AMN Healthcare, the leader and innovator in total talent solutions for healthcare, released a new white paper, Healthcare Staffing Projections Through 2030, examining the demographic, public health, policy and workforce trends expected to shape healthcare staffing demand over the next several years. The report analyzes a five-year representative sample of AMN Healthcare Allied, Nursing, and Physician and Advanced Practice Provider search engagements, along with external data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, to assess current supply-demand trends and project staffing needs through 2030.
The report finds that healthcare organizations will continue to face sustained staffing pressure as the U.S. population ages, chronic disease prevalence rises and demand increases across a broad set of clinical specialties. By 2030, all Baby Boomers will have reached age 65, and older adults are expected to represent approximately 20 percent of the U.S. population. At the same time, more than 130 million U.S. adults are living with two or more chronic conditions, while more than 60 percent of young adults ages 18 to 34 report at least one chronic condition.
"Healthcare organizations are planning for a future where workforce demand is being shaped by multiple forces at once, from aging demographics and chronic disease to rural access challenges, physician shortages and rapid changes in technology," said Cary Grace, President and CEO of AMN Healthcare. "The organizations best positioned for the next era of care will be those that have multi-faceted workforce optimization strategies, using predictive planning and data and analytics to build and operationalize workforce models that create a high-quality, engaged and cost-effective workforce."
Key Findings:
- Physician shortages are projected to persist. A physician shortage of up to 86,000 is projected by 2036, with primary care and specialty roles most affected. More than 30 percent of active physicians are age 60 or older, and 20 percent are age 65 or older.
- RN supply is not keeping pace with demand. Although RN demand decreased from pandemic-era highs, AMN's analysis found the decline in filled positions was even more pronounced, and the average fill rate for the top five RN specialties decreased nearly 7 percent from 2021 to 2025.
- Rural staffing gaps remain significant. In 2025, the urban RN fill rate was nearly three times the rural rate, highlighting the persistent challenge rural facilities face in securing nursing talent. More than 7,700 designated Health Professional Shortage Areas for primary care affect 76 million Americans, and an estimated 13,254 additional primary care providers are needed to eliminate those designations.
- Allied health demand remains strong. Demand for CT technologists has more than doubled since 2021, representing the most significant and sustained growth among the top five allied specialties analyzed.