Say Goodbye to Stigma: More Men Becoming Nurses

And they'll get paid more to do it

If you've ever seen "Meet the Parents," you're aware of the stigma that surrounds male nurses. But according to a new study, more men are pursuing careers in the field. The rate of male registered nurses has more than tripled from 2.7 percent in 1970 to 9.6 percent in 2011. Liana Christin Landivar, the report's author, points to the nation's aging population as the reason for the demand of long-term care and end-of-life services. "A predicted shortage has led to recruiting and retraining efforts to increase the pool of nurses," said Landivar. In fact, men will even make a greater salary. While women made up 91% of the nursing workforce, men had higher earnings. In 2011, men, on average, earned $60,700 a year, compared with $51,100 a year for women. (USA Today)

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