Nursing is a field full of opportunity, with impressive projected job growth combined with a need for skilled professionals to address an ongoing staffing shortage. From registered nurses (RNs) to licensed practical or vocational nurses (LPNs/LVNs), and from nurse practitioners (NPs) to nurse anesthetists, nurses are the backbone of the healthcare industry. We’ve gathered 60 statistics that reveal surprising truths about the demographics of nurses, job satisfaction, average salaries, the nursing shortage, COVID’s impact on the profession, and nursing education. These key nursing stats and trends—detailed in eye-catching infographics—reveal the realities of American nursing in 2021.
Section 2 Nursing Satisfaction Statistics
Section 3 Nursing Salary Statistics
Section 4 Nursing Shortage Statistics
Section 5 Nursing Injury Statistics
Section 6 Nurses and COVID-19 Statistics
Section 7 Current Trends in Nursing
Section 8 Statistics on Nursing Students
Section 9 Trends in Nursing Education
Nursing Demographics in 2021
Let’s start with a statistical look at the people who work in nursing, one of the country’s most populous professions.
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There are almost 4.2 million RNs and 950,000 LPNs/LVNs in the United States.
2020 National Nursing Workforce Survey
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Over 325,000 nurse practitioners (NPs) are licensed in the United States.
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There are 4x as many nurses in the United States as there are physicians.
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Nursing careers make up the largest portion of America’s healthcare professions.
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The median age of a registered nurse is 52 years old.
2020 National Nursing Workforce Survey
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The RN workforce is:
81% Caucasian7.2% Asian6% Black5.6% Hispanic
2020 National Nursing Workforce Survey
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9.4% of the RN and 8.1% of the LPN/LVN workforce are men.
2020 National Nursing Workforce Survey
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The LPN/LVN workforce is:
69.5% Caucasian5% Asian17.2% Black10% Hispanic
2020 National Nursing Workforce Survey
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The number of male nurses has tripled over the past 50 years.
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In the Pacific region of the U.S., 30.5% of nurses are people of color, the largest percentage in the country.
Nursing Satisfaction Statistics
Nursing is a well-respected profession that requires dedication, ethics, and compassion. Here, we examine how nurses feel about their profession, as well as how American society perceives nurses.
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In Gallup polls, nurses have been identified as the most honest and ethical professionals for the past 19 years.
They won 89% of the vote in 2020.
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The job of nurse practitioner is ranked #3 on U.S. News & World Report’s 2021 Best Jobs list.
U.S. News and World Report, Jan. 2021
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Between 93% and 98% of all nurses are happy they chose a career in nursing.
Medscape Nurse Career Satisfaction Report, 2020
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If they had to do it over again, 85% of nurses say they would still choose their current career.
American Nurse Journal, Nov. 2020
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17.5% of new nurses leave their first job within 1 year.
Policy, Politics and Nursing Practice, Nov. 2014
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Registered nurse is ranked #14 and nurse anesthetist is ranked #15 on U.S. News & World Report’s 2021 Best Healthcare Jobs list.
U.S. News and World Report, Jan. 2021
Nursing Salary Statistics
Knowing the potential financial benefits and job opportunities available can be a powerful motivator for beginning a nursing career.
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The median annual salary for registered nurses in 2020 was $75,330.
Bureau of Labor Statistics, June 2021
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The median annual salary for LPN/LVN was $48,820 in 2020.
Bureau of Labor Statistics, April 2021
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Advanced practice nurses (including NPs, nurse anesthetists, and nurse midwives) earned a median annual salary of $117,670 in 2020.
Bureau of Labor Statistics, June 2021
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Registered nursing is one of the highest-paying large occupations.
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There are over 3 million open nursing jobs in the United States, with a projected growth of 7% between 2019 and 2029.
Bureau of Labor Statistics, June 2021
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60% of RNs work in hospitals, with 18% in ambulatory care, 7% in nursing and residential care facilities, 5% in government, and 3% in educational services.
Bureau of Labor Statistics, June 2021
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Registered nursing is the 4th most in-demand profession in the American workforce today.
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64.9% of currently employed RNs and 65.7% of LPNs/LVNs work in nursing full-time.
2020 National Nursing Workforce Survey
Nursing Shortage Statistics
The current nursing shortage is a major factor in understanding the state of American healthcare.
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1.1 million nurses are needed by 2022 to address the current nursing shortage.
American Nurses Association, n.d.
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More than 85% of California hospitals report that demand for RNs is greater than supply.
University of California at San Francisco, 2020
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The nursing shortage is due in part to the rapid 73% increase of the 65+ population, which grew from 41 million in 2011 to 71 million in 2019.
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Retiring nurses also means retiring nursing faculty, translating to fewer nurses being trained to fill in the gaps.
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More than 1/5 of all nurses plan to retire within the next 5 years.
2020 National Nursing Workforce Survey
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Nursing shortages can lead to errors, higher morbidity, and higher mortality rates.
Nursing Injuries Statistics
Nurses spend many hours on their feet and are exposed to potentially harmful health risks, which can lead to injuries on the job.
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In 2019, RNs experienced 20,150 incidences of nonfatal injuries or illnesses.
Bureau of Labor Statistics, Nov. 2020
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In 2016, 74% of RNs’ nonfatal workplace injuries and illnesses happened in hospitals.
Bureau of Labor Statistics, Nov. 2018