Survey data published by the Bureau of Labor Statistics in its May 2007 Occupational Employment Statistics reports states that there were 78,510 registered nurses in New Jersey nursing jobs making an average annual wage of $70,900, which is $34.08 per hour. This is considerably higher than the average annual wage of nurses across the nation, which was $62,480, or $30.04 per hour. It is also significantly higher than the reported average annual wage of workers across fields in New Jersey at that time, which was $47,100, or $22.64 per hour. With this information in hand, it is easy to see why so many prospective nurses choose New Jersey nursing programs and New Jersey nursing careers.
Nationwide, the nursing industry is expected to experience a massive 23% rate of growth by the year 2016, resulting in an estimated 587,000 new nursing jobs. This projection was reported in the Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Outlook Handbook 2008-2009 Edition, which places the nursing industry above most other industries regarding expected growth. This increase in demand for nurses is expected as a result of current registered nurses retiring, the trend towards registered nurses providing more direct patient care, our expanding population and the aging of our population. The New Jersey nursing field can be expected to experience a similar rate of growth, making this an exciting time to enter the field of nursing in New Jersey.
The Occupational Outlook Handbook 2008-2009 Edition also states that nurses with a bachelor’s degree or higher are likely to find better job opportunities and more opportunities for career advancement, which makes choosing the right New Jersey nursing programs an important part of entering a nursing career and setting yourself up for the greatest success.