10 best, worst states for nurse work environment

Washington and Massachusetts have the most favorable working conditions for nurses, according to WalletHub's 2024 ranking of the best and worst states for nurses. 

For the annual ranking, the financial services company compared all 50 states across two key dimensions: opportunity and competition, and work environment. 

Below are lists of the 10 best and worst states, based solely on the work environment ranking, which evaluates mandatory overtime restrictions, the ratio of nurses to hospital beds, job growth, the quality of the public hospital system, among other factors.  

More details on the methodology can be found here

10 top states for work environment, along with their overall rank: 

1. Washington 

Overall rank: 1

 

2. Massachusetts

Overall rank: 17 

 

3. Alaska

Overall rank: 11 

 

4. Connecticut

Overall rank: 9 

 

5. New Hampshire

Overall rank: 3 

 

6. Maine 

Overall rank: 2

 

7. Minnesota

Overall rank: 7

 

8. Utah 

Overall rank: 30

 

9. Oregon 

Overall rank: 6

 

10. Rhode Island 

Overall rank: 18 

 

10 worst states for work environment: 

50. Mississippi 

Overall rank: 46

 

49. Alabama

Overall rank: 48

 

48. Oklahoma

Overall rank: 47 

 

47. South Carolina

Overall rank: 43 

 

46. Michigan 

Overall rank: 37 

 

45. Louisiana

Overall rank: 42 

 

44. New Mexico

Overall rank: 5 

 

43. Georgia

Overall rank: 29 

 

42. Arkansas 

Overall rank: 48 

 

41. North Carolina

Overall rank: 27 

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