Job opportunities for registered nurses are expected to grow much faster than average, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Nurses are in demand in the Southeastern part of the country, which is one of the many reasons to attend online nursing schools in Alabama.

Students can find top-rated online nursing schools in Alabama--some of which offer both online and campus programs. Some hospitals and health care facilities in the state recruit nurses and may help repay their student loans when they graduate.

Prospects for grads of Alabama nursing schools online

The BLS reports that the mean annual salary for registered nurses in Alabama as of May 2010 was $57,850. That's below the national mean annual wage for RNs of $67,720, but the cost of living is lower in the Southeast--Alabama had the 11th lowest cost of living of all states in the Missouri Economic Research and Information Center's fourth-quarter 2010 figures.

Alabama also appeals to nursing students because it is home to many leading biotechnology and medical research facilities. Another attraction is the favorable weather--although summers can be hot, winters are mild. Regions near the Gulf are prone to tropical storms and even hurricanes, but the people of Alabama know how to deal with Mother Nature, and when disaster strikes, nurses are very much needed.

The state capital is Montgomery, where the largest employer is the Maxwell-Gunter Air Force Base. Hyundai Motors also operates a manufacturing plant in Mobile. The most populated city in Alabama is Birmingham. HealthSouth, which operates hospitals in 26 states and Puerto Rico, is headquartered in Birmingham. Other cities with potential employers are Mobile--the oldest city in the state, Huntsville and Tuscaloosa. Opportunities beckon for students who graduate from Alabama nursing schools online.