There were more than 3,175,000 registered nurses (RNs) working in the U.S. as of May 2023 according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS).  The majority of registered nurses work in hospitals, with smaller numbers employed in physician offices, home health care agencies, skilled nursing facilities, and outpatient care centers. Like many other healthcare professionals with advanced education and skills, RNs usually earn higher salaries than workers in most other occupations.  Per BLS estimates, as of May 2023, the national mean wage for registered nurses was $94,480 per year.  While registered nurses earn better than average pay, there is much variation from region to region in how much registered nurses earn.  This variation is readily evident from BLS data of May 2023, which shows the following about registered nurse pay in the top 20 metropolitan areas:

Registered Nurse Pay in the Top 20 Metropolitan Areas

	Metropolitan Area		# Employed	Mean Annual Wage
1	New York-Newark-Jersey City		184,360	$111,210
2	Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim		123,940	$121,440
3	Chicago-Naperville-Elgin		102,330	$90,810
4	Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington		72,910	$94,240
5	Houston-The Woodlands-Sugar Land		61,860	$94,390
6	Washington-Arlington-Alexandria		43,360	$99,000
7	Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington		72,060	$94,850
8	Miami-Fort Lauderdale-Pompano Beach		56,660	$87,710
9	Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Alpharetta		51,820	$95,000
10	Boston-Cambridge-Newton		64,120	$111,930
11	Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler		46,350	$92,540
12	San Francisco-Oakland-Berkeley		40,620	$174,370
13	Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario		31,140	$129,310
14	Detroit-Warren-Dearborn		43,270	$87,620
15	Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue		38,500	$115,170
16	Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington		39,370	$98,550
17	San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad		24,420	$133,790
18	Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater		34,240	$86,060
19	Denver-Aurora-Lakewood		29,460	$93,190
20	Baltimore-Columbia-Towson		29,390	$92,810
	National		3,175,390	$94,480

Report Period:  May 2023
Top 20 U.S. Metro areas from the 2020 Census
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Occupational Statistics
Data extracted on August 31, 2024

Only 160 hospitals, out of more than 5,000 studied, earned national distinction in at least one of the 15 adult specialties covered in the most recent (24-25) U.S. News & World Report survey of American hospitals.  Six teaching hospitals based in the Mid-East region of the country, an area that encompasses the District of Columbia and five states, earned a spot in the survey's honor roll of the very best hospitals in the United States.  Let's take a summary look at these six top-ranked teaching hospitals in the Mid-East region of the country and where they excelled in the latest USNWR survey:

Top-Ranked Teaching Hospitals in the Mid-East Region

Based in New York City, NYU Langone Medical Center ranked nationally in 13 adult specialties, including a top 10 national rank in eleven specialties.  The following specialties are where NYU Langone earned national rankings:

Cancer:  #17

Cardiology & Heart Surgery:  #2

Diabetes & Endocrinology:  #5

Ear, Nose & Throat:  #10

Gastroenterology & GI Surgery:  #5

Geriatrics:  #2

Neurology & Neurosurgery:  #1

Obstetrics & Gynecology:  #19

Orthopedics:  #3

Pulmonology & Lung Surgery:  #1

Rehabilitation:  #4

Rheumatology:  #9

Urology:  #2

See ranking details

Baltimore-based Johns Hopkins Hospital earned distinction in 14 adult specialties studied in the survey, including top 10 national rankings in 12 specialties.  Here's where Johns Hopkins rated by specialty:

Cancer:  #6

Cardiology & Heart Surgery:  #10

Diabetes & Endocrinology:  #12

Ear, Nose & Throat:  #3

Gastroenterology & GI Surgery:  #6

Geriatrics:  #7

Neurology & Neurosurgery:  #5

Obstetrics & Gynecology:  #2

Ophthalmology:  #3

Orthopedics:  #27

Psychiatry:  #4

Pulmonology & Lung Surgery:  #7

Rheumatology:  #1

Urology:  #7

See ranking details

New York-Presbyterian University Hospital of Columbia and Cornell, based in New York City, earned national recognition in 14 adult specialties.  While not landing atop the rankings in any specific specialty, New York-Presbyterian earned top 10 recognition in ten specialties and top 20 recognition in four more.  By specialty, New York-Presbyterian rated as follows:

Cancer:  #15

Cardiology & Heart Surgery:  #5

Diabetes & Endocrinology:  #2

Ear, Nose & Throat:  #13

Gastroenterology & GI Surgery:  #10

Geriatrics:  #8

Neurology & Neurosurgery:  #4

Obstetrics & Gynecology:  #8

Orthopedics:  #4

Psychiatry:  #3

Pulmonology & Lung Surgery:  #14

Rehabilitation:  #12

Rheumatology:  #3

Urology:  #2

See ranking details

Hospitals of the University of Pennsylvania-Penn Presbyterian earned national rankings in 11 adult specialties.  Based in Philadelphia, Penn Presbyterian ranked in the top 10 nationally in seven adult specialties and in three others earned top 20 national recognition.  In all, Penn-Presbyterian earned national rankings in these adult specialties:

Cancer:  #10

Cardiology & Heart Surgery:  #9

Diabetes & Endocrinology:  #19

Ear, Nose & Throat:  #7

Gastroenterology & GI Surgery:  #13

Geriatrics:  #9

Neurology & Neurosurgery:  #8

Obstetrics & Gynecology:  #22

Orthopedics:  #15

Pulmonology & Lung Surgery:  #6

Urology:  #10

See ranking details

A third New York City hospital, Mount Sinai Hospital, received recognition in 11 adult specialties.  This included a #1 rating nationally in geriatrics and top 10 national rankings in 3 more specialties.  Mount Sinai earned the following rankings nationally:

Cancer:  #8

Cardiology & Heart Surgery:  #4

Diabetes & Endocrinology:  #17

Gastroenterology & GI Surgery:  #8

Geriatrics:  #1

Neurology & Neurosurgery:  #16

Obstetrics & Gynecology:  #17

Orthopedics:  #32

Pulmonology & Lung Surgery:  #25

Rehabilitation:  #22

Urology:  #11

See ranking details

North Shore University Hospital at Northwell Health in Manhasset, NY, earned national recognition in 9 adult specialties.  This included a top 10 national ranking in two specialties and a top 20 national ranking in five other adult specialties.  North Shore University Hospital earned the following rankings nationally:

Cancer:  #26

Cardiology & Heart Surgery:  #12

Diabetes & Endocrinology:  #10

Gastroenterology & GI Surgery:  #16

Geriatrics:  #14

Neurology & Neurosurgery:  #15

Orthopedics:  #7

Pulmonology & Lung Surgery:  #11

Urology:  #22

See ranking details

To find other teaching hospitals in the Mid-East region and elsewhere, visit our U.S. Teaching Hospitals resource page.

There were nearly 241,000 physical therapists (PTs) working in the U.S. as of May 2023 according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS).  Physical therapists work in various settings, including offices of non-physician practitioners, skilled nursing facilities, hospitals, physician offices, and home health care agencies.  Like many other healthcare professionals with advanced skills and training, physical therapists generally earn more money than workers in most occupations.  Per BLS estimates as of May 2023, the national mean wage for PTs was $100,440 per year.  That said, there is significant disparity from region-to-region in the average annual wages of PTs.  According to BLS data, as of May 2023 physical therapist pay in the top 20 metro areas looked as follows:

Physical Therapist Pay in the Top 20 Metro Areas

	Metropolitan Area		# Employed	Mean Annual Wage
1	New York-Newark-Jersey City		16,160	$108,790
2	Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim		9,120	$106,930
3	Chicago-Naperville-Elgin		8,870	$105,620
4	Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington		4,290	$109,560
5	Houston-The Woodlands-Sugar Land		3,650	$113,180
6	Washington-Arlington-Alexandria		4,490	$108,880
7	Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington		5,940	$104,600
8	Miami-Fort Lauderdale-Pompano Beach		5,430	$87,770
9	Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Alpharetta		3,420	$100,170
10	Boston-Cambridge-Newton		5,270	$100,700
11	Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler		3,160	$100,340
12	San Francisco-Oakland-Berkeley		2,920	$129,720
13	Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario		1,980	$112,210
14	Detroit-Warren-Dearborn		2,960	$96,970
15	Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue		3,190	$104,700
16	Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington		2,630	$97,590
17	San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad		2,340	$111,500
18	Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater		2,290	$98,890
19	Denver-Aurora-Lakewood		2,650	$99,070
20	Baltimore-Columbia-Towson		2,110	$102,560
	National		240,820	$100,440

Report Period:  May 2023
Top 20 U.S. Metro areas from the 2020 Census
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Occupational Statistics
Data extracted on August 24, 2024

The most recent U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) occupational reports estimated that there were approximately 98,800 paramedics working in the U.S. as of May 2023.  Paramedics mostly work for ambulance service providers and local government agencies, with smaller numbers employed in hospital environments or elsewhere. Paramedics earn more modest salaries and wages than workers in many other healthcare occupations.  According to BLS data, as of May 2023 the national mean wage for paramedics was $57,450 annually.  Pay for the profession varies widely from region-to-region, with paramedics in some areas making 50% or more annually than their counterparts elsewhere. This salary and wage disparity is readily seen in BLS data from May 2023, which reports the following about paramedic pay in the top 20 metropolitan areas in the U.S.:

Paramedic Pay in the Top 20 Metropolitan Areas

	Metropolitan Area		# Employed	Mean Annual Wage
1	New York-Newark-Jersey City		4,020	$72,830
2	Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim		1,300	$73,550
3	Chicago-Naperville-Elgin		2,900	$75,910
4	Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington		1,770	$58,110
5	Houston-The Woodlands-Sugar Land		2,230	$56,460
6	Washington-Arlington-Alexandria		900	$70,870
7	Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington		1,400	$68,310
8	Miami-Fort Lauderdale-Pompano Beach		930	$61,270
9	Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Alpharetta		1,730	$54,900
10	Boston-Cambridge-Newton		1,280	$67,920
11	Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler		1,100	$50,670
12	San Francisco-Oakland-Berkeley		470	$78,530
13	Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario		630	$68,380
14	Detroit-Warren-Dearborn		1,040	$53,460
15	Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue		730	$112,530
16	Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington		970	$72,230
17	San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad		460	$62,710
18	Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater		780	$56,480
19	Denver-Aurora-Lakewood		1,020	$63,680
20	Baltimore-Columbia-Towson		970	$66,870
	National		98,770	$57,450

Report Period:  May 2023
Top 20 U.S. Metro areas from the 2020 Census
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Occupational Statistics
Data extracted on August 17, 2024

There were approximately 167,000 emergency medical technicians (EMTs) employed in the U.S. as of May 2023 according to U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) reports.  EMTs mostly work for ambulatory healthcare service providers, local government agencies and hospitals. Emergency medical technicians typically earn lower salaries and wages than many other healthcare workers.  According to BLS data, as of May 2023 EMTs earned, on average, $43,100 per year.  Pay for the profession varies widely from region-to-region, with EMTs in some parts of the country making substantially more annually than their peers elsewhere. This salary and wage variation can be easily seen in BLS data from May 2023, which reports the following about emergency medical technician pay in the top 20 metro markets in the U.S.:

Emergency Medical Technician Pay in the Top 20 Metro Markets

	Metropolitan Area		# Employed	Mean Annual Wage
1	New York-Newark-Jersey City		11,210	$51,020
2	Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim		5,660	$49,980
3	Chicago-Naperville-Elgin		5,140	$59,970
4	Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington		2,640	$41,130
5	Houston-The Woodlands-Sugar Land		3,030	$40,990
6	Washington-Arlington-Alexandria		1,300	$52,590
7	Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington		4,060	$44,660
8	Miami-Fort Lauderdale-Pompano Beach		1,300	$43,910
9	Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Alpharetta		2,580	$40,710
10	Boston-Cambridge-Newton		3,050	$51,120
11	Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler		2,100	$36,600
12	San Francisco-Oakland-Berkeley		3,150	$62,960
13	Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario		1,530	$46,300
14	Detroit-Warren-Dearborn		1,650	$40,220
15	Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue		1,130	$48,010
16	Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington		1,180	$46,640
17	San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad		1,310	$44,360
18	Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater		1,280	$39,410
19	Denver-Aurora-Lakewood		1,510	$42,560
20	Baltimore-Columbia-Towson		1,680	$53,340
	National		167,040	$43,100

Report Period:  May 2023
Top 20 U.S. Metro areas from the 2020 Census
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Occupational Statistics
Data extracted on August 17, 2024

In the most recent (24-25) U.S. News & World Report survey of American hospitals, 160 hospitals earned national distinction in at least one of the 15 adult specialties studied in the survey.  Within that group were eight teaching hospitals in the five-state Great Lakes region that earned a top 50 national rating in five or more of the adult specialties assessed in the survey.  That number included three Great Lakes region hospitals (Cleveland Clinic, Northwestern Memorial Hospital, and Rush University Medical Center) that made the survey's honor roll of the best hospitals in America.  Here's a summary look at how these eight top-ranked teaching hospitals in the Great Lakes region fared in the latest USNWR survey:

Top-Ranked Teaching Hospitals in the Great Lakes Region

Cleveland Clinic
Location:  Cleveland, Ohio

Nationally Ranked Adult Specialties:  13

• Cancer:  #14
• Cardiology & Heart Surgery:  #1
• Diabetes & Endocrinology:  #32
• Ear, Nose & Throat:  #25
• Gastroenterology & GI Surgery:  #3
• Geriatrics:  #6
• Neurology & Neurosurgery:  #14
• Obstetrics & Gynecology:  #4
• Ophthalmology:  #9
• Orthopedics:  #16
• Pulmonology & Lung Surgery:  #9
• Rheumatology:  #2
• Urology:  #5
• See ranking details

Northwestern Memorial Hospital
Location:  Chicago, IL

Nationally Ranked Adult Specialties:  11

• Cancer:  #20
• Cardiology & Heart Surgery:  #7
• Diabetes & Endocrinology:  #8
• Ear, Nose & Throat:  #16
• Gastroenterology & GI Surgery:  #10
• Geriatrics:  #11
• Neurology & Neurosurgery:  #11
• Obstetrics & Gynecology:  #9
• Orthopedics:  #11
• Pulmonology & Lung Surgery:  #12
• Urology:  #12
• See ranking details

Rush University Medical Center
Location:  Chicago, IL

Nationally Ranked Adult Specialties:  11

• Cancer:  #29
• Cardiology & Heart Surgery:  #12
• Diabetes & Endocrinology:  #21
• Ear, Nose & Throat:  #28
• Gastroenterology & GI Surgery:  #28
• Geriatrics:  #10
• Neurology & Neurosurgery:  #7
• Obstetrics & Gynecology:  #29
• Orthopedics:  #10
• Pulmonology & Lung Surgery:  #15
• Urology:  #14
• See ranking details

University of Michigan Hospitals and Health Centers
Location:  Ann Arbor, MI 

Nationally Ranked Adult Specialties:  12

• Cancer:  #34
• Cardiology & Heart Surgery:  #21
• Diabetes & Endocrinology:  #37
• Ear, Nose & Throat:  #8
• Gastroenterology & GI Surgery:  #27
• Geriatrics:  #21
• Neurology & Neurosurgery:  #36
• Ophthalmology:  #8
• Pulmonology & Lung Surgery:  #16
• Rehabilitation:  #41
• Rheumatology:  #10
• Urology:  #21
• See ranking details

University of Chicago Medical Center
Location:  Chicago, IL
Nationally Ranked Adult Specialties:  10

Cancer:  #12

Cardiology & Heart Surgery:  #32

Diabetes & Endocrinology:  #30

Ear, Nose & Throat:  #11

Gastroenterology & GI Surgery:  #25

Geriatrics:  #40

Neurology & Neurosurgery:  #36

Obstetrics & Gynecology:  #25

Pulmonology & Lung Surgery:  #35

Urology:  #36

See ranking details

Beaumont University Hospital
Location:  Royal Oak, MI
Nationally Ranked Adult Specialties:  9

Cardiology & Heart Surgery:  #25

Diabetes & Endocrinology:  #30

Gastroenterology & GI Surgery:  #29

Geriatrics:  #34

Neurology & Neurosurgery:  #32

Obstetrics & Gynecology:  #10

Orthopedics:  #20

Pulmonology & Lung Surgery:  #33

Urology:  #42

See ranking details

Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center
Location:  Columbus, OH
Nationally Ranked Adult Specialties:  8

Cancer:  #32

Cardiology & Heart Surgery:  #43

Ear, Nose & Throat:  #33

Neurology & Neurosurgery:  #36

Obstetrics & Gynecology:  #28

Pulmonology & Lung Surgery:  #27

Rehabilitation:  #37

Urology:  #24

See ranking details

UW Health University Hospital
Location:  Madison, WI
Nationally Ranked Adult Specialties:  7

Ear, Nose & Throat:  #30

Gastroenterology & GI Surgery:  #39

Geriatrics:  #38

Obstetrics & Gynecology:  #7

Orthopedics:  #34

Pulmonology & Lung Surgery:  #40

Urology:  #45

See ranking details

To find other teaching hospitals in the Great Lakes region and elsewhere, visit our U.S. Teaching Hospitals resource page.

Licensed practical nurses (LPN), or licensed vocational nurses (LVN) as they are known in some states, work in many healthcare settings, including skilled nursing facilities, assisted living facilities, hospitals, physician offices, and home health care agencies.  The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) estimated that, as of May 2023, more than 630,000 LPNs and LVNs were working in the United States, earning a national mean wage of $60,790 per year.  From region-to-region there was wide variation in the annual mean wages earned by LPNs and LVNs, with practitioners in some regions of the country earning 30% or more than their counterparts elsewhere.  From BLS data of May 2023, LPN pay in the top 20 metropolitan areas looked as follows:

LPN Pay in the Top 20 Metropolitan Areas

	Metropolitan Area		# Employed	Mean Annual Wage
1	New York-Newark-Jersey City		32,460	$68,520
2	Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim		31,710	$75,880
3	Chicago-Naperville-Elgin		12,980	$67,670
4	Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington		14,020	$59,580
5	Houston-The Woodlands-Sugar Land		11,220	$59,010
6	Washington-Arlington-Alexandria		7,020	$67,590
7	Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington		13,020	$63,870
8	Miami-Fort Lauderdale-Pompano Beach		8,640	$58,350
9	Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Alpharetta		11,440	$58,130
10	Boston-Cambridge-Newton		9,150	$75,690
11	Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler		3,680	$67,760
12	San Francisco-Oakland-Berkeley		8,580	$87,120
13	Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario		8,310	$71,780
14	Detroit-Warren-Dearborn		4,500	$64,510
15	Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue		3,400	$78,460
16	Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington		6,890	$61,700
17	San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad		6,370	$73,890
18	Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater		6,200	$56,490
19	Denver-Aurora-Lakewood		2,630	$66,430
20	Baltimore-Columbia-Towson		3,880	$64,840
	National		630,250	$60,790

Report Period:  May 2023
Top 20 U.S. Metro areas from the 2020 Census
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Occupational Statistics
Data extracted on August 17, 2024

There were about 331,700 pharmacists working in the U.S. as of May 2023 according to data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS).  Pharmacists work in varied settings, including health and personal care stores, hospitals, food and general merchandise stores with pharmacy services, and other businesses involved in the distribution of pharmacy products and services. With advanced technical training and skills, pharmacists typically earn higher salaries than workers in most other occupations.  As of May 2023, according to BLS estimates the national mean wage for pharmacists was $134,790 per year.  While a well-paying occupation, there is considerable variation from region-to-region in how much pharmacists earn.  This variation is evident in BLS data for May 2023, which shows the following about pharmacist pay in the top 20 metro markets in the United States:

Pharmacist Pay in the Top 20 Metro Markets

	Metropolitan Area		# Employed	Mean Annual Wage
1	New York-Newark-Jersey City		21,520	$134,470
2	Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim		13,110	$148,600
3	Chicago-Naperville-Elgin		9,420	$134,350
4	Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington		6,800	$136,230
5	Houston-The Woodlands-Sugar Land		6,760	$137,040
6	Washington-Arlington-Alexandria		4,610	$142,490
7	Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington		7,760	$133,680
8	Miami-Fort Lauderdale-Pompano Beach		5,680	$129,890
9	Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Alpharetta		6,200	$131,300
10	Boston-Cambridge-Newton		5,630	$131,220
11	Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler		5,500	$134,200
12	San Francisco-Oakland-Berkeley		4,520	$179,500
13	Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario		3,690	$151,310
14	Detroit-Warren-Dearborn		5,360	$127,420
15	Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue		6,380	$151,940
16	Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington		4,080	$143,980
17	San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad		2,810	$155,610
18	Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater		3,840	$119,860
19	Denver-Aurora-Lakewood		2,980	$142,200
20	Baltimore-Columbia-Towson		3,280	$129,360
	National		331,700	$134,790

Report Period:  May 2023
Top 20 U.S. Metro areas from the 2020 Census
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Occupational Statistics
Data extracted on August 17, 2024