Nurse’s Week: Trends in Nursing School Enrollment and New Grad Job Market

Nurses Week 2024

“Nurses Make the Difference” shines brightly as this year’s guiding theme for Nurses Week. Recognizing nurses’ invaluable contributions is not just a gesture but a heartfelt acknowledgment of their unwavering dedication.

We believe nurturing the local pre-licensure RN pipeline is a beacon of support for the nursing workforce. Focusing recruitment efforts into initiatives that support our new graduating nurses paves the way for a robust, future-proof RN workforce. 

In the spirit of National Nurses Week, we are thrilled to present a trends analysis highlighting the landscape for new nursing graduates. Taking the new graduate environment into account, we offer a To-Do list to empower healthcare leaders to better prioritize the pipeline of new grads.Together, let’s celebrate the resilience and impact of nurses while embracing our collective responsibility to uplift and empower the next generation of caregivers!

The State of New Grad Job Opportunities

1

JOB POSTINGS ON DECLINE

RN job postings and New Grad job postings have both declined 9% from 2022 to 2023 reflecting the improvement in hiring and retention rates. (Source: LiquidCompass.com)

-9%

DECLINE IN JOB POSTINGS

RN JOB POSTINGS 2022

RN JOB POSTINGS 2023

NEW GRAD JOB POSTINGS 2022

NEW GRAD JOB POSTINGS 2023

11.64%

INCREASE IN NEWLY LICENSED NURSES

2

NEW NURSES HAVE INCREASED

Meanwhile, the number of newly licensed nurses rose by 11.64% in 2023. (Source: NCSBN)

Job Postings available to New Grads have not kept up.

3

NEW GRAD LISTINGS W/ BONUS

34.2% of New Grad listings offer a bonus, a 7% increase from 2022 to 2023.

Interestingly enough, only 25.1% of RN job postings include a bonus. (Source: LiquidCompass.com)

34.2%

OF NEW GRAD JOB LISTINGS OFFER A BONUS

$12,392

AVG. 2023 NEW GRAD BONUS

$13,133

AVG. 2023 RN BONUS

4

Bonuses Have Remained Steady

Both RN and New Grad postings showed increases in bonus amounts between 3-4% from 2022 to 2023. The average bonus offered to New Grads in 2023 was $12,392 while the experienced RN bonus was slightly higher, at $13,133. (Source: LiquidCompass.com)

5

CONCLUSION

Health Systems must refocus workforce investments to support the academic pipeline and give New Graduates greater access to employment opportunities!

1

JOB POSTINGS ON DECLINE

RN job postings and New Grad job postings have both declined 9% from 2022 to 2023 reflecting the improvement in hiring and retention rates.(Source: LiquidCompass.com)

-9%

DECLINE IN JOB POSTINGS

RN JOB POSTINGS 2022

RN JOB POSTINGS 2023

NEW GRAD JOB POSTINGS 2022

NEW GRAD JOB POSTINGS 2023

2

NEW NURSES HAVE INCREASED

Meanwhile, the number of newly licensed nurses rose by 11.64% in 2023. (Source: NCSBN)

Job Postings available to New Grads have not kept up.

11.64%

INCREASE IN NEWLY LICENSED NURSES

3

NEW GRAD LISTINGS W/ BONUS

34.2% of New Grad listings offer a bonus, a 7% increase from 2022 to 2023.

Interestingly enough, only 25.1% of RN job postings include a bonus. (Source: LiquidCompass.com)

34.2%

OF NEW GRAD JOB LISTINGS OFFER A BONUS

4

Bonuses Have Remained Steady

Both RN and New Grad postings showed increases in bonus amounts between 3-4% from 2022 to 2023. The average bonus offered to New Grads in 2023 was $12,392 while the experienced RN bonus was slightly higher, at $13,133. (Source: LiquidCompass.com)

$12,392

AVG. 2023 NEW GRAD BONUS

$13,133

AVG. 2023 RN BONUS

5

CONCLUSION

Health Systems must refocus workforce investments to support the academic pipeline and give New Graduates greater access to employment opportunities!

Here is a must-do list for health systems to engage the next generation of our nursing workforce and ensure a bright future for healthcare!

Your To-Do List

Grow Enrollments
Support expansion of RN student enrollment across local educational institutions

Expand Clinical Rotations
Expand student access to all clinical areas and roles

Support Students
Ensure a positive and supportive learning environment for students

Increase Opportunities for New Grads
Expand job opportunities for new graduate nurses through specific language in job postings

Invest in Transition to Practice
Invest in a high-quality transition to practice program across all clinical care settings

Build Career Ladders
Build career ladder programs for healthcare employees to pursue advanced clinical roles

Sources: LiquidCompass.com Market Console – Market Metrics from 2022-2023, NCSBN – Total New Graduate RNs (US and foreign educated graduated passing NCLEX)

Ready To Focus On Your New Grad Pipeline? 

Let’s talk about how our real-time market insights can give you a competitive advantage in your recruitment efforts. 

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