Nurses are in high demand in 2022 and facing more pressures than ever from the COVID-19 pandemic. Nurses have faced numerous challenges throughout the pandemic, including critical shortages of respirators, surgical masks, gloves, gowns and other necessary protective treatment.
Fortunately, with such high demand, nurses are being compensated well generally, with a mean annual wage of around $80,000 and some of the lowest unemployment rates in the U.S. However, not all states are equal when it comes to the best places to work as a nurse. WalletHub ranked the best and worst states for nurses this year based on two dimensions–– opportunity and competition and work environment.
Here are the top 10 best states for nurses:
- Washington
- Maine
- New Mexico
- Minnesota
- New Hampshire
- Oregon
- Arizona
- Montana
- Rhode Island
- Connecticut
Despite being No. 1 on the list, Washington did not have the highest wages. That honor went to Michigan, which had the highest annual nursing salary when adjusted for cost of living, followed by Minnesota, Missouri, Nevada and Arizona. Nevada, Arizona, Alaska, Washington and Utah were predicted to have the lowest competition by 2028, while North Dakota, New Hampshire and Maine had the most job openings per capita.
With demand so high, many healthcare organizations are facing nursing shortages and are forced to hire COVID-19-specific travel nurses, who typically can earn much higher wages. To combat the shortage, experts suggest healthcare organizations develop robust recruitment efforts with nursing schools and offer generous wages.
“Right now, coming out of the pandemic and with the concern of the potential of BA.2 Omicron variant, the nursing workforce is overwhelmed and the shortage that was anticipated is worsened from the burnout from caring for COVID-19 patients," said Pamela B. de Cordova, PhD, RN-BC, associate professor at Rutgers, the State University of New Jersey, School of Nursing. "The shortage is not only on the clinical side but also concerns faculty who teach the next generation. Specific interventions include investing in nurse residency grants to allow for a 12-month transition for new graduates and providing financial incentives for experienced nurses that serve as preceptors in high need areas for registered nurses and advanced practice nurses."
Here are the 10 worst states for nurses, as ranked by WalletHub:
- Oklahoma
- Alabama
- Hawaii
- Arkansas
- Mississippi
- Louisiana
- Tennessee
- South Carolina
- Georgia
- Kansas
Amy joined TriMed Media as a Senior Writer for HealthExec after covering home care for three years. When not writing about all things healthcare, she fulfills her lifelong dream of becoming a pirate by sailing in regattas and enjoying rum. Fun fact: she sailed 333 miles across Lake Michigan in the Chicago Yacht Club "Race to Mackinac."