Skip Navigation HRSA - U.S Department of Health and Human Services, Health Resources and Service Administration U.S. Department of Health & Human Services
Home
Questions
Order Publications
 
Grants Find Help Service Delivery Data Health Care Concerns About HRSA
National Center for Health Workforce Analysis
 

The North Carolina Health Workforce: Highlights from the Health Workforce Profile

Health Resources and Services Administration Logo
State Health Workforce Profiles
Highlights
North Carolina

Printer-friendly North Carolina Highlights (PDF - 41 KB)

  • There were more than 328,000 people employed in the health sector in North Carolina in 2000, 8.5% of North Carolina’s total workforce. North Carolina ranked 26th among the states in per capita health services employment.
  • Health services employment in North Carolina grew 81% between 1988 and 2000, while the state’s population grew by 25%, resulting in a net per capita growth of 45% in health services sector employment. This was more than twice the national rate of net per capita growth in the health services sector of 21%.
  • The total population of North Carolina is projected to grow 13% between 2000 and 2020, while the population 65 and over is projected to grow 76% between 2000 and 2020.
  • The infant mortality rate per 1,000 live births for Blacks/African Americans (15.9) in North Carolina in 1997-99 was twice as high as for non-Hispanic whites (6.9) or Hispanics/Latinos (6.7).
  • In 2000, North Carolina was close to the national rate in the number of hospital beds per 100,000 population.

Highlights of the findings about the health workforce in North Carolina are presented below. Medicine

  • There were more than 14,200 active patient care physicians in North Carolina in 2000. With 176 physicians per 100,000 population, North Carolina was lower than the national ratio of 198 physicians per 100,000. North Carolina ranked 30th among states in physicians per capita.
  • North Carolina had 59 active primary care physicians per 100,000 population in 2000, lower than the rate of 69 per 100,000 for the entire country.
  • Medical schools in North Carolina graduated 414 new physicians in 1999-00. North Carolina ranked 13th among the 46 states with medical schools in number of medical school graduates.
  • There were 1,854 physician assistants practicing in North Carolina in 2000. This was equal to 22.9 physician assistants per 100,000 population, substantially higher than the national rate of 14.4.

Nursing

  • There were over 83,000 licensed registered nurses (RNs) in North Carolina in 2000; more than 69,900 were employed in nursing. There were 854.4 RNs per 100,000 population in North Carolina in 2000, compared to the national rate of 780.2.
  • In 2000, North Carolina ranked 35th among the states in the per capita employment of Licensed Practical/ Vocational Nurses (LPNs), with 194.4 LPNs per 100,000 population as compared to the national rate of 240.8 per 100,000. North Carolina ranked 17th in the number of LPNs employed in 2000 with 15,710 workers.
  • North Carolina had nearly 2,650 nurse practitioners in 2000. This was equal to 32.7 nurse practitioners per 100,000 population, slightly below the national rate of 33.7.
  • With 150 certified nurse midwives in 2000, North Carolina had 1.9 certified nurse midwives per 100,000 population, compared to the national rate of 2.9.
  • With more than 1,520 certified registered nurse anesthetists in 2003, North Carolina had 18.8 nurse anesthetists per 100,000 population, nearly twice the national rate. North Carolina had one of the highest ratios of nurse anesthetists per capita in the nation.

Dentistry, Pharmacy and Mental Health

  • There were 3,209 dentists, 4,940 dental hygienists, and 5,770 dental assistants practicing in North Carolina in 2000. There were 39.7 dentists per 100,000 population in North Carolina in 2000, well below the national rate of 63.6. North Carolina ranked 45th in the nation in dentists per capita. The per capita ratio of dental hygienists was higher than the national rate and the per capita ratio of dental assistants was lower than the national rate.
  • The number of dentists in North Carolina increased 29% between 1991 and 2000 while the state’s population grew 20%. The result was a 7% increase in dentists per capita lower than the 16% increase nationwide.
  • There were 5,790 pharmacists and 6,850 pharmacy technicians and aides practicing in North Carolina in 2000. North Carolina had 71.6 pharmacists and 84.8 pharmacy technicians and aides per 100,000 population in 2000, which ranked them 35th and 27th, respectively, among the 50 states.
  • There were 824 psychiatrists, 2,940 psychologists, and 13,370 social workers in North Carolina in 2000. This was equal to 10.9 psychiatrists, 36.4 psychologists, and 165.4 social workers per 100,000 population. North Carolina ranked 20th among states in psychiatrists per capita, 22nd among states in psychologists per capita, and 25th among states in social workers per capita.

Aides

  • There were 22,560 home health aides and 40,330 nursing aides, orderlies, and attendants working in North Carolina in 2000.