Seattle Children’s Hospital Nurse Camp

Many feel that nursing careers are among the most worthwhile endeavors that a person could choose. When you pick the right city in which to practice, nursing jobs can be even more rewarding. Here are the top ranked cities to choose for your nursing career:

San Antonio, Texas

San Antonio is considered one of the best cities for nursing careers. It's home to more than 1.3 million people, yet it has managed have a much lower unemployment level than the national average—just six percent. There has been a substantial growth in the healthcare industry, while the economy has remained stable in the face of the economic recession. 

Nurses can look forward to an average income of $34,000 and up, and the average commute is only 22 minutes. However, while studies consider the state giving out the highest salaries when adjusted for the cost of living, Texas also has the fewest health care facilities per capita and the lowest percentage of the population aged 65 and older by 2030. This may make jobs scarce to come by down the line, so hold on to your nursing job if you land one!

Boston, Massachusetts

The average nursing salary in Boston is significantly higher than in most states. A nurse will make more than $51,000, but will also have to face an average commute of over 30 minutes, as well as live in a city with high unemployment. However, the 7.4 unemployment still isn’t as high as the national unemployment, and for nurses, the state of Massachusetts offers the most nursing-job openings per capita than anywhere else. The local economy is otherwise kept strong by tech and healthcare industries. Boston is a beautiful city and a prime choice for your nursing career.

Nashville, Tennessee

The average salary for a nurse in Nashville is a bit more than $36,000. Taking into consideration the low cost of living, however, the salary is considered good. The city is a frontrunner of biotechnology and healthcare, keeping the economy stable. The average commute is only 20 minutes, which adds to the convenience of a nursing career in Nashville, Tennessee.

Honolulu, Hawaii

While you might think of Hawaii as a vacation spot with sun and beaches, the economy is actually one of the strongest in America. The unemployment rate is below six percent, and a nurse will have an average salary of about $41,000. However, adjusted to the cost of living it's considered low, but perhaps a beach lifestyle will more than make up for it.

Portland, Oregon

Several industries in Portland have seen substantial growth over the past few years, but there has been an exceptional growth in the healthcare industry with the most health care facilities per capita than anywhere else. The average income for a nurse is $43,000, and rents are low. The demand for nurses is high, and the state is considered having the lowest competition with the fewest nurses per capita of all states, which makes Portland a great place to head for a nursing career.

Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

Philadelphia has a strong economy, with lower unemployment than most large cities in the U.S. Healthcare has seen a recent boom with many new medical centers and pharmaceutical companies, which in turn has increased the need for nurses. A registered nurse can make over $70,000 a year in Philadelphia, and with the median cost of homes at only $105,000, few cities can beat Philadelphia with better options for a career in nursing.

Cincinnati, Ohio

Cincinnati is another city experiencing an economic boom, with tremendous growths in Fortune 100 companies as well as the healthcare industry. A median price of homes costing only $86,000, in combination with an average nursing salary over $40,000, puts Cincinnati high on the list for a thriving nursing career.

Seattle, Washington

Seattle has seen a healthy job growth in both the technology and healthcare fields, and with its stable economy, it's a good choice for nursing practitioners. The average nursing salary is nearly $50,000.

These are just a few of the best cities a nurse can chose to practice in. Other areas of interest because of their high number of health care facilities per capita is cities in Oregon, Maine, Minnesota, South Dakota and Iowa, while Mississippi, Illinois, and Delaware have the least. Alaska, California, New Mexico and Oregon have the least competition, while Florida, Maine, Wyoming, New Mexico and Montana have the highest percentage of its population aged 65 or higher. You can find most nursing jobs per capita in the District of Columbia, New Mexico, New Hampshire, Massachusetts and Alaska, and the highest salary (adjusted for the cost of living) in Nevada, Wyoming, Idaho, Michigan and Texas. It's just to pick and choose the city which caters best to your own personal preferences!

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