Looking to get into nursing? Here are the best and worse states for nurses
Healthcare workers who work at the Elmhurst Hospital are seen on the day of International Nurses Day as Covid-19 pandemic in Queens, New York, United States on May 12. 2020. (Photo by Tayfun Coskun/Anadolu Agency via Getty Images)
Nursing is one of the most rewarding yet demanding careers. Often involving life-and-death decisions, the profession does offer meaningful rewards for life-saving work.
A new study took a look at the best locations for some of the unsung heroes of our society. The WalletHub study compared all 50 states across 20 key metrics, from job openings per capita and average salaries to mandatory overtime restrictions and quality of nursing homes.
RELATED: National Nurses Week 2026: Deals and discounts
The best US states for nurses
Maine
Maine came in as the best state for nurses, according to the study. The state has one of the largest number of nursing and residential care facilities per capita in the nation, which has led to a higher number of job opportunities.
The elderly population in the state also increases the need for nurses there. Maine is projected to have the highest percentage of its population to be aged 65+ by 2050.
It’s also easier for potential nurses to obtain a degree without going into much debt with the state having the fifth-lowest average tuition costs per credit for a Bachelor of Nursing Science online program.
New Hampshire
With the most nursing job openings per capita and many hospitals per capita, New Hampshire is the second-best state for nurses. The state has some of the best nursing schools in the country, and they also restrict mandatory overtime to prevent nurses from feeling overworked.
Washington
Washington is high on the list because of the high median earnings for nurses in general. They also have some of the highest rated nursing schools in the nation.
As another state that restricts mandatory overtime, over half the residents of the state live in a primary care Health Professional Shortage Area (HPSA), which makes it easier to find nursing jobs because more nurses are needed.
RELATED: These are the best entry-level jobs in 2026, data suggests
What they're saying:
"Nurses are among the most essential workers in the country, as we’ve seen all too well over the past few years, said WalletHub analyst Chip Lupo. "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," he added.
Methodology
The study was compiled using comparisons across two key qualifications, "Opportunity & Competition" and "Work Environment."
They used 20 different metrics to evaluate those qualifications and assigned corresponding weights to each with a grade on a 100-point scale. The overall weight was calculated to rank the best and worst states for nurses.
The Source: This story was written with information provided by WalletHub. This story was reported from Orlando.