Statistics about Massachusetts nursing licensees

The Massachusetts Board of Registration in Nursing maintains records of licensed nurses.

These lists are a compilation of the data available from a variety of records at the Division of Health Professions Licensure (DHPL).

Note that the total number of active nurse licensees reflects the Board Count by Status Code per records maintained by DHPL-Accounting Department. Data listed for FY 95 reflect the number of active nurse licensees in current, renewing and deceased license codes, no separate coding existed for deceased license codes. For FY 96 onward, numbers only include active nurse licensees with current and renewing license codes. The total Registered Nurse (RN) number listed is inclusive of the Advanced Practice Registered Nurses (APRN).

The number of graduates listed is a compilation of reported numbers of graduates as they appear in the Approved Nursing Education Programs Annual Report submitted to the Board. Approved Nursing Programs prepare and qualify entry-level nursing graduates who can write the National Council Licensure Examination (NCLEX-RN and NCLEX-PN).

Active RN (including APRN) and LPN licensees

FY	Combined Total Number of Licensees	RN Licensees	LPN Licensees
1995	127,296	103,598	23,698
1996	127,033	102,811	24,222
1997	127,884	105,170	22,714
1998	125,166	102,531	22,635
1999	126,743	104,563	22,180
2000	127,239	104,796	22,443
2001	129,352	107,395	21,957
2002	129,819	107,830	21,989
2003	122,602	102,816	19,786
2004	121,810	102,019	19,791
2005	122,953	103,222	19,731
2006	130,283	109,803	20,480
2007	132,841	112,499	20,342
2008	131,792	110,866	20,426
2009	133,544	112,421	21,123
2010	134,885	113,592	21,293
2011	137,678	116,482	21,196
2012	139,688	118,330	21,358
2013	142,555	121,469	21,086
2014	143,638	122,452	21,186
2015*	146,714	125,593	21,121
2016*	147,672	126,466	21,206
2017	149,864	128,937	20,927
2018	151,076	130,048	21,028

*data corrected7-24-2018

Active Advanced Practice Registered Nurses (APRN) licensees

FY	APRN Licensees	CNP	CNM	CRNA	PCNS	CNS
1999	5,865	3,798	384	798	885
2000	6,328	4,165	408	834	921
2001	6,788	4,510	439	860	979
2002	7,058	4,729	459	885	985
2003	7,051	4,791	437	856	967
2004	7,215	4,950	429	871	965
2005	7,753	5,329	475	947	1002
2006	7,902	5,527	439	958	978
2007	8,117	5,713	453	973	978
2008	8,084	5,673	450	995	966
2009	8,460	5,972	459	1,056	973
2010	8,736	6,200	466	1,102	968
2011	9,111	6,556	467	1,147	941
2012	9,456	6,883	478	1,183	912
2013	10,000	7,367	485	1,246	902
2014	10,352	7,752	480	1,252	868
2015	11,221	8,243	489	1,271	830	35
2016	11,124	8,567	479	1,264	766	48
2017	11,609	9,077	476	1,282	719	55
2018	12,112	9,601	504	1,277	663	67

Entry-level RN and LPN graduates

Massachusetts Board Approved Pre-Licensure Programs

FY	Combined Total Number of Graduates	RN Graduates	PN Graduates
1995	3,179	2,408	771
1996	3,595	2,821	774
1997	3,424	2,695	729
1998	3,071	2,371	700
1999	2,730	2,089	641
2000	2,572	1,974	598
2001	2,274	1,773	501
2002	2,374	1,897	602
2003	2,319	1,751	626
2004	2,639	2,301	753
2005	3,138	2,349	789
2006	3,637	2,758	879
2007	3,808	3,001	807
2008	4,012	3,160	852
2009	3,998	3,240	758
2010	4,161	3,341	820
2011	4,513	3,640	873
2012	4,417	3,505	912
2013	4,574	3,670	904
2014	4,679	3,771	908
2015	4,732	3,790	942
2016	4,888	4,045	843