Mind-Blowing Nursing Workforce Statistics That Reveal the Future of Healthcare

The U.S. healthcare sector continues to expand, with nursing representing a critical component of the workforce. Nurses play a central role in healthcare delivery, contributing to care quality, patient outcomes, operational performance, and workforce stability. Education, specialized training, certification, and career advancement pathways increasingly support workforce engagement and long-term retention. The adoption of advanced technologies, including artificial intelligence (AI), is also creating opportunities to enhance clinical training, streamline administrative processes, and improve workforce efficiency.

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1. The global nursing workforce comprises an estimated 29 million nurses and 2.2 million midwives, with the WHO projecting a shortage of 4.5 million nurses and 0.31 million midwives by 2030.
2. More than 80% of the global nursing workforce is concentrated in countries representing only 50% of the world’s population, highlighting significant geographic disparities in workforce distribution.
3. Nursing represents the largest healthcare profession in the U.S., with more than 5 million registered nurses (RNs) nationwide, of whom 88% are employed in nursing.
4. Nurses account for more than 50% of the U.S. healthcare workforce, underscoring their critical role across the healthcare system.
5. The median age of U.S. registered nurses stands at 50 years, indicating an aging nursing workforce.
6. 40% of RNs plan to retire or leave the nursing profession within the next 5 years, up from 28.7% in 2022.
7. The U.S. federal government projects more than 189,000 registered nurse job openings annually through 2034, reflecting sustained workforce demand.
8. Nearly 60% of RNs work in general medical and surgical hospitals, with an average annual salary of USD 97,260.
9. RN employment is projected to increase by 5% from 2024 to 2034, exceeding the average growth rate across all occupations.
10. Employment of nurse anesthetists, nurse midwives, and nurse practitioners is projected to grow by more than 35% over the next decade, with approximately 37,200 job openings annually through 2034.
11. Median pre-tax annual earnings for nurses increase by 10%–16% with higher levels of education and professional advancement.
12. Nurse practitioners represent the fastest-growing nursing role, with employment increasing by 61% since 2019.
13. The Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) projects a 9% national RN shortage by 2036, with the shortage reaching 14% in non-metropolitan areas.

General Statistics

• The share of men in the nursing workforce declined from 11.2% in 2022 to 10.4% in 2024.
• 72.9% of registered nurses held a baccalaureate degree or higher as their highest level of nursing education in 2024.
• The 2024 RN workforce comprised 76.6% White/Caucasian, 8.6% Black/African American, 7.9% Asian, 3.5% other, 2.6% multiracial, 0.5% Native American or Alaska Native, and 0.3% Native Hawaiian or other Pacific Islander professionals.
• 7.2% of the RN workforce identified as Hispanic in 2024.
• Hospital RN turnover averaged 17.6% in 2025, resulting in an estimated USD 5.19 million in annual costs per hospital.
• The U.S. direct-care workforce included 1,448,910 nursing assistants and 4,305,810 home health and personal care aides.
• 68% of RNs provided direct patient care in their primary position in 2024, down from 73% in 2022.
• 88.4% of LPNs/LVNs were actively employed in nursing in 2024, the highest level since 2015, with 70.6% working full-time.
• The advanced practice registered nurse (APRN) workforce is projected to expand by approximately 35% from 2024 to 2034, driven by increasing demand for primary and specialty care and expanded scope-of-practice opportunities.
• In 2024, 17.4% of registered nurses held a master’s degree, while 2.7% held a doctoral degree as their highest educational qualification.
• In 2026, projected nursing workforce supply is expected to meet 91.94% of national demand, resulting in an 8.06% shortage. Licensed practical nurses are projected to face a 20% shortage, compared with 10% for registered nurses.
• The projected nursing shortage in non-metropolitan areas is expected to reach 25% in 2026, compared with 5% in metropolitan areas.
• Between 2026 and 2036, the projected nursing shortage is expected to average 14% in non-metropolitan areas and 2% in metropolitan areas.
• By 2038, the nursing shortage in non-metropolitan areas is projected to decline to 11%, while the shortage in metropolitan areas is expected to remain at 2%.

The U.S. Nursing Workforce by Generation

• Generation X represents the largest share of the nursing workforce at 51%, covering the 45–60 age group.
• Millennials account for 26% of the nursing workforce, representing individuals aged 29–44.
• Baby Boomers comprise 19% of the nursing workforce, covering the 61–79 age group.
• Generation Z represents 4% of the nursing workforce, consisting of individuals aged 28 or younger.

The U.S. Nursing Workforce Distribution by Gender, 2025

• Nurse practitioners comprise 90.5% women and 9.5% men, representing the highest female share among the listed nursing occupations.
• Licensed practical and licensed vocational nurses comprise 89.9% women and 10.1% men.
• Registered nurses comprise 87.3% women and 12.7% men.
• Across all occupations, women account for 47.1%, while men represent 52.9%.

Median Annual Salary by Education

• DNP qualification records the highest median annual salary at USD 137,500.
• PhD in Nursing corresponds to a median annual salary of USD 107,520.
• Master’s degree in nursing (MSN) records a median annual salary of USD 96,000.
• Master’s degree in a non-nursing field corresponds to a median annual salary of USD 90,000.
• BSN qualification records a median annual salary of USD 82,750.
• An associate degree corresponds to a median annual salary of USD 79,500.
• Bachelor’s degree in a non-nursing field records a median annual salary of USD 75,000.
• High school education corresponds to a median annual salary of USD 65,000.
• Nursing diploma records the lowest median annual salary at USD 60,000.
• Among the nursing-specific qualifications shown, median annual salary increases from USD 60,000 for a nursing diploma to USD 137,500 for a DNP, highlighting a substantial earnings differential across education levels.

Median Annual Salary by Nursing Position

• Advanced practitioners record the highest median annual salary at USD 130,000.
• Assistant managers have a median annual salary of USD 119,500.
• Directors record a median annual salary of USD 101,900.
• Managers have a median annual salary of USD 93,600.
• Supervisors record a median annual salary of USD 90,000.
• Case managers have a median annual salary of USD 88,500.
• Educator/staff development positions record a median annual salary of USD 80,000.
• Staff nurses have a median annual salary of USD 79,500.
• Charge nurses record a median annual salary of USD 75,000.
• School nurses have the lowest median annual salary at USD 63,250.

Nursing Shortage by State

Factors Impacting the Nursing Shortage

• Entry-level baccalaureate nursing program enrollment increased by 7.6% in 2025, while enrollment in PhD nursing programs declined by 3%, marking the 11th consecutive year of decline.
• U.S. nursing schools turned away 92,672 qualified applications to baccalaureate and graduate nursing programs in 2025 due to constraints involving faculty availability, clinical sites, classroom capacity, clinical preceptors, and budgets.
• Nearly 17,000 graduate nursing applications were turned away in 2025, limiting the potential pipeline of advanced-degree nurses who can transition into nurse educator roles.
• Nursing schools recorded 1,588 full-time faculty vacancies across 1,075 institutions, alongside a need for an additional 150 faculty positions to accommodate student demand.
• The national nursing faculty vacancy rate reached 7.2%, with 80.8% of vacant positions requiring or preferring a doctoral degree.
• 24% of nurses across all license types considered leaving the profession in 2025, up from 23% in 2024.
• Higher compensation ranked as the leading factor supporting nurse retention, followed by improved work-life balance and more manageable workloads.
• 62% of nurses experienced feelings of being overwhelmed, while 53% experienced burnout, highlighting workforce pressures affecting retention.
• Limited nursing education capacity, faculty shortages, and workforce stress collectively constrain the expansion and retention of the nursing workforce.

Impact of Nursing Staffing on Patient Care

• A one-unit increase in RN hours per patient day is associated with a 2% reduction in hospital length of stay, while a 1% increase in RN skill mix reduces hospital stays by 1%.
• Increasing staffing to 9 RN hours per patient day and achieving an 80% RN skill mix could save 63,580 inpatient days annually and reduce hospital costs by USD 152.9 million.
• A 10-percentage-point reduction in RN staffing is associated with 7% higher odds of in-hospital mortality, 1% higher odds of readmission, and a 2% increase in expected hospital days, alongside lower patient satisfaction.
• Reduced RN staffing could contribute to 10,947 avoidable deaths and 5,207 avoidable readmissions annually, resulting in an estimated USD 68.5 million in additional Medicare costs.
• Insufficient staffing levels among registered nurses and nursing assistants are associated with higher mortality risk, longer hospital stays, and increased incidence of deep vein thrombosis, pneumonia, and pressure ulcers.
• Overall, the statistics demonstrate a direct relationship between adequate nursing staffing, patient outcomes, hospital efficiency, and healthcare costs.

Most Desired Benefits Among Nurses

• Bonuses remain a leading desired benefit, with 40% of American Indian and Alaska Native nurses, 35% of White nurses, and 33% of Black or African American nurses prioritizing them.
• Generation Z nurses place greater emphasis on malpractice insurance and additional unpaid or family leave compared with other generations.
• 33% of LPNs/LVNs prioritize reimbursement and paid continuing education, followed by bonuses (29%) and malpractice insurance (25%).
• Among RNs, bonuses rank as the top desired benefit at 35%, followed by malpractice insurance (21%) and profit sharing (20%).
• 20% of female nurses prioritize wellness resources, compared with 15% of male nurses.
• 33% of male nurses prioritize malpractice insurance, compared with 20% of female nurses.

Workplace Factors Positively Affecting Nurses’ Mental Health

• 66% cite strong relationships with colleagues as a positive influence on mental health.
• 63% consider positive interactions with patients and families an important contributor to mental well-being.
• 60% highlight effective and supportive leadership as a key workplace factor.
• 60% place good work-life balance among the important factors supporting mental health.
• 57% value competitive salaries and wage increases as contributors to positive mental well-being.
• 54% link positive patient outcomes with better mental health.
• 52% view helping patients improve their physical health and supporting their wellness as a positive aspect of work.
• 49% consider good employee benefits important for mental well-being.
• 48% cite manageable nurse-to-patient ratios as a factor supporting positive mental health.
• 40% value a culture of inclusion and belonging as a contributor to workplace mental well-being.

Workplace Factors Negatively Affecting Nurses’ Mental Health

• 49% cite dissatisfaction with salary or wage increase policies as a negative workplace factor.
• 48% experience the impact of unresponsive leadership on workplace mental well-being.
• 48% are affected by unmanageable nurse-to-patient ratios.
• 43% face documentation workload as a workplace challenge affecting mental health.
• 41% experience negative effects from not being heard in the workplace.
• 39% face difficulties due to consistently being unable to take regular breaks.
• 39% experience an unequal work-life balance.
• 31% are affected by negative interactions with patients and patients’ families.
• 30% experience negative or nonexistent relationships with colleagues.
• 29% face limited opportunities to provide workplace input or feedback.

Prevalence of Work-Related Stressors Among Nurses

• 62% of nurses face feeling overwhelmed, representing the highest prevalence among the listed stressors.
• 53% are affected by burnout.
• 51% face prolonged workplace stress.
• 46% are affected by compassion fatigue.
• 46% express concern over the impact of their job on mental health.
• 40% face concerns related to the impact of their job on physical health.
• 32% are affected by depression.
• 31% face feelings of isolation at work.
• 25% encounter ethical dilemmas or moral injury.
• 22% are affected by alarm fatigue, recording the lowest prevalence among the listed factors.

Key Factors Influencing Nurses’ Overall Job Satisfaction

• 74% of nurses consider regular merit increases important to overall job satisfaction, making it the leading factor.
• 63% place importance on the ability to practice to the full scope of nursing practice.
• 58% consider the manager an important factor in overall job satisfaction.
• 44% place importance on the mission of the organization.
• 43% consider advancement opportunities important to job satisfaction.
• 38% value tuition reimbursement as a contributor to overall job satisfaction.
• 26% consider overtime opportunities important, representing the lowest share among the listed factors.

Top Reasons for Leaving the Previous Nursing Position

• 53% cite better pay as a reason for leaving their previous position, making it the leading factor.
• 49% cite dissatisfaction with management as a key reason for leaving.
• 38% leave due to family, external responsibilities, or other personal circumstances.
• 38% leave for a career change within the nursing profession.
• 24% leave for a position offering lower risk to mental health.
• 23% leave for more flexible working hours.
• 22% leave for better employee benefits.
• 22% leave after switching nursing specialties.
• 21% leave to pursue a management opportunity.
• 18% leave for a position offering lower risk to physical health, representing the lowest share among the listed factors.

Top Factors Motivating Nurses to Remain in the Profession

• 59% prioritize higher pay as the leading factor supporting retention in nursing.
• 30% value better work-life balance support as an important factor for remaining in the profession.
• 28% prioritize flexible scheduling.
• 26% consider better benefits an important factor supporting continued employment in nursing.
• 21% value the ability to work in a remote role, representing the lowest share among the listed factors.

Rise of Travel Nursing and Flexible Work

• Travel nurses accounted for approximately 1% of the U.S. RN workforce before the pandemic, rising to more than 5% in 2021–2022 as hospitals addressed workforce shortages and nurse turnover.
• Travel RNs have a younger age profile, with only 13% aged over 55, compared with a median age of 50 years across the overall nursing workforce.
• 51% of RNs pursue supplemental income beyond their primary salaries, highlighting strong demand for flexible earning opportunities.
• 55% of RNs pursuing additional income work extra shifts, overtime, weekends, or holidays, providing additional coverage for workforce gaps.
• 27% generate supplemental income through preceptor roles.
• 24% take on-call shifts to supplement their earnings.
• 23% assume charge nurse responsibilities for additional income.
• 22% work a second non-nursing job as an additional income source.
• 14% supplement their income through teaching opportunities.

Specialty Distribution Among Registered Nurses (RNs), 2022 vs. 2024

• Acute care/critical care represents the largest RN specialty segment, declining from 16.5% in 2022 to 13.9% in 2024.
• Medical-surgical nursing accounted for 10.0% in 2022, decreasing to 8.8% in 2024.
• Emergency/trauma nursing declined from 8.1% in 2022 to 6.6% in 2024.
• Perioperative nursing decreased from 6.4% in 2022 to 6.1% in 2024.
• Geriatric/gerontology increased from 4.4% in 2022 to 4.8% in 2024.
• Maternal-child health/obstetrics remained stable at 4.5% in both 2022 and 2024.
• Pediatrics declined from 4.9% in 2022 to 4.3% in 2024.
• Cardiology decreased from 3.7% in 2022 to 3.4% in 2024.
• Home health increased from 3.0% in 2022 to 3.2% in 2024.
• Oncology declined from 3.3% in 2022 to 3.1% in 2024.

Primary Practice Settings of RNs and LPNs/LVNs

• 53.3% of RNs practice in hospitals, making them the primary practice setting for registered nurses.
• 26.5% of RNs fall under other practice settings, including hospice, correctional facilities, public health, dialysis centers, community health, school health services, and occupational health.
• 11.5% of RNs work in ambulatory care settings.
• 4.7% of RNs practice in nursing homes or extended-care facilities.
• 3.5% of RNs work in home health.
• 0.5% of RNs practice in assisted living facilities.
• 31.6% of LPNs/LVNs work in nursing homes or extended-care facilities, representing their largest practice setting.
• 30.8% of LPNs/LVNs fall under other practice settings.
• 11.9% of LPNs/LVNs work in hospitals.
• 10.3% of LPNs/LVNs practice in home health.
• 9.1% of LPNs/LVNs work in ambulatory care.
• 6.3% of LPNs/LVNs practice in assisted living facilities.

Most Effective Outreach Channels for Nurse Recruitment

• 49% of nurses rank email or text alerts about new job openings among the most effective recruitment channels.
• 46% favor nurse-specific career platforms as an effective channel for job opportunities.
• 41% consider direct messages from recruiters an effective recruitment approach.
• 29% rank job fairs or hiring events among the most effective outreach channels.

Nurses’ Most Recent Job Sources

• 32% of nurses secured their most recent position through online job boards, making them the leading recruitment source.
• 26% obtained their most recent position through referrals from colleagues or friends.
• 15% were recruited directly by a healthcare facility or agency.
• 14% secured their position through an internal transfer or promotion.

Median Years of Nursing Experience by Race and Ethnicity

• White nurses record a median of 23 years of nursing experience.
• Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islander nurses also record a median of 23 years.
• Asian nurses have a median of 17 years of nursing experience.
• Hispanic, Latinx, or Spanish nurses record a median of 15 years.
• Black or African American nurses have a median of 13.5 years.
• American Indian or Alaska Native nurses record the lowest median at 12 years.

Conclusion

• The nursing workforce continues to play a central role in healthcare delivery, with workforce size, educational attainment, specialization, and practice settings shaping its overall composition.
• Persistent nursing shortages, faculty constraints, workforce aging, turnover, and geographic disparities continue to influence the availability and distribution of nursing professionals.
• Compensation, career advancement, benefits, work-life balance, flexible scheduling, and supportive leadership remain key factors affecting nurse retention and job satisfaction.
• Workforce conditions such as staffing levels, workload, nurse-to-patient ratios, and workplace relationships have significant implications for nurses’ mental well-being and patient care outcomes.
• The increasing presence of advanced practice roles, travel nursing, supplemental income opportunities, and flexible work arrangements reflects the changing structure of the nursing workforce.
• Overall, the statistics highlight the importance of strengthening workforce development, improving retention, expanding nursing education capacity, maintaining adequate staffing, and supporting nurse well-being to ensure a stable and sustainable nursing workforce.