Is There a Nursing Shortage in Your State?
Nursing has always provided a solid career choice for people interested in a profession focused on helping others. But in the coming years, a nursing shortage in the United States will drive demand for nurses to new heights.
Even with an estimated 3.3 million nurses working nationwide by 2029, experts project nursing shortages will continue. Specific states and regions will see a bigger nursing shortage than others, due primarily to sharp population increases.
Excelsior College offers online nursing degree programs perfectly suited for students across the nation who are motivated to become registered nurses, especially working adults living in areas where they don’t have access to traditional nursing programs.
The Nursing Shortage in the United States
Nursing and other health care occupations account for some of the fastest-growing jobs in the United States in recent years. However, Baby Boomers retiring and an increasing population have led to continued nursing shortages around the country.
To get a clearer picture, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services completed a healthcare workforce report that projects the nursing shortage by state for 2030. They broke down the numbers into regions. Not surprisingly, experts expect the biggest nursing shortages in the South and West, two parts of the country where the population is growing the fastest.
Here are some states in each region that face a nursing shortage:
Northeast: The number of New Jersey nurses will fall 11.2 percent short of what is needed by 2030.
Midwest: South Dakota expects to have 14 percent fewer nurses than needed by 2030.
South: Three states face a nursing shortage in the South: South Carolina (16.6 percent), Texas (5.9 percent), and Georgia (2.2 percent). Also, both Alabama and Louisiana will only have enough nurses to meet demand by single-digit percentage points.
West: Alaska (22.7 percent) and California (11.5 percent)are both face large nursing shortages. Arizona, Montana, and Oregon expect to have enough nurses by single-digit percentage points.
The Nurse Journal did its own statistical analysis and found that the following states had the fewest nurses per person in 2019: South Carolina, Nevada, California, Texas, Georgia, Washington, Arizona, and Rhode Island.
While the nursing shortage will increase demand in states across the country, some of the largest metropolitan areas also will continue to need nurses. The metro areas with the most nursing jobs include New York City, Los Angeles, Chicago, Philadelphia, Boston, Dallas, Houston, Miami, Detroit, and Washington, D.C.
Become a Registered Nurse
Excelsior College offers future nurses two online degree programs that can further their careers in the profession. The Associate Degree in Nursing programs and the LPN to BS in Nursing program include virtual synchronous and live in-person clinical practice experiences. The online programs allow students to do coursework when it is most convenient. Online programs also are ideal for those who live in rural areas or far from a school they can attend to earn their degree.
Excelsior College provides strong support for online nursing students, preparing them with the theoretical knowledge and clinical skills they need to succeed as a nurse. Excelsior also offers test prep for nursing students to take the NCLEX-RN licensure exam.
