Study shows Oregon and Washington among 2019's best states for nurses

WASHINGTON STATE—With the recent legislative discussion surrounding nurses work hours and conditions in Washington State, nursing has become a hot topic. Opponents of an amendment limiting nurses to working eight-hour shifts said the law would make it more difficult for Washington to recruit nurses who consider 12-hour-shifts a job perk.

Wallethub.com recently performed a study on the best places to work as a nurse and ranked Oregon first and Washington third in the U.S. It is unlikely the new legislation was factored into the results, and unknown if it would have affected the results positively or negatively.

While nurses deal with negatives such as mandatory overtime, overstaffing, unionization and disrespectful behavior, the occupation is among the most lucrative careers with the lowest unemployment rates, according to wallethub.com.

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the job outlook for nursing is expected to grow 15 percent from 2016 to 2026, which is much faster than the average for all occupations. The increase is attributed to an aging population and the need for more nurses in home-care or outpatient facilities.

The study was designed to evaluate the nursing industry to help registered nurses, particularly new graduates, pick a place to live that will bring success, according to the Wallethub.com website. To do so, they compared 21 key metrics from the 50 states and the District of Columbia. Factors related to opportunity and competition account for 70 percent of the score with factors addressing work environment accounting for the remaining 30 percent.

More information regarding the main findings, comments from experts on the nursing industry and methodology can be found at https://wallethub.com/edu/best-states-for-nurses/4041/#methodology.

Best Places to Work as a Nurse *

Overall State Total Opportunity Work

Rank Score & Competiton Environment

1 Oregon 61.94 12 3

2 Minnesota 61.83 29 1

3 Washington 60.88 7 5

4 New Mexico 60.38 2 31

5 Maine 60.33 19 4

6 Montana 58.27 6 18

7 Arizona 58.14 5 21

8 Nevada 57.92 1 42

9 New Hamp. 57.08 42 2

10 Iowa 56.71 9 20

The Nursing Market in Washington

(1=Best; 25=Avg.)

13th – Monthly Avg. Starting Salary for Nurses (Adjusted for Cost of Living)

24th – Health-Care Facilities per Capita

5th – Nurses per Capita

24th – Average Annual Salary for Nurses (Adjusted for Cost of Living)

16th – Share of Best Nursing Homes

5th – Projected Competition by 2026

*Results per study performed by Wallethub.com