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Where the Jobs Are: 2012 Report

The American Association of Colleges of Nursing (AACN) published their most recent report about employment rates for new graduate nurses at the bachelor's and masters levels.

The good news:

  • Employers prefer BSN graduates these days and those preferences are reflected in hiring numbers.
  • Job offers at the time of graduation for BSN nurses doubled between 2011 and 2012 to 57%.
  • There is no variation between public or private nursing schools in terms of job offer rates.
  • Four to six months after graduation, 88% of new graduate BSNs had jobs.
  • MSN graduate were the most likely group to have jobs at graduation and within four months of graduation.
The bad news:

  • Geography matters for job placement. There are more jobs in the Midwest and South.  The West has the fewest.
  • New associate degree and diploma program graduates are facing more barriers to hiring in hospital settings.  Slowly, their job options are becoming limited to long term care facilities and other non-acute care settings.
  • Major urban areas with large numbers of nursing schools mean tighter competition for jobs for new graduates.
For those of you graduating in December 2012 and next May 2013, job prospects are looking good!  Remember to stay flexible about where you're willing to work and the shifts.

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