1. Wyoming — biggest RN gap per capita
Wyoming tops this countdown for one reason: it has the smallest population of any US state and one of the largest RN gaps per capita, per Wyoming Center for Nursing and Health Care Partnerships data. Cheyenne and Casper anchor the workforce, but the rest of the state runs on critical access hospitals with structural RN shortages.
The Wyoming State Board of Nursing participates in the Nurse Licensure Compact, and most rural facilities partner with travel agencies to keep units open year-round. Winter weather, geographic isolation, and thin local pipelines combine to keep vacancies stubborn even when pay climbs.
Wyoming RNs earn a median around $76K per BLS OES, with rural facilities offering $78K to $95K when bonuses, housing stipends, and retention packages are included. Sign-on bonuses of $10K to $20K plus loan repayment through the Wyoming Investment in Nursing program are the norm in shortage counties.
For nurses ready to explore these opportunities, checking current openings by state is the fastest way to see where demand — and pay — align right now.
