NH ranked as second-best state for nurses, report says

NH rank #1 for job openings per capita (Courtesy photo)

With National Nurses Week kicking off on Tuesday, and nurses having a mean annual wage of more than $98,000, the personal-finance website WalletHub today released its report on 2025's Best and Worst States for Nurses, as well as expert commentary.

In order to help new nursing graduates find the best markets for their profession, WalletHub compared the relative attractiveness of the 50 states across 20 key metrics. The data set ranges from monthly average starting salary for nurses to health-care facilities per capita to nursing-job openings per capita.

The Nursing Market in New Hampshire (1=Best; 25=Avg.):

• Overall Rank: 2^nd
• 30^th - Monthly Avg. Starting Salary for Nurses (Adjusted for Cost of Living)
• 24^th - Health-Care Facilities per Capita
• 6^th - Projected Share of Elderly Population by 2050
• 1^st - Nursing-Job Openings per Capita
• 14^th - Projected Competition by 2032
• 6^th - Avg. Number of Work Hours

For the full report, please visit:
https://wallethub.com/edu/best-states-for-nurses/4041


"Nurses are among the most essential workers in the country, as we've seen all too well over the past few years. Since they work in such a demanding profession, nurses deserve to work in places that will compensate them appropriately and offer them reasonable working conditions. The best states for nurses have high salaries, mandatory overtime limits, high-quality health care facilities and plenty of job opportunities."
---
"Washington is the best state for nurses, in part because nurses have very high median earnings and one of the highest job growth rates. The Evergreen State has some of the highest-ranked nursing schools in the country, too. In addition, nurses can avoid burnout because Washington restricts mandatory overtime."

- Chip Lupo, WalletHub Analyst


Expert Commentary

What is the long-term outlook for the field of nursing?

"I am strongly confident that the long-term outlook for the field of nursing is positive and hopeful. We have never been at a better point to be innovative and strategic with how nursing degrees are used. Additionally, in the context of a current and ever looming physician shortage, we will undoubtedly necessitate our advanced practice nursing providers, nursing led clinics, and nursing led teams to ensure the populations of our nation have access to medical care. However, in order to ensure this future is a positive one for nurses, we need to fill large gaps of faculty positions in nursing schools, we need to create new graduate nurse professional role transition programs inside of schools of nursing, we must prepare students for advocacy and for leadership, we must shape professional identity for nurses through professional organization partnership, and we need robust nursing mentorship and preceptorship programs. The opportunity is great, and nursing has never been better positioned to lead the helm of the medical field."
Danielle C. Ellerbe, DNP, FNP-BC, RN - Academic Director, Master of Health Administration Program; Assistant Professor, University of Miami

"In terms of employment opportunities, the long-term outlook for nursing continues to be strong. For employers, the shortage of nurses continues to be a significant problem and even a growing one with the aging of the workforce. There is also a high demand for nursing faculty as the same workforce dynamics plague it and a lack of faculty makes it harder to grow the nursing workforce to meet the considerable demand."
Timothy J. Vogus - Professor, Vanderbilt University


What can local governments and health systems do to attract and retain high-quality nurses?

"Attracting and retaining high quality nurses requires a multi-level focus. First, there is a large pool of registered nurses that possess BSN degrees - this group requires one set of strategies. Second, there is a growing pool of advanced practices nurses that requires additional attention to attract and retain. For both groups, addressing scopes of practice and autonomy is an important place to start. Nurses vary in terms of what is most important to them. However, autonomy is high on the list for many of them. Nurses want to be able to do their jobs without excessive interference and bureaucracy. I have found this to be a major sticking point in many facilities, especially in situations where APRNs have overlapping duties with MDs. If these roles are not well defined and tension exists between the professional groups, it can reduce staff cohesion, quality of care, patient experience scores and job satisfaction among workers. States control overarching scope of practice laws, but our research has found that administrators at local levels have a bigger influence on professional norms and what actually happens on the ground. Thus, local governments and health systems have the ability to shape their work environments and increase their chances of attracting and retaining high quality nurses."
Scott Feyereisen - Associate Professor, Florida Atlantic University

"We must install systemic changes that allow the work of a nurse to be sustainable long-term. I believe one of the best options is for health systems to create partnerships with universities in order to create a high-quality talent pipeline, and to be able to have a hand in securing jobs for the best and brightest new talent out there."
Danielle C. Ellerbe, DNP, FNP-BC, RN - Academic Director, Master of Health Administration Program; Assistant Professor, University of Miami


What tips do you have for recent nursing school grads looking for a place to live and work?

"Decide what is important to you! Do you enjoy living in a larger city, or prefer a more rural setting with many opportunities for outdoor recreation? Consider your needs, preferences, and proximity to friends and family, and the type of healthcare or public health setting you prefer. My other advice is to explore the most prominent health challenges in locations you are considering. Information from state, county, or local health departments is readily available. National sources, such as America's Health Rankings, can provide an overview of maternal and infant health, obesity and chronic conditions, and mental health care needs."
Jan K. Carney, MD, MPH, MACP - Associate Dean for Public Health & Health Policy; Chief, Division of Public Health; Professor, University of Vermont

"Given the current environment with existing nursing shortages and where nurses are in high demand, nursing school grads often have multiple options upon entering the job market. Ideally, a new grad will have some basic exposure to various specialties. This can be a starting point to a job search - see if you can find a job in your ideal specialty. A new grad might not need to jump right away at the first offer, and could even look to different geographical areas if they are open to moving. RN salaries vary greatly by locale... For traditional grads that are perhaps looking for gaining life experience as well as professional experience, travel nursing is a great way to obtain both. The work experience required varies for such opportunities, but working in different locations allows nurses to experience new working cultures and geographies, as well as learning new skills and building the resume... Another important factor in choosing a state in which to work is autonomy and the ease of licensing and credentialing. 43 states now belong to the nursing licensure compact...in addition to a smaller set of states that allow APRNs licensure reciprocity. Working in one of the compact states makes it easier to get up and running once you decide to move and work in another state. Furthermore, with healthcare spending being squeezed, facilities in states with greater autonomy might be inclined to adjust their staffing models and hire more APRNs."
Scott Feyereisen - Associate Professor, Florida Atlantic University