A career in nursing is a reliable and meaningful way to make a living; it’s also one that continues to have exceptional industry growth.

The job site Indeed recently released its list of the top 10 hottest jobs of 2022 and two of the spots went to nursing. In the U.S. News & World Report’s 100 Best Jobs of 2022, nursing roles occupied two of the top 12 spots and reflected excellent nursing job growth.

Nursing jobs offer the kind of high salary and job demand that make them especially noteworthy. In the Indeed list, a registered nurse (RN) earned the top spot for its strong salary potential (listing an average base salary at $84,074) and the 34 percent increase in job postings from 2019-22. For every one million job postings in the survey’s timeframe, 619 of those were for RNs. U.S. News & World Report gave an RN role the number 12 spot of best jobs for its low unemployment, longevity of the career, and meaningful work.

A nurse practitioner role, which requires more education, landed in the number eight spot with an average base salary of $128,105 and an impressive 100 percent job posting growth rate over the past three years. U.S. News & World Report gave the second top spot to a NP role (it earned the number one spot in the organization’s Top 100 Healthcare Jobs), mentioning the high salary and the low unemployment rate of 1.2 percent.

The Covid pandemic sharpened an already growing need for nurses, so the growth rate for these kinds of jobs isn’t surprising. It does speak to the job security of a nursing career; nurses often don’t have to go far to find an open position in the field. And if they aren’t able to find the exact job they want, they have many other options to keep them gainfully employed while they continue their job search.

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Other sources support the Indeed findings. The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics finds the potential for nursing roles in an upswing. With a national average annual salary for RNs listed at $77,600, RNs across the country have salaries that will vary. RNs in Alabama, for example, earn an average of $60,000 while nurses in Massachusetts earn an average of nearly $95,000.

Hidden within the statistics is the potential for nurses to find the jobs that work for their professional  goals and personal needs. They may want a job that allows them to move between roles or specialties and to have a career that is relevant on a global level. Nurses are able to move into different units in their local area or find jobs at healthcare organizations in rural areas and densely populated urban centers alike. They can work as a travel nurse to gain experience while also living in varied locations or they can acquire experience to pursue advocacy roles. Nurses have flexibility if they are seeking jobs with scheduling options or if they want to work in particular areas or with specific populations of interest to them.

With a high demand for skilled nurses–in patient-facing roles and in administrative roles–the trend of nursing job growth means nurses are in an excellent position to find the job that suits them best.

Julia Quinn-Szcesuil
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