Registered Nurses
Also called: Charge Nurse, Emergency Department RN (Emergency Department Registered Nurse), Operating Room Registered Nurse (OR RN), Staff NurseAssess 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.
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What the data says: AI could halve the time on 15 of its 27 tasks, yet jobs are projected to grow 5.6% by 2035. How to think about this →
About this projection
BLS builds AI into its projections where the research supports it: “BLS generally applies adjustments based on this research conservatively, where there is convincing evidence for a change.”
It also notes a limit: “BLS projection methods are not designed to capture extremely rapid technological change.”
On its AI exposure groups, BLS says exposure “does not imply job loss.”
BLS figures cover the broader occupation “Registered nurses”, which includes this one and others.
Recent conditions
- In 2024, 1.2% of people in this work were unemployed, against 3.8% across all occupations Census ACS 2024
- From Sep 2025 to Aug 2026, 5.0 hires for every 10 job openings in health care and social assistance, which employs about 86% of people in this work, against 7.3 across all industries BLS JOLTS
One box per opening, filled for each hire; hires beyond the openings are added in a lighter shade. Higher can mean openings get filled, or that people leave often; lower, that jobs go unfilled, or hiring is slow.5.0 this industry7.3 all industries
Median pay by state BLS OEWS May 2025, state estimates
Tap a state for its figures.
Median pay in every state
| State | Median | Middle half earn | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Alabama | $77,080 | $63,500 to $83,380 | 54,340 |
| Alaska | $109,480 | $97,700 to $129,100 | 7,510 |
| Arizona | $99,500 | $81,810 to $108,580 | 73,150 |
| Arkansas | $78,940 | $66,640 to $90,280 | 29,400 |
| California | $140,270 | $122,440 to $173,170 | 338,940 |
| Colorado | $100,260 | $84,590 to $108,930 | 54,490 |
| Connecticut | $102,740 | $86,120 to $121,840 | 40,110 |
| Delaware | $99,520 | $85,900 to $111,720 | 14,290 |
| District of Columbia | $102,540 | $85,850 to $127,800 | 11,440 |
| Florida | $84,190 | $78,660 to $101,180 | 229,940 |
| Georgia | $93,550 | $79,090 to $106,330 | 100,950 |
| Guam | not published | not published | 690 |
| Hawaii | $136,320 | $101,200 to $144,140 | 12,940 |
| Idaho | $92,460 | $80,900 to $102,320 | 16,880 |
| Illinois | $95,990 | $80,020 to $105,960 | 138,910 |
| Indiana | $83,500 | $78,750 to $100,410 | 68,980 |
| Iowa | $78,630 | $68,290 to $85,940 | 34,420 |
| Kansas | $79,320 | $73,300 to $94,700 | 33,800 |
| Kentucky | $81,040 | $75,670 to $97,200 | 50,300 |
| Louisiana | $80,230 | $69,040 to $93,600 | 48,970 |
| Maine | $86,990 | $79,890 to $101,460 | 16,540 |
| Maryland | $99,790 | $83,740 to $107,340 | 52,910 |
| Massachusetts | $104,550 | $87,460 to $136,110 | 88,200 |
| Michigan | $94,300 | $82,080 to $103,450 | 104,950 |
| Minnesota | $101,510 | $88,940 to $114,760 | 70,110 |
| Mississippi | $77,090 | $64,930 to $84,500 | 29,060 |
| Missouri | $81,780 | $76,050 to $98,560 | 76,310 |
| Montana | $85,280 | $80,210 to $100,800 | 10,950 |
| Nebraska | $84,730 | $79,240 to $99,640 | 24,720 |
| Nevada | $103,670 | $86,850 to $120,270 | 27,070 |
| New Hampshire | $99,700 | $82,880 to $108,400 | 15,390 |
| New Jersey | $106,500 | $99,710 to $127,730 | 92,680 |
| New Mexico | $94,340 | $80,960 to $102,750 | 17,980 |
| New York | $109,440 | $94,840 to $129,660 | 205,810 |
| North Carolina | $84,350 | $78,770 to $102,040 | 111,120 |
| North Dakota | $80,730 | $69,620 to $93,080 | 11,340 |
| Ohio | $82,510 | $79,200 to $99,030 | 143,730 |
| Oklahoma | $82,920 | $77,350 to $98,910 | 38,270 |
| Oregon | $129,010 | $107,220 to $134,420 | 39,730 |
| Pennsylvania | $96,430 | $80,610 to $104,730 | 146,520 |
| Puerto Rico | $39,880 | $38,170 to $49,340 | 21,270 |
| Rhode Island | $100,640 | $81,840 to $107,100 | 10,090 |
| South Carolina | $82,360 | $77,320 to $97,230 | 49,750 |
| South Dakota | $78,060 | $65,070 to $84,280 | 14,710 |
| Tennessee | $81,500 | $75,460 to $95,250 | 72,200 |
| Texas | $95,970 | $79,170 to $105,100 | 271,380 |
| Utah | $84,600 | $80,050 to $105,130 | 27,420 |
| Vermont | $97,460 | $82,210 to $105,210 | 7,410 |
| Virgin Islands | $84,120 | $81,370 to $102,250 | 470 |
| Virginia | $93,600 | $80,090 to $103,030 | 77,490 |
| Washington | $124,200 | $103,100 to $134,240 | 69,260 |
| West Virginia | $80,130 | $68,160 to $99,770 | 23,430 |
| Wisconsin | $95,530 | $81,920 to $102,610 | 68,060 |
| Wyoming | $83,760 | $77,890 to $101,100 | 5,330 |
Nationally: $97,550. Shades run from the lowest state median to the highest; a territory below that range takes the lightest. How to read this
How AI touches the work
What AI could speed up, task by task, and where people already use it.
AI could halve the time on 15 of its 27 tasks
| AI rating | Its main tasks | Share of Claude conversations May 2026 |
|---|---|---|
| AI + software | Record patients' medical information and vital signs. | Not published |
| Not much | Administer medications to patients and monitor patients for reactions or side effects. | Not published |
| AI + software | Maintain accurate, detailed reports and records. | Not published |
| AI + software | Monitor, record, and report symptoms or changes in patients' conditions. | Not published |
| AI alone | Monitor all aspects of patient care, including diet and physical activity. | under 0.01% |
| AI + software | Consult and coordinate with healthcare team members to assess, plan, implement, or evaluate patient care plans. | Not published |
See all 27 tasks
| AI alone | Instruct individuals, families, or other groups on topics such as health education, disease prevention, or childbirth and develop health improvement programs. | Not published |
| Not much | Prepare patients for and assist with examinations or treatments. | Not published |
| AI + software | Modify patient treatment plans as indicated by patients' responses and conditions. | Not published |
| Not much | Direct or supervise less-skilled nursing or healthcare personnel or supervise a particular unit. | Not published |
| Not much | Conduct specified laboratory tests. | Not published |
| Not much | Provide health care, first aid, immunizations, or assistance in convalescence or rehabilitation in locations such as schools, hospitals, or industry. | Not published |
| AI + software | Assess the needs of individuals, families, or communities, including assessment of individuals' home or work environments, to identify potential health or safety problems. | Not published |
| Not much | Observe nurses and visit patients to ensure proper nursing care. | Not published |
| AI alone | Work with individuals, groups, or families to plan or implement programs designed to improve the overall health of communities. | Not published |
| AI + software | Order, interpret, and evaluate diagnostic tests to identify and assess patient's condition. | Not published |
| Not much | Prepare rooms, sterile instruments, equipment, or supplies and ensure that stock of supplies is maintained. | Not published |
| AI + software | Direct or coordinate infection control programs, advising or consulting with specified personnel about necessary precautions. | Not published |
| Not much | Administer local, inhalation, intravenous, or other anesthetics. | Not published |
| AI alone | Refer students or patients to specialized health resources or community agencies furnishing assistance. | under 0.01% |
| Not much | Provide or arrange for training or instruction of auxiliary personnel or students. | Not published |
| AI alone | Consult with institutions or associations regarding issues or concerns relevant to the practice and profession of nursing. | Not published |
| AI + software | Perform administrative or managerial functions, such as taking responsibility for a unit's staff, budget, planning, or long-range goals. | Not published |
| AI + software | Engage in research activities related to nursing. | Not published |
| Not much | Prescribe or recommend drugs, medical devices, or other forms of treatment, such as physical therapy, inhalation therapy, or related therapeutic procedures. | Not published |
| Not much | Perform physical examinations, make tentative diagnoses, and treat patients en route to hospitals or at disaster site triage centers. | Not published |
| Not much | Inform physician of patient's condition during anesthesia. | Not published |
Ordered by how important O*NET's respondents rate each task (1 to 5) times the share who say it is part of their job. The ordering is ours. 2 of the 27 have a published share of Claude conversations; “not published” means too few conversations for Anthropic to publish a figure.
Where people already use AI
The tasks above say what AI could speed up. This shows what people are using it for. Its 27 tasks fall under 25 work activities that many occupations share, and Microsoft counted how often each one came up in 200,000 conversations with its Copilot assistant in 2024.
- #5 Provide information or assistance to the public
- #24 Assist others to access additional services or resources
- #26 Research healthcare issues
| Work activity | This occupation's tasks under it | People asked AI for help in 10,000 conversations |
AI did it for them in 10,000 conversations |
|---|---|---|---|
| Monitor health conditions of humans or animals | |||
| Administer basic health care or medical treatments | |||
| Confer with healthcare or other professionals about patient care | |||
| Maintain health or medical records | |||
| Advise others on healthcare or wellness issues | |||
| Direct organizational operations, activities, or procedures | |||
| Supervise personnel activities | |||
| Develop public or community health programs |
Show all 25 activities
| Provide information or assistance to the public | |||
| Assist others to access additional services or resources | |||
| Research healthcare issues | |||
| Assess living, work, or social needs or status of individuals or communities | |||
| Analyze health or medical data | |||
| Evaluate patient or client condition or treatment options | |||
| Treat injuries, illnesses, or diseases | |||
| Examine people or animals to assess health conditions or physical characteristics | |||
| Diagnose health conditions or disorders | |||
| Train others on health or medical topics | |||
| Replenish inventories of materials, equipment, or products | |||
| Administer emergency medical treatment | |||
| Order medical tests or procedures | |||
| Prepare medical equipment or work areas for use | |||
| Prescribe medical treatments or devices | |||
| Administer diagnostic tests to assess patient health | |||
| Assist healthcare practitioners during medical procedures |
How people in this work use Claude
What people in this work made with Claude % of conversations
- An explanation or answer50%
- Advice or a recommendation18%
- A document or report6%
- An analysis or summary5%
- Teaching material3%
How they worked with Claude
8% of these conversations were about work. Anthropic Economic Index, May 2026.
How to read this
Work activities come from O*NET, which links every task to the broader activities it involves. Microsoft's figures are for the activity across everyone who used Copilot, not for registered nurses specifically. Copilot is a general chat assistant; dedicated coding tools are not included, so programming help is under-counted here. Activities are listed by how many of this occupation's tasks fall under them.
The task ratings say whether AI could halve the time a task takes: on its own (“AI alone”), or with software built on it (“AI + software”). They were made by people in 2023 (Eloundou et al.). Claude's share is the task's share of all Claude.ai conversations in May 2026; Anthropic doesn't publish a task with too few conversations. None of these add up to the BLS exposure group, which combines five research measures.
More in the Guide: task ratings · task order · work activities · Copilot figures · Claude
High exposure doesn't mean fewer jobs
BLS projects most occupations in its two most exposed groups to grow: 141 of 206 rated Very high and 165 of 206 rated High. Each dot is one of the 831 occupations BLS rates.
Career moves into and out of this occupation
From moves between occupations found in online resumes, 2002–2016. Career changes only: a first job after school isn't a move.
Where people moved next
of 470,309 moves out
- 1 Medical and Health Services Managers High +24.2% 16%
- 2 Managers, All Other (2010 group) an older group BLS has since split; no exposure group today 5%
- 3 Postsecondary Teachers, All Other Very high +2.0% 4%
- 4 Nurse Practitioners High +41.0% 3%
- 5 Health Education Specialists Very high +5.6% 3%
Where people moved in from
of 528,617 moves in
- 1 Medical and Health Services Managers High +24.2% 11%
- 2 Nursing Assistants Low +2.6% 5%
- 3 Licensed Practical and Licensed Vocational Nurses Low +3.0% 4%
- 4 Managers, All Other (2010 group) an older group BLS has since split; no exposure group today 4%
- 5 Customer Service Representatives Very high -5.3% 3%
Resumes over-represent younger, white-collar job-seekers and moves into management. Schubert, Stansbury and Taska (resume data).
Education and training for the occupation
O*NET survey of workers in this occupation
- 1% high school
- 22% postsecondary certificate
- 19% associate's
- 1% master's
- 56% not published
O*NET marks 56% of the answers as too uncertain to publish, so the parts shown don't add up to 100%.
O*NET 31.0 survey of workers in this occupation · 28 people answered.
Census survey (American Community Survey)
- 1% less than high school
- 1% high school
- 4% some college
- 24% associate's
- 55% bachelor's
- 12% master's
- 2% professional degree
- 1% doctorate
Census ACS 2024, all workers in this occupation · 36,770 people surveyed.
Why the two can differ
O*NET asks about 20 people in each occupation, which makes its shares uncertain, but it reports the exact occupation and counts certificates. The Census survey reaches thousands, but it groups some occupations together and counts degrees only. More in the Guide
Median pay by highest degree full-time, year-round · Census ACS 2024, all workers in this occupation
21 programs, such as Registered Nursing/Registered Nurse, Nursing Administration and Adult Health Nurse/Nursing.
See all
- Registered Nursing/Registered Nurse
- Nursing Administration
- Adult Health Nurse/Nursing
- Family Practice Nurse/Nursing
- Maternal/Child Health and Neonatal Nurse/Nursing
- Nursing Science
- Pediatric Nurse/Nursing
- Psychiatric/Mental Health Nurse/Nursing
- Public Health/Community Nurse/Nursing
- Perioperative/Operating Room and Surgical Nurse/Nursing
- Clinical Nurse Specialist
- Critical Care Nursing
- Occupational and Environmental Health Nursing
- Emergency Room/Trauma Nursing
- Nursing Practice
- Palliative Care Nursing
- Clinical Nurse Leader
- Geriatric Nurse/Nursing
- Women's Health Nurse/Nursing
- Forensic Nursing
- Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing, Other
Jobs that require a credential BLS Occupational Requirements Survey 2023
>99.5% this occupation
45.3% all occupations
| By kind | This occupation | All occupations |
|---|---|---|
| a license | >99.5% | 19.1% |
| a certification | not published | |
| an educational certificate | not published |
Share of jobs whose employer requires it. BLS doesn't say which credential. How to read this
Look up certifications, training and licenses U.S. Department of Labor
- Certification Finder ↗ certifications CareerOneStop lists for this occupation
- Training Finder ↗ schools and programs, nationwide; narrow the place there
- License Finder ↗ licenses by state
- Apprenticeship Finder ↗ DOL lists 3 registered apprenticeships in this occupation (Registered Nurse; Registered Nurse (NOF); Registered Nurse Resident). Apprenticeship.gov can't be linked to one occupation, so search for “Registered Nurses” there.
These open in a new tab and send only the occupation's public code. More in the Guide
BLS AI exposure categories (Aug 2026) · BLS Employment Projections 2025–35 · O*NET 31.0 · Task ratings: Eloundou et al., Science (2024) · Microsoft "Working with AI" v1.1 · Anthropic Economic Index (2026-06-26) · Schubert, Stansbury and Taska · NCES CIP–SOC · Census ACS 2024 · BLS JOLTS
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