Registered nurses (RNs) are the largest licensed health profession in the US and a key component of the long-term care (LTC) workforce. RNs who work in LTC settings earn less than those who work in hospitals and Black and Hispanic RNs employed in urban hospitals earn less than White and Asian nurses, even after controlling for differences in education and experience. However, little is known whether these differences exist in LTC.

This article discusses wage differences between RNs working in LTC (eg, nursing homes, home health) and non-LTC settings (eg, hospitals, ambulatory care) and whether differences are associated with the characteristics of the RN workforce between and within settings.