The 56,290 registered nurses working in this rewarding field in Missouri nursing careers make an average annual wage of $54,710 ($26.30 per hour), according to May 2007 data from Occupational Employment Statistics published by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. This is slightly below the national average for registered nurses at that time, which was $62,480 per year ($30.04 per hour); however, the cost of living in many parts of Missouri is considerably lower than average and Missouri nursing jobs pay significantly higher wages than the average wage earned by workers across Missouri, which was $37, 240 ($17.90 per hour) at that time.
By the year 2016, the nursing field is expected to explode with employment opportunities to the tune of a 23% increase over current job numbers. This would mean that registered nurses would have 587,000 additional jobs available over the next few years. This information comes from the Occupational Outlook Handbook 2008-2009 Edition published by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, which states that this growth will be largely due to the number of registered nurses retiring over the next few years, the country’s increasing population, and the aging of our population coupled with the fact that we are living longer lives. Each of these changes increases the demand for qualified nurses, along with the push for nurses to provide more services in an effort to cut health care costs. Missouri’s population is increasing and aging as well, which means now is a great time to consider Missouri nursing programs and careers.
This report also points out that registered nurses with a bachelor’s degree will enjoy greater job opportunities than registered nurses who do not hold a bachelor’s degree, and that nurses with a master or doctorate level education will have the best employment prospects and opportunities for growth. This is useful information that prospective nurses considering Missouri nursing programs should keep in mind.