New Jersey (NJ) is among many states projected to face the largest RN shortages, driven by an aging workforce, a growing population, workforce shortages, and high demand for nurses. The 2025 Nursing Data and Analysis Report from the New Jersey Collaborating Center for Nursing (NJCCN) provides an in depth view of the latest nursing education capacity and workforce supply and demand data in NJ. Now is the time to invest in nursing and implement innovative strategies to secure the future of healthcare in the state.

The education capacity section of the NJCCN report summarizes data collected annually from nursing schools across the state. It highlights an 11% decline in new enrollees in pre-licensure RN program from 2021 to 2023, despite the increased admissions offered. In contrast, new enrollees in Practical Nurse (PN) program rose by 10%, with a 49% increase in PN graduates over the same period. However, the NCLEX-PN pass rate in NJ continues to remain below the national average. To address these challenges, it is essential to invest in and expand the nursing education system by attracting more faculty, increasing clinical sites capacity, adopting innovative technology, and improving the NCLEX-PN pass rate. 

The workforce supply section of the NJCCN report reflects license renewal data submitted to the Board of Nursing. It shows there are nearly ¼ million nurses in NJ (Figure 1). Of particular significance is the rate of retirement of nurses, with 6% of RNs, 3% of LPNs, and 4% of APNs reporting intent to retire in the next two years. The Advanced Practice Nurse (APN) workforce has grown significantly, with a 35% increase in active licenses, rising from 12,107 in 2020-2021 to 16,317 in 2023-2024. Additionally, 3,500 (27%) of 12,995 Nurse Practitioner (NP) respondents indicated they are active in states other than NJ. It is important to note that New York, Delaware, and Connecticut allow for full practice authority. This is of particular concern as NJ is lagging behind in modernizing APN legislation. Thus, as neighboring states progress towards full-practice authority, they become more appealing to APNs, potentially leading to an out-migration of APNs from NJ to those states.

This year’s report also includes updated data on the multistate compact license, available in NJ since November 2021. Since the 2024 report, the number of nurses holding a compact license has grown dramatically, with more than four times as many LPNs and more than three times the number of RNs now holding the multistate license.

The workforce demand section in NJCCN report shows high turnover rates, 44% for LPNs, 25% for RNs, and 21% for NPs, which translates to high demand. Median annual salaries increased for LPNs, RNs, and NPs reflecting the growing need for nurses. The percent change in employment is projected to increase in 2022-2033 with the most substantial growth expected among NPs.

The 2025 report confirms that NJ needs to bolster the supply of nurses to meet the growing demand. We need to promote a greater pipeline of diverse, highly skilled RNs and LPNs by investing in nursing academia and innovative recruitment initiatives. We also need to promote transition to practice and healthy work environments reducing attrition and keeping the nursing workforce thriving in the state. Planting the seeds to ensure a robust nursing workforce is essential to ensure access to high quality care in NJ for years to come. 

References

New Jersey Collaborating Center for Nursing. (2025). Nursing data and analysis. Newark, NJ:

NJCCN. https://www.njccn.org/nursing-workforce-supply-and-demand/

New Jersey Collaborating Center for Nursing. (2024). Nursing data and analysis. Newark, NJ:

NJCCN. https://www.njccn.org/nursing-workforce-supply-and-demand/