Objective To explore non-material incentive strength among nurses, as well as the influencing factors, and to provide re-ference for improvement of the incentive system. Methods A total of 4 618 nurses from 16 medical and health institutions in Xinjiang were surveyed with the general information questionnaire, the Non-material Incentive Potency Scale and the Non-material Incentive Expectation Scale to explore non-material incentive strength among nurses,as well as the influencing factors. Results The nurses scored (4.15±0.47) points in non-material incentive potency, (0.70±0.26) points in non-material incentive expectation, and (2.90±0.01) points in incentive strength.Professional title, salary level and years of service in nursing were main influencing factors of incentive level of nursing staff (all P＜0.05). Conclusion Non-material incentives for nursing staff in Xinjiang are characterized by high potency, low expectations and poor incentive strength.By meeting nurses′ needs to be respected, and by improving the working conditions, the phenomena of low expectation and lack of incentives among nurses could be remedied, thus enhancing the effectiveness of non-material incentives.