Nurse Salaries / Nurse Practitioner Salary
A nurse practitioner is an advanced practice registered nurse who works autonomously to manage patients’ health care and prevent disease. With advanced training and qualifications, NPs are granted greater authority than a registered nurse would have to treat patients across a variety of fields and situations. As of May 2021, the average salary for a nurse practitioner in the United States is $118,040 – an effective hourly rate of $56.75.
Nurse practitioners are also among the highest-earning categories of nurses, considering registered nurses earn an average salary of just $82,750.
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Highest-paying states for nurse practitioners
In addition to specialty, license, and experience, location also plays a major factor in a nurse’s expected wages – driven by cost-of-living and the overall job market in each area.
For nurse practitioners, California tops the list of highest-paying states with an average annual wage of $151,830. New Jersey comes in at second with an average NP salary of $137,010, followed by New York at $133,940.
Top 10 highest-paying states for nurse practitioners
| Rank | State | Average NP Salary | Local Estimates | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | California | $151,830 | Get local estimate | https://www.incrediblehealth.com/salaries/np/ca |
| 2 | New Jersey | $137,010 | Get local estimate | https://www.incrediblehealth.com/salaries/np/nj |
| 3 | New York | $133,940 | Get local estimate | https://www.incrediblehealth.com/salaries/np/ny |
| 4 | Washington | $130,840 | Get local estimate | https://www.incrediblehealth.com/salaries/np/wa |
| 5 | Massachusetts | $129,540 | Get local estimate | https://www.incrediblehealth.com/salaries/np/ma |
| 6 | Oregon | $128,190 | Get local estimate | https://www.incrediblehealth.com/salaries/np/or |
| 7 | Hawaii | $127,490 | Get local estimate | https://www.incrediblehealth.com/salaries/np/hi |
| 8 | Minnesota | $127,010 | Get local estimate | https://www.incrediblehealth.com/salaries/np/mn |
| 9 | Rhode Island | $126,760 | Get local estimate | https://www.incrediblehealth.com/salaries/np/ri |
| 10 | Nevada | $123,680 | Get local estimate | https://www.incrediblehealth.com/salaries/np/nv |
Top 10 highest-paying cities for nurse practitioners
| Rank | City | Average NP Salary | Local Estimates | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | San Jose, CA | $197,870 | Get local estimate | https://www.incrediblehealth.com/salaries/np/ca/san-jose |
| 2 | Napa, CA | $184,700 | Get local estimate | https://www.incrediblehealth.com/salaries/np/ca/napa |
| 3 | Vallejo, CA | $180,380 | Get local estimate | https://www.incrediblehealth.com/salaries/np/ca/vallejo |
| 4 | San Francisco, CA | $177,160 | Get local estimate | https://www.incrediblehealth.com/salaries/np/ca/san-francisco |
| 5 | Yuba City, CA | $159,260 | Get local estimate | https://www.incrediblehealth.com/salaries/np/ca/yuba-city |
| 6 | San Luis Obispo, CA | $153,300 | Get local estimate | https://www.incrediblehealth.com/salaries/np/ca/san-luis-obispo |
| 7 | Sacramento, CA | $153,050 | Get local estimate | https://www.incrediblehealth.com/salaries/np/ca/sacramento |
| 8 | Santa Rosa, CA | $152,150 | Get local estimate | https://www.incrediblehealth.com/salaries/np/ca/santa-rosa |
| 9 | Santa Cruz, CA | $150,280 | Get local estimate | https://www.incrediblehealth.com/salaries/np/ca/santa-cruz |
| 10 | Fresno, CA | $147,760 | Get local estimate | https://www.incrediblehealth.com/salaries/np/ca/fresno |
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Nurse practitioner salary vs other types of nurses
Nurse practitioners are among the highest-paid healthcare professions, and the career is projected to grow in demand by 28.2% over the next few years. However, the role itself may not be a fit for everyone. Luckily, many other types of nurses can also earn a very good living in the United States. Below are the average nationwide salaries, according to the BLS, for 5 different nursing categories.
| Category | Average Salary | # Employed | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nurse Anesthetists | $202,470 | https://www.incrediblehealth.com/blog/nurse-anesthetists-salary/ | 43,950 |
| Nurse Practitioners | $118,040 | https://www.incrediblehealth.com/blog/nurse-practitioner-salary/ | 234,690 |
| Nurse Midwives | $114,210 | https://www.incrediblehealth.com/blog/nurse-midwife-salary/ | 7,750 |
| Registered Nurses | $82,750 | https://www.incrediblehealth.com/blog/the-highest-paying-states-for-nurses/ | 3,047,530 |
| Licensed Practical / Vocational Nurses | $51,850 | https://www.incrediblehealth.com/blog/lvn-vs-rn-salary/ | 641,240 |
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