What 6,000 Nurses Just Told Us About Nurse Life in 2025
Each year, we check in with nurses across the country to better understand their lived experiences—what they earn, how they feel about their jobs, and how they’re thinking about the future.
This year’s survey saw an incredible surge in participation, more than triple last year’s response rate. Over 6,000 nurses shared their perspectives with us between January and April 2025, giving us one of the most comprehensive snapshots we've ever had of the nursing profession.
Our 2025 Nurse Survey offers an in-depth look into what’s changed (and what hasn’t), and how nurses are navigating a profession undergoing rapid transformation.
"Over 6,000 nurses shared their real, raw stories with us this year—and what they had to say about pay, satisfaction, and the future of nursing is powerful." — Nurse Blake
Nurse Salaries: Slow Gains, Budgeting Realities, and Side Hustles
This year’s salary trends paint an interesting picture:
- 37% of nurses earn between $61,000 and $90,000, while 21% earn more than $100,000.
- 47% of nurses saw only a modest raise over the past year (1–5%), 30% reported no change, and 10% actually saw a pay cut.
- A smaller group (14%) received raises above 5%.
Despite some upward movement in pay, the majority of nurses are still budgeting carefully. While 51% said their salary covers most of their expenses with careful budgeting, only 21% felt their salary comfortably covers all costs. Alarmingly, 18% said they’re barely getting by.
The hustle doesn’t end at the hospital doors. 32% of nurses have a secondary income, up slightly from last year’s 29%. The most common sources? Overtime (24%), per diem shifts (19%), and non-nursing side gigs (14%).
Education: Degrees, Debt, and Ambition
Nursing offers a wide range of educational paths, and our respondents reflect that:
- 45% hold a bachelor’s degree as their highest level of education.
- 23% have an associate's degree
- 17% have a master’s degree or higher.
- 14% completed a nursing certificate or diploma.
When asked about debt incurred in becoming a nurse, there was a wide range of answers.
- 22% of nurses reported never having any debt
- 16% had under $10K in debt
- 18% had $10K - $25K in debt
- 19% had $25 - $50K in debt
- 22% had over $50K in debt from their nursing education
Even with the financial burden, the majority of nurses (83%) said their education was worth it.
And many aren’t done learning. 42% plan to continue their education in the next year, up from 36% last year. The top educational plans for nurses going back to school are: MSN (32%), bachelor’s degree (26%), and specialty certification (21%).
Job Satisfaction: A Mixed Pulse Across Specialties
When it comes to job satisfaction:
- 55% were satisfied with their current jobs, rating them a 4 or 5, while 33% gave it a 4, and 30% a neutral 3.
- Only 15% rated their satisfaction as low (1 or 2).
Specialties with the highest satisfaction ratings (4 or 5) include:
- Community health (64%)
- Obstetrics, ambulatory care, and non-bedside roles (each at 63%)
At the other end, float nurses (42%), long-term care nurses (46%), and critical care nurses (49%) reported the lowest satisfaction scores.
Who’s Staying and Who’s Thinking About Leaving?
When asked how likely they were to leave the bedside in the next year, nurses were pretty divided:
- 28% said they were very likely to leave the bedside.
- Another 28% said they were very unlikely, with the rest falling somewhere in between.
Top specialties considering a shift away from the bedside include:
- Community health nurses (47%)
- Float and ambulatory nurses (40%)
- Critical care nurses (38%)
Interestingly, ambulatory nurses, despite high satisfaction, are still among those most likely to leave the bedside.
What’s next for those looking to transition out of the bedside?
The top responses were:
- Telehealth nursing (13%)
- Nurse educator roles (12%)
- Retirement or not planning to work (11%)
For those staying bedside, the top reasons include:
- Financial necessity (19%)
- Work schedule convenience (12%)
- Commitment to patient care (12%)
Leaving Nursing Altogether?
Despite challenges, most nurses are staying in the profession:
- 63% said they were very unlikely to leave nursing entirely.
- Only 10% said they were very likely to exit the field.
The specialties that reported they were most likely to leave the profession were:
- Surgical and community health nurses (19%)
- Emergency & obstetrics nurses (18%)
Their post-nursing plans: remaining in healthcare but leaving the bedside (25%), retiring or stepping away from work (23%), and returning to school (12%).
How are Nurses Doing Compared to Last Year?
Some things haven’t moved:
- Pay (62%), working conditions (52%), and benefits (62%) are all seen as about the same.
Unfortunately, more nurses saw declines than improvements:
- Staffing levels worsened for 44%.
- Mental health and stress levels declined for 45%.
No areas showed a majority of nurses reporting improvements.
The Big Question: Is It All Worth It?
- Despite the challenges, 69% of nurses said joining the profession was worth it.
- 49% said they would recommend the nursing career to a friend or family member.
Nurses and AI: Uncertainty on the Horizon
Nurses expressed cautious curiosity about AI’s impact:
- 22% believe it will revolutionize nursing; 32% disagreed.
- 28% think it will help with decision-making; 34% don’t.
- 27% see it as a tool for improving patient care; 33% aren’t convinced.
- 27% thought it could reduce healthcare costs; 28% think not.
The only consensus? 51% believe AI will change the role of nurses in the future.
Final Takeaways
The 2025 Nurse Survey reveals a profession in transition. Nurses are increasingly thinking about their long-term career paths, facing the financial realities of their work, and feeling the pressures of short staffing and stress. And yet, many still feel that nursing is a meaningful, worthwhile calling. Whether through bedside care, education, or telehealth, nurses are adapting, evolving, and shaping the future of healthcare.
"This survey isn’t just stats—it’s a wake-up call. Nurses are juggling side hustles, managing debt, and still showing up with heart. Their voices matter now more than ever." — Nurse Blake
Data
Demographics
| Where are you in your nursing career? | % |
| I am a nurse | 95% |
| I am a nursing student | 5% |
| Which of the following licenses do you hold? (multi-select) | % |
| RN (BSN) | 39% |
| RN (ADN) | 19% |
| LPN | 13% |
| MSN | 9% |
| RN (Diploma) | 8% |
| Nursing Student | 5% |
| NP | 4% |
| CNA | 3% |
| DNP | 1% |
| N/A or none of the above | 0% |
| What type of employee best describes you? (multi-select) | % |
| Full time | 70% |
| Part time | 12% |
| Per diem | 6% |
| N/A or None of the above | 4% |
| Traveler | 3% |
| Agency | 2% |
| Contractor | 2% |
| What is your primary specialty? | % |
| Other | 16% |
| Acute care | 13% |
| Critical care | 10% |
| Long-term care | 10% |
| Emergency | 9% |
| Ambulatory setting | 8% |
| Pediatrics (all specialties) | 8% |
| Surgical | 6% |
| Obstetrics | 5% |
| Non-bedside | 5% |
| Community Health | 5% |
| N/A or None of the Above | 4% |
| Float nurse | 2% |
| What is your age group? | % |
| 55-64 | 23% |
| 50-54 | 12% |
| 65 or older | 12% |
| 40-44 | 10% |
| 45-49 | 10% |
| 30-34 | 10% |
| 35-39 | 10% |
| 25-29 | 10% |
| 18-24 | 2% |
| <18 | 1% |
Salary
| What is your current annual salary? | % |
| $71,000 - $80,000/ year | 13% |
| $61,000 - $70,000/ year | 12% |
| $81,000 - $90,000/ year | 12% |
| $91,000 - $100,000/ year | 10% |
| $51,000 - $60,000/ year | 9% |
| $120,000+ / year | 8% |
| $101,000 - $110,000/ year | 8% |
| Prefer not to answer | 7% |
| $20,000 - $40,000/ year | 7% |
| $41,000 - $50,000/ year | 6% |
| $111,000 - $120,000/ year | 5% |
| Less than $20,000/ year | 3% |
| How has your salary changed over the past year? | % |
| My compensation has increased 1-5% | 47% |
| My compensation has stayed the same | 30% |
| My compensation has decreased | 10% |
| My compensation has increased 6-10% | 7% |
| My compensation has increased 11-15% | 2% |
| My compensation has increased more than 20% | 2% |
| My compensation has increased 16-20% | 1% |
| Considering your current salary, how would you describe your ability to cover your regular monthly expenses? | % |
| Covers most expenses, but requires careful budgeting | 51% |
| Comfortably covers all expenses | 21% |
| Barely covers essential expenses | 18% |
| Does not cover most expenses | 5% |
| Prefer not to answer | 3% |
| Other | 1% |
| Do you have a secondary source of income? | % |
| No | 68% |
| Yes | 32% |
| What is your secondary source of income? (multi-select) | % |
| I work overtime shifts | 24% |
| I work per diem shifts | 19% |
| OTHER (Spouse, Pension, Social Security, etc.) | 15% |
| I have a non-nursing "side hustle" or secondary job | 14% |
| I work as a nursing instructor or tutor | 7% |
| I have a nursing "side hustle" | 6% |
| I work as a home care nurse | 5% |
| I work as a telehealth nurse | 2% |
| I work as a nurse writer | 2% |
| I work as a health coach | 2% |
| I work as a nurse legal expert | 1% |
| I work as a nurse influencer | 1% |
| I work as a medical transcriber | 1% |
| I run a nurse ecommerce store | 1% |
Education
| What is your highest level of education? | % |
| Bachelor's degree | 45% |
| Associate degree | 23% |
| Nursing certificate or diploma | 14% |
| Master's degree | 13% |
| Doctoral degree | 2% |
| Post-graduate certificate or diploma | 2% |
| High school diploma | 1% |
| None of the Above | 0% |
| What was the total amount of debt you estimate you owed from your nursing education? | % |
| I never carried educational debt | 22% |
| $25,001-$50,000 | 19% |
| $10,001-$25,000 | 18% |
| Less than $10,000 | 16% |
| $50,001-$75,000 | 12% |
| $75,001-$100,000 | 8% |
| Prefer not to answer | 3% |
| More than $150,001 | 2% |
| On a scale of 1-5, with 5 being the highest, was your nursing education "worth it"? | % |
| 5 (worth it) | 61% |
| 4 | 23% |
| 3 | 12% |
| 2 | 3% |
| 1 (not worth it) | 2% |
| Do you plan to further your education/credentials in the next year? | % |
| No | 58% |
| Yes | 42% |
| If yes, what degree/credentials are you going to pursue? | % Yes |
| None of the above | 17% |
| Master of Science in Nursing (MSN) | 13% |
| Bachelor's degree (BS, BSN, BA) | 11% |
| Nursing specialty certification | 9% |
| Associate degree (AD, ADN) | 4% |
| Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) or DNAP | 4% |
| Post-graduate certificate or diploma | 1% |
| Non-nursing master's degree - MBA, MHA, MPH, or other | 1% |
| PhD | 1% |
| Other | 2% |
Job Satisfaction
| On a scale of 1-5, with 5 being the highest, how satisfied are you with your current job? | % |
| 5 (very satisfied) | 22% |
| 4 | 33% |
| 3 | 30% |
| 2 | 9% |
| 1 (very unsatisfied) | 6% |
| Job satisfaction by specialty | % Satisfied (rated 4 or 5) |
| Community Health | 64% |
| Obstetrics | 63% |
| Ambulatory setting | 63% |
| Non-bedside | 63% |
| Pediatrics (all specialties) | 61% |
| Other | 58% |
| Surgical | 56% |
| Acute care | 51% |
| Emergency | 50% |
| Critical care | 49% |
| N/A or None of the Above | 46% |
| Long-term care | 46% |
| Float nurse | 42% |
Nurses Leaving the Bedside
| On a scale of 1-5, with 5 being the highest, how likely are you to leave the bedside in the next year? | % |
| 5 (very likely to leave the bedside) | 28% |
| 4 | 11% |
| 3 | 21% |
| 2 | 12% |
| 1 (very unlikely to leave the bedside) | 28% |
| Likely to Leave Bedside by Specialty | % likely to leave (rated 4 or 5) |
| Non-bedside | 68% |
| Community Health | 47% |
| N/A or None of the Above | 44% |
| Other | 41% |
| Float nurse | 40% |
| Ambulatory setting | 40% |
| Critical care | 38% |
| Emergency | 37% |
| Long-term care | 35% |
| Acute care | 35% |
| Surgical | 33% |
| Pediatrics (all specialties) | 33% |
| Obstetrics | 32% |
| If you are thinking about leaving the bedside in the next year, what new job are you likely to pursue? (multi-select) | % |
| Telehealth Nurse | 13% |
| Nurse Educator | 12% |
| OTHER (mostly: don’t know, return, school nurse) | 11% |
| I don't plan to work/I'm retiring | 11% |
| Nurse Case Manager | 9% |
| Aesthetic/Cosmetic Nurse | 6% |
| Nurse Administrator | 6% |
| Forensic Nurse | 5% |
| Public Health Nurse | 5% |
| Informatics Nurse | 5% |
| Legal Nurse Consultant | 5% |
| Medical Device or Pharmaceutical Sales | 4% |
| Nurse Health Coach | 4% |
| Nurse Writer | 3% |
| Nurse Recruiter | 2% |
| What factors are keeping you at the bedside despite your potential desire to leave? (multi-select) | % |
| Financial necessity (e.g. need for income, healthcare benefits, etc.) | 19% |
| Convenient work schedule (e.g. shift flexibility, hours) | 12% |
| Commitment to patient care (e.g. loyalty to patients or "making a difference") | 12% |
| Workplace relationships (e.g. strong bonds with coworkers, team support) | 12% |
| Personal satisfaction (e.g. fulfillment from bedside nursing) | 10% |
| Fear of change or uncertainty (e.g. concerns about transitioning to a new role) | 8% |
| Lack of alternative job opportunities (e.g. difficulty finding non-bedside roles) | 8% |
| Pending retirement or career transition plans (e.g. waiting for a planned transition) | 7% |
| Lack of skills or qualifications for non-bedside roles (e.g. feel unprepared) | 5% |
| Support from management or leadership (e.g. good management keeps me motivated) | 4% |
| OTHER | 2% |
Nurses Leaving Nursing Entirely
| On a scale of 1-5, with 5 being the highest, how likely are you to leave the nursing profession entirely within the next year? | % |
| 1 (Very unlikely to leave the nursing profession) | 63% |
| 2 | 11% |
| 3 | 11% |
| 4 | 5% |
| 5 (Very likely to leave the nursing profession) | 10% |
| Likely to Leave Entirely by Specialty | % likely to leave (rated 4 or 5) |
| N/A or None of the Above | 20% |
| Surgical | 19% |
| Community Health | 19% |
| Emergency | 18% |
| Obstetrics | 18% |
| Long-term care | 17% |
| Critical care | 16% |
| Float nurse | 15% |
| Non-bedside | 14% |
| Pediatrics (all specialties) | 14% |
| Other | 14% |
| Ambulatory setting | 13% |
| Acute care | 12% |
| If you are thinking about leaving the nursing profession entirely in the next year, what are your career plans? (multi-select) | % |
| I want to stay in healthcare but get away from the bedside | 25% |
| I don't plan to work/I'm retiring | 23% |
| I want to go back to school | 12% |
| OTHER | 9% |
| I want to work in hospital/healthcare administration | 8% |
| I want to be a legal nurse consultant | 7% |
| I want to be a medical writer | 5% |
| I want to be a healthcare recruiter | 5% |
| I want to be a pharmaceutical sales representative | 4% |
| I want to be a physical therapist | 2% |
| I want to be a social worker | 2% |
Conditions Compared to Last Year
| How has each of the following changed over the past year? | % |
| About the SAME as last year | 39% |
| BETTER since last year | 13% |
| Unsure or decline to answer | 4% |
| WORSE than last year | 44% |
| How has each of the following changed over the past year? | % |
| About the SAME as last year | 62% |
| BETTER since last year | 22% |
| Unsure or decline to answer | 3% |
| WORSE than last year | 14% |
| How has each of the following changed over the past year? | % |
| About the SAME as last year | 52% |
| BETTER since last year | 11% |
| Unsure or decline to answer | 3% |
| WORSE than last year | 34% |
| How has each of the following changed over the past year? | % |
| About the SAME as last year | 62% |
| BETTER since last year | 9% |
| Unsure or decline to answer | 4% |
| WORSE than last year | 25% |
| How has each of the following changed over the past year? | % |
| About the SAME as last year | 40% |
| BETTER since last year | 12% |
| Unsure or decline to answer | 2% |
| WORSE than last year | 45% |
Is Nursing Worth It?
| On a scale of 1-5, with 5 being the highest, how do you feel about your decision to join the nursing profession? | % |
| 1 (Joining the nursing profession was not worth it) | 3% |
| 2 | 6% |
| 3 | 22% |
| 4 | 28% |
| 5 (Joining the nursing profession was totally worth it) | 41% |
| On a scale of 1-5, with 5 being the highest, how likely are you to recommend a nursing career to a friend or family member? | % |
| 1 (Unlikely to recommend) | 14% |
| 2 | 12% |
| 3 | 25% |
| 4 | 22% |
| 5 (Very likely to recommend) | 27% |
How Will AI Affect Nursing?
| Do you agree or disagree? - "AI (artificial intelligence) in nursing? will revolutionize the field of nursing" | % |
| Agree | 22% |
| Disagree | 32% |
| Neither agree or disagree | 37% |
| Unsure or decline to answer | 9% |
| Do you agree or disagree? - "AI (artificial intelligence) in nursing can improve nurse decision-making?" | % |
| Agree | 28% |
| Disagree | 34% |
| Neither agree or disagree | 32% |
| Unsure or decline to answer | 7% |
| Do you agree or disagree? - "AI (artificial intelligence) in nursing can improve patient care." | % |
| Agree | 27% |
| Disagree | 33% |
| Neither agree or disagree | 32% |
| Unsure or decline to answer | 7% |
| Do you agree or disagree? - "AI (artificial intelligence) in nursing can reduce healthcare costs." | % |
| Agree | 27% |
| Disagree | 28% |
| Neither agree or disagree | 36% |
| Unsure or decline to answer | 9% |
| Do you agree or disagree? - AI (artificial intelligence) in nursing will change the role of nurses in the future." | % |
| Agree | 51% |
| Disagree | 16% |
| Neither agree or disagree | 26% |
| Unsure or decline to answer | 8% |
