According to the Occupation Employment Statistics published for May 2007 by the Bureau of Labor Statistics, there were 84,480 registered nurses working in Michigan nursing jobs during that month. At that time, the average annual salary for registered nurses in Michigan was $61,030, which works out to an average hourly wage of $29.34. This is significantly higher than the average annual wage earned by workers in all industries in Michigan at the time, which was $42,210, or $20.30 per hour. Therefore, while Michigan nursing careers may pay slightly lower than the national average annual wage for registered nurses at that time ($62,480), they are paid well over the average wage for that state. This shows that students who complete Michigan nursing programs are well-positioned for competitive wages in Michigan.
The Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Outlook Handbook 2008-2009 Edition states that, across the U.S., the field of registered nursing is expected to experience a 23% growth rate by the year 2016. This would allow for 587,000 more nursing jobs throughout the country and is a higher growth rate than that expected of most other industries. This increase will come about in response to a growing population, current registered nurses retiring from the field, and an aging population enjoying longer lifespans and increasing the demand for qualified health care professionals. Michigan’s population is growing as well and Michigan nursing careers can expect to see a similar rate of growth.
This same data shows that registered nurses with a bachelor degree or higher will experience better employment opportunity growth than those nurses without a bachelor degree. This will be true of nursing jobs across the nation, as well as Michigan nursing jobs; therefore, students considering Michigan nursing programs should consider programs that grant a bachelor level degree, or consider continuing their education to the graduate level.