Inside the 2025 State of the
Nursing Profession Guide

What Does the Future Hold for Nurses?

Exploring Artificial Intelligence in Healthcare

Nurses in our survey expressed various concerns with regards to artificial intelligence in healthcare. These are their top five:

• Loss of human connection in care (75%) 
• Overreliance on technology (64%) 
• Loss of patient trust (57%) 
• AI and HIPAA compliance (55%) 
• Job displacement or role reduction (49%) 

Nearly 70% of our survey respondents say that they do not currently use AI in their jobs, but 69% state that they believe nurses will need to learn and understand AI within the next ten years.

Nurses who are excited about AI in healthcare hope that the technology will allow for faster diagnosis and give them more time to spend at the bedside. Many nurses in our survey felt excited by advancements in patient care, tools for diagnosis, research, medication development, and streamlined charting that may result from artificial intelligence. 

Lessons from the Pandemic

In May of 2023, the World Health Organization declared the end of the COVID-19 pandemic. In total, there were 1,226,351 confirmed deaths caused by COVID-19 in the United States. Many healthcare workers and others were left traumatized by the pandemic, and many more patients suffer with long-term health problems, despite surviving severe illness. 

When asked what they would need to feel prepared for the next pandemic, one nurse in our survey suggested, “Improved communication, transparency in all forms of hospital (infection control, leadership, state and local governments, etc.) contingency staffing plans, honesty from WHO, concrete recommendations and not changing recommendations based on staffing needs.” 

2025 State of US Nursing Report 

Number of Nurses in the United States 

Over 4 million Registered Nurses currently work in the United States. Even more nursing professionals work as LPN/LVNs and APRNs. 

The nurses included in our survey come from a variety of backgrounds, ethnicities, ages, licenses, specialties, and years of experience. Demographics including age, gender, ethnicity, and education level are in line with the average demographics for all nurses across the United States. 

Average Salaries by State 

Nationwide, the average salary of nurses in the United States is between $92k and $98k per year. This varies by gender, location, license, specialty, and work setting. The average salary for nurse respondents to our survey was slightly lower than the national average at $88k per year. 

Although nurses do earn more than the average working adult in the United States, 46% of nurses who responded to the survey are not satisfied with their salary. Overall, nurses are looking for better management, adequate staffing, and the flexibility to maintain a satisfying work-life balance.

Advice for New Nurses

The trope of nurses “eating their young” has seen a decline in the last few years. Now, many seasoned nurses take pride in helping the newer generations thrive, passing on advice and encouragement. In our survey, experienced nurses encourage newer nurses to: 

1. Be kind to yourself. Nobody expects you to know everything when you first start. Ask for help when you need it. If you make a mistake, notify the proper people right away and take steps to correct it.  
2. Never stop learning. Nursing is a practice, which means you never stop learning and growing. Don’t ever let yourself fall into the trap of thinking “you’ve seen it all.” Stay curious throughout your career.  
3. Practice good self-care. Nurses throughout their careers are at a high risk of burn out and compassion fatigue. While it can feel like another “task,” practicing self-care really can make a difference between a long, fulfilling nursing career and burnout.