average age of a new nurse?

Nurses General Nursing

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I'm doing some research and am wondering what the average age is of graduating nurses these days. What is your experience?

When I graduated from nursing in the early 80s, most of us were in our early 20s, but I'm told that more and more nursing classes have more older students who are going back to school for a second career.

Thanks!

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Specializes in Emergency.

I just graduated at 37 years. Our class was about 85 people. I don't know the average age of our class, but there were way more 30-40 year olds. Most were changing careers. There were some that were in their early 20's, but not many.

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Specializes in LTC / SNF / Geriatrics.

I graduated at age 35 for RN in 1996.

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I will graduate at the age of 34. I went to orientation a few days ago and most of my classmates looked like they were traditional aged students.

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Specializes in ICU.

I will graduate may 08 and I am 39 yrs and I will be 40 by time I finish school

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I graduated in this month (May 2007) and I am 43. I turn 44 in July. I start my first job one day before I turn 44.

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I just graduated in December at 38 yrs old....most of my class were all around my age (20 people, men & women) a couple were a little older 40's & 50's , and about 7 people were in their 20's....there was I think 1 girl that was 21, and she was the youngest in our class......I see more older students actually than younger these days...

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Specializes in Vents, Telemetry, Home Care, Home infusion.

[color=#006699]the registered nurse population: findings from the 2004 national sample survey of registered nurses

highlights

  • number of licensed registered nurses (rns) in the united states grew by almost 8 percent between 2000 and 2004 to a new high of 2.9 million
  • average age of rns climbed to 46.8 years, the highest average age since the first comparable report was published in 1980.
    • just over 41 percent of rns were 50 years of age or older (33 percent in 2000 and 25 percent in 1980).
    • only 8 percent of rns were under the age of 30, compared with 25 percent in 1980.

    [*]average annual earnings for rns were $57,785.

    [*]real earnings (comparable dollars over time) have grown almost 14 percent since 2000, the first significant increase in more than a decade.

    [*]employment in nursing rose to more than 83 percent of rns with active licenses, the highest since 1980.

    [*]rns with master's or doctorate degrees rose to 376,901, an increase of 37 percent from 2000.

    [*]average age graduation prior 1984 = 23.8; 2000 = 30.9; 2004 = 29.6

chapter iii: the registered nurse population 2004

age:

the average age at graduation for recent rn graduates appears to be slightly lower than in 2000. the average age at graduation for rns during the 5 years prior to the survey was 29.6 years for the 2004 survey compared to 30.9 years in the 2000 survey; however, rns who graduated between 1995 and 1999 in the 2004 survey were 31.0 years of age at graduation. in 2004, the average age of nurses who graduated from initial nursing education in 1984 or earlier was 23.8 years (see appendix a, table 2 for statistics on age at graduation); this is similar to the 23.9 years average age at graduation in 2000.

the average age of rns at graduation from initial nursing education also varied by type of program. graduates of diploma and associate degree programs in 2000 or later were the same age (31.8 years) and were older than graduates of bachelor’s degree or higher programs (26.3 years) during this time period. in other graduation years, graduates of associate degree programs were older than all other graduates. across survey years, the age of diploma graduates has steadily been increasing across graduation cohorts. baccalaureate degree recipients graduating after 1989 were the youngest (see chart 10). however, the average age at graduation is lower since 2000 among recent graduates of associate degree and bachelor’s degree programs (declining by 1.5 years and 1.2 years respectively, compared to those who graduated during the 1990s (see appendix a, table 2).

http://bhpr.hrsa.gov/healthworkforce/rnsurvey04/3.htm

1977 lpn @ 22yo --average age for my class; only 3 persons in mid 30's

1982 generic bsn @ 27yo 1/2 class in 20's, 1/2 in mid to late 30's

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Specializes in pacu, icu, med aesthetics, massause.

I graduated in 1995 (21yrs/old)ASN then 1999 BSN (25yrs/old)......took a break from june 2004 to now may 2007(doing own massage biz) But am happily re-entering nursing....it was a self made promise to myself during nursing training----" I would not become an overweight, unhealthy, unhappy R.N.":nono: ---so I took a 3 year step away and am glad I did!!!!! never letting nursing license lapse and stayed somewhat in a caring field, I expanded my knowledge and now @ 33y/o back @ nursing !! and happy about it !!!!

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Karen, you are just a fountain of information... :D

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I will be 23 when I graduate with an AS, but I will also have a BA in an unrelated field.

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i graduated this year at age 22

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