Which are the BEST & WORST States for Nursing Practice?

The nursing industry – like most segments of the economy – is in a state of significant transition under the weight of major overarching socioeconomic dynamics, from the aging U.S. population and the Affordable Care Act to the student loan crisis and concerns about the future of key entitlement programs. It’s therefore understandable if recent nursing school grads aren’t sure where to turn once they receive their diploma.

That concern is not unique among recent graduates, regardless of industry, but both the magnitude of the issue – the nursing industry is expected to grow far faster than the average occupation through 2022 – and the various day-to-day demands placed on nursing professionals – from overstaffing and mandatory overtime to unionization and allegations of systematic disrespect – are indeed profession-specific. With that in mind, WalletHub decided to take stock of the nursing industry in order to help nurses, particularly the newly minted of the bunch, lay down roots in areas that are conducive to both personal and professional success.

We compared the 50 states and the District of Columbia in terms of 15 key metrics that collectively speak to the job opportunities that exist for nurses in each market, how much competition there is for each position, differences in the workplace environment, and projections for the future. You can check out our findings as well as the methodology we used to conduct this report and expert commentary on the state of the nursing industry below.

The TEN BEST & TEN WORST States for Nursing Practice: Where’s YOUR state?

 

Overall Rank	State Name	Opportunity Rank	Competition Rank	Work Environment Rank
1	Oregon	2	5	1
2	Washington	4	6	12
3	South Dakota	1	17	15
4	Arizona	9	4	22
5	New Mexico	20	3	28
6	Alaska	37	1	5
7	Wyoming	22	2	42
8	Minnesota	5	47	1
9	Texas	8	11	36
10	Maryland	30	10	20
11	Nebraska	6	29	13
12	Colorado	24	14	29
13	California	11	25	25
14	North Dakota	23	28	7
15	Maine	28	15	20
16	Idaho	31	19	15
T-17	Kansas	18	24	23
T-17	Montana	21	19	30
19	Massachusetts	29	29	6
20	North Carolina	7	27	39
21	Florida	17	21	39
22	Wisconsin	15	36	11
23	Ohio	3	48	19
24	Oklahoma	32	8	45
25	Connecticut	34	32	4
26	South Carolina	16	26	43
27	Iowa	13	38	24
28	New Hampshire	48	9	9
29	Pennsylvania	14	36	26
30	Virginia	25	18	48
31	Indiana	12	35	34
32	Vermont	49	11	10
33	Michigan	26	34	31
34	Nevada	44	11	38
35	Missouri	10	45	35
36	Hawaii	50	7	32
37	Rhode Island	45	41	3
38	Illinois	35	31	27
39	New York	36	40	17
40	Utah	43	16	44
41	New Jersey	51	22	17
42	District of Columbia	39	39	14
43	Delaware	42	44	8
44	Arkansas	38	33	33
45	Georgia	33	22	51
46	Kentucky	19	51	39
47	West Virginia	27	50	47
48	Tennessee	40	43	46
49	Alabama	46	49	37
50	Louisiana	41	45	50
51	Mississippi	47	42	49

 

Which states are the Best & Worst for Nursing Practice?
Where is YOUR state on the spectrum?

Methodology

WalletHub took 15 key metrics into account in assessing the relative activeness of the 50 states and the District of Columbia to nurses. In doing so, we considered trends both short- and long-term related to the employment opportunities that exist in each state, the quality of the jobs that are available, the amount of competition that does and will exist in the local job market, and the nature of the workplace environment in which nurses operate.

You can check out the metrics as well as the corresponding weights we used to construct our overall rankings below. The three categories under which the metrics are listed were used for organizational purposes only and did not factor in to our overall rankings.

Opportunity

• Monthly Median Starting Salary for Nurses, Adjusted for Cost of Living: 0.5
• Average Annual Salary for Nurses, Adjusted for Cost of Living: 1
• Number of Health Care Facilities per Capita: 1
• Medically Underserved Areas: 1
• Projected Percentage of the Population Over 65 (2030): 0.5
• Nursing Schools Rank: 1

Competition

• Nursing Job Openings per Capita: 1
• Number of Nurses per Capita: 0.5
• Projected Number of Nurses per Capita (2020): 1
• Unemployment Rate: 0.5

Work Environment

• Mandatory Overtime Restrictions: 1
• States with the Largest Share of the Best Nursing Homes: 0.5
• Best States for Working Moms Rank: 0.5
• Average Number of Hours Worked: 0.5
• Average Commute Time: 0.5

Source: Data used to create these rankings is courtesy of the U.S. Census Bureau, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, the Missouri Economic Research & Information Center, Indeed.com, the US Department of Health and Human Services Health Resources and Services Administration, U.S. News & World Report, the American Nurses Association and WalletHub research.

About the author:
John Kiernan is Senior Writer & Editor at Evolution Finance. He graduated from the University of Maryland with a BA in Journalism, a minor in Sport Commerce & Culture, and the University Honors Citation. His previous work experience includes USA TODAY and The Washington Post. Mr. Kiernan is a Washington, D.C. native and an avid fan of the Nats, Skins, Caps and Wizards. His favorite activities are golf and surfing.

About the research:
We included the following nurses credentials: Registered Nurses, Licensed Practical and Licensed Vocational Nurses, Nurse Anesthetists, Nurse Midwives and Nurse Practitioners.

Interactive Map

ref: http://wallethub.com/edu/best-states-for-nurses/4041/