National Nurses Week begins Friday, so what better time to take a look at how nurses are faring across the country?
To that end, financial website WalletHub compared all 50 states using two key dimensions — opportunity and competition, and work environment — to assess the best opportunities for nurses.
“Despite the stresses of the occupation, nurses are generally well-rewarded for their life-saving work,” WalletHub wrote. “Nursing occupations are some of the most lucrative careers, with a mean annual wage of around $80,000 and some of the lowest unemployment rates in the U.S.”
Not all states offer the same opportunities and compensation, however. To determine 2022′s best and worst states for nurses, WalletHub evaluated the aforementioned dimensions using 21 relevant metrics, including average salary, quality of nursing schools, mandatory overtime restrictions and more. Each metric was graded on a 100 point scale, with 100 being the best.
The good news for Georgia nurses looking for either their first job or a new one, the Peach State ranked 15th for opportunity and competition. The bad news is that once you get that job, the work environment is ranked No. 48 out of 50.
Overall, Georgia finished at No. 42, or the ninth worst state for nurses, with a score of 44.38.
Among the relevant metrics, Georgia came in:
- 41st – health care facilities per capita
- 47th – projected share of elderly population by 2030
- 34th – nursing job openings per capita
- 15th – average annual salary for nurses (adjusted for cost of living)
- 45th – share of best nursing homes
- 37th – average number of work hours
- 43rd – percentage of residents 12 and older who are fully vaccinated
For those looking for a more nurse-friendly environment, you’ll not only have to leave Georgia, but you should mark the entire South off your destination list. According to WalletHub’s analysis, eight of the 10 worst states are in the South. The exceptions were Kansas and Hawaii.
Washington topped the ranking with an overall score of 61.62. It was followed by Maine (60.73), New Mexico (58.46), Minnesota (56.46) and New Hampshire (56.14).
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