Do Nurses Get Paid Enough? Here Is How RN Pay Compares to 20 Other Professions With Similar Education.
By NurseCompensation Research Team · 2026-08-17 · 13 min read
Nurses earn more than teachers ($62K) and social workers ($60K), roughly match accountants ($86K), and trail physician assistants ($130K) and software developers ($132K). All require a bachelor's degree. BLS data puts it in context.
The question "are nurses underpaid?" has no answer without a comparison.
Underpaid compared to what? Compared to doctors? Obviously. Compared to fast food workers? Obviously not. The interesting comparison is the one that controls for what nurses actually bring to the table: a bachelor's degree, licensure, shift work, physical labor, and life-or-death responsibility.
Here is that comparison. Every number comes from the same source — BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2023 — so the methodology is identical across occupations.
The Comparison Table: Bachelor's Degree Professions
Median Annual Salary by Occupation (BLS May 2023)
| Occupation | SOC Code | Median Salary | Mean Salary | Typical Entry Education |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Software developers | 15-1252 | $132,270 | $135,620 | Bachelor's |
| Physician assistants | 29-1071 | $130,020 | $131,420 | Master's |
| Nurse practitioners | 29-1171 | $126,260 | $128,490 | Master's |
| Nurse anesthetists | 29-1151 | $212,650 | $212,600 | Doctorate (DNP) |
| Financial analysts | 13-2051 | $99,890 | $111,520 | Bachelor's |
| Civil engineers | 17-2051 | $95,890 | $99,560 | Bachelor's |
| Management analysts | 13-1111 | $99,410 | $107,600 | Bachelor's |
| Registered Nurses | 29-1141 | $86,070 | $89,010 | Bachelor's (BSN) |
| Accountants/auditors | 13-2011 | $86,740 | $93,720 | Bachelor's |
| Physical therapists | 29-1123 | $99,710 | $99,240 | Doctorate (DPT) |
| Occupational therapists | 29-1122 | $96,370 | $98,350 | Master's |
| Human resources specialists | 13-1071 | $67,650 | $73,520 | Bachelor's |
| K-12 teachers (all) | 25-2031 | $62,360 | $66,480 | Bachelor's |
| Social workers (all) | 21-1029 | $60,280 | $62,440 | Bachelor's/Master's |
| Paramedics | 29-2043 | $49,590 | $53,320 | Postsecondary cert |
| Police officers | 33-3051 | $74,910 | $76,750 | Some college |
| Firefighters | 33-2011 | $57,120 | $61,250 | Postsecondary cert |
| Dental hygienists | 29-1292 | $87,530 | $87,860 | Associate's |
| Respiratory therapists | 29-1126 | $77,960 | $78,580 | Associate's |
| Radiologic technologists | 29-2034 | $73,410 | $75,100 | Associate's |
| Licensed practical nurses | 29-2061 | $59,730 | $60,790 | Certificate/Diploma |
What Jumps Out
Three things are obvious from this table.
First, nursing pays more than most "helping professions" but less than most "technical professions." Teachers, social workers, firefighters, and paramedics — all of whom serve the public — earn less. Engineers, financial analysts, and software developers — all of whom serve profit — earn more. Nursing sits at the intersection.
Second, dental hygienists earn $1,460 more than RNs with less education. Dental hygienists typically need an associate's degree. RNs increasingly need a BSN (and most hospitals now require or prefer it). Yet BLS median pay for dental hygienists ($87,530) exceeds RNs ($86,070). The hygienist doesn't work nights, weekends, or holidays. No one assaults them. This comparison alone should end any argument that nursing is generously compensated.
Third, the jump to NP or PA requires a master's degree but adds $40,000-$44,000 in annual salary. That is a significant return on a 2-3 year graduate investment — one of the highest ROI graduate degrees in any field.
But Salary Alone Is Misleading
Raw salary ignores three things that matter: hours worked, working conditions, and total compensation.
Hours Worked Per Week (BLS / ACS Data)
| Occupation | Mean Hours/Week | Includes Nights/Weekends? |
|---|---|---|
| Software developers | 40.2 | Rarely |
| Financial analysts | 42.8 | Rarely |
| Civil engineers | 41.0 | Rarely |
| Registered Nurses | 36.4 | Frequently (58% work non-day shifts) |
| K-12 teachers | 39.8 (instructional + planning) | No |
| Accountants | 40.0 (45+ during tax season) | Seasonal |
| Police officers | 42.4 | Yes |
| Firefighters | 42-56 (varies by shift model) | Yes |
Nurses work fewer weekly hours (36.4) than most comparison professions. This inflates the hourly rate:
Effective Hourly Rate Comparison
| Occupation | Median Annual | Hours/Week | Weeks/Year | Effective Hourly |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Software developers | $132,270 | 40.2 | 49 | $67.16 |
| Nurse anesthetists | $212,650 | 38 | 49 | $114.33 |
| Physician assistants | $130,020 | 40 | 49 | $66.34 |
| Nurse practitioners | $126,260 | 38 | 49 | $67.81 |
| Civil engineers | $95,890 | 41 | 49 | $47.72 |
| Registered Nurses | $86,070 | 36.4 | 49 | $48.27 |
| Accountants | $86,740 | 40 | 49 | $44.26 |
| K-12 teachers | $62,360 | 39.8 | 40 | $39.15 |
| Police officers | $74,910 | 42.4 | 49 | $36.07 |
| Firefighters | $57,120 | 49 | 49 | $23.79 |
On an hourly basis, RNs ($48.27) beat accountants ($44.26), police ($36.07), and firefighters ($23.79). They trail software developers ($67.16) and PAs ($66.34) — but the gap is narrower than annual salary suggests.
The Working Conditions Premium
Some professions carry risks and demands that salary should theoretically compensate. Economists call this a "compensating differential." How does nursing fare?
Working Conditions Comparison
| Factor | RN | Software Dev | Teacher | Accountant | Police |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nights/weekends required | 58% | ~5% | 0% | Seasonal | 60% |
| Physical injury rate (per 10K) | 110.4 | 2.1 | 12.4 | 1.8 | 158.2 |
| Workplace violence exposure | 15.8% injured/year | <0.1% | 5.8% | <0.1% | High (inherent) |
| Exposure to infectious disease | High | None | Moderate | None | Low |
| Lifting/physical demands | Heavy | None | Light | None | Moderate |
| Emotional toll (patient death, trauma) | High | Low | Moderate | Low | High |
| Mandatory overtime (some states) | Yes | Rare | No | Seasonal | Yes |
| License renewal required | Yes ($25-$190/yr) | No | Yes ($50-$200/yr) | Optional (CPA) | Academy + cert |
Nursing has working conditions comparable to police and firefighting — high injury rates, violence exposure, shift work, emotional toll. But police earn $11,000 less and firefighters earn $29,000 less. Nurses are compensated for these conditions better than other public safety workers, but worse than the private-sector comparison set (tech, finance, engineering) which faces almost none of these risks.
Education Investment: What Each Degree Actually Costs
| Profession | Typical Degree | Average Cost (Public) | Average Cost (Private) | Time to Complete |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Registered Nurse (BSN) | Bachelor's | $40,000-$80,000 | $80,000-$180,000 | 4 years |
| Registered Nurse (ADN→BSN) | Associate's + Bridge | $15,000-$40,000 | $30,000-$80,000 | 3-5 years |
| Software developer | Bachelor's (CS) | $40,000-$80,000 | $80,000-$200,000 | 4 years |
| Accountant (CPA) | Bachelor's + 150 hrs | $50,000-$100,000 | $90,000-$220,000 | 5 years |
| Teacher | Bachelor's | $40,000-$80,000 | $80,000-$180,000 | 4 years |
| Physical therapist | Doctorate (DPT) | $80,000-$150,000 | $120,000-$220,000 | 7 years |
| Physician assistant | Master's | $80,000-$120,000 | $100,000-$160,000 | 6 years |
| Nurse practitioner | Master's (MSN) | $30,000-$70,000 | $60,000-$130,000 | 6 years (BSN + MSN) |
Nursing (BSN) has roughly the same education cost as software engineering, accounting, and teaching. The salary outcomes diverge dramatically. A software developer with identical education investment earns $46,200 more per year.
10-Year Earnings After Graduation
| Profession | Year 1 Salary | Year 10 Salary | 10-Year Cumulative Earnings |
|---|---|---|---|
| Software developers | $85,000 | $145,000 | $1,150,000 |
| Physician assistants | $105,000 | $140,000 | $1,225,000 |
| Civil engineers | $68,000 | $105,000 | $865,000 |
| Registered Nurses | $62,000 | $92,000 | $770,000 |
| Accountants | $58,000 | $95,000 | $765,000 |
| K-12 teachers | $44,000 | $68,000 | $560,000 |
| Social workers | $42,000 | $62,000 | $520,000 |
Over 10 years, RN cumulative earnings ($770,000) are virtually identical to accountants ($765,000). Both trail software developers ($1,150,000) by roughly $380,000. Both dramatically outpace teachers ($560,000).
The Mobility Advantage
One factor rarely quantified: nursing offers geographic and career flexibility that most professions cannot match.
| Factor | Nursing | Software Dev | Teaching | Accounting |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jobs in every city/town | Yes | Concentrated in metros | Yes | Mostly metros |
| Demand exceeds supply | Yes (almost everywhere) | Market-dependent | Varies by subject | Balanced |
| Can relocate and work immediately | Yes (NLC compact in 41 states) | Yes (remote) | No (state cert required, often delays) | Yes (CPA reciprocity) |
| Part-time/per diem available | Abundant | Limited | Limited (usually full contracts) | Seasonal |
| International portability | Moderate (licensure varies) | High | Low | Moderate |
| Career entry points | Multiple (ADN, BSN, ABSN) | Bachelor's or self-taught | Bachelor's + certification | Bachelor's + CPA |
Nursing has the highest job security and geographic flexibility of any profession on this list. A nurse can move to any city in America and have a job within days. Very few professions can say that.
The Verdict: Are Nurses Underpaid?
The data does not give a clean yes or no. It depends on the comparison.
| Compared To | Are Nurses Underpaid? | Data |
|---|---|---|
| Teachers and social workers | No — nurses earn $24,000-$26,000 more | BLS |
| Police and firefighters | No — nurses earn $11,000-$29,000 more with similar conditions | BLS |
| Dental hygienists | Slightly — hygienists earn more with less education | BLS |
| Accountants | No — earnings nearly identical | BLS |
| Software developers | Yes — $46,000 gap for same education level, safer conditions | BLS |
| Physical therapists | Yes — PTs earn $14,000 more, though with doctoral degree | BLS |
| Physician assistants | Yes — PAs earn $44,000 more, similar clinical responsibility | BLS |
Nurses are reasonably compensated relative to other "helping professions" and public safety workers. They are meaningfully underpaid relative to technology and finance workers who share the same education level but work in climate-controlled offices without risk of assault, needlestick, or back injury.
Whether that gap reflects an inefficiency in the labor market or the reality of how America values care work versus profit-generating work is a question the data can describe but not answer.
Sources: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (May 2023), all SOC codes as listed; BLS Employment Projections — education and training requirements by occupation; BLS American Time Use Survey (hours worked); BLS Survey of Occupational Injuries and Illnesses (SOII 2022); National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) — Digest of Education Statistics (tuition data); BLS Current Population Survey (CPS) — annual earnings by occupation.