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.
| State | Nursing Compact Status | Nursing Annual Average Wage | Nursing 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
Nursing Compact Status
NLC State
Nursing Annual Average Wage
$61,920
Ranked in the US
#50
$8,012
Ranked in the US
#43
Alaska
Nursing Compact Status
Pending NLC Legislation
Nursing Annual Average Wage
$97,230
Ranked in the US
#5
$37,814
Ranked in the US
#1
Arizona
Nursing Compact Status
NLC State
Nursing Annual Average Wage
$81,600
Ranked in the US
#15
$7,848
Ranked in the US
#44
Arkansas
Nursing Compact Status
NLC State
Nursing Annual Average Wage
$65,810
Ranked in the US
#47
$7,300
Ranked in the US
#47
California
Nursing Compact Status
No Legislation
Nursing Annual Average Wage
$124,000
Ranked in the US
#1
$11,753
Ranked in the US
#18
Colorado
Nursing Compact Status
NLC State
Nursing Annual Average Wage
$80,670
Ranked in the US
#16
$10,281
Ranked in the US
#25
Connecticut
Nursing Compact Status
No Legislation
Nursing Annual Average Wage
$88,530
Ranked in the US
#11
$16,516
Ranked in the US
#2
Delaware
Nursing Compact Status
NLC State
Nursing Annual Average Wage
$77,760
Ranked in the US
#20
$14,728
Ranked in the US
#6
Florida
Nursing Compact Status
NLC State
Nursing Annual Average Wage
$72,000
Ranked in the US
#33
$10,384
Ranked in the US
#24
Georgia
Nursing Compact Status
NLC State
Nursing Annual Average Wage
$75,380
Ranked in the US
#26
$8,413
Ranked in the US
#40
Hawaii
Nursing Compact Status
No Legislation
Nursing Annual Average Wage
$106,530
Ranked in the US
#2
$15,002
Ranked in the US
#5
Idaho
Nursing Compact Status
NLC State
Nursing Annual Average Wage
$73,640
Ranked in the US
#28
$10,220
Ranked in the US
#26
Illinois
Nursing Compact Status
Pending NLC Legislation
Nursing Annual Average Wage
$78,260
Ranked in the US
#19
$7,519
Ranked in the US
#46
Indiana
Nursing Compact Status
NLC State
Nursing Annual Average Wage
$68,890
Ranked in the US
#40
$8,724
Ranked in the US
#34
Iowa
Nursing Compact Status
NLC State
Nursing Annual Average Wage
$64,990
Ranked in the US
#48
$8,249
Ranked in the US
#42
Kansas
Nursing Compact Status
NLC State
Nursing Annual Average Wage
$66,560
Ranked in the US
#46
$7,556
Ranked in the US
#45
Kentucky
Nursing Compact Status
NLC State
Nursing Annual Average Wage
$67,260
Ranked in the US
#44
$8,614
Ranked in the US
#35
Louisiana
Nursing Compact Status
NLC State
Nursing Annual Average Wage
$70,380
Ranked in the US
#37
$6,911
Ranked in the US
#48
Maine
Nursing Compact Status
NLC State
Nursing Annual Average Wage
$73,630
Ranked in the US
#29
$12,593
Ranked in the US
#14
Maryland
Nursing Compact Status
NLC State
Nursing Annual Average Wage
$82,660
Ranked in the US
#14
$12,410
Ranked in the US
#16
Massachusetts
Nursing Compact Status
Pending NLC Legislation
Nursing Annual Average Wage
$96,630
Ranked in the US
#6
$15,148
Ranked in the US
#4
Michigan
Nursing Compact Status
Pending NLC Legislation
Nursing Annual Average Wage
$75,930
Ranked in the US
#25
$10,914
Ranked in the US
#22
Minnesota
Nursing Compact Status
Pending NLC Legislation
Nursing Annual Average Wage
$84,030
Ranked in the US
#13
$13,921
Ranked in the US
#9
Mississippi
Nursing Compact Status
NLC State
Nursing Annual Average Wage
$63,130
Ranked in the US
#49
$8,541
Ranked in the US
#38
Missouri
Nursing Compact Status
NLC State
Nursing Annual Average Wage
$67,790
Ranked in the US
#42
$6,315
Ranked in the US
#50
Montana
Nursing Compact Status
NLC State
Nursing Annual Average Wage
$73,610
Ranked in the US
#30
$9,089
Ranked in the US
#29
Nebraska
Nursing Compact Status
NLC State
Nursing Annual Average Wage
$69,850
Ranked in the US
#38
$8,979
Ranked in the US
#30
Nevada
Nursing Compact Status
No Legislation
Nursing Annual Average Wage
$88,800
Ranked in the US
#10
$11,060
Ranked in the US
#21
New Hampshire
Nursing Compact Status
NLC State
Nursing Annual Average Wage
$78,270
Ranked in the US
#18
$13,140
Ranked in the US
#11
New Jersey
Nursing Compact Status
NLC State
Nursing Annual Average Wage
$89,690
Ranked in the US
#9
$13,504
Ranked in the US
#10
New Mexico
Nursing Compact Status
NLC State
Nursing Annual Average Wage
$77,590
Ranked in the US
#21
$9,125
Ranked in the US
#28
New York
Nursing Compact Status
Pending NLC Legislation
Nursing Annual Average Wage
$93,320
Ranked in the US
#8
$15,330
Ranked in the US
#3
North Carolina
Nursing Compact Status
NLC State
Nursing Annual Average Wage
$71,200
Ranked in the US
#35
$8,979
Ranked in the US
#31
North Dakota
Nursing Compact Status
NLC State
Nursing Annual Average Wage
$71,200
Ranked in the US
#36
$14,374
Ranked in the US
#7
Ohio
Nursing Compact Status
Awaiting NLC Implementation
Nursing Annual Average Wage
$71,640
Ranked in the US
#34
$8,760
Ranked in the US
#32
Oklahoma
Nursing Compact Status
NLC State
Nursing Annual Average Wage
$68,180
Ranked in the US
#41
$6,570
Ranked in the US
#49
Oregon
Nursing Compact Status
No Legislation
Nursing Annual Average Wage
$98,630
Ranked in the US
#3
$12,410
Ranked in the US
#17
Pennsylvania
Nursing Compact Status
Awaiting NLC Implementation
Nursing Annual Average Wage
$76,000
Ranked in the US
#24
$12,484
Ranked in the US
#15
Rhode Island
Nursing Compact Status
Pending NLC Legislation
Nursing Annual Average Wage
$85,270
Ranked in the US
#12
$11,315
Ranked in the US
#19
South Carolina
Nursing Compact Status
NLC State
Nursing Annual Average Wage
$69,580
Ranked in the US
#39
$8,742
Ranked in the US
#33
South Dakota
Nursing Compact Status
NLC State
Nursing Annual Average Wage
$60,540
Ranked in the US
#51
$8,541
Ranked in the US
#39
Tennessee
Nursing Compact Status
NLC State
Nursing Annual Average Wage
$66,680
Ranked in the US
#45
$8,578
Ranked in the US
#37
Texas
Nursing Compact Status
NLC State
Nursing Annual Average Wage
$79,120
Ranked in the US
#17
$6,150
Ranked in the US
#51
Utah
Nursing Compact Status
NLC State
Nursing Annual Average Wage
$72,790
Ranked in the US
#32
$8,614
Ranked in the US
#36
Vermont
Nursing Compact Status
NLC State
Nursing Annual Average Wage
$75,160
Ranked in the US
#27
$12,702
Ranked in the US
#12
Virginia
Nursing Compact Status
NLC State
Nursing Annual Average Wage
$76,680
Ranked in the US
#23
$9,855
Ranked in the US
#27
Washington
Nursing Compact Status
Pending NLC Legislation
Nursing Annual Average Wage
$95,350
Ranked in the US
#7
$11,315
Ranked in the US
#20
West Virginia
Nursing Compact Status
NLC State
Nursing Annual Average Wage
$67,640
Ranked in the US
#43
$13,943
Ranked in the US
#8
Wisconsin
Nursing Compact Status
NLC State
Nursing Annual Average Wage
$76,850
Ranked in the US
#22
$10,826
Ranked in the US
#23
Wyoming
Nursing Compact Status
NLC State
Nursing Annual Average Wage
$73,130
Ranked in the US
#31
$8,395
Ranked in the US
#41