Nurses have topped a poll of the most ethical and honest professions for the 17^th year in a row.

The Roy Morgan poll found 90 percent of Australians rate nurses the most ethical and honest profession, followed by other health professions such as doctors and pharmacists, both standing at 87 percent.

The nursing profession, which polled one percent higher than in previous years, has topped the poll every year since nurses were first included in the survey in 1994.

The Image of Professions poll, which surveyed 638 Australian men and women aged 14 and over in March, put dentists and school teachers at 76 percent ahead of high court and state supreme court judges at 75 percent, engineers at 71 percent and police at 69 percent.

Roy Morgan spokeswoman Michele Levin said the poll found most professions had improved their standing in the community for ethics and honesty over the past year as Australia emerged from the uncertainties of the Global Financial Crisis.

"Nurses were once again rated the most ethical and honest profession – the 17^th year in a row," she said.

At the other end of the scale, real estate agents scored 7 percent, down 3 percent, and advertising people rated 5 percent, down 3 percent, recording new lows and only just finished above the perennially lowest ranked profession – car salesman, at 3 percent, down 2 percent.

"Car salesman have now ranked as the least ethical and honest profession for the past 30 years," Ms Levin said.