Qualifying to become a registered nurse is a route into an in-demand, stable and rewarding career in healthcare. There are more than 3 million active nurses in the US at any one time, yet healthcare needs continue to grow.
That also means diverse roles are needed, not only in hospitals but also in clinics, schools, community and even corporate settings.
Once qualified and experienced, registered nursing positions offer very competitive salaries and the opportunity to advance into specialized roles.
There are many different educational pathways to the end goal of becoming a registered and licensed nurse, whether that’s in Arizona or New Hampshire.
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What a Registered Nurse Does – and Who Suits the Career
Registered nurses are the spine of the US healthcare system. Doctors are important, but nurses often carry out the critical day to day duties on doctors’ advice. Responsibilities RNs will have to deal with on a regular basis include:
- Monitoring patients
- Administering medications and treatments
- Organizing and maintaining medical records
- Communicating with families of patients
- Preventative healthcare duties and general care
The number of different workplaces becoming an RN opens you up to is also an attraction. As well as hospitals, nurses can work in general physician practices, home healthcare, schools, public healthcare agencies, large corporate settings and even biomedical research.
Nursing is not the most highly paid career at newly-qualified level, although Registered Nurses generally earn higher than assistants or orderlies. However, nursing is a stable, always in-demand and mentally and holistically rewarding job – for the right person.
Becoming a registered nurse as a career suits someone who is driven to make a difference in the world on an individual level, and who finds the true, deep gratitude of others inspiring.
It isn’t for the squeamish, faint of heart or those unwilling to roll up their sleeves – but the profession can pay off with higher salaries once you have more experience and knowledge.
Becoming an RN: Step by Step
- Enroll and graduate from an approved nursing program. Either an Associate Degree of Nursing or a Bachelors of Science in Nursing degree. These will be approved by Accreditation Commission for Education in Nursing (ACEN) and the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE).
- Courses will include supervised real-world clinical work and an examination – the National Council Licensure Examination (NCLEX) Registered Nurse exam.
- Once these are all completed (two to three years of study) you can apply for a license via your chosen state’s Board of Nursing or equivalent body.
- You will then have all the qualifications needed to start full time clinical work as a registered nurse in any setting available to you.
Note: regional specifics to this process may vary – so if you want to become RN in New Hampshire for example, then you’ll want to look up some more detailed information on that. There are excellent educational resources online that will guide you through the whole process, with a regional focus.
Staying with New Hampshire as an example, the state is part of the Nurse Licensure Compact. That means RNs qualified in one state part of the 42-state compact can work in any of the others without having to apply for a new state license.
New Hampshire, and its neighbors Vermont, Maine and Rhode Island all participate – and Massachusetts joined in 2025.
Nursing Remains a High-Demand Career in the US
There are more than four million active nurses across the US, but the healthcare sector continues to grow. The number of nursing positions in the US increased by 20% from 2014 to 2024. According to Bureau of Labor statistics that number is also expected to grow by a further 5% over the next decade or so, which equates to around 300,000 new job openings every year.
So there is clearly a lot of demand. But why? Well, an aging population with increasing incidences of chronic long term health problems is probably the biggest driver. Both of those have also led to more retiring nurses, and not enough young nurses to fill those gaps.
If you’re looking for a career likely to be in demand for a long while yet (and one that might be insular from AI job cuts) nursing is a strong bet.
The average salary for an RN across the US is around $70,000. In some states you’ll see an average of $50,000, while others are $65,000-plus. The highest salaries for RNs are in Alaska and Hawaii – being the most geographically isolated of the states. Out of the mainland states Oregon and D.C. offer the highest average RN pay.
At the higher end, experienced nursing practitioners in prestigious healthcare facilities or at large companies can earn upwards of $120,000 a year.
The biggest salaries for practicing nurses are often in specialized roles such as nurse anesthetists or midwifery. A Registered Nurse license stands you in good stead for picking up these skills, and taking on further qualifications as you advance in your career.
