At NurseJournal.org, we aim to include accurate and timely information, along with transparency about our chosen sources. We constantly update our pages and check for the latest data and statistics. While not all-encompassing, this guide lists the most common websites we use.
Employment and Salary Information
As an agency of the federal government, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) measures and publishes information about the U.S. employment landscape, including job descriptions and duties, education and licensing requirements, and working environments. We use BLS data to research average salary and projected job growth data for nursing occupations, geographic locations, and industries.
PayScale provides additional information about average salaries, job duties, and job growth, often in greater detail than the BLS. This site lists more nursing career categories and includes salary information based on years of experience, skills, and education level. It also publishes survey responses from workers regarding salaries and job satisfaction, along with examples of current employment listings in different regions.
Because employees self-report their salaries, to ensure accuracy and reliability, we generally do not report salary data for occupations with fewer than 50 survey responses. PayScale does not adjust the data for inflation, general wage increases, or geographic differentials.
Licensure, Certification, and Professional Development Information
Our Rankings Data
We use two main sources to develop our school rankings: the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) and the U.S. Department of Education's College Scorecard. NCES, a federal statistics, research, and evaluation division, collects data submitted by higher education institutions and maintains a database of degree level, location, and available programs and majors.
Also maintained by the federal government, the College Scorecard provides details about college programs, costs, admissions, and outcomes. It collects data from institutions, along with tax records and financial aid information.
To learn more about how we create our rankings, please visit our rankings methodology guide.
Contact Us
Our writers do their best to provide accurate and relevant content, but if we publish out-of-date or incorrect information, please let us know.