Registered professional nurse demographics and statistics in the US
Registered professional nurse demographics research summary. Zippia estimates registered professional nurse demographics and statistics in the United States by using a database of 30 million profiles. Our registered professional 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 registered professional nurses after extensive research and analysis:
- There are over 1,931,789 registered professional nurses currently employed in the United States.
- 84.6% of all registered professional nurses are women, while 15.4% are men.
- The average registered professional nurse age is 43 years old.
- The most common ethnicity of registered professional nurses is White (65.4%), followed by Black or African American (12.2%), Asian (9.0%) and Hispanic or Latino (8.8%).
- Registered professional nurses are most in-demand in Dallas, TX.
- New York, NY pays an annual average wage of $88,757, the highest in the US.
- In 2022, women registered professional nurses earned 94% of what men earned.
- Alaska is the best state for registered professional nurses to live.
- Registered professional nurses are 77% more likely to work at private companies in comparison to education companies.
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Registered professional nurse demographics by:
Registered professional nurse gender statistics
84.6% of registered professional nurses are women and 15.4% of registered professional nurses are men.
- Female, 84.6%
- Male, 15.4%
Registered professional nurse gender ratio
| Gender | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Female | 84.6% |
| Male | 15.4% |
Registered professional nurse gender pay gap
Women earn 94¢ for every $1 earned by men
Male income
$79,648
Female income
$74,550
Registered professional nurse gender ratio over time
This data breaks down the percentage of men and women in registered professional nurse positions over time. Currently, 84.6% of registered professional nurses are female.
Registered professional nurse gender ratio by year
| Year | Male | Female |
|---|---|---|
| 2010 | 11.71% | 88.29% |
| 2011 | 12.17% | 87.83% |
| 2012 | 12.32% | 87.68% |
| 2013 | 12.82% | 87.18% |
| 2014 | 13.95% | 86.05% |
| 2015 | 13.50% | 86.50% |
| 2016 | 13.98% | 86.02% |
| 2017 | 14.68% | 85.32% |
| 2018 | 15.10% | 84.90% |
| 2019 | 15.17% | 84.83% |
| 2020 | 15.46% | 84.54% |
| 2021 | 15.44% | 84.56% |
Registered professional nurse related jobs gender ratio
We compared registered professional 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% |
| Registered Professional Nurse | 15% | 85% |
| Radiology Resident | 75% | 25% |
| Optometrist, Owner | 76% | 24% |
| Flight Surgeon | 82% | 18% |
Male
Female
100%
75%
50%
25%
0%
0%
25%
50%
75%
100%
Registered professional nurse demographics by race
The most common ethnicity among registered professional nurses is White, which makes up 65.4% of all registered professional nurses. Comparatively, 12.2% of registered professional nurses are Black or African American and 9.0% of registered professional nurses are Asian.
- White, 65.4%
- Black or African American, 12.2%
- Asian, 9.0%
- Hispanic or Latino, 8.8%
- Unknown, 4.2%
- American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.4%
Registered professional nurse race
| Registered professional nurse race | Percentages |
|---|---|
| White | 65.4% |
| Black or African American | 12.2% |
| Asian | 9.0% |
| Hispanic or Latino | 8.8% |
| Unknown | 4.2% |
| American Indian and Alaska Native | 0.4% |
Registered professional nurse race and ethnicity over time
See how registered professional nurse racial and ethnic diversity trended since 2010 according to the United States Census Bureau data.
Registered professional nurse race and ethnicity by year
| Year | White | Black or African American | Asian | Hispanic or Latino |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2010 | 72.35% | 12.34% | 7.16% | 6.30% |
| 2011 | 71.94% | 12.71% | 7.08% | 6.36% |
| 2012 | 71.53% | 12.84% | 7.17% | 6.59% |
| 2013 | 71.37% | 12.78% | 7.28% | 6.54% |
| 2014 | 70.19% | 12.92% | 7.80% | 7.07% |
| 2015 | 70.37% | 13.03% | 7.33% | 7.20% |
| 2016 | 70.17% | 12.56% | 7.76% | 7.46% |
| 2017 | 69.82% | 12.06% | 7.94% | 7.80% |
| 2018 | 69.61% | 12.73% | 7.68% | 7.70% |
| 2019 | 69.64% | 12.07% | 7.98% | 8.06% |
| 2020 | 67.49% | 11.68% | 8.00% | 8.53% |
| 2021 | 65.35% | 12.15% | 8.98% | 8.83% |
Registered professional nurse wage gap by race
According to our data, asian registered professional nurses have the highest average salary compared to other ethnicities. White registered professional nurses have the lowest average salary at $76,062.
| Ethnicity | Salary |
|---|---|
| Unknown | $77,216 |
| White | $76,062 |
| Black or African American | $76,380 |
| Asian | $91,448 |
| Hispanic or Latino | $78,133 |
Average registered professional nurse age
See how the average age of registered professional nurses varies based on ethnicity and gender.
Male
Female
Registered professional 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 |
Registered professional nurse age breakdown
The average age of registered professional nurses is 40+ years years old, representing 59% of the registered professional nurse population.
Registered professional nurse age breakdown
| Registered Professional Nurse Years | Percentages |
|---|---|
| 40+ years | 59% |
| 30-40 years | 28% |
| 20-30 years | 14% |
Registered professional nurse educational attainment
The most common degree for registered professional nurses is bachelor's degree, with 45% of registered professional nurses earning that degree. The second and third most common degree levels are associate degree degree at 38% and associate degree degree at 9%.
- Bachelor's, 45%
- Associate, 38%
- Master's, 9%
- Diploma, 6%
- Other Degrees, 2%
Registered professional nurses by degree level
| Registered professional nurse degree | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Bachelor's | 45% |
| Associate | 38% |
| Master's | 9% |
| Diploma | 6% |
| Other Degrees | 2% |
Registered professional nurse jobs you might like
Registered professional nurse wage gap by degree level
According to the data, registered professional nurses with a Master's degree earn more than those without, at $95,698 annually. With a Doctorate degree, registered professional nurses earn a median annual income of $86,960 compared to $83,265 for registered professional nurses with an Bachelor's degree.
| Education | Salary |
|---|---|
| Master's Degree | $95,698 |
| Bachelor's Degree | $83,265 |
| Doctorate Degree | $86,960 |
| Some College/ Associate Degree | $69,532 |
Registered professional nurse employment statistics
Most registered professional nurses work for a private in the health care industry.
Company size where registered professional nurses work
Below, you can see the size of companies where registered professional nurses work.
Registered professional nurse jobs by employer size
| Company size | Percentages |
|---|---|
| < 50 employees | 5% |
| 50 - 100 employees | 14% |
| 100 - 500 employees | 24% |
| 500 - 1,000 employees | 10% |
| 1,000 - 10,000 employees | 34% |
| > 10,000 employees | 14% |
Registered professional nurse jobs by company type
Employees with the registered professional nurse job title have their preferences when it comes to working for a company. For instance, most registered professional nurses prefer to work at private companies over education companies.
Registered professional nurse jobs by sector
| Company type | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Education | 9% |
| Public | 6% |
| Private | 77% |
| Government | 9% |
Registered professional nurse jobs by industry
The most common industries for registered professional nurses are health care, government and education.
Registered professional nurse industry statistics
| Industry | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Health Care | 65% |
| Government | 6% |
| Professional | 6% |
| Education | 6% |
| Non Profits | 3% |
| Finance | 2% |
| Fortune 500 | 2% |
| Insurance | 2% |
| Pharmaceutical | 1% |
| Media | 1% |
| Construction | 1% |
Registered professional nurse turnover and employment statistics
Registered professional nurse unemployment rate over time
The unemployment rate for registered professional nurses between 2008 and the most recent data has varied, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
Registered professional nurse unemployment rate by year
| Year | Registered professional 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 registered professional nurse tenure
The average registered professional nurse stays at their job for 1-2 years, based on the 2,138 registered professional nurses resumes in Zippia's database.
Registered professional nurse tenure statistics
| Number of years | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Less than 1 year | 17% |
| 1-2 years | 30% |
| 3-4 years | 14% |
| 5-7 years | 16% |
| 8-10 years | 7% |
| 11+ years | 16% |
Registered professional nurse LGBT ratio compared to similar jobs
Review the percent of registered professional 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 |
|---|---|---|
| Registered Professional Nurse | 8.72% | - |
| Pediatric Urologist | 9.88% | 14,011 |
| General Surgery Physician Assistant | 11.62% | 81,744 |
| Rolfer | 13.00% | 40 |
| Allergy Physician | 13.05% | 38,238 |
| Eye Clinic Manager | 17.57% | 15,789 |
| Associate Professor Program Director Nurse Anesthesia | 31.64% | 75,423 |
Similar registered professional nurse jobs LGBT demographics
| Profession | Percentages of LGBT | Job openings |
|---|---|---|
| Pediatric Urologist | 9.88% | 14,011 |
| General Surgery Physician Assistant | 11.62% | 81,744 |
| Rolfer | 13.00% | 40 |
| Allergy Physician | 13.05% | 38,238 |
| Eye Clinic Manager | 17.57% | 15,789 |
| Associate Professor Program Director Nurse Anesthesia | 31.64% | 75,423 |
Foreign languages spoken by registered professional nurses
The most common foreign language among registered professional nurses is Spanish at 56.1%. The second-most popular foreign language spoken is Russian at 7.3% and Chinese is the third-most popular at 4.9%.
- Spanish, 56.1%
- Russian, 7.3%
- Chinese, 4.9%
- French, 4.9%
- Hindi, 4.9%
- Other, 21.9%
Registered professional nurse languages spoken
| Foreign language | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Spanish | 56.1% |
| Russian | 7.3% |
| Chinese | 4.9% |
| French | 4.9% |
| Hindi | 4.9% |
| Other | 21.9% |
