WSJ article: Nursing offers pathway to prosperity

A Wall Street Journal article maintains nursing has become a reliable path to attaining middle-class prosperity in the U.S., providing stability among overall job market uncertainty caused by automation, globalized manufacturing and artificial intelligence. U.S. RNs earn an average wage of $93,600 compared with $49,500 for other occupations, and nurse practitioners and other advanced practiced nurses earn an average of $132,050, according to the Labor Department. In addition, the Labor Department estimates a 35% job growth rate for advanced degree nurses and 5% growth for RNs from 2024 to 2034, surpassing the 3% growth anticipated for other occupations. The growth of nursing corresponds with an aging population and care moving into the community. The article notes, however, that the profession’s demands can lead to burnout. (Wall Street Journal article, 4/1/26)