JRIJob Risk Index
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Profession JRI–84 / Healthcare & Education

Will AI replace nurses?

Nursing sits near the very bottom of our index at 5 out of 100, on a horizon of a decade or more, and the labor outlook is expansive: employment of 3,379,720, a projected 4.9% rise by 2034, with pay at a median of $97,550. The work is hands-on: monitoring patients, screening for conditions like heart disease and diabetes, coordinating care, and referring people to the right specialist in real time.

The risk spectrum — where Nurse sits
Nurse vs the 83 other jobs
Risk rank84 / 84
Automation timeline10+ years
Median salary$97,550
Projected growth+4.9% (2024–34)
01 / Your plan

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What you'll learn
NursingCPRTeaching
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Updated Sep 21, 2026

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02 / Job market

Official outlook: still growing.

Within the 84 professions
Salary$97,550
$31k$171k
Growth+4.9% (2024–34)
-25.9%33.5%

The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics projects a +4.9% change in employment for this occupation between 2024 and 2034, from a current base of 3,379,720 people employed earning a median of $97,550 a year.

Source: BLS Employment Projections 2024–34 & OEWS May 2025.

AI adoption in postings →

03 / Real salaries

Nurse salaries by city

Median pay from real records (H-1B filings and tech job postings), across the cities with most observations.

Rochester$88,660Dubois$66,102Oak Park$83,200Knoxville$69,826Chicago$76,877Baltimore$93,808

Range shows p25–p75; the dot is the median. Sources carry a documented bias — see the full salary page.

See real salaries →

04 / How to enter

How to become a nurse.

Typical preparation

Job Zone Four: Considerable Preparation Needed

Education

Most of these occupations require a four-year bachelor's degree, but some do not.

Experience

A considerable amount of work-related skill, knowledge, or experience is needed for these occupations.

Job training

Employees in these occupations usually need several years of work-related experience, on-the-job training, and/or vocational training.

Getting in is one thing — the day-to-day runs on a specific set of tools and skills:

Foundations
Core skills
Tools

Full skill path with courses →

06 / FAQ

What people ask.

01Will AI replace nurses?
Nurses score 5 out of 100 on our risk index, with automation potential projected for 10+ years from now. The hands-on work of monitoring patients and coordinating specialist referrals keeps the role firmly human-centered, and the field employed 3,379,720 people with median earnings of $97,550.
02How soon could AI change the work of Nurses?
Automation may reach into nursing within 10+ years, according to our index. About 45% of the field's observed automation touches documentation and reporting, while patient monitoring and care coordination remain human tasks.
03What skills will keep Nurses relevant?
Demand is high for specialized clinical certification and for care coordination with informatics; patient education and advocacy also matter. Social perceptiveness, speaking, and active listening rank as essential abilities for entering the occupation.
04What preparation do Nurses need?
Preparation usually begins with a four-year bachelor's degree, though some nursing positions accept other qualifications. The role involves maintaining accurate records, monitoring vital signs, and adjusting treatment plans as patients respond.
05Is Nursing a good career to start in 2026?
Looking ahead, the occupation's outlook shows a 4.9% rise by 2034, and the current workforce numbers 3,379,720. A bachelor's degree is the common entry requirement, with median pay of $97,550.
06What software and tools do Nurses use?
Clinical systems such as Epic Systems, Microsoft Access, Microsoft Project, SAS, Apache Spark, and Microsoft SharePoint support the record-keeping part of the job, while hands-on patient care remains central.