Is nursing good for introverts?
It depends on the role. Of the 9 nursing roles we compared, clinical nurse specialists report the least contact with others and nurse midwives the most.
Nursing rates among the most people-facing work in the data. Every role here reports face-to-face discussions close to every day.
The useful differences are in noise, conflict and how often you speak to groups. If constant contact with people is the problem, the data does not point to a quiet corner of nursing. If a calmer setting is what you need, compare the noise and conflict columns.
O*NET rates registered nurses as a general role and four specialties. We show each one separately, then compare licensed practical nurses and three advanced practice roles. Pay, openings and education for the specialties are those of all registered nurses, because the BLS publishes them only for the whole occupation. The ratings come from O*NET, the US Department of Labor's occupation database, where workers answer questions about what their job involves.
What the data shows
- Contact with others ranges from 4.4 out of 5 for clinical nurse specialists (closest to "contact most of the time") to 4.9 for nurse midwives (closest to "constant contact").
- After contact, the biggest difference is in distracting or uncomfortable noise: 2.2 out of 5 for advanced practice psychiatric nurses, against 4.5 for critical care nurses.
- The next biggest is public speaking: 1.8 out of 5 for licensed practical and licensed vocational nurses, against 3.0 for clinical nurse specialists.
- All 4 occupations with their own pay data involve more contact with others than the typical US occupation.
- 78% of licensed practical and licensed vocational nurses say they have face-to-face discussions every day, compared with 100% of nurse midwives.
- 8 of the 9 rate working in a team as very important or more.
- Among occupations with their own pay data, the lowest-contact one is also the best paid: nurse anesthetists, at a median $236,590 a year.
Social demands, side by side
Each figure is an O*NET average on a 1 to 5 scale. Lower means less of it. Hover a heading for the exact question.
| Role | Contact | Face-to-face | Phone | Speaking | Customers | Teamwork | Conflict | Noise |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Registered Nurses (general) | 4.9 | 4.9 | 4.9 | 2.3 | 4.5 | 4.9 | 3.8 | 3.3 |
| Acute Care Nurses | 4.7 | 5.0 | 4.9 | 2.5 | 3.7 | 4.8 | 4.0 | 4.4 |
| Advanced Practice Psychiatric Nurses | 4.5 | 5.0 | 4.8 | 2.2 | 3.3 | 3.9 | 3.4 | 2.2 |
| Critical Care Nurses | 4.8 | 5.0 | 5.0 | 2.8 | 4.5 | 4.8 | 4.0 | 4.5 |
| Clinical Nurse Specialists | 4.4 | 4.9 | 4.9 | 3.0 | 3.8 | 4.7 | 3.6 | 3.5 |
| Licensed Practical and Licensed Vocational Nurses | 4.8 | 4.6 | 4.7 | 1.8 | 3.6 | 4.7 | 3.5 | 3.0 |
| Nurse Practitioners | 4.7 | 5.0 | 5.0 | 2.2 | 4.3 | 4.8 | 3.3 | 3.2 |
| Nurse Anesthetists | 4.7 | 5.0 | 4.3 | 2.4 | 4.0 | 4.8 | 3.8 | 4.3 |
| Nurse Midwives | 4.9 | 5.0 | 4.8 | 2.1 | 4.5 | 4.6 | 3.7 | 3.6 |
Pay, entry and outlook
| Role | Median pay | Typical entry education | Typical training | Growth 2025-35 | Projected openings a year |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Registered Nurses (general) * | $97,550 | Bachelor's degree | None | +5.6% | 180,800 |
| Acute Care Nurses * | $97,550 | Bachelor's degree | None | +5.6% | 180,800 |
| Advanced Practice Psychiatric Nurses * | $97,550 | Bachelor's degree | None | +5.6% | 180,800 |
| Critical Care Nurses * | $97,550 | Bachelor's degree | None | +5.6% | 180,800 |
| Clinical Nurse Specialists * | $97,550 | Bachelor's degree | None | +5.6% | 180,800 |
| Licensed Practical and Licensed Vocational Nurses | $64,400 | Postsecondary nondegree award | None | +3.0% | 51,800 |
| Nurse Practitioners | $132,300 | Master's degree | None | +41.0% | 29,400 |
| Nurse Anesthetists | $236,590 | Master's degree | None | +9.7% | 2,400 |
| Nurse Midwives | $134,040 | Master's degree | None | +11.5% | 400 |
* Specialty rated separately by O*NET; pay and outlook are for the whole occupation.
Each role in detail
Registered Nurses (general)
Contact with others: 4.9 out of 5, closest to "constant contact". Face-to-face discussions: closest to "every day". Phone calls: closest to "every day". Public speaking: closest to "once a year or more". Teamwork rated "extremely important"; dealing with customers or the public "extremely important". Distracting noise: closest to "once a month or more".
Median pay $97,550 a year (figures for the whole occupation). Typical entry education: bachelor's degree. About 180,800 projected openings a year.
Core tasks, as listed by O*NET:
- Record patients' medical information and vital signs.
- Administer medications to patients and monitor patients for reactions or side effects.
- Maintain accurate, detailed reports and records.
Acute Care Nurses
Contact with others: 4.7 out of 5, closest to "constant contact". Face-to-face discussions: closest to "every day". Phone calls: closest to "every day". Public speaking: closest to "once a year or more". Teamwork rated "extremely important"; dealing with customers or the public "very important". Distracting noise: closest to "once a week or more".
Median pay $97,550 a year (figures for the whole occupation). Typical entry education: bachelor's degree. About 180,800 projected openings a year.
Core tasks, as listed by O*NET:
- Discuss illnesses and treatments with patients and family members.
- Diagnose acute or chronic conditions that could result in rapid physiological deterioration or life-threatening instability.
- Perform emergency medical procedures, such as basic cardiac life support (BLS), advanced cardiac life support (ACLS), and other condition-stabilizing interventions.
Advanced Practice Psychiatric Nurses
Contact with others: 4.5 out of 5, closest to "constant contact". Face-to-face discussions: closest to "every day". Phone calls: closest to "every day". Public speaking: closest to "once a year or more". Teamwork rated "very important"; dealing with customers or the public "important". Distracting noise: closest to "once a year or more".
Median pay $97,550 a year (figures for the whole occupation). Typical entry education: bachelor's degree. About 180,800 projected openings a year.
Core tasks, as listed by O*NET:
- Assess patients' mental and physical status, based on the presenting symptoms and complaints.
- Educate patients and family members about mental health and medical conditions, preventive health measures, medications, or treatment plans.
- Document patients' medical and psychological histories, physical assessment results, diagnoses, treatment plans, prescriptions, or outcomes.
Critical Care Nurses
Contact with others: 4.8 out of 5, closest to "constant contact". Face-to-face discussions: closest to "every day". Phone calls: closest to "every day". Public speaking: closest to "once a month or more". Teamwork rated "extremely important"; dealing with customers or the public "extremely important". Distracting noise: closest to "once a week or more".
Median pay $97,550 a year (figures for the whole occupation). Typical entry education: bachelor's degree. About 180,800 projected openings a year.
Core tasks, as listed by O*NET:
- Evaluate patients' vital signs or laboratory data to determine emergency intervention needs.
- Monitor patients for changes in status and indications of conditions such as sepsis or shock and institute appropriate interventions.
- Administer medications intravenously, by injection, orally, through gastric tubes, or by other methods.
Clinical Nurse Specialists
Contact with others: 4.4 out of 5, closest to "contact most of the time". Face-to-face discussions: closest to "every day". Phone calls: closest to "every day". Public speaking: closest to "once a month or more". Teamwork rated "extremely important"; dealing with customers or the public "very important". Distracting noise: closest to "once a month or more".
Median pay $97,550 a year (figures for the whole occupation). Typical entry education: bachelor's degree. About 180,800 projected openings a year.
Core tasks, as listed by O*NET:
- Provide specialized direct and indirect care to inpatients and outpatients within a designated specialty, such as obstetrics, neurology, oncology, or neonatal care.
- Collaborate with other health care professionals and service providers to ensure optimal patient care.
- Read current literature, talk with colleagues, or participate in professional organizations or conferences to keep abreast of developments in nursing.
Licensed Practical and Licensed Vocational Nurses
Contact with others: 4.8 out of 5, closest to "constant contact", more than 87% of ranked occupations. Face-to-face discussions every day for 78% of workers. Phone calls: closest to "every day". Public speaking: closest to "once a year or more". Teamwork rated "extremely important"; dealing with customers or the public "very important". Distracting noise: closest to "once a month or more".
Median pay $64,400 a year. Typical entry education: postsecondary nondegree award. About 51,800 projected openings a year.
Core tasks, as listed by O*NET:
- Observe patients, charting and reporting changes in patients' conditions, such as adverse reactions to medication or treatment, and taking any necessary action.
- Measure and record patients' vital signs, such as height, weight, temperature, blood pressure, pulse, or respiration.
- Administer prescribed medications or start intravenous fluids, noting times and amounts on patients' charts.
Nurse Practitioners
Contact with others: 4.7 out of 5, closest to "constant contact", more than 80% of ranked occupations. Face-to-face discussions every day for 100% of workers. Phone calls: closest to "every day". Public speaking: closest to "once a year or more". Teamwork rated "extremely important"; dealing with customers or the public "very important". Distracting noise: closest to "once a month or more".
Median pay $132,300 a year. Typical entry education: master's degree. About 29,400 projected openings a year.
Core tasks, as listed by O*NET:
- Maintain complete and detailed records of patients' health care plans and prognoses.
- Develop treatment plans, based on scientific rationale, standards of care, and professional practice guidelines.
- Provide patients with information needed to promote health, reduce risk factors, or prevent disease or disability.
Nurse Anesthetists
Contact with others: 4.7 out of 5, closest to "constant contact", more than 74% of ranked occupations. Face-to-face discussions every day for 100% of workers. Phone calls: closest to "once a week or more". Public speaking: closest to "once a year or more". Teamwork rated "extremely important"; dealing with customers or the public "very important". Distracting noise: closest to "once a week or more".
Median pay $236,590 a year. Typical entry education: master's degree. About 2,400 projected openings a year.
Core tasks, as listed by O*NET:
- Manage patients' airway or pulmonary status, using techniques such as endotracheal intubation, mechanical ventilation, pharmacological support, respiratory therapy, and extubation.
- Respond to emergency situations by providing airway management, administering emergency fluids or drugs, or using basic or advanced cardiac life support techniques.
- Monitor patients' responses, including skin color, pupil dilation, pulse, heart rate, blood pressure, respiration, ventilation, or urine output, using invasive and noninvasive techniques.
Nurse Midwives
Contact with others: 4.9 out of 5, closest to "constant contact", more than 93% of ranked occupations. Face-to-face discussions every day for 100% of workers. Phone calls: closest to "every day". Public speaking: closest to "once a year or more". Teamwork rated "extremely important"; dealing with customers or the public "very important". Distracting noise: closest to "once a week or more".
Median pay $134,040 a year. Typical entry education: master's degree. About 400 projected openings a year.
Core tasks, as listed by O*NET:
- Provide prenatal, intrapartum, postpartum, or newborn care to patients.
- Monitor fetal development by listening to fetal heartbeat, taking external uterine measurements, identifying fetal position, or estimating fetal size and weight.
- Document patients' health histories, symptoms, physical conditions, or other diagnostic information.
What the numbers can't tell you
- O*NET ratings are averages of worker answers on a 1 to 5 scale. Some questions ask how much (contact), some how often (face-to-face, phone, public speaking, conflict, noise) and some how important (teamwork, customers). They are shown on their own scales.
- The ratings describe the job, averaged across workers and workplaces. A particular employer, team or shift can be very different.
- They don't measure personality, and they are not career, medical or psychological advice.
- Pay and openings are national figures from the BLS. Local pay varies.
Common questions
Which nursing job involves the least contact with others?
Of the 9 roles compared here, clinical nurse specialists report the least, at 4.4 out of 5 on O*NET's contact rating, closest to "contact most of the time".
Do these nursing jobs need a degree?
All 4 occupations with BLS education data typically need more than a high school diploma to start.
Do these ratings measure personality?
No. They are averages of what workers say their job asks of them. They describe the work, not the people doing it, and they are not career, medical or psychological advice.