PHOENIX — Just before National Nurses Week kicked off on Wednesday, a study found Arizona to be one of the country’s top-rated states for the nursing profession.

WalletHub, a personal finance blog, ranked Arizona as the ninth-best overall state in which to practice nursing.

The study’s findings were released Monday and measured each state based on a 100 point scale with 70 points allotted to opportunity and 30 points allotted to work environment.

Each category was weighed in accordance with 11 different metrics, several of which Arizona placed in the top ten.

Arizona ranked first in the nation for its share of the best nursing homes, according to the study.

The Grand Canyon State also ranked third for projected competition by 2026, fourth for nurses per capita and sixth for average monthly starting salary.

One metric which lowered Arizona’s overall ranking was regarding the state support systems to protect at-risk populations from coronavirus, for which it placed 49th.

WalletHub determined Oregon to be the overall best state in the country to practice nursing, followed by Washington, New Mexico, Minnesota and Nevada, respectively.

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