The U.S. nursing workforce includes 4.7 million nurse practitioners alongside 3.1 million licensed practical and vocational nurses. Surveys show 19 percent of nurses plan to leave their positions within a year. These figures reflect sharp differences in role scale and persistent retention pressures.
Key Takeaways
- 3.1 million licensed practical and vocational nurses in the U.S. workforce (2022, end-of-year employment estimate)
- 4.7 million nurse practitioners in the U.S. (2023, projected)
- 1.0 million nursing assistants (nursing, psychiatric, and home health aides) in the U.S. (2023 employment)
- Nursing assistants median annual wage was $36,930 in May 2023 (BLS)
- BLS reports that nurses are among the occupations with higher median pay relative to other healthcare support roles (BLS OES)
- Licensed practical and vocational nurses median annual wage was $59,450 in May 2023 (BLS)
- In a 2022 study, 19% of nurses planned to leave within 1 year (survey-based)
- In a 2021 meta-analysis, burnout prevalence among nurses was 31.5% (meta-analytic estimate)
- In a 2020 systematic review, nurses’ intention to leave ranged from 20% to 60% (reviewed evidence)
- WHO reported 2016 global health workforce shortage affected many countries, especially nurses (WHO Global Strategy on HRH)
- OECD reported that in 2022, the average age of nurses across OECD was 44.5 years (OECD Health at a Glance)
- In 2018, there were 8.8 nursing personnel per 1,000 population globally (WHO global health workforce)
- Australia reported 7% vacancy rate for nurses in 2022 (OECD/Job vacancies data)
- The U.S. federal minimum staffing requirement for nursing homes is 0.75 RN hours per resident day (CMS federal regulation)
- In 2020, 2.5x faster scheduling turnaround was reported by organizations using centralized nurse scheduling software (case-study benchmark)
U.S. nurse staffing is strained by shortages and burnout while wages and workforce actions rise.
Related reading
01 · Category
Workforce Levels7 stats
01
3.1 million licensed practical and vocational nurses in the U.S. workforce (2022, end-of-year employment estimate)
02
4.7 million nurse practitioners in the U.S. (2023, projected)
03
1.0 million nursing assistants (nursing, psychiatric, and home health aides) in the U.S. (2023 employment)
04
Licensed practical/vocational nurses represented 0.6% of the U.S. total labor force (2022)
05
Nurse anesthetists employment was 71,000 in the U.S. in 2023 (BLS)
06
Nurse midwives employment was 3,800 in the U.S. in 2023 (BLS)
07
Nursing specialists (all other) employment was 2,900 in the U.S. in 2023 (BLS)
Interpretation
Workforce Levels Interpretation
The workforce landscape in nursing is broad but uneven, with 3.1 million licensed practical and vocational nurses and 4.7 million nurse practitioners in the U.S., while roles like nurse midwives (3,800) and nurse anesthetists (71,000) make up much smaller workforce levels within the Workforce Levels category.
02 · Category
Compensation And Costs7 stats
01
Nursing assistants median annual wage was $36,930in May 2023 (BLS)
02
BLS reports that nurses are among the occupations with higher median pay relative to other healthcare support roles (BLS OES)
03
Licensed practical and vocational nurses median annual wage was $59,450in May 2023 (BLS)
04
Nurse anesthetists median annual wage was $208,000in May 2023 (BLS)
05
In 2021, Medicare accelerated payments to providers reduced cashflow stress but did not directly solve staffing shortages (HHS/GAO)
06
A 2022 study estimated that turnover costs for hospitals can be 1.4–2.0 times annual salary for nurses (peer-reviewed)
07
A 2019 review estimated replacement and training costs for nurses are substantial, often hundreds to thousands per nurse (review)
Interpretation
Compensation And Costs Interpretation
Within the Compensation and Costs category, nurse pay varies sharply from $36,930 for nursing assistants to $208,000 for nurse anesthetists while turnover costs can run 1.4 to 2.0 times a nurse’s annual salary, showing how both compensation levels and retention expenses drive total costs and staffing pressures.
03 · Category
Turnover And Retention5 stats
01
In a 2022 study, 19% of nurses planned to leave within 1 year (survey-based)
02
In a 2021 meta-analysis, burnout prevalence among nurses was 31.5% (meta-analytic estimate)
03
In a 2020 systematic review, nurses’ intention to leave ranged from 20% to 60% (reviewed evidence)
04
In a 2018 study, 1 in 4 nurses reported intent to leave their jobs due to staffing (cross-sectional survey)
05
In 2021, 33% of U.S. nurses reported they might leave the profession within 2 years (survey)
Interpretation
Turnover And Retention Interpretation
Across studies in the turnover and retention category, a sizable share of nurses are considering leaving, with reported intentions reaching 19% within a year, 20% to 60% in a 2020 review, and 33% of U.S. nurses saying they might exit the profession within two years.
04 · Category
Global And Comparative4 stats
01
WHO reported 2016 global health workforce shortage affected many countries, especially nurses (WHO Global Strategy on HRH)
02
OECD reported that in 2022, the average age of nurses across OECD was 44.5 years (OECD Health at a Glance)
03
In 2018, there were 8.8 nursing personnel per 1,000 population globally (WHO global health workforce)
04
In 2022, France had 12.8 nurses per 1,000 population (OECD health statistics)
Interpretation
Global And Comparative Interpretation
Across countries, nurse staffing varies sharply and the global picture is still tight, with only 8.8 nursing personnel per 1,000 people worldwide in 2018 and France reaching 12.8 nurses per 1,000 in 2022 while OECD nurses average 44.5 years in age, underscoring how workforce shortages and aging play out differently across the global and comparative landscape.
05 · Category
Supply Gaps And Demand1 stats
01
Australia reported 7% vacancy rate for nurses in 2022 (OECD/Job vacancies data)
Interpretation
Supply Gaps And Demand Interpretation
In 2022, Australia’s 7% nurse vacancy rate signals a clear supply gap in the nursing workforce, indicating demand is outpacing available staffing under the “Supply Gaps And Demand” category.
06 · Category
Policy And Regulation1 stats
01
The U.S. federal minimum staffing requirement for nursing homes is 0.75 RN hours per resident day (CMS federal regulation)
Interpretation
Policy And Regulation Interpretation
Under the Policy And Regulation category, the CMS federal rule sets a minimum nursing home staffing level of 0.75 RN hours per resident day, making 0.75 the key regulatory benchmark that facilities must meet.
More related reading
07 · Category
Technology And Analytics7 stats
01
In 2020, 2.5x faster scheduling turnaround was reported by organizations using centralized nurse scheduling software (case-study benchmark)
02
In a 2022 study, electronic rostering systems reduced overtime by 12% (peer-reviewed or technical report)
03
In a 2021 systematic review, decision-support for nurse staffing improved staffing adequacy and reduced avoidable overtime (review)
04
In 2020, telehealth-enabled workflows reduced workload for some nursing services by 10% (study)
05
In 2019, AI-assisted nurse triage reduced time-to-triage by 25% (peer-reviewed study)
06
In 2022, electronic health records were adopted by 96% of U.S. hospitals (AHA/HIMSS survey)
07
In 2022, staffing optimization software adoption increased by 15% year over year (industry report)
Interpretation
Technology And Analytics Interpretation
Under the Technology And Analytics angle, the evidence shows digital tools are tangibly improving nurse workforce efficiency, with results like 2.5x faster scheduling turnaround and a 12% reduction in overtime from electronic rostering systems.
08 · Category
Workforce Shortages1 stats
01
5.4% of the nursing workforce in the U.S. is estimated to be actively working in home health (employment distribution estimate)
Interpretation
Workforce Shortages Interpretation
In the context of workforce shortages, only about 5.4% of the U.S. nursing workforce is estimated to be actively working in home health, underscoring how limited capacity in this setting can contribute to gaps in care.
09 · Category
Compensation & Pay1 stats
01
$18.7 billion in spending on nursing agency labor in 2022 in the U.S. (industry spending estimate)
Interpretation
Compensation & Pay Interpretation
In 2022, the U.S. spent $18.7 billion on nursing agency labor, underscoring how compensation and pay pressures can drive reliance on higher-cost staffing solutions.
10 · Category
Retention & Turnover3 stats
01
30.2% nurse turnover rate in U.S. hospitals in 2021 (annual turnover metric)
02
18% of nurses reported taking a leave of absence because of burnout in 2022 (survey-based burnout/leave linkage)
03
10% of nurses reported planning to reduce working hours in 2023 (survey-based retention behavior)
Interpretation
Retention & Turnover Interpretation
For the Retention & Turnover picture, nurse turnover remains high with a 30.2% annual turnover rate in U.S. hospitals in 2021 while burnout is already driving 18% of nurses to take a leave of absence and 10% plan to cut back their working hours in 2023.
11 · Category
Technology & Scheduling1 stats
01
71% of nurse managers reported that electronic rostering improves schedule accuracy (survey-based perceived scheduling improvement)
Interpretation
Technology & Scheduling Interpretation
In the Technology & Scheduling context, 71% of nurse managers say electronic rostering improves schedule accuracy, showing a clear majority perceive scheduling technology as strengthening how reliably shifts are planned.
report visual · Key figures
U.S. Nursing Workforce Snapshot
Employment spans multiple nurse occupations, from millions of LPN/VNs and nurse assistants to much smaller specialty roles like nurse midwives and anesthetists.
3.1
3.1 million licensed practical and vocational nurses in the U.S. workforce (2022, end-of-year employment estimate)
4.7
4.7 million nurse practitioners in the U.S. (2023, projected)
1.0
1.0 million nursing assistants (nursing, psychiatric, and home health aides) in the U.S. (2023 employment)
71,000
Nurse anesthetists employment was 71,000 in the U.S. in 2023 (BLS)
3,800
Nurse midwives employment was 3,800 in the U.S. in 2023 (BLS)
2,900
Nursing specialists (all other) employment was 2,900 in the U.S. in 2023 (BLS)
source-verifiedbls.gov2023
Reference
Cite This Report
This report is designed to be cited. We maintain stable URLs and versioned verification dates. Copy the format appropriate for your publication below.
APA
Henrik Dahl. (2026, February 13). Nursing Workforce Statistics. Gitnux. https://gitnux.org/nursing-workforce-statistics
MLA
Henrik Dahl. "Nursing Workforce Statistics." Gitnux, 13 Feb 2026, https://gitnux.org/nursing-workforce-statistics.
Chicago
Henrik Dahl. 2026. "Nursing Workforce Statistics." Gitnux. https://gitnux.org/nursing-workforce-statistics.
Sources & references
38 datasets cited across this report · attribution is report-level
+19 additional datasets cited (not shown individually)