Study Says South Dakota Among Worst States For Nurses
While Minnesota ranks in the 10 Best States for nurses, a new study says South Dakota ranks among the 10 Worst States for nurses.
National Nurses Week kicks off on May 6 and according to WalletHub's 2025 report on "Best & Worst States for Nurses," South Dakota ranks 45th nationwide, placing it among the bottom ten states for nursing careers.
While neighboring Minnesota secured a spot in the top ten at #8.
WalletHub evaluated the nursing profession across all 50 states using 20 critical indicators, including average entry-level nursing salaries, healthcare facility density per population, and nursing position availability per capita.
The study says South Dakota registered nurses receive the lowest annual mean wage in the country, when adjusted for cost of living, at 1.5 times lower than top-ranked California.
Top 10 BEST States For Nurses
1. Washington
2. New Hampshire
3. Oregon
4. Arizona
5. Maine
6. New Mexico
7. Massachusetts
8. Minnesota
9. Illinois
10. Connecticut
Top 10 WORST States For Nurses
41. Nebraska
42. Tennessee
43. Vermont
44. Mississippi
45. South Dakota
46. Louisiana
47. Hawaii
48. North Dakota
49. Alabama
50. Oklahoma
This South Dakota Town Is Best Place To Live In Whole State.
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