U.S. News & World Report recently released their ranking of the 100 Best Jobs for 2023. Nurse practitioner (NP) ranked as the second-best job in the country. A variety of factors were considered when compiling the rankings including:
- Salary opportunities
- Challenging work environments
- Ability to match talents and skills to the job requirements
- Satisfying work-life balance
- Demand in the field
How does U.S. News & Word Report determine their best jobs rankings?
Although what qualifies as a “best job” is subjective, U.S. News & World Report used universally desired criteria to determine their rankings. Only jobs with the largest number and percentage of projected openings were included. Other criteria included median salary, job growth and low unemployment percentage.
Nurse Practitioner was rated the second-best job overall and the best job in the health care field due to a projection of more than 100,000 jobs available, a median salary of more than $120,000 per year, and an unemployment rate less than 1%.
What is a nurse practitioner?
Nurse practitioners, or advanced practice registered nurses (APRNs) are registered nurses (RNs) who have obtained additional education that allows them to perform physical exams, order labs and analyze results, prescribe medicine, perform physical exams and more.
NPs have also begun providing primary care to patients serving in roles traditionally held by physicians. APRNs often bring their background as RNs into their advanced roles, which helps as they diagnose, treat, and manage medical issues.
Interested in a rewarding and lucrative career in this growing field?
Earn your online master of science in nursing (MSN) degree from a regionally accredited university that has been an online education leader for more than 15 years. Students can choose between EKU’s Family Nurse Practitioner or Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner options. Our flexible, online format provides students the ability to complete coursework and assignments according to their schedule.
Complete the form to learn more about how EKU’s online MSN programs can help advance your career.