Registered Nurses
Also called: Cardiac Care Unit Nurse (CCU Nurse), Cardiac Nurse Specialist, Central Supply Nurse, Certified Operating Room Nurse (CNOR), Charge Nurse, Circulating Nurse, Community Health Nurse, Consultant Nurse
Assess patient health problems and needs, develop and implement nursing care plans, and maintain medical records.
What registered nurses do
Typical tasks
- Record patients' medical information and vital signs.
- Administer medications to patients and monitor patients for reactions or side effects.
- Maintain accurate, detailed reports and records.
- Monitor, record, and report symptoms or changes in patients' conditions.
- Provide health care, first aid, immunizations, or assistance in convalescence or rehabilitation in locations such as schools, hospitals, or industry.
- Consult and coordinate with healthcare team members to assess, plan, implement, or evaluate patient care plans.
- Direct or supervise less-skilled nursing or healthcare personnel or supervise a particular unit.
- Monitor all aspects of patient care, including diet and physical activity.
- Instruct individuals, families, or other groups on topics such as health education, disease prevention, or childbirth and develop health improvement programs.
- Modify patient treatment plans as indicated by patients' responses and conditions.
- Conduct specified laboratory tests.
- Observe nurses and visit patients to ensure proper nursing care.
Typical path into the job (BLS)
Registered Nurses salary
The median annual wage for registered nurses is $97,550 (BLS OEWS May 2025; BLS Employment Projections 2025–35, national). The lowest 10 percent earn less than $68,940 and the highest 10 percent earn more than $137,470. The mean annual wage is $101,420.
The mean hourly wage of $48.00 is 6.6× the federal minimum wage of $7.25. State minimums are higher in most large states. Minimum wage by state →
How does your pay compare with people your age?
Your numbers are not sent or stored. The comparison uses this occupation's BLS wage percentiles, adjusted for age with BLS median weekly earnings by age group (Q3 2026).
Pay by percentile
Annual wage percentiles from the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS). Percentiles are a good proxy for pay by experience.
Projected pay for Registered Nurses (3, 5 and 10 years)est.
Today $97,550 → in 3 years $107,200 → in 5 years $114,200 → in 10 years $133,800 (10-year range $115,000–$155,300). The model assumes pay growth of +3.2% per year.
What drives the annual growth rate
Projected pay = current pay × (1 + annual growth)^years. The annual growth rate starts from a base wage-growth rate and adds or subtracts labor demand (BLS projected employment growth), wage momentum and AI replacement risk for each occupation. Projections are not guarantees. How it is calculated →
Outlook score for Registered Nurses
Each component is a percentile rank among all occupations in the same country (0–100). Weights: labor demand 25, wage momentum / openings 15, pay level 15, AI resistance 25, aging workforce 10 (Japan only), entry barrier 10.
Will AI replace Registered Nurses? AI replacement risk
How AI is changing this job
A written analysis for this occupation is being prepared.
AI replacement risk compares the parts of a job that are easy to hand to AI or software (processing information, documentation, repetitive computer work) with the parts that are hard to automate (physical work, working closely with people, judgment in unpredictable settings), using O*NET work activities, work context, skills and knowledge. The result is a relative position among all occupations in the country, scaled to 0–100%. Methodology →
Labor demand for Registered Nurses
Employment projections are from the BLS Employment Projections program (2025–35). Annual openings include both new jobs and replacement of workers who leave the occupation.
The same job in Japan
| Registered Nurses United States | 看護師 Japan | 保健師 Japan | 検疫官（看護師） Japan | 養護教諭 Japan | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Median / average pay | $97,550 | ¥5.25M ≈ $33,369 | ¥5.51M ≈ $35,064 | ¥5.25M ≈ $33,369 | ¥7.35M ≈ $46,752 |
| Pay in 10 years (est.) | $133,800 | ¥6.75M | ¥6.96M | ¥6.52M | ¥9.06M |
| Outlook score | 61 | 61 | 57 | 52 | 49 |
| AI replacement risk | 33% Low | 12% Very low | 37% Low | 52% Moderate | 33% Low |
| Workers | 3.4M | — | — | — | — |
Matched by occupation (SOC code). Yen converted at 157.25 JPY/USD for reference; Japanese figures are averages, U.S. figures are medians, and the surveys define occupations differently.
Skills, education and requirements for Registered Nurses
Key skills
O*NET skill level ratings (0–7).
Key knowledge areas
What the work involves
Important abilities
Education of workers
Training before entry
Related work experience
Job Zone 4 — considerable preparation needed (O*NET)
Difficulty of entry: ★★★☆☆ Moderate (from education, training, experience and Job Zone)
How to become registered nurses
A step-by-step guide for this occupation is being prepared. The education, training and experience data above show the typical path.
Career path and how to earn more as registered nurses
Career-path guidance is being prepared. Pay by percentile is shown in the Pay section.