Registered Nurses
SOC Code: 29-1141.00
Healthcare PractitionersRegistered nursing is a cornerstone of the healthcare system, with over 3.2 million professionals delivering patient care across hospitals, clinics, and community settings. Earning a median salary of $93,600 with steady 4.9% growth, nursing offers job security, geographic flexibility, and the profound satisfaction of directly improving patients' lives. From emergency departments to pediatric units, nurses are the frontline advocates for patient health and safety.
Salary Overview
Median
$93,600
25th Percentile
$78,610
75th Percentile
$107,960
90th Percentile
$135,320
Salary Distribution
Job Outlook (2024–2034)
Growth Rate
+4.9%
New Openings
189,100
Outlook
As fast as average
Key Skills
Knowledge Areas
What They Do
- Record patients' medical information and vital signs.
- Administer medications to patients and monitor patients for reactions or side effects.
- Maintain accurate, detailed reports and records.
- Monitor, record, and report symptoms or changes in patients' conditions.
- Monitor all aspects of patient care, including diet and physical activity.
- Instruct individuals, families, or other groups on topics such as health education, disease prevention, or childbirth and develop health improvement programs.
- Modify patient treatment plans as indicated by patients' responses and conditions.
- Conduct specified laboratory tests.
Tools & Technology
★ = Hot Technology (in-demand)
Education Requirements
Typical entry-level education: Bachelor's Degree
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View all 5 →Careers with the highest skill compatibility from Registered Nurses.
A Day in the Life
A registered nurse's day begins with shift handoff — reviewing patient charts, medication schedules, and overnight developments from the outgoing team. The shift involves a constant cycle of assessments, administering medications, monitoring vital signs, coordinating with physicians, and documenting everything meticulously. Nurses educate patients and families on care plans, respond to emergencies, and serve as the communication hub between patients and the broader care team. The work is physically demanding and emotionally intense, but the direct impact on patient outcomes makes it deeply rewarding.
Work Environment
Nurses work in diverse settings including hospitals, outpatient clinics, nursing homes, schools, prisons, military facilities, and patients' homes. Hospital nurses typically work 12-hour shifts (three per week), which can provide more days off but requires stamina for long shifts that include nights, weekends, and holidays on rotation. The work is physically demanding — nurses spend most shifts on their feet, lifting patients, and moving between rooms. Emotional demands are significant, involving end-of-life care, trauma, and the stress of high-stakes clinical decisions. Outpatient and clinic settings generally offer more regular hours but may pay less than hospital roles.
Career Path & Advancement
New nurses typically start in medical-surgical units or general practice settings to build foundational clinical skills. Within 1-3 years, many specialize in areas like ICU, labor and delivery, oncology, or pediatrics. Experienced nurses (5+ years) can pursue advanced practice roles such as Nurse Practitioner (NP), Clinical Nurse Specialist (CNS), Nurse Anesthetist (CRNA), or Nurse Midwife — each requiring a master's or doctoral degree. Management tracks lead to charge nurse, nurse manager, director of nursing, and Chief Nursing Officer (CNO) positions. Some nurses pivot into education, informatics, research, or public health leadership.
Specializations
Nursing offers an extraordinary range of specializations. Critical care (ICU) nurses handle the most acute patients, earning premium pay and developing advanced clinical skills. Emergency department nurses thrive in fast-paced, unpredictable settings. Operating room nurses assist in surgical procedures. Psychiatric nurses work with mental health patients. Neonatal nurses care for premature and critically ill newborns. Other specializations include travel nursing (short-term contracts at facilities nationwide), forensic nursing, school nursing, occupational health nursing, and flight nursing. Nurse Practitioners can specialize further in family practice, acute care, psychiatric-mental health, or pediatrics.
Pros & Cons
Advantages
- ✓Exceptional job security — nursing shortages mean strong demand everywhere
- ✓Direct, meaningful impact on patients' lives and health outcomes
- ✓Geographic flexibility — nurses are needed in every city and town
- ✓Multiple specialization paths with distinct career trajectories
- ✓Competitive salary with premium pay for nights, weekends, and specializations
- ✓Three 12-hour shifts per week gives four days off (in many hospital roles)
- ✓Travel nursing offers adventure, variety, and premium compensation
Challenges
- ✗Physically demanding — long shifts on your feet, lifting, and bending
- ✗Emotionally taxing — dealing with patient suffering, death, and difficult families
- ✗Mandatory night, weekend, and holiday shifts in most hospital settings
- ✗High-stress decisions with serious consequences for patient safety
- ✗Risk of workplace violence, needle sticks, and exposure to infectious diseases
- ✗Administrative burden of extensive documentation requirements
- ✗Staffing shortages can mean unsafe patient-to-nurse ratios
Industry Insight
Healthcare is experiencing a significant nursing shortage, driven by an aging population and retirement waves among experienced nurses. This has pushed salaries upward and created opportunities in specialized areas like telehealth, nurse informatics, and advanced practice roles. Travel nursing surged during recent years and remains a viable path for higher pay and flexibility. Nurses with additional certifications in critical care, oncology, or nurse practitioner credentials command premium compensation and expanded scope of practice.
How to Break Into This Career
The most common entry path is earning a Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) from an accredited program — increasingly preferred over the Associate Degree in Nursing (ADN) by major health systems. After graduation, all nurses must pass the NCLEX-RN licensing exam. Accelerated BSN programs exist for career changers who already hold a bachelor's degree in another field, compressing the nursing curriculum into 12-18 months. LPN-to-RN bridge programs offer another pathway. Clinical rotations during nursing school provide essential hands-on experience, and many hospitals offer new graduate residency programs that smooth the transition from student to practicing nurse. Volunteer work in healthcare settings strengthens applications and builds familiarity with the clinical environment.
Career Pivot Tips
Pivoting into nursing typically requires completing an accredited nursing program (BSN preferred) and passing the NCLEX-RN exam. Accelerated BSN programs exist for those who already hold a bachelor's degree in another field and can be completed in 12-18 months. If you're pivoting out of nursing, your clinical knowledge, crisis management skills, and patient communication expertise translate powerfully into healthcare administration, pharmaceutical sales, health informatics, medical device training, or public health policy roles.
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