2020’s Best & Worst States for Nurses – Oregon Ranked #1 for Best States for Nurses

The U.S. has gained a profound appreciation for nurses during the coronavirus pandemic, as they risk their lives every day to minimize the spread of the disease. That situation is made even more difficult by critical shortages of respirators, surgical masks, gloves, gowns and other necessary protective treatment. It’s more important now than ever for states to step up and make sure that nurses are properly equipped to do their jobs and have the best work environment possible.

Despite the stresses of the occupation, nurses are generally well-rewarded for their life-saving work. Nursing occupations are some of the most lucrative careers, with a mean annual wage of over $75,000 and some of 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 2028.

In light of the current crisis and the industry’s projections for the future, 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 across 22 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.

1MAIN FINDINGS
2ASK THE EXPERTS
3METHODOLOGY

 Best Places to Work as a Nurse

Overall Rank
(1=Best)		 State Total Score ‘Opportunity & Competition’ Rank ‘Work Environment’ Rank
1 Oregon 58.15 13 3
2 Washington 57.98 6 5
3 New Mexico 57.88 3 22
4 Minnesota 56.86 32 1
5 Nevada 56.76 1 34
6 Wyoming 55.71 2 36
7 Montana 55.48 4 29
8 Maine 55.18 25 4
9 Arizona 53.97 9 21
10 Texas 53.53 8 25
11 Idaho 53.39 17 12
12 Iowa 52.50 11 30
13 New Hampshire 52.05 44 2
14 Wisconsin 52.03 14 24
15 Alaska 51.90 29 9
16 Connecticut 51.73 33 8
17 North Dakota 51.15 26 17
18 Rhode Island 51.06 39 6
19 Missouri 50.93 21 23
20 Colorado 50.88 38 7
21 California 50.74 28 18
22 Florida 50.01 5 47
23 Kansas 49.56 24 28
24 Indiana 49.36 15 35
25 West Virginia 49.36 18 32
26 Michigan 49.28 7 44
27 Pennsylvania 49.21 35 16
28 South Dakota 49.15 40 13
29 Illinois 48.80 41 11
30 Arkansas 48.48 12 41
31 Nebraska 48.27 42 14
32 Utah 48.23 30 27
33 Georgia 47.46 10 48
34 Virginia 47.31 16 43
35 South Carolina 47.23 22 38
36 North Carolina 46.85 19 42
37 Kentucky 46.39 27 37
38 Delaware 46.19 49 10
39 Massachusetts 46.17 45 20
40 Maryland 46.16 46 15
41 Mississippi 45.77 23 45
42 Tennessee 45.71 34 33
43 New Jersey 45.38 48 19
44 Ohio 44.94 20 49
45 Vermont 44.21 47 26
46 Oklahoma 43.83 36 40
47 Alabama 42.78 37 46
48 Hawaii 42.19 43 39
49 Louisiana 41.86 31 50
50 New York 39.55 50 31

Sources: Data used to create this ranking were collected from the U.S. Census Bureau, Bureau of Labor Statistics, Council for Community and Economic Research, HRSA Data Warehouse, Center on Education and the Workforce, Indeed.com, National Council of State Boards of Nursing, Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, U.S. News & World Report, Projections Central – State Occupational Projections, Nurse.org, Wage//Advocates, American Association of Nurse Practitioners and WalletHub research.

 

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