Nurse demographics and statistics in the US
Nurse demographics research summary. Zippia estimates nurse demographics and statistics in the United States by using a database of 30 million profiles. Our nurse estimates are verified against BLS, Census, and current job openings data for accuracy. Zippia's data science team found the following key facts about nurses after extensive research and analysis:
- There are over 3,037,611 nurses currently employed in the United States.
- 86.0% of all nurses are women, while 14.0% are men.
- The average nurse age is 43 years old.
- The most common ethnicity of nurses is White (65.3%), followed by Black or African American (11.5%), Hispanic or Latino (9.6%) and Asian (8.9%).
- Nurses are most in-demand in Omaha, NE.
- The government industry is the highest-paying for nurses.
- San Francisco, CA pays an annual average wage of $81,015, the highest in the US.
- In 2022, women nurses earned 95% of what men earned.
- 9% of all nurses are LGBT.
- Massachusetts is the best state for nurses to live.
- Nurses are 79% more likely to work at private companies in comparison to public companies.
On this page
Nurse demographics by:
Nurse gender statistics
86.0% of nurses are women and 14.0% of nurses are men.
- Female, 86.0%
- Male, 14.0%
Nurse gender ratio
| Gender | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Female | 86.0% |
| Male | 14.0% |
Nurse gender pay gap
Women earn 95¢ for every $1 earned by men
Male income
$61,424
Female income
$58,345
Nurse gender ratio over time
This data breaks down the percentage of men and women in nurse positions over time. Currently, 86.0% of nurses are female.
Nurse gender ratio by year
| Year | Male | Female |
|---|---|---|
| 2010 | 10.56% | 89.44% |
| 2011 | 10.97% | 89.03% |
| 2012 | 11.11% | 88.89% |
| 2013 | 11.57% | 88.43% |
| 2014 | 12.60% | 87.40% |
| 2015 | 12.19% | 87.81% |
| 2016 | 12.63% | 87.37% |
| 2017 | 13.28% | 86.72% |
| 2018 | 13.66% | 86.34% |
| 2019 | 13.72% | 86.28% |
| 2020 | 13.99% | 86.01% |
| 2021 | 13.97% | 86.03% |
Nurse related jobs gender ratio
We compared nurses with similar job titles to see how gender ratios vary. As you can see, flight surgeon and optometrist, owner have the biggest gender ratio gaps.
| Job title | Male | Female |
|---|---|---|
| Staff Nurse Midwife | 2% | 98% |
| Perinatal Nurse | 3% | 97% |
| Therapeutic Dietitian | 3% | 97% |
| Nurse | 14% | 86% |
| Radiology Resident | 75% | 25% |
| Optometrist, Owner | 76% | 24% |
| Flight Surgeon | 82% | 18% |
Male
Female
100%
75%
50%
25%
0%
0%
25%
50%
75%
100%
Nurse demographics by race
The most common ethnicity among nurses is White, which makes up 65.3% of all nurses. Comparatively, 11.5% of nurses are Black or African American and 9.6% of nurses are Hispanic or Latino.
- White, 65.3%
- Black or African American, 11.5%
- Hispanic or Latino, 9.6%
- Asian, 8.9%
- Unknown, 4.3%
- American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.4%
Nurse race
| Nurse race | Percentages |
|---|---|
| White | 65.3% |
| Black or African American | 11.5% |
| Hispanic or Latino | 9.6% |
| Asian | 8.9% |
| Unknown | 4.3% |
| American Indian and Alaska Native | 0.4% |
Nurse race and ethnicity over time
See how nurse racial and ethnic diversity trended since 2010 according to the United States Census Bureau data.
Nurse race and ethnicity by year
| Year | White | Black or African American | Asian | Hispanic or Latino |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2010 | 72.30% | 11.72% | 7.05% | 7.02% |
| 2011 | 71.89% | 12.09% | 6.96% | 7.08% |
| 2012 | 71.49% | 12.22% | 7.06% | 7.31% |
| 2013 | 71.33% | 12.15% | 7.16% | 7.26% |
| 2014 | 70.14% | 12.29% | 7.69% | 7.79% |
| 2015 | 70.33% | 12.41% | 7.21% | 7.92% |
| 2016 | 70.13% | 11.94% | 7.65% | 8.18% |
| 2017 | 69.77% | 11.44% | 7.83% | 8.52% |
| 2018 | 69.57% | 12.11% | 7.56% | 8.42% |
| 2019 | 69.60% | 11.45% | 7.87% | 8.78% |
| 2020 | 67.45% | 11.06% | 7.89% | 9.25% |
| 2021 | 65.31% | 11.53% | 8.86% | 9.55% |
Nurse wage gap by race
According to our data, asian nurses have the highest average salary compared to other ethnicities. White nurses have the lowest average salary at $59,263.
| Ethnicity | Salary |
|---|---|
| Unknown | $59,961 |
| White | $59,263 |
| Black or African American | $59,456 |
| Asian | $68,390 |
| Hispanic or Latino | $60,514 |
Average nurse age
See how the average age of nurses varies based on ethnicity and gender.
Male
Female
Nurse age by race and gender
| Race | Male age | Female age |
|---|---|---|
| Black or African American | 45 | 45 |
| Unknown | 39 | 40.5 |
| Asian | 39 | 44 |
| Hispanic or Latino | 39 | 38 |
| White | 42 | 44 |
| American Indian and Alaska Native | 42 |
Nurse age breakdown
The average age of nurses is 40+ years years old, representing 59% of the nurse population.
Nurse age breakdown
| Nurse Years | Percentages |
|---|---|
| 40+ years | 59% |
| 30-40 years | 28% |
| 20-30 years | 14% |
Nurse educational attainment
The most common degree for nurses is bachelor's degree, with 43% of nurses earning that degree. The second and third most common degree levels are associate degree degree at 35% and associate degree degree at 9%.
- Bachelor's, 43%
- Associate, 35%
- Diploma, 9%
- Master's, 7%
- Other Degrees, 6%
Nurses by degree level
| Nurse degree | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Bachelor's | 43% |
| Associate | 35% |
| Diploma | 9% |
| Master's | 7% |
| Other Degrees | 6% |
Nurse jobs you might like
Nurse wage gap by degree level
According to the data, nurses with a Master's degree earn more than those without, at $70,849 annually. With a Doctorate degree, nurses earn a median annual income of $65,766 compared to $63,583 for nurses with an Bachelor's degree.
| Education | Salary |
|---|---|
| Master's Degree | $70,849 |
| Bachelor's Degree | $63,583 |
| Doctorate Degree | $65,766 |
| Some College/ Associate Degree | $55,268 |
Nurse employment statistics
Most nurses work for a private in the health care industry.
Company size where nurses work
Below, you can see the size of companies where nurses work.
Nurse jobs by employer size
| Company size | Percentages |
|---|---|
| < 50 employees | 4% |
| 50 - 100 employees | 15% |
| 100 - 500 employees | 21% |
| 500 - 1,000 employees | 10% |
| 1,000 - 10,000 employees | 29% |
| > 10,000 employees | 21% |
Nurse jobs by company type
Employees with the nurse job title have their preferences when it comes to working for a company. For instance, most nurses prefer to work at private companies over public companies.
Nurse jobs by sector
| Company type | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Education | 5% |
| Public | 8% |
| Private | 79% |
| Government | 8% |
Nurse jobs by industry
The most common industries for nurses are health care, professional and government.
Nurse industry statistics
| Industry | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Health Care | 63% |
| Government | 6% |
| Professional | 6% |
| Education | 4% |
| Non Profits | 3% |
| Fortune 500 | 3% |
| Pharmaceutical | 2% |
| Hospitality | 2% |
| Insurance | 2% |
| Media | 1% |
| Internet | 1% |
| Transportation | 1% |
| Construction | 1% |
| Manufacturing | 1% |
| Retail | 1% |
| Start-up | 1% |
| Technology | 1% |
Nurse turnover and employment statistics
Nurse unemployment rate over time
The unemployment rate for nurses between 2008 and the most recent data has varied, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
Nurse unemployment rate by year
| Year | Nurse unemployment rate |
|---|---|
| 2010 | 1.90% |
| 2011 | 1.97% |
| 2012 | 1.94% |
| 2013 | 1.69% |
| 2014 | 1.75% |
| 2015 | 1.37% |
| 2016 | 1.10% |
| 2017 | 1.04% |
| 2018 | 1.07% |
| 2019 | 1.04% |
| 2020 | 1.45% |
| 2021 | 1.37% |
Average nurse tenure
The average nurse stays at their job for 1-2 years, based on the 65,309 nurses resumes in Zippia's database.
Nurse tenure statistics
| Number of years | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Less than 1 year | 24% |
| 1-2 years | 34% |
| 3-4 years | 14% |
| 5-7 years | 15% |
| 8-10 years | 6% |
| 11+ years | 8% |
Nurse LGBT ratio compared to similar jobs
Review the percent of nurses that are members of the LGBT community. You can see how this compares to similar jobs in the chart below.
| Job title | LGBT | Job openings |
|---|---|---|
| Nurse | 8.72% | - |
| Prison Psychiatrist | 9.88% | 4,774 |
| Anesthetic Assistant | 11.62% | 12,579 |
| Director Of Cardiac Rehabilitation | 13.00% | 9,169 |
| Anesthetist | 13.05% | 27,823 |
| Chief, Optometry Service | 17.57% | 20,889 |
| Nurse Anesthetist | 31.64% | 62,419 |
Similar nurse jobs LGBT demographics
| Profession | Percentages of LGBT | Job openings |
|---|---|---|
| Prison Psychiatrist | 9.88% | 4,774 |
| Anesthetic Assistant | 11.62% | 12,579 |
| Director Of Cardiac Rehabilitation | 13.00% | 9,169 |
| Anesthetist | 13.05% | 27,823 |
| Chief, Optometry Service | 17.57% | 20,889 |
| Nurse Anesthetist | 31.64% | 62,419 |
Foreign languages spoken by nurses
The most common foreign language among nurses is Spanish at 61.2%. The second-most popular foreign language spoken is French at 8.0% and Russian is the third-most popular at 4.9%.
- Spanish, 61.2%
- French, 8.0%
- Russian, 4.9%
- Chinese, 2.7%
- Tagalog, 2.7%
- Other, 20.5%
Nurse languages spoken
| Foreign language | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Spanish | 61.2% |
| French | 8.0% |
| Russian | 4.9% |
| Chinese | 2.7% |
| Tagalog | 2.7% |
| Other | 20.5% |
