Nursing Seen as Most Ethical Profession, While NPs Have No. 1 Job

• The annual Gallup Honesty and Ethics poll has named nursing as the most ethical profession for the 23rd year in a row.
• Meanwhile, U.S. News & World Report determined that nurse practitioner is the No. 1 job in the United States. 
• Both accoldates point to interest in, and appreciation for, the nursing profession despite violence against healthcare workers and workforce shortages.

Nursing has been validated as the most honest and ethical profession for the 23rd consecutive year, while nurse practitioners are starting their own track record for the No. 1 job in the United States. 

The accolades from the annual Gallup Honesty and Ethics poll and U.S. News & World Report’s annual best jobs list, respectively, point to interest in and appreciation for the profession despite violence against healthcare workers and yearslong workforce shortages. 

Nursing: The Most Ethical Profession

The Gallup poll, conducted between Dec. 2 and Dec. 18, 2024, has seen nurses at the highest ranking for all but one year since the profession was added to the survey in 1999. They slipped in ranking in 2001, when firefighters (in the aftermath of 9/11) secured the No.1 spot. 

American Nurses Association (ANA) President Jennifer Mensik Kennedy, PhD, MBA, RN, NEA-BC, FAAN, called the recent honor special and humbling. 

“This acknowledgement is an undeniable reflection of the positive impact nurses have on the patients they diligently care for and on the healthcare system they support,” Kennedy said in a news release. 

National Nurses United President Nancy Hagans, RN, expressed similar thoughts.

“At the bedside, at the bargaining table, and in the halls of power, nurses build trust with our patients by taking care of them,” Hagans said in an official statement. “We don’t take their trust for granted, which is why we’re going to continue to organize and fight for the safer care conditions and the public health protections that every single one of our patients across this country deserves.”

Despite being considered the most honest and ethical profession, nursing did see a 5 percentage-point decrease between 2021 and 2024, according to Gallup. 

NPs Hold No. 1 Job in United States

In naming nurse practitioner the No. 1 job for two years running, U.S. News & World Report cited “robust job growth, high pay, and upward mobility.” The occupation also nabbed the No. 1 slot for Best Health Care Job and Best STEM Job.  

Between 2023 and 2033, a 46% increase on NP jobs is expected, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, with the media annual wage at $126,260. 

American Association of Nurse Practitioners President Stephen A. Ferrara, DNP said the recognition reflects the “dedication, expertise, and impact” that NPs bring to the healthcare industry. 

“NPs are uniquely equipped to address some of the most pressing health care challenges — ensuring that patients across the country have access to high quality primary and specialty care,” Ferrara said in an official statement. “Their commitment to patient-centered care is transforming lives, improving health outcomes and reinforcing public trust in the health care profession.” 

NPs have also been at the center of an industrywide debate concerning practice authority, with resistance stemming from concerns about quality and cost of care, as well as the differences in training between physicians and APRNs. 

The Bottom Line

The nursing profession has continued its streak of being named the most honest and ethical profession, according to an annual Gallup poll. Meanwhile, nurse practitioner has twice been named the No. 1 job in the country. Both accolades have been touted by industry organizations as high honors that reinforce the importance of the nursing profession. 

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