10 states with most active RN licenses

California and Texas lead the charge as states with the most active registered nurse licenses, according to new data from the National Council of State Boards of Nursing. 

This data is compiled by the council's database, an electronic information system where nursing regulatory bodies enter license data. 

The 10 states with the most active RN licenses:

1. California: 468,171
2. Texas: 368,177
3. New York: 358,364
4. Florida: 350,761
5. Pennsylvania: 234,339
6. Ohio: 223,548
7. Illinois: 221,270
8. Massachusetts: 155,122
9. North Carolina: 149,508
10. New Jersey: 140,893