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Where the Jobs are in the US for New Graduate BSNs

Something I tell my New York-based students all the time: If you want your first choice job, leave New York City and don't go to California, Philadelphia, or Boston. Seems like my advice has some merit based on the latest national survey of where new graduate BSNs are getting jobs.

From the American Association of Colleges of Nursing's latest survey:

"For new BSN graduates, the job offer rate for schools in the South is 77% followed by 71% in the Midwest, 57% in the North Atlantic, and 56% in the West. This rate is higher across the board for entry-level MSN graduates: 80% in the Midwest, 76% in the South, 72% in the North Atlantic, and 66% in the West. These findings indicate that employment of new graduates from entry-level nursing programs is more challenging in different regions of the country. For more details on this survey, visit AACN’s website." 
Why is it so hard to get a job right out of school in the North Atlantic and the West? Simple. Lots of nursing schools and highly desirable urban areas where people want to live and work in their 20s. The midwest and south have fewer schools of nursing so they do not graduate as many nurses.

Hospitals in the North Atlantic and West regions also have some of the highest salaries --but also the highest cost of living in the country. These regions have the luxury of being able to hire nurses with experience because people are always moving there. Hospitals and other agencies, therefore, can be super selective about which new graduates they take.

You can actually pay back your student loans faster, have higher quality of living space, and often really great work environments if you move to the middle our southern part of the US for your first nursing job. Think about it!  Gain your experience in another part of the country. Move with a friend for a few years.  And heck, you never know! You might just find you like it.

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