By Jodi Helmer

During their 12-hour shifts, registered nurses (RNs) in Arizona and Arkansas perform many of the same tasks as RNs in Wisconsin and Wyoming: Assessing patients, monitoring vital signs, administering medications, and charting records to provide the best patient care. The work might be similar, but there are vast differences in the number of RNs in each state.

In states like Idaho, Utah, and Nevada, which have the lowest number of nurses per capita, there are as few as 7 nurses per 1000 residents compared with South Dakota and the District of Columbia, which have double the number of nurses than underserved states — giving them the highest number of nurses per capita.

Even states with the largest number of nurses per capita are not immune to the nursing shortage. The National Bureau of Labor Statistics estimates that there will be 195,400 job openings for RNs from 2021 to 2031.

States With the Highest Number of Nurses Per Capita

South Dakota

RNs per 1000 residents: 15.79

Average wage: $67,030 or $32.23 per hour

Average rent in Sioux Falls: $1192 per month

The Midwestern state has more miles of shoreline than Florida, herds of wild buffalo, the highest summit east of the Rockies, and more nurses per capita than all other states . Healthcare is one of the major industries in the Mount Rushmore State.

Haifa Abou Samra, dean and professor at the University of South Dakota School of Health Sciences in Vermillion, South Dakota, isn’t surprised that RNs want to call the state home.

“South Dakota is a nice place to live,” Samra said. “[The] schools are wonderful. If people are growing families, there is support; neighbors support their neighbors, and it’s a relatively safe community.”

South Dakota has 19 approved nursing education programs that graduated 878 RNs in 2022. Scholarships and student loan forgiveness programs have helped attract qualified RNs, and collaborations between education and industry have been instrumental in addressing the nursing shortage, said Samra.

Even though RNs earn less than the median wage ($87,070 per year/41.38 per hour), South Dakota has a low cost of living and no individual income tax, which helps stretch those earnings.

District of Columbia

RNs per 1000 residents: 15.39

Average wage: $105,220 or $50.59 per hour

Average rent in Washington, DC: $2485 per month

After a shift at some of the top-ranking hospitals in the nation, RNs working in the compact capital region can explore museums, monuments, and cultural sites; walk along the banks of the Potomac River; or grab a bite at award-winning restaurants.

Washington, a top-ranking metro area due to its growth, high wages, and access to economic opportunities, is also home to several top-tier hospitals and some of the best healthcare in the nation, and RNs who want to pursue continuing education have access to top-tier universities.

Nurses in Washington, DC, might make some of the highest wages in the nation, but the region also has the second highest cost of living in the United States, with average rents topping $2400 per month and an average home price of $594,337.

North Dakota

RNs per 1000 residents: 12.99

Average wage: $74,930 or $36.03 per hour

Average rent in Fargo: $1051 per month

North Dakota projects a 10.4% increase in employment for RNs, which is higher than the national average, and the state has implemented several strategies to address chronic nursing shortages. The Nurse Staffing Clearinghouse connects nursing school graduates with local employers and created a statewide nursing staffing pool for in-state recruitment of travel nurses.

But it’s not just plentiful job opportunities and a low cost of living that attract nurses to the Peace Garden State. The state and its largest cities, Bismarck and Fargo, hold several “best of” accolades, including nods for the safest places to live and among the Best Places to Raise a Family, giving it high marks for quality of life.

Sure, the winters are cold, but the outdoor recreation can’t be beaten. RNs can bundle up and see the bighorn sheep in the Badlands at Theodore Roosevelt National Park or explore expansive terrain for skiing, snowboarding, and snowmobile trails.

States With the Lowest Number of Nurses Per Capita

Nevada

RNs per 1000 residents: 7.92

Average wage: $96,201 or $46.25 per hour

Average rent in Las Vegas: $1478 per month

Despite a projected 23% job growth for RNs between 2020 and 2030, the state has struggled to fill open positions. It might be the higher-than-average cost of living (9.7% higher than the US average) or higher-than-average crime rates that make RNs reluctant to gamble on a job in the Silver State. But there are some big wins for nurses in the state.

Salaries are higher than the national average, there is no state income tax, and some of the lowest property taxes in the nation. Thanks to new legislation, RNs with student loan debt won’t have to bet on black at the casino to make their payments. The Health Equity and Loan Assistance Program is a new initiative that offers up to $120,000 in loan repayment assistance to providers, including RNs, who commit to working in underserved and rural areas across the state for 5 years.

The state also has incredible attractions, from the neon lights and over-the-top architecture in Las Vegas to iconic red rock canyons, stunning state parks, and landmarks like Hoover Dam and Lake Tahoe.

Utah

RNs per 1000 residents: 7.05

Average wage: $79,790 or $38.36 per hour

Average rent in Salt Lake City: $1611 per month

Healthcare is one of the biggest employers in Utah, and nurses are the most in-demand healthcare workers in the state. But below-average wages and a cost of living that is a whopping 28% higher than the national average could be some reasons that the Beehive State is struggling to attract nurses.

A high number of job vacancies mean higher patient-to-nurse ratios, creating additional stress for a workforce prone to burnout. Much of the state is rural, public transportation is inadequate, and poor air quality causes frequent haze and smog.

The challenges are offset by some big benefits: Utah has been ranked as the “best state” thanks to the strong economy, infrastructure, and quality education — and it doesn’t hurt that Utah is home to myriad outdoor recreation opportunities and the stunning scenery at landmarks like Bryce Canyon and Arches National Park.

Moreover, Utah is hustling to boost its RN workforce. The University of Utah, Salt Lake City, Utah, has increased enrollment by 25% and hired additional faculty to help boost the nursing workforce — and those who work in hospitals and health clinics across the state benefit from a flat 4.55% individual income tax rate.

Idaho

RNs per 1000 residents: 7.02

Average wage: $80,130 or $38.53 per hour

Average rent in Boise: $1646 per month

Although the nursing workforce in Idaho has increased, it still ranks as the lowest in the nation. Teresa Stanfill, DNP, RN, executive director for the Idaho Center for Nursing, said that the number of new nurses is too low to replace the number of retiring nurses.

The state introduced loan repayment programs that award up to $25,000 to cover student loan debt, and hospitals and health systems often offer sign-on bonuses and relocation packages to attract RNs. But long winters, an isolated location, and limited cultural options can make it harder to attract nurses to the state.

It’s easier to recruit RNs to suburban areas like Boise, Meridian, and Nampa, but rural parts of the state struggle, Stanfill adds. The nursing shortage is among the reasons that 11 hospitals and emergency departments closed in 2024, and healthcare organizations slashed services across the state.

Idaho has a lot to offer RNs, from small-town charm, reasonable cost of living, and gorgeous landscapes that make it one of the top 10 fastest-growing states in the nation. Collaboration between industry leaders and nursing programs is focused on finding creative solutions to boost the nursing workforce in Idaho.

Where Are the Nurse Practitioners (NPs)?

There are significant differences between the number of RNs and NPs in each state.

Massachusetts is the lone state that ranks in the top five for the highest number of RNs and NPs. The other states with the highest number of NPs per capita — Tennessee, Mississippi, and New Hampshire — are the middle of the pack when it comes to per capita numbers of RNs.

In contrast, California, Hawaii, and Idaho, the states with the fewest NPs per capita, also have lower numbers of RNs.

Here are the NP numbers:

5 States With the Highest Number of NPs Per Capita:

Tennessee: 19.4 per 1000 residents

Mississippi: 13.7 per 1000 residents

New Hampshire: 13.3 per 1000 residents

Missouri: 11.9 per 1000 residents

Massachusetts: 11.3 per 1000 residents

5 States With the Lowest Number of NPs Per Capita:

Washington: 5.72 per 1000 residents

Idaho: 5.65 per 1000 residents

Oregon: 5.64 per 1000 residents

California: 5.5 per 1000 residents

Hawaii: 3.5 per 1000 residents