Nursing Compact States

Map

Table

Introduction

Nurses need a license to practice and this nursing license is provided by various nursing regulatory bodies, mainly the Board of Nursing, to regulate the practice of nursing within its jurisdiction. The main purpose of a nursing license is to grant the permission and right to practice as a nurse after verifying that the applicant has met the minimal requirements to do so.

The Nursing Licensure Compact (NLC) is a multi-state agreement that allows nurses to have their state compact licenses recognized in multiple participating states, rather than making them apply for a new license in a state that is different from the one in which they acquired their license. States involved in this agreement are called Compact Nursing States.

The agreement works exceptionally well for nurses who are traveling, decide to move to a different state in the United States, or who are needed to work in another state due to an emergency scenario. The most recent iteration of the last example was during the Covid-19 pandemic when many nurses went to highly afflicted areas, some beyond the borders of the state in which they became licensed.

Proponents of the nurse licensure compact argue that it helps make healthcare accessible, reduces the cost of insurance, hospitals, and patients, and that it makes the healthcare system as a whole more robust. In spite of that, there are still many states that actively do not desire to be included in the NLC interstate agreement.

StateNursing Compact StatusNursing Annual Average WageNursing Home Costs
California No Legislation$124,000$11,753
Connecticut No Legislation$88,530$16,516
Hawaii No Legislation$106,530$15,002
Nevada No Legislation$88,800$11,060
Oregon No Legislation$98,630$12,410
Alaska Pending NLC Legislation$97,230$37,814
Illinois Pending NLC Legislation$78,260$7,519
Massachusetts Pending NLC Legislation$96,630$15,148
Michigan Pending NLC Legislation$75,930$10,914
Minnesota Pending NLC Legislation$84,030$13,921
New York Pending NLC Legislation$93,320$15,330
Rhode Island Pending NLC Legislation$85,270$11,315
Washington Pending NLC Legislation$95,350$11,315
Ohio Awaiting NLC Implementation$71,640$8,760
Pennsylvania Awaiting NLC Implementation$76,000$12,484
Alabama NLC State$61,920$8,012
Arizona NLC State$81,600$7,848
Arkansas NLC State$65,810$7,300
Colorado NLC State$80,670$10,281
Delaware NLC State$77,760$14,728
Florida NLC State$72,000$10,384
Georgia NLC State$75,380$8,413
Idaho NLC State$73,640$10,220
Indiana NLC State$68,890$8,724
Iowa NLC State$64,990$8,249
Kansas NLC State$66,560$7,556
Kentucky NLC State$67,260$8,614
Louisiana NLC State$70,380$6,911
Maine NLC State$73,630$12,593
Maryland NLC State$82,660$12,410
Mississippi NLC State$63,130$8,541
Missouri NLC State$67,790$6,315
Montana NLC State$73,610$9,089
Nebraska NLC State$69,850$8,979
New Hampshire NLC State$78,270$13,140
New Jersey NLC State$89,690$13,504
New Mexico NLC State$77,590$9,125
North Carolina NLC State$71,200$8,979
North Dakota NLC State$71,200$14,374
Oklahoma NLC State$68,180$6,570
South Carolina NLC State$69,580$8,742
South Dakota NLC State$60,540$8,541
Tennessee NLC State$66,680$8,578
Texas NLC State$79,120$6,150
Utah NLC State$72,790$8,614
Vermont NLC State$75,160$12,702
Virginia NLC State$76,680$9,855
West Virginia NLC State$67,640$13,943
Wisconsin NLC State$76,850$10,826
Wyoming NLC State$73,130$8,395

Nursing Compact Status by State

Alabama

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Nursing Compact Status

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NLC State

Nursing Annual Average Wage

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$61,920

Ranked in the US

#50

Ranked in the US

#43

Nursing Annual Average Wage

Nursing Home Costs

Alaska

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Nursing Compact Status

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Pending NLC Legislation

Nursing Annual Average Wage

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$97,230

Ranked in the US

#5

Ranked in the US

#1

Nursing Annual Average Wage

Nursing Home Costs

Arizona

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NLC State

Nursing Annual Average Wage

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$81,600

Ranked in the US

#15

Ranked in the US

#44

Nursing Annual Average Wage

Nursing Home Costs

Arkansas

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NLC State

Nursing Annual Average Wage

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$65,810

Ranked in the US

#47

Ranked in the US

#47

Nursing Annual Average Wage

Nursing Home Costs

California

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No Legislation

Nursing Annual Average Wage

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$124,000

Ranked in the US

#1

Ranked in the US

#18

Nursing Annual Average Wage

Nursing Home Costs

Colorado

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NLC State

Nursing Annual Average Wage

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$80,670

Ranked in the US

#16

Ranked in the US

#25

Nursing Annual Average Wage

Nursing Home Costs

Connecticut

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No Legislation

Nursing Annual Average Wage

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$88,530

Ranked in the US

#11

Ranked in the US

#2

Nursing Annual Average Wage

Nursing Home Costs

Delaware

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NLC State

Nursing Annual Average Wage

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$77,760

Ranked in the US

#20

Ranked in the US

#6

Nursing Annual Average Wage

Nursing Home Costs

Florida

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NLC State

Nursing Annual Average Wage

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$72,000

Ranked in the US

#33

Ranked in the US

#24

Nursing Annual Average Wage

Nursing Home Costs

Georgia

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NLC State

Nursing Annual Average Wage

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$75,380

Ranked in the US

#26

Ranked in the US

#40

Nursing Annual Average Wage

Nursing Home Costs

Hawaii

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No Legislation

Nursing Annual Average Wage

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$106,530

Ranked in the US

#2

Ranked in the US

#5

Nursing Annual Average Wage

Nursing Home Costs

Idaho

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NLC State

Nursing Annual Average Wage

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$73,640

Ranked in the US

#28

Ranked in the US

#26

Nursing Annual Average Wage

Nursing Home Costs

Illinois

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Pending NLC Legislation

Nursing Annual Average Wage

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$78,260

Ranked in the US

#19

Ranked in the US

#46

Nursing Annual Average Wage

Nursing Home Costs

Indiana

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NLC State

Nursing Annual Average Wage

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$68,890

Ranked in the US

#40

Ranked in the US

#34

Nursing Annual Average Wage

Nursing Home Costs

Iowa

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NLC State

Nursing Annual Average Wage

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$64,990

Ranked in the US

#48

Ranked in the US

#42

Nursing Annual Average Wage

Nursing Home Costs

Kansas

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NLC State

Nursing Annual Average Wage

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$66,560

Ranked in the US

#46

Ranked in the US

#45

Nursing Annual Average Wage

Nursing Home Costs

Kentucky

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NLC State

Nursing Annual Average Wage

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$67,260

Ranked in the US

#44

Ranked in the US

#35

Nursing Annual Average Wage

Nursing Home Costs

Louisiana

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NLC State

Nursing Annual Average Wage

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$70,380

Ranked in the US

#37

Ranked in the US

#48

Nursing Annual Average Wage

Nursing Home Costs

Maine

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NLC State

Nursing Annual Average Wage

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$73,630

Ranked in the US

#29

Ranked in the US

#14

Nursing Annual Average Wage

Nursing Home Costs

Maryland

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NLC State

Nursing Annual Average Wage

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$82,660

Ranked in the US

#14

Ranked in the US

#16

Nursing Annual Average Wage

Nursing Home Costs

Massachusetts

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Pending NLC Legislation

Nursing Annual Average Wage

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$96,630

Ranked in the US

#6

Ranked in the US

#4

Nursing Annual Average Wage

Nursing Home Costs

Michigan

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Pending NLC Legislation

Nursing Annual Average Wage

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$75,930

Ranked in the US

#25

Ranked in the US

#22

Nursing Annual Average Wage

Nursing Home Costs

Minnesota

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Pending NLC Legislation

Nursing Annual Average Wage

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$84,030

Ranked in the US

#13

Ranked in the US

#9

Nursing Annual Average Wage

Nursing Home Costs

Mississippi

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NLC State

Nursing Annual Average Wage

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$63,130

Ranked in the US

#49

Ranked in the US

#38

Nursing Annual Average Wage

Nursing Home Costs

Missouri

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NLC State

Nursing Annual Average Wage

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$67,790

Ranked in the US

#42

Ranked in the US

#50

Nursing Annual Average Wage

Nursing Home Costs

Montana

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NLC State

Nursing Annual Average Wage

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$73,610

Ranked in the US

#30

Ranked in the US

#29

Nursing Annual Average Wage

Nursing Home Costs

Nebraska

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NLC State

Nursing Annual Average Wage

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$69,850

Ranked in the US

#38

Ranked in the US

#30

Nursing Annual Average Wage

Nursing Home Costs

Nevada

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No Legislation

Nursing Annual Average Wage

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$88,800

Ranked in the US

#10

Ranked in the US

#21

Nursing Annual Average Wage

Nursing Home Costs

New Hampshire

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NLC State

Nursing Annual Average Wage

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$78,270

Ranked in the US

#18

Ranked in the US

#11

Nursing Annual Average Wage

Nursing Home Costs

New Jersey

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NLC State

Nursing Annual Average Wage

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$89,690

Ranked in the US

#9

Ranked in the US

#10

Nursing Annual Average Wage

Nursing Home Costs

New Mexico

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NLC State

Nursing Annual Average Wage

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$77,590

Ranked in the US

#21

Ranked in the US

#28

Nursing Annual Average Wage

Nursing Home Costs

New York

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Pending NLC Legislation

Nursing Annual Average Wage

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$93,320

Ranked in the US

#8

Ranked in the US

#3

Nursing Annual Average Wage

Nursing Home Costs

North Carolina

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NLC State

Nursing Annual Average Wage

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$71,200

Ranked in the US

#35

Ranked in the US

#31

Nursing Annual Average Wage

Nursing Home Costs

North Dakota

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NLC State

Nursing Annual Average Wage

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$71,200

Ranked in the US

#36

Ranked in the US

#7

Nursing Annual Average Wage

Nursing Home Costs

Ohio

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Awaiting NLC Implementation

Nursing Annual Average Wage

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$71,640

Ranked in the US

#34

Ranked in the US

#32

Nursing Annual Average Wage

Nursing Home Costs

Oklahoma

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NLC State

Nursing Annual Average Wage

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$68,180

Ranked in the US

#41

Ranked in the US

#49

Nursing Annual Average Wage

Nursing Home Costs

Oregon

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No Legislation

Nursing Annual Average Wage

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$98,630

Ranked in the US

#3

Ranked in the US

#17

Nursing Annual Average Wage

Nursing Home Costs

Pennsylvania

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Awaiting NLC Implementation

Nursing Annual Average Wage

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$76,000

Ranked in the US

#24

Ranked in the US

#15

Nursing Annual Average Wage

Nursing Home Costs

Rhode Island

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Pending NLC Legislation

Nursing Annual Average Wage

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$85,270

Ranked in the US

#12

Ranked in the US

#19

Nursing Annual Average Wage

Nursing Home Costs

South Carolina

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NLC State

Nursing Annual Average Wage

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$69,580

Ranked in the US

#39

Ranked in the US

#33

Nursing Annual Average Wage

Nursing Home Costs

South Dakota

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NLC State

Nursing Annual Average Wage

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$60,540

Ranked in the US

#51

Ranked in the US

#39

Nursing Annual Average Wage

Nursing Home Costs

Tennessee

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NLC State

Nursing Annual Average Wage

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$66,680

Ranked in the US

#45

Ranked in the US

#37

Nursing Annual Average Wage

Nursing Home Costs

Texas

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NLC State

Nursing Annual Average Wage

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$79,120

Ranked in the US

#17

Ranked in the US

#51

Nursing Annual Average Wage

Nursing Home Costs

Utah

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NLC State

Nursing Annual Average Wage

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$72,790

Ranked in the US

#32

Ranked in the US

#36

Nursing Annual Average Wage

Nursing Home Costs

Vermont

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NLC State

Nursing Annual Average Wage

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$75,160

Ranked in the US

#27

Ranked in the US

#12

Nursing Annual Average Wage

Nursing Home Costs

Virginia

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NLC State

Nursing Annual Average Wage

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$76,680

Ranked in the US

#23

Ranked in the US

#27

Nursing Annual Average Wage

Nursing Home Costs

Washington

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Pending NLC Legislation

Nursing Annual Average Wage

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$95,350

Ranked in the US

#7

Ranked in the US

#20

Nursing Annual Average Wage

Nursing Home Costs

West Virginia

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NLC State

Nursing Annual Average Wage

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$67,640

Ranked in the US

#43

Ranked in the US

#8

Nursing Annual Average Wage

Nursing Home Costs

Wisconsin

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NLC State

Nursing Annual Average Wage

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$76,850

Ranked in the US

#22

Ranked in the US

#23

Nursing Annual Average Wage

Nursing Home Costs

Wyoming

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NLC State

Nursing Annual Average Wage

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$73,130

Ranked in the US

#31

Ranked in the US

#41

Nursing Annual Average Wage

Nursing Home Costs