Where You Want to Work: A Look at the Top 10 Cities with Nursing Jobs in Demand
Career News August 10, 2013Here are some nursing statistics for you: According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, or BLS, some 711,900 new jobs are expected to be created in the field by 2020. In fact, the 10-year nursing job outlook from 2010 2020 is expected to grow at a faster-than-average clip of twenty-six percent. As evidenced by this data from the BLS, nursing jobs are currently in demand, and they’re only going to continue to be in demand in the foreseeable future. Now, we’ll stop short of saying you’re guaranteed a job in the field after graduation, but let’s just say that the nursing job market is favorable. And like any job market, some cities are better to work in than others, based on factors such as unemployment, income to cost of living ratio and average commute. Here is a look at the top 10 cities, according to Nursing Link, that offer the most favorable job outlook for nursing professionals:
Austin, Texas
With an affordable cost of living and a favorable job outlook; Austin is ranked No. 6 out of 372 on a list of Highest Growth Cities in terms of job outlook. Austin scores high marks on Nursing Link’s list of favorable job markets for nursing professionals. Unemployment is low, the average commute time is manageable, and the largest employers in the area are the Texas government and University of Texas, which add thousands of new jobs each year.
San Antonio, Texas
Texas’ second-largest city is also a promising market for health care jobs. What’s more is that unemployment rates are low, and job outlook is strong, especially in health care.
Salt Lake City, Utah
Low unemployment numbers, a manageable cost of living and, according to SimplyHired.com, no shortage of nursing jobs. According to the popular job search website, there are over 2,700 job openings in the nursing profession available in the mountainous and scenic city.
Oklahoma City, Oklahoma
Oklahoma City wasn’t just named by Forbes as the nation’s most recession-proof city, but there is a growing uptick of jobs in a variety of different sectors, such as health care. According to SimplyHired.com, there are nearly 3,000 nursing jobs available in Oklahoma City.
Raleigh, North Carolina
Raleigh has a higher unemployment rate, at about 8.8%, compared to other cities mentioned so far on this list, but that is not to be a discouraging factor in seeking work as a nurse there. For instance, the area is home to one of the nation’s largest research and development centers, and there is also an increase in the technology field in the region. So, while the unemployment rate is somewhat high, the growth potential isn’t anywhere near being topped out.
Seattle, Washington
One of the fastest growing cities out west, Seattle is the corporation Mecca. Alternative energy, software engineering and the likes of Starbucks and Amazon.com headquarters might rule the roost in Seattle, but there are also some 7,859 nursing jobs up for grabs in the area, according to SimplyHired.com. That is the most open nursing jobs out of any city on this list.
Rochester, New York
You might not think that an upstate New York would be home to so many Fortune 500 companies, but Rochester is. It offers a remarkable income to cost of living ratio and also offers much opportunity in the way of health care. For instance, there are over 1,000 available nursing jobs in Rochester.
Portland, Oregon
Portland makes the list because, although unemployment is high at nearly 11%, there has been promising growth in the health care sectors over the recent years. There are an estimated 2,300 nursing jobs available in Portland as of now.
Denver, Colorado
Denver is an employment Mecca, and while aerospace, telecommunications and manufacturing take the cake in the “Mile High City,” health care also plays a prominent role in the job field. According to Indeed.com, over 3,000 nursing jobs are currently available in the Denver area.
Honolulu, Hawaii
When people think of Honolulu, they might think of surfing, tropical climates and beautiful beaches. But, when others think of Honolulu, they might think of opportunity – specifically in the health care field. Unemployment is low (5.4%), and there are approximately 800-plus nursing jobs available in the area.
