Occupations · Healthcare Practitioners and Technical

Registered Nurses

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.

O*NET 30.3 Database (USDOL/ETA) · occupation code 29-1141.00

$93,600median annual wage, May 2024

3,282,010people employed, United States

▲ 4.9%projected change, 2024→2034

189,100openings a year, incl. replacements

What it pays

A single “average salary” hides the spread. This is the whole distribution — the gap between the bottom and top bar is usually the number that matters.

BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2024 · national, cross-industry · annual wage

Pay over time

Median up 43% between 2012 and 2024, before inflation. The band shows the 10th to 90th percentile.

BLS OEWS, one release per year. Before May 2011 only national estimates were published, so geography detail starts there.

Where the jobs are

Metro area	Median wage	Employed
New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ-PA	$113,490	195,470
Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA	$133,440	107,340
Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN-WI	$96,480	100,620
Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD	$99,210	74,840
Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX	$98,740	72,640
Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH	$102,440	66,440
Houston-The Woodlands-Sugar Land, TX	$97,810	65,300
Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach, FL	$85,610	59,880
Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA	$96,370	54,370
Phoenix-Mesa-Scottsdale, AZ	$98,160	46,330
Detroit-Warren-Dearborn, MI	$88,980	44,280
Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV	$101,800	43,640

BLS OEWS May 2024, metropolitan estimates · the 12 areas with the most people in this occupation

Typical education to enter: Bachelor's degree · BLS Employment Projections 2024–34

What people in this job actually do

Ordered by how important the work is rated.

Record patients' medical information and vital signs.
Administer medications to patients and monitor patients for reactions or side effects.
Maintain accurate, detailed reports and records.
Monitor, record, and report symptoms or changes in patients' conditions.
Provide health care, first aid, immunizations, or assistance in convalescence or rehabilitation in locations such as schools, hospitals, or industry.
Consult and coordinate with healthcare team members to assess, plan, implement, or evaluate patient care plans.
Direct or supervise less-skilled nursing or healthcare personnel or supervise a particular unit.
Monitor all aspects of patient care, including diet and physical activity.
Perform administrative or managerial functions, such as taking responsibility for a unit's staff, budget, planning, or long-range goals.
Order, interpret, and evaluate diagnostic tests to identify and assess patient's condition.
Prescribe or recommend drugs, medical devices, or other forms of treatment, such as physical therapy, inhalation therapy, or related therapeutic procedures.
Direct or coordinate infection control programs, advising or consulting with specified personnel about necessary precautions.

O*NET 30.3 task ratings, importance scale

Skills that matter most

Importance, rated 1 to 5.

Speaking4.0

Active Listening4.0

Critical Thinking4.0

Reading Comprehension3.9

Monitoring3.8

Writing3.8

Active Learning3.5

Learning Strategies3.2

Science2.9

Mathematics2.9

O*NET 30.3 skills, importance scale

Software and tools

A dot marks what O*NET flags as in demand.

Apache Spark●Epic Systems●Google Docs●Henry Schein Dentrix●Kronos Workforce Timekeeper●MEDITECH software●Microsoft Access●Microsoft Excel●Microsoft Office software●Microsoft Outlook●Microsoft PowerPoint●Microsoft Project●Microsoft SharePoint●Microsoft Windows●Microsoft Word●eClinicalWorks EHR software●Allscripts SunriseAllscripts healthcare automation softwareData entry softwareDatabase softwareDiagnostic and procedural coding softwareDoctorsPartner EMRDrug guide softwareElectronic medical record EMR softwareFaceTimeFileMaker ProGoogle DriveHMS

O*NET 30.3 software skills · hot-technology flag

What this work is actually like

Conditions rated against the average across all occupations — only what makes this job different is listed.

4 / 5Considerable preparation — a four-year degree plus several years in the field.

O*NET 30.3 Job Zones

Working conditions that stand out

Exposed to Disease or Infections+2.4 above average

Outdoors, Exposed to All Weather Conditions−1.3 below average

Dealing With Unpleasant, Angry, or Discourteous People+1.3 above average

Deal With External Customers or the Public in General+1.1 above average

Dealing with Violent or Physically Aggressive People+1.1 above average

Indoors, Not Environmentally Controlled−1.0 below average

Wear Common Protective or Safety Equipment such as Safety Shoes, Glasses, Gloves, Hearing Protection, Hard Hats, or Life Jackets+1.0 above average

O*NET 30.3 work context, frequency scale · observed 2021-08

How people actually get in

Share of workers by the education they hold.

Bachelor's Degree56%

Post-Secondary Certificate - awarded for training completed after high school (for example, in agriculture or natural resources, computer services, personal or culinary services, engineering technologies, healthcare, construction trades, mechanic and repair technologies, or precision production)22%

Associate's Degree (or other 2-year degree)19%

Master's Degree1%

O*NET 30.2 education, training and experience · observed 2021-08

What kind of person the work suits

Occupational interest profile, rated 1 to 7.

Social5.6

Conventional4.8

Investigative4.7

O*NET 30.2 occupational interests (RIASEC)

What you take with you

Skills rated for how well they transfer into other occupations.

Social Perceptiveness4.1

Coordination4.0

Service Orientation4.0

Judgment and Decision Making3.9

Complex Problem Solving3.5

Instructing3.2

Time Management3.1

Systems Analysis3.0

O*NET 30.3 transferable skills, importance scale

Knowledge the work draws on

PsychologyCustomer and Personal ServiceMedicine and DentistryEnglish LanguageAdministrativeMathematics

Abilities it leans on

Deductive ReasoningProblem SensitivityOral ComprehensionWritten ComprehensionOral ExpressionInductive Reasoning

O*NET 30.3 abilities and knowledge, importance scale

How this job is advertised

The same work is posted under many titles — this is what to search for.

NurseWard NurseX-Ray NurseScrub NurseField NurseStaff NurseCounty NurseFlight NurseTrauma NurseCharge NurseTriage NurseSchool NursePrenatal NurseSurgical Nurse

O*NET 30.3 job titles reported for this occupation

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What changed since 2015

Comparing O*NET release 20.1 (2015-10-01) with 30.3 (2026-05-01). Signs, not colour alone, carry the meaning. 4 entries that were only relabelled between releases are left out.

Now listed 20

+FileMaker Pro+Prognosis Innovation Healthcare ChartAccess+Oracle Taleo+LinkedIn+YouTube+Allscripts healthcare automation software+Google Drive+Google Docs+Microsoft Windows+Allscripts Sunrise+Microsoft Project+Apache Spark+Human resource management software HRMS+Microsoft Access

No longer listed 7

−Eclipsys software−Eclipsys Sunrise Clinical Manager−Misys Healthcare Systems software−Misys Healthcare Systems Misys CPR−IDX Systems software−Misys Healthcare Systems Misys HomeCare−MCG software

Diff across the O*NET releases held here in full since October 2015, following occupations through merges and retirements. O*NET re-surveys occupations on a rolling cycle, so “no change” can also mean “not re-surveyed”.

O*NET 30.3 related occupations

Also called

NurseMid WifeHead NurseWard NurseScrub NurseStaff NurseField NurseX-Ray NurseX Ray NurseCounty NurseFlight NurseCase Manager

O*NET 30.3 alternative titles

The same work in Europe

ESCO occupation	ISCO	Match
nurse responsible for general care	2221.2	exact
auxiliary nursing and midwifery vocational teacher	2320.1.4	close
specialist nurse	2221.3	broader
advanced nurse practitioner	2221.1	broader

Official ESCO ↔ O*NET crosswalk (ESCO Secretariat with USDOL/ETA)

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