Registered Nurses
Career, Salary and Education Information
What They Do: Registered nurses provide and coordinate patient care, educate patients and the public about various health conditions.
Work Environment: Registered nurses work in hospitals, physicians' offices, home healthcare services, and nursing care facilities. Others work in outpatient clinics and schools, or serve in the military.
How to Become One: Registered nurses usually take one of three education paths: a Bachelor of Science degree in nursing, an associate's degree in nursing, or a diploma from an approved nursing program. Registered nurses must be licensed.
Salary: The median annual wage for registered nurses is $77,600.
Job Outlook: Employment of registered nurses is projected to grow 6 percent over the next ten years, about as fast as the average for all occupations.
Related Careers: Compare the job duties, education, job growth, and pay of registered nurses with similar occupations.
Following is everything you need to know about a career as a registered nurse with lots of details. As a first step, take a look at some of the following jobs, which are real jobs with real employers. You will be able to see the very real job career requirements for employers who are actively hiring. The link will open in a new tab so that you can come back to this page to continue reading about the career:
Top 3 Registered Nurse Jobs
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Travel Nurse RN - Pediatrics - $1,972 per week
- Magnet Medical
- Omaha, NE
Magnet Medical is seeking a travel nurse RN Pediatrics for a travel nursing job in Omaha, Nebraska. Job Description & Requirements * Specialty: Pediatrics * Discipline: RN * Start Date: 12/30/2024
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Travel Nurse RN - DOU - Direct Observation Unit - $2,292 per week
- Ardor Health Solutions
- Los Angeles, CA
Discipline: RN * Start Date: 01/13/2025 * Duration: 8 weeks * 36 hours per week * Shift: 12 hours, nights * Employment Type: Travel * Location: TARZANA, CA * Setting: Hospital * Employment Type
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Travel Nurse RN - Pediatrics - $1,542 per week
- Skyline Med Staff Nursing
- Winston-Salem, NC
Discipline: RN * Start Date: 12/30/2024 * Duration: 13 weeks * 36 hours per week * Shift: 12 hours, nights * Employment Type: Travel Weekly amount stated in job postings is an estimate based on ...
What Registered Nurses Do[About this section] [To Top]
Registered nurses (RNs) provide and coordinate patient care, educate patients and the public about various health conditions, and provide advice and emotional support to patients and their family members.
Duties of Registered Nurses
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 may work with cancer patients or a geriatric nurse may work 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 for working with specific patient groups exist. The following list includes just a few examples:
Addiction nurses care for patients who need help to overcome addictions to alcohol, drugs, and other substances.
Cardiovascular nurses care for patients with heart disease 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 very close monitoring and treatment.
Genetics nurses provide screening, counseling, and treatment for patients with genetic disorders, such as cystic fibrosis.
Neonatology nurses take care of newborn babies.
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 with temporary or permanent disabilities.
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, public policy advisors, researchers, hospital administrators, salespeople for pharmaceutical and medical supply companies, or as medical writers and editors.
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 various other 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.
Work Environment for Registered Nurses[About this section] [To Top]
Registered nurses hold about 3.1 million jobs. The largest employers of registered nurses are as follows:
| Hospitals; state, local, and private | 60% |
| Ambulatory healthcare services | 18% |
| Nursing and residential care facilities | 6% |
| Government | 6% |
| Educational services; state, local, and private | 3% |
Ambulatory healthcare services includes industries such as physicians' offices, home healthcare, and outpatient care centers. In addition, some nurses serve in the military. Nurses who work in home health travel to patients' homes, while public health nurses may travel to community centers, schools, and other sites.
Some nurses move frequently, traveling in the United States and throughout the world to help care for patients in places where there are not enough healthcare workers.
Injuries and Illnesses for Registered Nurses
Registered nurses may spend a lot of time walking, bending, stretching, and standing. They are vulnerable to back injuries because they often must lift and move patients.
The work of registered nurses may put them in close contact with people who have infectious diseases, and they frequently come into contact with potentially harmful and hazardous drugs and other substances. Therefore, registered nurses must follow strict guidelines to guard against diseases and other dangers, such as accidental needle sticks and exposure to radiation or to chemicals used in creating a sterile environment.
Registered Nurse Work Schedules
Nurses who work in hospitals and nursing care facilities usually work in shifts to provide round-the-clock coverage. They may work nights, weekends, and holidays. They may be on call, which means that they are on duty and must be available to work on short notice.
Nurses who work in offices, schools, and other places that do not provide 24-hour care are more likely to work regular business hours.
How to Become a Registered Nurse[About this section] [To Top]
Get the education you need: Find schools for Registered Nurses near you!
Registered nurses usually take one of three education paths: a Bachelor of Science degree in nursing (BSN), an associate's degree in nursing (ADN), or a diploma from an approved nursing program. Registered nurses must be licensed.
Education for Registered Nurses
In all nursing education programs, students take courses in anatomy, physiology, microbiology, chemistry, nutrition, psychology, and other social and behavioral sciences, as well as in liberal arts. BSN programs typically take 4 years to complete; ADN 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 and ADN programs. All programs include supervised clinical experience.
Bachelor's degree programs usually include additional education in the physical and social sciences, communication, leadership, and critical thinking. These programs also offer more clinical experience in nonhospital settings. A bachelor's degree or higher 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 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 nursing profession 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 or more years of work experience as an RN or in a related field. CNSs who conduct research typically need a doctoral degree.
Licenses, Certifications, and Registrations for Registered Nurses
In all states, the District of Columbia, and U.S. territories, registered nurses must have a nursing license. 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, and pediatrics, among others. Although certification is usually voluntary, it demonstrates adherence to a higher standard, and some employers require it.
In addition, registered nursing positions may require certification in cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR), basic life support (BLS) certification, and/or advanced cardiac life support (ACLS).
CNSs must satisfy additional state licensing requirements, such as earning specialty certifications. Contact state boards of nursing for specific requirements.
Important Qualities for Registered Nurses
Critical-thinking skills. Registered nurses must assess changes in the health status of patients, such as determining when to take corrective action and when to make referrals.
Communication skills. Registered nurses must be able to communicate effectively with patients in order to understand their concerns and assess 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 the patients' needs.
Compassion. Registered nurses should be caring and empathetic when looking after patients.
Detail oriented. Registered nurses must be responsible and detail oriented because they must make sure that patients get the correct treatments and medicines at the right time.
Emotional stability. Registered nurses need emotional resilience and the ability to manage their emotions to cope with human suffering, emergencies, and other stresses.
Organizational skills. Nurses often work with multiple patients with various health needs. Organizational skills are critical to ensure that each patient is given appropriate care.
Physical stamina. Nurses should be comfortable performing physical tasks, such as moving patients. They may be on their feet for most of their shift.
Advancement for Registered Nurses
Most registered nurses begin as staff nurses in hospitals or community health settings. With experience, good performance, and continuous education, they can move to other settings or be promoted to positions with more responsibility.
In management, nurses can advance from assistant clinical nurse manager, charge nurse, or head nurse to more senior-level administrative roles, such as assistant director or director of nursing, vice president of nursing, or chief nursing officer. Increasingly, management-level nursing positions require a graduate degree in nursing or health services administration. Administrative positions require leadership, communication skills, negotiation skills, and good judgment.
Some nurses move into the business side of healthcare. Their nursing expertise and experience on a healthcare team equip them to manage ambulatory, acute, home-based, and chronic care businesses. Employers—including hospitals, insurance companies, pharmaceutical manufacturers, and managed care organizations, among others—need registered nurses for jobs in health planning and development, marketing, consulting, policy development, and quality assurance.
Some RNs may become nurse anesthetists, nurse midwives, or nurse practitioners, which, along with clinical nurse specialists, are types of advanced practice registered nurses (APRNs). APRN positions require a master's degree, and many have a doctoral degree. APRNs may provide primary and specialty care, and in many states they may prescribe medications.
Other nurses work as postsecondary teachers or researchers in colleges and universities, which typically requires a Ph.D.
Registered Nurse Salaries[About this section] [More salary/earnings info] [To Top]
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Entry Level Experienced
The median annual wage for registered nurses is $77,600. The median wage is the wage at which half the workers in an occupation earned more than that amount and half earned less. The lowest 10 percent earned less than $59,450, and the highest 10 percent earned more than $120,250.
The median annual wages for registered nurses in the top industries in which they work are as follows:
| Government | $85,970 |
| Hospitals; state, local, and private | $78,070 |
| Ambulatory healthcare services | $76,700 |
| Nursing and residential care facilities | $72,420 |
| Educational services; state, local, and private | $61,780 |
Nurses who work in hospitals and nursing care facilities usually work in shifts to provide round-the-clock coverage. They may work nights, weekends, and holidays. They may be on call, which means that they are on duty and must be available to work on short notice. Nurses who work in offices, schools, and other places that do not provide 24-hour care are more likely to have regular business hours.
Job Outlook for Registered Nurses[About this section] [To Top]
Employment of registered nurses is projected to grow 6 percent over the next ten years, about as fast as the average for all occupations.
About 203,200 openings for registered nurses are projected each year, on average, over the decade. Many of those openings are expected to result from the need to replace workers who transfer to different occupations or exit the labor force, such as to retire.
See all nursing jobs.
Employment of Registered Nurses
Demand for healthcare services will increase because of the large number of older people, who typically have more medical problems than younger people. Registered nurses also will be needed to educate and care for patients with chronic conditions, such as diabetes and obesity.
Job growth is expected across most types of healthcare settings, including hospitals and outpatient care centers that provide same-day services, such as chemotherapy, rehabilitation, and surgery. In addition, because many older people prefer to be treated at home or in residential care facilities, registered nurses will be in demand in those settings.
| Occupational Title | Employment, 2021 | Projected Employment, 2031 | Change, 2021-31 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Percent | Numeric | |||
| Registered nurses | 3,130,600 | 3,326,000 | 6 | 195,400 |
More Registered Nurse Information[About this section] [To Top]
For more information about registered nurses, including credentialing, visit
For more information about nursing education and being a registered nurse, visit
American Society of Registered Nurses
Johnson & Johnson, Discover Nursing
National Student Nurses' Association
For more information about undergraduate and graduate nursing education, nursing career options, and financial aid, visit
American Association of Colleges of Nursing
For more information about the National Council Licensure Examination (NCLEX-RN) and a list of individual state boards of nursing, visit
National Council of State Boards of Nursing
For more information about clinical nurse specialists, including a list of accredited programs, visit
A portion of the information on this page is used by permission of the U.S. Department of Labor.