Like most segments of the economy, the nursing industry changes based on the country’s socioeconomics. Key issues include the aging U.S. population, the student-loan crisis and concerns about the future of key entitlement programs. But such concerns are shared by recent graduates in all industries.
More specific to nursing professionals are the various day-to-day demands placed on them, such as mandatory overtime, overstaffing, unionization and disrespectful behavior by patients. Despite those challenges, however, aspiring nurses have much to look forward to upon certification. Nursing occupations are some of the most lucrative careers with the lowest unemployment rates in the U.S. In fact, the industry is expected to grow at more than double the rate of the average occupation through 2026.
With such bright projections, 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 and the District of Columbia across 21 key metrics that collectively speak to the nursing-job opportunities in each market. Below, you can check out our findings, commentary from a panel of experts and a complete description of our methodology.
