Nurses with disabilities earned 12.2% lower annual wages than nurses without disabilities, even after accounting for demographic characteristics and hours worked, according to a study published June 27 in Health Affairs Scholar.
Here are 4 things to know:
- Researchers analyzed data from 473,850 employed nurses ages 20 to 65 in the American Community Survey from 2008 to 2023. Of those, 17,425 nurses, or 3.5%, reported a disability.
- Nurses with disabilities earned 7.4% lower hourly wages and worked about 27 fewer hours annually than nurses without disabilities.
- The annual wage gap persisted across occupations, with registered nurses earning 11.6% less and advanced practice registered nurses earning 6% less than their peers without disabilities. The largest wage gaps were observed among nurses with multiple, cognitive and independent living disabilities.
- The authors said the findings suggest workplace factors, including accommodations, flexibility and organizational support, may contribute to disability-related wage disparities and warrant further study.
