When searching for a job or a new career path, people tend to make job selections by looking at location, salary, benefits and opportunities for professional growth. With the online Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) program offered by The University of Texas at Arlington (UTA), working or aspiring nurses can earn an income- and career-advancing degree in highly flexible and convenient manner.
While earning potential and career advancement are important, prospective students often overlook equally essential factors like work-life balance, company mission and vision, and general working environment — all key components of job satisfaction. Choosing a career with high job satisfaction can lead to a more fulfilling work experience and less stress. Offering job satisfaction and rewarding opportunities, the nursing career path comes with many dynamic benefits.
Pursuit of Happiness
A 2024 report from The Conference Board — a nonprofit research group — showed that roughly 37.3% of U.S. citizens are unhappy with their current job. According to that same survey, people reported substantive decreases in key drivers for job satisfaction between 2022 and 2023, perhaps due to regret following the “Great Resignation” of the COVID-19 pandemic.
In contrast, according to the 2024 State of Nursing report, nurse job satisfaction increased 64% from 2022 to 2024, suggesting the overwhelming stress healthcare workers faced during the pandemic is fading quickly. In fact, 69% of nurses reported that they “love being a nurse,” and the percentage of nurses experiencing burnout decreased substantially since the height of the pandemic.
With its present demand across the United States and above-average pay, nursing lends itself to being a great career choice for those who wish for improved work-life balance. The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) reports that registered nurses (RNs) made a median annual salary of $86,070 in 2023. BLS also projects that employment of nurses will increase 6% between 2023 and 2033 — faster than the average for all occupations — with roughly 194,500 job openings for nurses each year.
Further, earning a BSN degree can help nurses increase their income potential. According to ZipRecruiter data from October 2024, BSN-prepared RNs make an impressive average salary of $125,323 per year.
Reasons Nurses Enjoy Their Jobs
Colleagues are an important driving factor in determining the culture of a work setting and employee satisfaction — or lack thereof — with a work environment. One individual who can heavily influence nursing job satisfaction is the nurse manager. A nurse manager can positively impact some of the challenging aspects of the job by carefully scheduling shifts to counter the long and unusual hours, keeping open lines of communication to help reduce the opportunity for errors, promoting self-care practices and being supportive of the team by facilitating a cooperative environment.
Additionally, many nurses enjoy their jobs because they get to care for and support the well-being of people every day. For those with a specific passion, there are many opportunities for growth, leadership and specialization through additional education.
Another critical key to happiness is flexibility. Nurses often work in shifts, leading to a variety of scheduling options. Many full-time nurses work three 12-hour shifts a week, allowing them four days off to spend with their families. Some choose to work night shifts or work early in the morning to have their late afternoon and evenings free. Others work regular nine-to-five hours, five days a week.
Happiness and Long-term Success
Registered nurses are in high demand across the U.S., facilitating the ability for a nurse to relocate and find work in another state. There is particularly high demand for BSN-prepared nurses, with many employers requiring or preferring nurses have the degree.
This high demand resulted in the creation of fast-track RN programs to help more nurses enter the workforce as well as accelerated online BSN programs to help nurses advance into specialized and leadership roles. To support individuals entering these programs, a range of scholarships and other funding mechanisms exist. Some employers even offer loan repayment or tuition assistance programs, providing funds to offset the cost of nursing school in exchange for years of service.
Nurses report feeling better about their jobs than people in many other career paths because of opportunities for work-life balance, high demand for nurses, competitive access to education, and robust scholarship and funding options. Some individuals only look for a higher pay when thinking about a career change. On the other hand, those interested in making a difference and making an excellent income while also enjoying their jobs may find nursing more to their liking.
Learn more about UTA’s online BSN program.
