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Nursing Jobs in Alaska

Alaska is derived from the Aleut word "Aleyska," meaning "a great land" — a fitting name for the largest state in America. Combine Texas, California, and Montana, and it still wouldn’t equal the 663,300 square miles that make up Alaska. On the flip side, it’s the least densely populated state and has the third lowest number of residents.

Alaska’s natural beauty and need for healthcare professionals are usually enough to pique job seekers’ curiosity. But perhaps the biggest draw for anyone looking for nursing jobs in Alaska? Salary. The average annual nursing salary here is among the highest anywhere in the country.

Whether you want to work full time, part time, contract, temporary, or per diem, your skill set is needed, and you can expect to be well compensated. Read on to find out what else the Last Frontier can offer you.

Quick Facts About Alaska Nursing Jobs

Does Alaska belong to the Nurse Licensure Compact? No. Review our guide to the Alaska Nurse Practice Act for information on the guidelines that apply to nursing professionals in the state.
How much do nurses make in Alaska? The average annual salary for nurse jobs in Alaska depends on your license/certification:
NP salary in Alaska: $142,340
RN salary in Alaska: $112,040
LPN salary in Alaska: $77,850
CNA salary in Alaska: $48,550
Where can I learn more about Alaska requirements for nurse licenses? Check out the Alaska Board of Nursing for the latest information regarding applications, renewals, verifications, and more. If your license is about to expire, review our guide to nurse license renewals in Alaska.
What are the most populous cities in Alaska for nursing jobs? You can look for nursing jobs in the top five Alaska cities by population:
Anchorage
Fairbanks
Juneau
Knik-Fairview
Badger

What to Know When Pursuing Nursing Jobs in Alaska

Just 740,133 people reside in Alaska, which has a population density of about one person per square mile. The median age of residents is 35 — younger than the nation’s median of 38.4 — and people ages 65 and over make up just over 14% of the population. The sparse population and lack of access to healthcare services creates a great demand for people to fill healthcare roles. Some of the more popular jobs include:

Curious about what your patient base might look like? There are more men than women and a little more than half the population is married. Of the married couples, 35% have children; 18% of residents are single with children.

To stand out in the talent pool, be sure cultural competency is in your skill set before applying to nursing jobs — Alaska is a diverse state. Around 61.5% of residents are White, 13.8% are Indigenous; 7.4% are two or more races; 6.8% are Hispanic or Latino, 6.1% are Asian; 3.1% are Black, and 1.2% are Hawaiian or Pacific Islander.

Working in Alaska

The need for nursing professionals in Alaska can’t be overstated, but there is also a need for nurse educators. Reportedly, for every student who wants to enroll in nursing school in Alaska, two applicants are turned away. Furthermore, the health insurance in this state is among the most costly in the country, further straining residents’ access to care.

Want to be of service? You can set your sights on Alaska public health nurse jobs in cities, rural communities, and villages. If you prefer to work in hospitals or medical systems, consider exploring roles in these facilities:

Bartlett Regional Hospital
Yukon-Kuskokwim Health Corporation
Fairbanks Memorial Hospital, part of Foundation Health Partners
SouthEast Alaska Regional Health Consortium
Alaska Native Tribal Health
Alaska Regional Hospital

Looking instead for post-acute options? There are at least 20 long-term care facilities throughout the state, as well as home care agencies, that rely on skilled clinicians to care for residents and patients.

Another great aspect of pursuing Alaska nursing jobs is that your commute is an average of just 18.8 minutes, which is considerably less than the national average of 26.4 minutes. Most residents drive solo to work, but you can also depend on the public transportation systems in major areas.

The state also has resources available to help you with child care while you’re busy working your shifts, and there are pet sitters available to take care of your animals too.

Living in Alaska

If you’re an explorer at heart, Alaska is where you want to be. The Last Frontier has plenty of adventures to offer visitors and residents alike. On any given day, you can encounter some type of wildlife — moose and bald eagle sightings are not uncommon, and you might catch a glimpse of whales while you’re strolling along the water. Check out the ice caves, go white water rafting, tour the glaciers, and try your hand at dog sledding.

The three major cities in Alaska are Anchorage, Juneau (the capital), and Fairbanks, and each offer lots of cultural options for your downtime. Visit the Anchorage Museum to explore its collection, which is broken into four categories: art, cultural and historical heritage pieces, historical photographs, and library resources. Then cap it off with dinner at any of the city’s acclaimed restaurants, from fine dining to casual pubs.

In Juneau, you can see performances at the Perseverance Theatre, and check out the Sealaska Heritage Institute’s collection that spotlights the Tlingit, Haida, and Tsimshian cultures of Southeast Alaska. After, head to the Alaskan Brewing Company for a frosty pint.

Fairbanks has a variety of events for all ages year-round, including the Midnight Sun Festival, the Tanana Valley State Fair, the Winter Solstice Celebration, and the Open North American Championship — the oldest dog sled race series in the world.

Unless you’re a big fan of cold weather, the climate in Alaska might be a bit challenging. The summers are short and mild and the winters are predictably long and frigid — and it’s among the rainiest of states. On the upside, the sun shines almost around the clock during the summer days — hence its nickname the Land of the Midnight Sun. Plus, you’ve got a front row seat to the spectacular northern lights.

Alaska has a high cost of living — around 16.5% higher than the U.S. average — because groceries and most other items need to be shipped to the state. However, full-time residents don’t pay income tax or sales tax. Furthermore, the state actually pays people to live there. The Permanent Fund Dividend is an annual payment made to eligible residents; in 2024, the payment was $1,702.

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Oncology

Part-time

Clinical Nurse Case Manager II NC - Oncology

apartment Alaska Native Tribal Health Consortium location_onAnchorage, AK

The Alaska Native Tribal Health Consortium is a non-profit Tribal health organization designed to meet the unique health needs of Alaska Native and American Indian people living in Alaska. In partnership with the more than 171,000 Alaska Native and American Indian people that we serve and the Tribal health organizations of the Alaska Tribal Health System, ANTHC provides world-class health services, which include comprehensive medical services at the Alaska Native Medical Center, wellness programs, disease research and prevention, rural provider training and rural water and sanitation systems construction. ANTHC is the largest, most comprehensive Tribal health organization in the United States, and Alaska’s second-largest health employer with more than 3,100 employees offering an array of health services to people around the nation’s largest state. Our vision: Alaska Native people are the healthiest people in the world. ANTHC offers a competitive and comprehensive Benefits Package for all Benefit Eligible Employees, which includes: Medical Insurance provided through the Federal Employee Health Benefits Program as a Tribal Employee, with over 20 plans and tiers. Cost-Share Dental and Vision Insurances Discounted Pet Insurance Retirement Contributions with Pre-Tax or Roth options into a 403(b). 401(a) ANTHC Retirement Plan: After one year of employment, ANTHC will begin making matching contributions of up to 5% of your eligible pay, based on your own contributions. In addition, you may be eligible for an annual discretionary contribution of up to 3% from the employer. Paid Time Off starts immediately, earning up to 6 hours per pay period, with paid time off accruals increasing based on years of service. Eleven Paid Holidays Paid Parental Leave or miscarriage/stillbirth eligibility after six months of employment Basic Short/Long Term Disability premiums, Accidental Death and Dismemberment (AD&D) Insurance, and Basic Life Insurance are covered 100% by ANTHC, with additional options for Short-Term Disability Buy-Up Coverage and Voluntary Life for yourself and your family members. Flexible Spending Accounts for Healthcare and Dependent Care. Ancillary Cash Benefits for accident, hospital indemnity, and critical illness. On-Site Child Care Facility with expert-designed classrooms for early child development and preschool. Employee Assistance Program with support for grief, financial counseling, mental/emotional health, and discounted legal advice. Tuition Discounts for you and your eligible dependents at Alaska Pacific University. On-Site Training Courses and Professional Development Opportunities. License and certification reimbursements and occupational insurance for medical staff. Gym Access to Alaska Pacific University includes a salt water pool, rock climbing, workout gym, and steep discounts for outdoor equipment rentals. Emergency Travel Assistance Education Assistance or Education leave eligibility Discount program for travel, gym memberships, amusement parks, and more. Visit us online at www.anthc.org or contact Recruitment directly at HRRecruiting@anthc.org. Alaska Native Tribal Health Consortium has a hiring preference for qualified Alaska Native and American Indian applicants pursuant to P.L. 93-638 Indian Self Determination Act. Summary Under general direction collects, analyzes data, identifying expected outcomes of each patient, developing a plan of care with interventions and constantly evaluating the patient's progress toward attainment of the outcomes, working collaboratively with the specialty healthcare team and other disciplines. Responsibilities Using critical thinking and problem solving skills in a dynamic and systematic collaborative approach to providing and coordinating health care service to a defined population. Uses advanced nursing specialty knowledge to assess, plan, implement, evaluate and interact with the patient. Evaluates options and services to meet the individual’s health needs through communication and available resources to promote quality, cost-effective outcomes. This may include the development and maintenance of patient tracking and reporting programs for the purposes of identifying gaps in the health care delivery system. Contributes to the mission and vision of ANTHC by providing necessary coordination of care for a specified population. This means being involved in organizational activities such as unit based councils and process improvement committees to continually evaluate and improve services for the specific population. Independently and consistently use nursing knowledge, collect patient health data, analyze the data to determine diagnoses, identify expected outcomes individualized to the patient, develop a plan of care that prescribes interventions to attain the expected outcomes, implement the interventions identified in the plan of care, and evaluate the patient’s progress toward attainment of the outcomes, working collaboratively with the healthcare team. Is active in the systematic evaluation of the quality and effectiveness of nursing practice, researching and spearheading quality of care activities to initiate positive changes in nursing practice. Evaluates one's own nursing practice in relation to professional practice standards and relevant statutes and regulations, identifying short and long-term professional goals. Adheres to the Standards of Practice for Case Management, and the ANA Nurses Code of Ethics, and is familiar with specific specialty standards of practice if applicable. Interacts with and contributes to the professional development of peers and others practicing in a Shared Governance model of nursing practice. Acts as a consultant regarding specialty issues to all involved disciplines. Decides and acts on behalf of patients are determined in an ethical manner, and care is delivered in a nonjudgmental and nondiscriminatory manner that is sensitive to patient diversity preserving patient autonomy, dignity, and rights. Collaborates with the patient, family, and other health care providers in the formation of overall goals and the plan of care, as well as in decisions related to care and the delivery of services. Considers factors related to safety, effectiveness, evidence based-practice, and cost in planning & delivering patient care, and assists the patient and family in identifying and securing appropriate and available services to address health-related needs. This includes communications and coordination with various insurance payers including ANMC’s Purchased Referred Care, Alaska Medicaid, and independent insurance companies. Plans, collaborates, and coordinates with external facilities to arrange care for complex subspecialty needs not provided at ANMC. Utilizes extensive problem solving and critical thinking skills in triaging patients via the telephone, email and walk-in situations. Delivers extensive patient education on complex specialty issues as well as multiple disease processes. Delivers timely and effective nursing care according to established standards including physical, social and emotional care. Has the flexibility to adapt to new and changing situations. Performs program specific complex nursing assessments, interventions, and evaluations, including specialized infusions, procedures and protocols as applicable. Proactively shared specialty information with colleagues in the form of formal presentations and publications to enhance the overall nursing quality of care at ANMC for the specified population. Performs other duties as assigned. Other Information KNOWLEDGE and SKILLS Knowledge of nursing science, principles, techniques, and procedures for the care of patients. Knowledge of healthcare terminology, anatomy, physiology and concepts of disease. Knowledge and ability to utilize evidence based practice to develop the plan of care and interventions. Knowledge of the hospital environment and how the services and functions interact. Knowledge of Alaskan culture. Knowledge of nursing theorists and ability to provide theory based care for patients. Knowledge of shared governance environment with shared-decision making. Skill in critical thinking to provide effective and compassionate nursing care, assessing patient situations and taking effective courses of action. Skill in providing cardiopulmonary resuscitation. Skill in providing effective nursing services, assessing patient situations and taking effective courses of action. Skill in assessing and prioritizing multiple requests by patients, families, and team members. Skill in evaluating health problems, and making recommendations based on observations. Skill in operating a personal computer utilizing a variety of software applications. MINIMUM EDUCATION QUALIFICATION Associates degree in Nursing. Minimum Experience Qualification Non-supervisory - Five (5) years professional work experience in health education, health related research, and/or health related program development, implementation and evaluation. An equivalent combination of relevant education and/or training may be substituted for experience. MINIMUM CERTIFICATION QUALIFICATION Current registered nurse license in the State of Alaska. Current Basic Life Support card required. Preferred Education Qualification Bachelor’s Degree in Nursing. Preferred Experience Qualification Experience in the Alaska Tribal Health System. Preferred Certification Qualification National certification in Case Management through the ANCC and/or other specialty specific certification.