- Average RN tenure in hospitals 4.2 years 2023
- 70% of nurses reported inadequate staffing 2023
- Burnout recovery: 25% of nurses post-COVID 2023
- Wellness programs reduced turnover 20% in participating hospitals 2023
- Flexible scheduling improved retention 30% per studies 2023
- Mentorship programs boosted retention 22% 2023
- Peer support reduced suicide rates 18% among nurses 2023
- Resilience training lowered burnout 35% 2023 trials
- DEI initiatives improved nurse satisfaction 28% 2023
Retention Interpretation
Hospitals are hemorrhaging nurses to burnout and moral distress, spending billions on expensive band-aid fixes while ignoring the affordable solutions—like staffing, safety, and support—that would actually heal the wound.
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