Nursing personnel in Australia

Australia: Nursing personnel was 361,769 in 2024. ▲ Rising

Latest (2024)
361,769
Change on year
up 4.1%
World rank
16th
of 189 countries
All-time high
361,769
in 2024
All-time low
147,900
in 1981
Years of data
44
1980–2024

Nursing personnel in Australia, 1980–2024

0100.0k200.0k300.0k400.0k1980200220241980: 151.8k1981: 147.9k1982: 149.5k1983: 151.9k1984: 154.4k1985: 150.7k1986: 175.0k1987: 185.0k1988: 191.8k1989: 197.0k1990: 198.5k1991: 208.8k1992: 202.3k1993: 195.7k1994: 204.7k1995: 195.1k1996: 197.5k1997: 191.8k1998: 191.6k1999: 191.4k2000: 191.6k2001: 191.7k2002: 193.9k2003: 196.0k2004: 203.5k2005: 197.0k2007: 212.5k2008: 218.9k2009: 220.8k2010: 216.3k2011: 227.7k2012: 232.3k2013: 257.2k2014: 264.9k2015: 271.2k2016: 279.8k2017: 287.4k2018: 297.8k2019: 309.9k2020: 315.0k2021: 329.0k2022: 332.9k2023: 347.6k2024: 361.8k

Source: World Health Organization, Global Health Observatory.

Analysis

Australia recorded 361,769 for nursing personnel in 2024. That is the highest value across all 44 years on record.

The figure is up 4.1% on the previous year and up 36.6% over ten years.

Over the whole period, nursing personnel in Australia peaked at 361,769 in 2024 and was at its lowest, 147,900, in 1981.

That places Australia 16th out of 189 countries with data for 2024, putting it in the top 10%.

The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 44 years of available data.

Nursing personnel in Australia, year by year

Annual values for Nursing personnel (number) in Australia, 1980 to 2024.
Year Value Change
1980 151,800 —
1981 147,900 -2.6%
1982 149,500 +1.1%
1983 151,900 +1.6%
1984 154,400 +1.6%
1985 150,700 -2.4%
1986 175,000 +16.1%
1987 185,000 +5.7%
1988 191,800 +3.7%
1989 197,000 +2.7%
1990 198,500 +0.8%
1991 208,800 +5.2%
1992 202,300 -3.1%
1993 195,737 -3.2%
1994 204,748 +4.6%
1995 195,120 -4.7%
1996 197,458 +1.2%
1997 191,816 -2.9%
1998 191,611 -0.1%
1999 191,405 -0.1%
2000 191,568 +0.1%
2001 191,731 +0.1%
2002 193,853 +1.1%
2003 195,975 +1.1%
2004 203,517 +3.8%
2005 196,998 -3.2%
2007 212,480 +7.9%
2008 218,928 +3.0%
2009 220,814 +0.9%
2010 216,338 -2.0%
2011 227,712 +5.3%
2012 232,321 +2.0%
2013 257,189 +10.7%
2014 264,876 +3.0%
2015 271,151 +2.4%
2016 279,789 +3.2%
2017 287,405 +2.7%
2018 297,807 +3.6%
2019 309,906 +4.1%
2020 315,017 +1.6%
2021 328,982 +4.4%
2022 332,865 +1.2%
2023 347,643 +4.4%
2024 361,769 +4.1%

Australia compared with similar countries

  • Australia's 361,769 is above the median for high income countries, which is 39,449, 9.2× the median. (63 countries reporting)
  • Australia's 361,769 is above the median for East Asia & Pacific, which is 9,034, 40.0× the median. (30 countries reporting)

Averages by decade

DecadeAverage LowestHighest Years
1980s 165,500 147,900 197,000 10
1990s 197,750 191,405 208,800 10
2000s 202,874 191,568 220,814 9
2010s 264,449 216,338 309,906 10
2020s 337,255 315,017 361,769 5

Countries ranked near Australia

  1. 13 Canada 461,742 compare
  2. 14 Italy 404,497 compare
  3. 15 Mexico 395,422 compare
  4. 17 Uzbekistan 361,351 compare
  5. 18 Argentina 288,935 compare
  6. 19 Spain 284,232 compare

See the full ranking of 191 places →

More health data for Australia

All data for Australia →

Frequently asked questions

What is nursing personnel in Australia?
Nursing personnel in Australia was 361,769 in 2024, according to World Health Organization, Global Health Observatory.
What is the highest nursing personnel recorded in Australia?
The highest recorded value was 361,769 in 2024.
What is the lowest nursing personnel recorded in Australia?
The lowest recorded value was 147,900 in 1981.
How does Australia rank for nursing personnel?
Australia ranks 16th out of 189 countries with data for 2024.
Is nursing personnel rising or falling in Australia?
Over the last ten years it is up 36.6%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
Where does this Australia data come from?
The figures come from World Health Organization, Global Health Observatory, published as part of Nursing personnel (number). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.

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Nursing personnel in Australia. Statizoid, drawing on World Health Organization, Global Health Observatory. Retrieved 26 September 2026, from https://health.statizoid.com/stat/nursing-personnel-number/australia/

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About this data

Indicator
Nursing personnel (number)
Source
World Health Organization, Global Health Observatory
Licence
CC BY-NC-SA 3.0 IGO (WHO)
Coverage
191 places, 3,864 data points, 1971–2024
Last refreshed