Registered Nurses
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Overview
Assess patient health problems and needs, develop and implement nursing care plans, and maintain medical records. Administer nursing care to ill, injured, convalescent, or disabled patients. May advise patients on health maintenance and disease prevention or provide case management. Licensing or registration required. Includes Clinical Nurse Specialists.
Highlights
Undergraduate program resulting in the highest median salary ($69K): Multidisciplinary or General Science
Largest undergraduate program (73.1% of workers): Nursing
Explore Pathways
Titles for this career often contain these words
NurseRegisteredCareRNSpecialistHealthClinicalUnitPsychiatricIntensiveStaffRoomCriticalMentalAnesthesiaICUEmergencyPediatricPostPractitionerPracticePACUAdultAdvancedCardiacDeliveryDutyNeonatalOncologyPublicTriageOperatingChargeConsultantDialysisIndustrialLaborSurgicalNursingOBObstetricsScrubTelemetryTraumaAcutePsychotherapistCCUCommunityDepartmentEndoscopyHomeMedicalMedSurgReceptionistOccupationalORPrivateProgressiveCaseManagerResourceTeamTravelAdmissionAPNProviderAssociateChiefBurnCenterCatheterizationLaboratoryCardiologyTransitionsCentralSupplyCertifiedCNORInterventionalChronicConditionCirculatingConsultingCoronaryCountyCCRNDischargePlannerDoctorERFamilyFieldFlightForensicGeneralGeneticsGeriatricGerontologicalHeadHospiceInfectionControlLegalMaternitySurgeryNICUNephrologyNeuroscienceAnesthetistClinicianCoordinatorEducatorTechnicianResearcherGYNGynecologyObstetricalPerianesthesiaPerinatalPerioperativePhysicalTherapyPreceptorPrenatalPMHPrimaryPHNQualityManagementRecoveryReliefBSNBachelorScienceinSchoolScreeningSpecialStepDownStudentSupervisingSupervisorTelephoneTransverseAbdominalMuscleTRAMTravelingRegisterVascularVisitingWardRay
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Responsibilities and activities

Registered nurses typically do the following:

  • Assess patients’ conditions
  • Record patients’ medical histories and symptoms
  • Observe patients and record the observations
  • Administer patients’ medicines and treatments
  • Set up plans for patients’ care or contribute information to existing plans
  • Consult and collaborate with doctors and other healthcare professionals
  • Operate and monitor medical equipment
  • Help perform diagnostic tests and analyze the results
  • Teach patients and their families how to manage illnesses or injuries
  • Explain what to do at home after treatment

Most registered nurses work as part of a team with physicians and other healthcare specialists. Some registered nurses oversee licensed practical nurses, nursing assistants, and home health aides.

Registered nurses’ duties and titles often depend on where they work and the patients they work with. For example, an oncology nurse works with cancer patients and a geriatric nurse works with elderly patients. Some registered nurses combine one or more areas of practice. For example, a pediatric oncology nurse works with children and teens who have cancer.

Many possibilities exist for working with specific patient groups. The following list includes some examples:

Addiction nurses care for patients who need help to overcome addictions to alcohol, drugs, and other substances.

Cardiovascular nurses care for patients who have heart disease or heart conditions and people who have had heart surgery.

Critical care nurses work in intensive-care units in hospitals, providing care to patients with serious, complex, and acute illnesses and injuries that need close monitoring and treatment.

Genetics nurses provide screening, counseling, and treatment for patients with genetic disorders, such as cystic fibrosis.

Neonatal nurses take care of newborn babies who have health issues.

Nephrology nurses care for patients who have kidney-related health issues stemming from diabetes, high blood pressure, substance abuse, or other causes.

Public health nurses promote public health by educating people on warning signs and symptoms of disease or managing chronic health conditions. They may also run health screenings, immunization clinics, blood drives, or other community outreach programs.

Rehabilitation nurses care for patients who have temporary or permanent disabilities or have chronic illnesses.

Some nurses do not work directly with patients, but they must still have an active registered nurse license. For example, they may work as nurse educators, healthcare consultants, or hospital administrators.

Clinical nurse specialists (CNSs) are a type of advanced practice registered nurse (APRN). They provide direct patient care in one of many nursing specialties, such as psychiatric-mental health or pediatrics. CNSs also provide indirect care by working with other nurses and medical staff to improve the quality of care that patients receive. They often serve in leadership roles and may educate and advise other nursing staff. CNSs also may conduct research and may advocate for certain policies.

Salary
Median salary: $75,330 annually
Half of those employed in this career earn between $61,630 and $93,590.
$75K$0$20K$40K$60K$80K$100K$120K
Context: Median Salary
How do salaries for this career compare to other jobs' salaries?
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Salary growth for registered nurses
Is this job likely to reward you for sticking with it through pay raises and promotions? The higher a job’s “experience quotient,” the more you are likely to get as you stay there.
Experience quotient percentile
Take a minute to look at how much you might expect your salary to increase with each five years' experience, as well as how the numbers working at each age change. Does this seem to be a job for the young or the old, or could it be a career offering steady salary growth for many years?
Salary distribution
$54K$74K$64K$73K$60K$68K$71K$42K$75K$0$20K$40K$60K$80K$100K$120K20-2425-2930-3435-3940-4445-4950-5455-5960-64
Number employed
0100K200K300K400K20-2425-2930-3435-3940-4445-4950-5455-5960-64
About Registered Nurses
How do benefits for this career compare to other jobs? The availability of health care, especially employer provided health care, and pension plans can add significantly to the value of compensation you receive in a career. These charts compare how this career compares to other careers with regard to health care and pension plans.
Employee has health insurance
Employer is providing health insurance
Employer-provided pension plan is available
Worker concerns
Some jobs are more stressful than others, and some are just plain dangerous. The following list gives the percentages of registered nurses who report hazardous or difficult situations typically occurring at least once a week.
  • Exposed to Disease or Infections (94%)
  • Consequence of Error (79%)
  • Time Pressure (74%)
  • Unpleasant or Angry People (73%)
  • Responsible for Others' Health (63%)
  • High Conflict Frequency (62%)
  • Exposed to Contaminants (43%)
SOURCES:
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Personality and skills
Can you see yourself in the ranks of Registered Nurses? Here are the skills and traits that could lead to success.
Critical-thinking skills
Registered nurses must assess changes in the health status of patients, such as determining when to take corrective action.
Communication skills
Registered nurses must be able to communicate effectively with patients in order to understand their concerns and evaluate their health conditions. Nurses need to clearly explain instructions, such as how to take medication. They must work in teams with other health professionals and communicate patients’ needs.
Compassion
Registered nurses should be caring and empathetic when working with patients.
Detail oriented
Registered nurses must be precise because they must ensure that patients get the correct treatments and medicines at the right time.
Emotional stability
Registered nurses need emotional resilience and the ability to cope with human suffering, emergencies, and other stressors.
Organizational skills
Nurses often work with multiple patients who have a variety of health needs. The ability to coordinate numerous treatment plans and records is critical to ensure that each patient receives appropriate care.
Physical stamina
Nurses should be comfortable performing physical tasks, such as lifting patients. They may be on their feet for most of their shift.
Injury and Illness
About 102 registered nurses become injured or ill for every 10,000 workers, making this job more dangerous than 81% of other careers. The most common specific illnesses or injuries are detailed following.
Carpal tunnel syndrome
Heat (thermal) burns
All multiple traumatic injuries
Education pathways to this career
Education attained by registered nurses
According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), registered nurses typically hold a bachelor's degree.
Sometimes the typical education identified by the BLS differs a bit from the reality of the how much education current workers actually have. The donut shows the education level held by people currently working as registered nurses as reported in responses to the American Community Survey.
Details: Education and training recommended for registered nurses

Nursing education programs usually include courses in anatomy, physiology, microbiology psychology, and other social and behavioral sciences, as well as in liberal arts. Bachelor of science in nursing (BSN) degree programs typically take 4 years to complete; associate’s degree in nursing (ADN), associate of science in nursing (ASN) degree, and diploma programs usually take 2 to 3 years to complete. Diploma programs are typically offered by hospitals or medical centers, and there are far fewer diploma programs than there are BSN, ADN, and ASN programs. All programs include supervised clinical experience.

Bachelor’s degree programs usually include additional education in physical and social sciences, communication, leadership, and critical thinking. A bachelor’s or higher degree is often necessary for administrative positions, research, consulting, and teaching.

Generally, licensed graduates of any of the three types of education programs (bachelor’s, associate’s, or diploma) qualify for entry-level positions as a staff nurse. However, employers—particularly those in hospitals—may require a bachelor’s degree.

Registered nurses with an ADN, ASN, or diploma may go back to school to earn a bachelor’s degree through an RN-to-BSN program. There are also master’s degree programs in nursing, combined bachelor’s and master’s programs, and accelerated programs for those who wish to enter the field of nursing and already hold a bachelor’s degree in another field. Some employers offer tuition reimbursement.

Clinical nurse specialists (CNSs) must earn a master’s degree in nursing and typically already have 1 year or more of work experience as an RN or in a related field. CNSs who conduct research typically need a doctoral degree.

Details: Licensing and certification recommended for registered nurses

Registered nurses must have a nursing license issued by the state in which they work. To become licensed, nurses must graduate from an approved nursing program and pass the National Council Licensure Examination (NCLEX-RN).

Other requirements for licensing, such as passing a criminal background check, vary by state. Each state’s board of nursing provides specific requirements. For more information on the NCLEX-RN and a list of state boards of nursing, visit the National Council of State Boards of Nursing.

Nurses may become certified through professional associations in specific areas, such as ambulatory care, gerontology, or pediatrics. Although certification is usually voluntary, it demonstrates adherence to a specific level of competency, and some employers require it.

In addition, registered nursing positions may require cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR), basic life support (BLS), or advanced cardiac life support (ACLS) certification.

CNSs must satisfy additional state licensing requirements, such as earning specialty certifications. Contact state boards of nursing for specific requirements.

Education level of Registered Nurses
About 62% of registered nurses have at least a bachelor's degree.
Education attained by registered nurses
None
High School
Some College
Associate's Degree
Bachelor's Degree
Master's Degree
Professional Degree
Doctorate
Top college degrees
Here are the top college degrees held by the 61% of people in this job who have at least a bachelor's degree. Some of degrees may link to multiple programs due to the way Census classifies college majors. Click on a program to learn more about career opportunities for people who major in that field.
  1. Nursing
  2. Biology
  3. Psychology
  4. Business Management and Administration
  5. Business/Commerce
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College majors held by registered nurses
This table shows the college majors held by people working as registered nurses. If you see "**" before the name of a degree/program, that means this field is one that the Department of Education believes is preparatory for this career. However, you can see from this list that those recommendations are far from your only path to this job!
Salary comparison for bachelor's only
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Career salary (tail) versus Career/Major salary (dot)
Does the bachelor's-only salary rise or fall with this major?
$51K$74K
Salary for bachelor's-only
For people with this career and major
Median
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Salary for all workers
For people with this career and major
Median
Middle 50%
Middle 80%
Education for Career and Major
Bachelor's
Master's
Professional
Doctorate
Workers with this career/major
Percentage in this career with this major
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The link between degrees and this career
With the following sankey diagram, you can follow the top ten bachelor's degrees held by people working as registered nurses, and then, in turn, you can see the 10 occupations that hire the most of each degree's graduates. We hope this provides ideas for similar jobs and similar fields of study.
Expand degrees
NursingBiologyPsychologyBusiness Management ...General BusinessMultidisciplinary or...General EducationPhysical Fitness, Pa...English Language and...General Medical and ...All other degreesThis jobTop 10 majors
Where are the jobs
State-by-state employment numbers
Some careers tend to be centered in specific parts of the country. For example, most jobs in fashion are in New York or California. Let's see if your dream job is easy to find in your dream location! We have a few choices for viewing the data that can help you get a full employment picture.
Select a state to see local area details
Number of Registered Nurses per 1,000 workers (ACS)
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Job density versus job count
Which states hire the most registered nurses? We wonder if that's a fair question since states come in all sizes, so instead let's start with the question of which states have the highest density of people working as registered nurses. You can choose to view the number of jobs per state if you prefer.
Salaries by state
Let's get a feel for where registered nurses earn the highest salaries. There are several choices for which data we consider and how we view that data, and each can lead to different conclusions, so please read on...
Median salary versus state ratio
We use two methods to compare salaries across states:
  • In-state comparisons: the ratio of median (middle) salaries for registered nurses compared to the median salary for all people working in each state, or
  • Median salary: the unaltered median salaries for registered nurses.
We hope the ratio allows perspective about how salaries may compare to the regional cost-of-living.
The darkest shading corresponds to states in which registered nurses earn the highest salary when compared to other jobs in the state. We think this figure might be a better indicator than the actual salary for your buying power as a state resident.
Select a state to see local area details
Location-adjusted median salary for Registered Nurses (ACS)
AKMEWIVTNHWAIDMTNDMNILMINYMAORUTWYSDIAINOHPANJCTRICANVCONEMOKYWVVAMDDEAZNMKSARTNNCSCDCOKLAMSALGAHITXFLPR
Employment
19% of Registered nurses are working part time.
We’ve found that some jobs have a huge number of part-time workers, and typically that is because they are unable to find full-time work or the job itself can’t provide full-time hours. With 19% part-time workers, this occupation has a higher percentage of part-time workers than 65% of careers.
19%0%20%40%60%80%100%
Employer types
This donut shares the break-down of workers by employer type, giving us a picture of what employers most typically hire for this career.
Employers of undefined (ACS)
Private for-profit
Private not-for-profit
Local government
State government
Federal government
Self-employed incorporated
Self-employed not incorporated
Working without pay
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Distribution: Salaries of registered nurses by type of employer
Here are the salary distributions based on employer type.
$65K$68K$63K$65K$63K$78K$66K$53K$0$50,000$100,000$150,000Self-employed not incorporatedSelf-employed incorporatedFederal governmentState governmentLocal governmentPrivate not-for-profitPrivate for-profitAll
Gender
Registered nurses and gender
With 88% women, this occupation has a higher percentage of women than 96% of careers.
Gender of Registered nurses
Men (12%)
Women (88%)
Distribution: salaries by gender
Does gender greatly influence your salary in this career? The closer the bars are, the less discrepancy there is.
$64K$70K$0$100K$200K$300KWomenMen
We only include salary data when the survey error is less than 20%, so you may see only partial information for some categories.
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Context: Women in the workforce
How does this career compare to other careers with regard to the percentage of women in the career.
88%0%20%40%60%80%100%
Context: Salary inequity
The median salary for all full-time male workers in the US exceeds the full-time median salary for women by 19%. The situation is a little better for registered nurses, with the median salary for men 9% higher than the median salary for women.
9%0%20%40%60%80%100%
Race/Origin
Race and origin of Registered nurses
This donut shows the distribution of race and origin among those employed as Registered nurses.
Race/origin of registered nurses
White (73% )
Black (12% )
Asian (10% )
Multiracial (2% )
Other (2% )
Hispanic (1% )
American Indian (0% )
Pacific Islander (0% )
Distribution: salaries by race/origin
Some careers might have a pay disparity based on race or origin, the closer the below bars are the less of a discrepancy is present.
$58K$62K$62K$63K$64K$66K$70K$80K$0$50K$100K$150KOtherHispanicAmerican IndianBlackWhiteMultiracialPacific IslanderAsian
We only include salary data when the survey error is less than 20%, so you may see only partial information for some categories.