# What Size Scrubs Should a Nurse Order?

*2026-09-20 · by qwebmaster · https://affordablescrubs.com/what-size-scrubs-should-a-nurse-order/*

Buying for yourself is a different problem to buying for a ward. You are not balancing a run, you are getting one set right.

## Start with the style, not the size

Scrub tops vary more between cuts than between brands. A unisex top and a women’s cut in the same nominal size fit differently through the shoulder and the waist. Check the individual product page: where a style runs large, we say so in the product name.

## The size most nurses land on

Across everything we ship, Medium is the most common size at 22.5%, with Large close behind at 21.0% and Small at 17.6%. Those three cover 61% of all garments.

| Size | Share of everything we ship |
| --- | --- |
| XXS | 1.9% |
| XS | 8.2% |
| S | 17.6% |
| M | 22.5% |
| L | 21% |
| XL | 15.4% |
| 2XL | 8.1% |
| 3XL | 3.7% |
| 4XL | 0.9% |
| 5XL | 0.7% |

Measured across 38,015 garments shipped from our Van Nuys warehouse since 2020.

## Practical advice

- **Size for the shift, not the fitting room.** You will be reaching, bending and sitting for twelve hours. If you are between sizes, take the larger one in the top.
- **Pants are the more common return.** Check the inseam and whether the style is a straight leg or a jogger before ordering.
- **Buy one set before buying six.** Single sets without a minimum are available on our [retail store](https://medicalscrubset.com/). This site is wholesale with a $250 minimum.

## If you are ordering for the whole team

That is a different calculation. See [what size scrubs you should order for a team](/what-size-scrubs-should-you-order/) for the full size run.