4 Most In-Demand Nursing Jobs in 2025

If you're considering a nursing education or if you're currently a nurse considering changing to a more specialized nursing field, this article provides the most current research about in-demand nursing jobs.

During the past few years, the American nursing workforce has witnessed dramatic upheavals and encountered tremendous challenges. Today, the face of nursing reflects new demands.

Because of these and other societal changes, the greatest in-demand nursing jobs going forward are:

advanced practice registered nurses (APRNs), such as nurse practitioners, who can provide primary care to patients in the face of a doctor shortage in many areas
flexible RNs with BSN degrees, such as travel nurses, to fill temporary gaps

Keep reading to find out more about in-demand nursing jobs in 2024.

In-Demand Jobs in the Nursing Profession for 2024

The nursing profession has been facing many pressures and harsh realities during the past decade. These have led to dramatic shifts in the nursing and healthcare industry.

According to James Stobinski, Director of Education at the National Institute of First Assisting, these included 'the premature loss of large numbers of experienced nurses near the end of their careers,' which created a 'knowledge and experience drain.'

A December 2023 IntelyCare survey reported that 76.9% of nursing professionals planned to seek a new nursing job and that 45.1% were considering leaving the profession altogether.

The industry is still far from making up the shortfall of hundreds of thousands of nurses who retired or left the profession, and the needs of the nursing profession continue to evolve as the country still faces a nursing shortage.

According to Stobinski, writing in OR Today, 'The overall workforce must expand to meet the needs of an ageing American population and the demographic bubble of the Baby Boomers.' This elderly population has complex medical needs and requires many advanced nursing specialties.

Projections for Nursing Careers in 2024 and Beyond

As the nursing profession recovers from its shortage, some nurses have experienced increased workloads (extra shifts and high patient ratios). To offset this, the following trends are forecast for the coming year.

As a stopgap measure, healthcare facilities are reaching out to short-term hires, travel nurses, and virtual nurses. This underscores the need for an influx of early-career nurses to replace the late-career nurses who retired during the pandemic. This is especially a problem in rural areas.
The good news for nurses is that, due to low supply and high demand, the profession should see a rise in wages as well as incentives such as signing bonuses, free lodging, and tuition assistance.
One trend is the need for increased nursing education. The American Association of Colleges of Nursing advocates for nurses to hold at least a Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) degree. About 72% of employers express a strong preference for bachelor's-prepared nurses.
In addition, the need for nurses with master's-level or doctoral-level specialized degrees is reaching a critical level. With the additional education and specialized knowledge base, nursing salaries and career advancement opportunities also increase.

In addition to the vital role of the nurse practitioner in the American healthcare landscape, Nurse Journal forecasts four other specialties that will 'explode' over the next decade: community health nursing, emergency and critical care, mental health nursing, and nursing educators.

Other in-demand nursing job specializations in 2024 include:

U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics Data on Nursing Careers

The Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) projects the following growth rates in its categories of nursing careers in the decade from 2022-2032, with extraordinary growth in the advanced practice registered nursing (APRN) category:

Nurse Anesthetists, Nurse Midwives, and Nurse Practitioners (APRNs) 38%
Registered Nurses (RNs) 6%
Licensed Practical and Licensed Vocational Nurses (LPNs and LVNs) 5%
Nursing Assistants 4%

Unfortunately, the BLS does not break down nursing specialties any further, but below, we explain some key facts about each of these levels of nursing. Let's start with those that require the least education and work our way up to the most advanced nursing roles.

Nursing Assistants

Nursing assistants help patients with activities of daily living (ADLs) and provide the most basic care, often in residential care facilities and in hospitals.

In terms of education, nursing assistants generally must possess a high school diploma, then complete a brief state-approved training program and pass a state exam to become licensed or certified.

Licensed Practical or Licensed Vocational Nurses

Licensed practical nurses (LPNs) and licensed vocational nurses (LVNs) can provide patients with basic medical care, usually in doctor's offices, hospitals, residential care facilities, and private homes.

In most states, the required training program takes about one year before licensing.

Registered Nurses

Registered nurses (RNs) are able to provide full patient nursing care, working in physicians' offices, hospitals, outpatient clinics, schools, nursing care facilities, and as home healthcare nurses. Registered nurses must be licensed by their state.

The preferred education for becoming an RN has been transitioning over the past decades. Originally, one could become an RN by earning a diploma from an approved nursing program or an associate's degree in nursing.

While this is still true in many states, these programs are phasing out in favor of RNs who earn their Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) degree, which most employers are now requiring for hiring.

Advanced-Practice Registered Nurses (APRNs)

Across all professions, the BLS lists Nurse Practitioners as the most in-demand nursing job and the second fastest-growing career field overall, at a whopping rate of 45%.

In combination with nurse anesthetists and nurse midwives, the BLS projected growth rate in the 2022-2032 decade is 38%.

Nurse practitioners have become essential to the U.S. healthcare system. They often occupy a specialized niche in medical practices working in areas such as pediatrics, gynecology, gerontology, or psychiatric mental health.

Since they are able to examine patients, create treatment plans, order tests, and often prescribe medicine, they are invaluable either working semi-independently in practice with doctors or filling in for doctors in communities with a shortage of physicians.

According to a U.S. News report, 'nurse practitioners are uniquely positioned to help meet the needs of people living in underserved communities.'

These master's-level (and some doctoral-level) APRNs must pass state licensing exams as well as national certification exams. They can provide primary medical care, offer specialized healthcare niches, and coordinate patient care in a wide range of settings.

Find Your Niche Through an In-Demand Nursing Job

If you're considering a nursing education or if you're currently a nurse considering changing to a more specialized nursing field, we hope this article has provided you with the information you need to start making a personal career decision.