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Registered Nurse

Care for patients, give treatments, and coordinate with doctors, in settings from ERs to schools.

What it pays in the U.S.

Assess patient health problems and needs, develop and implement nursing care plans, and maintain medical records. Administer nursing care to ill, injured, convalescent, or disabled patients. May advise patients on health maintenance and disease prevention or provide case management. Licensing or registration required.

Median pay (national)$97,550about $46.90 an hour
Typical range$68,940 – $137,470lowest to highest tenth of earners
Usual way inBachelor's degree

Wage figures are 2025 survey data for United States, shown nationally because no state figure was reported. They describe what people in this job earn now, not what any one person will be offered.

Demand in United StatesBright outlook

Employment is projected to change 5% between 2024 and 2034. About 189,100 openings are projected each year. CareerOneStop flags this career for: Rapid Growth; Numerous Job Openings.

What the work actually is

  • Instruct individuals, families, or other groups on topics such as health education, disease prevention, or childbirth and develop health improvement programs.
  • Consult and coordinate with healthcare team members to assess, plan, implement, or evaluate patient care plans.
  • Order, interpret, and evaluate diagnostic tests to identify and assess patient's condition.
  • Prepare rooms, sterile instruments, equipment, or supplies and ensure that stock of supplies is maintained.
  • Maintain accurate, detailed reports and records.
  • Direct or supervise less-skilled nursing or healthcare personnel or supervise a particular unit.

Read the full Occupational Outlook Handbook entry from the Bureau of Labor Statistics.

Licensing, by state

Licensing is set by each state, so there is no national answer. Choose a state above to see which licenses it requires for this career, or look one up with the CareerOneStop License Finder.

Certifications employers recognize

These are national certifications, issued by industry bodies rather than a state. Most are optional, but they are how you prove skill to an employer.

Apprenticeships, by state

Registered apprenticeships pay you while you train. Each state runs its own registration office, which is where to start when you want to find an open program.

Choose a state above to see the offices that register apprenticeships there.

Search open programs directly at apprenticeship.gov.

Now find the schools.

4Thought101 tracks the programs that train for this, their deadlines, and what you owe when. This page stays free whether you sign up or not.

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