2027 Salary Guide · Healthcare
Per BLS, the May 2025 median for nurse practitioners was $132,300, which works out to roughly $140,500 for 2027 at current wage growth. Even the lowest-paid tenth of NPs, at $101,340, out-earned the typical registered nurse. BLS expects NP jobs to grow 41 percent from 2025 to 2035, much faster than the average for all occupations.
RN to NP
Most NPs work as registered nurses first. BLS does not publish pay by years of experience, so these stages are mapped onto the BLS percentiles for each occupation.
Median $97,550 (BLS, Registered Nurses)
The starting point. An RN license is required for NP licensure, and most NP programs prefer applicants with a bachelor's degree in nursing.
About $101,340 to $117,990 (10th to 25th percentile)
First NP role after a master's or doctoral program and national certification. Even here, pay is above the RN median.
About $117,990 to $156,700 (25th to 75th percentile)
Carries a full panel or covers a specialty service. Moving metro or setting is the usual way to the top of this band.
$174,420 and up (90th percentile)
Concentrated in high-cost metros, where medians alone run above $160,000, and in roles with call, procedures or lead responsibilities.
Pay distribution
Compared with most healthcare jobs, NP pay is tightly bunched. The middle half earned between $117,990 and $156,700 in May 2025, and the gap from the 10th to the 90th percentile is about $73,000.
Typical for the Nurse Practitioner title: $117,990 to $156,700 (25th to 75th percentile of Nurse Practitioners)
| Percentile | BLS, May 2025 | 2027 planning estimate |
|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile | $101,340 | $107,500 |
| 25th percentile | $117,990 | $125,500 |
| Median | $132,300 | $140,500 |
| 75th percentile | $156,700 | $166,500 |
| 90th percentile | $174,420 | $185,500 |
Local pay
The San Francisco Bay Area median of $219,080 is about $86,800 above the national figure, and San Diego, New York City and Los Angeles all top $161,000. New York is the largest market with about 21,680 NPs. Nashville has the highest concentration of NPs on the list but one of the lowest medians, $122,320.
| Metro area | Median | 10th – 90th | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| San Francisco Bay Area | $219,080 +66% | $153,280 – $273,960 | 3,110 |
| San Diego | $163,860 +24% | $131,380 – $215,640 | 2,340 |
| New York City | $163,340 +23% | $132,490 – $202,940 | 21,680 |
| Los Angeles | $161,470 +22% | $119,950 – $216,180 | 10,060 |
| Seattle | $160,090 +21% | $128,750 – $188,370 | — |
| Portland | $158,890 +20% | $130,270 – $200,720 | 1,390 |
| Boston | $147,480 +11% | $116,600 – $212,490 | 5,990 |
| Phoenix | $136,270 +3% | $105,510 – $173,980 | 5,450 |
| Philadelphia | $135,700 +3% | $104,000 – $169,390 | 6,590 |
| Providence | $135,520 +2% | $106,020 – $174,650 | 1,540 |
| Metro area | Median | 10th – 90th | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hartford | $135,170 +2% | $109,930 – $169,730 | 1,370 |
| Washington, DC | $134,840 +2% | $101,340 – $175,440 | 4,050 |
| Albany | $134,590 +2% | $108,680 – $163,900 | 910 |
| Houston | $134,560 +2% | $96,880 – $158,830 | 5,970 |
| Detroit | $134,390 +2% | $106,110 – $164,390 | 3,400 |
| Denver | $134,040 +1% | $95,890 – $172,170 | 2,310 |
| Minneapolis-St. Paul | $133,370 +1% | $102,190 – $170,140 | 4,900 |
| Atlanta | $132,500 +0% | $104,950 – $172,130 | 5,950 |
| Buffalo | $132,220 +-0% | $104,470 – $166,300 | 1,190 |
| Baltimore | $131,990 +-0% | $102,060 – $168,770 | 3,800 |
| Chicago | $131,740 +-0% | $106,260 – $164,750 | 6,530 |
| Miami | $131,340 -1% | $106,880 – $169,060 | 5,810 |
| Dallas-Fort Worth | $130,980 -1% | $93,690 – $162,950 | 7,310 |
| Charlotte | $130,310 -2% | $107,350 – $170,490 | 1,970 |
| Raleigh | $128,150 -3% | $103,200 – $170,520 | 1,510 |
| Tampa | $128,120 -3% | $99,390 – $158,710 | 4,180 |
| Austin | $128,050 -3% | $114,440 – $166,490 | 2,700 |
| Nashville | $122,320 -8% | $84,300 – $139,740 | 4,540 |
| Pittsburgh | $119,630 -10% | $102,680 – $154,370 | 1,980 |
BLS metro estimates, May 2025. Percent compares the metro median with the national median. "Jobs" is BLS estimated employment in the metro; blank where BLS does not publish it.
State rules
BLS notes that the scope of NP duties varies by state. The American Association of Nurse Practitioners groups states into three categories.
In full practice states, NPs can evaluate patients, diagnose, order and interpret tests, and start and manage treatment, including prescribing, under the licensing authority of the state board of nursing alone.
In reduced practice states, the law requires a career-long collaborative agreement with another provider or limits the setting of at least one part of NP practice. In restricted practice states, NPs need career-long supervision, delegation or team management by another provider to care for patients.
These rules shape which jobs exist, such as NP-run clinics and rural practices, more than they set a pay rate. BLS does not publish NP pay by practice category, so treat any claimed premium for full practice states with caution and compare against the metro table instead.
Outlook
BLS projects NP employment to rise from 336,300 to 474,100 between 2025 and 2035, with about 29,400 openings a year. BLS calls this much faster than the average for all occupations.
BLS Employment Projections via O*NET OnLine. Projections cover Nurse Practitioners as a whole.
Specialties
O*NET's reported job titles for nurse practitioners show how the role splits by patient population. Pay data is not published by specialty, but these labels decide which jobs a candidate qualifies for.
The broadest certification, used in primary care, urgent care and retail clinics. A broad certification that fits many settings, so it opens the widest range of jobs.
Hospital-based work with complex, unstable patients. Hospital NP roles often include nights, weekends or call.
O*NET lists advanced practice psychiatric nurses as a closely related occupation. Roles are in behavioral health clinics, hospitals and telehealth practices.
Separate certifications focused on one population. These suit pediatric practices, OB-GYN groups and school-based clinics.
Compare
NPs earn about $34,750 more than RNs at the median and sit close to pharmacists. Family medicine physicians earn about $111,880 more, after a much longer training path.
| Role | BLS median | 2027 estimate | Outlook |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nurse Practitioner | $132,300 | $140,500 | Much faster than average |
| Registered Nurse | $97,550 | $103,500 | Faster than average |
| Physician | $244,180 | $259,500 | Average |
| Pharmacist | $140,910 | $150,000 | Faster than average |
| Healthcare Administrator | $123,860 | $131,500 | Much faster than average |
FAQ
BLS reports a $132,300 median annual wage for nurse practitioners as of May 2025. The middle half earned between $117,990 and $156,700, and the top tenth more than $174,420. With two years of wage growth at 3.1% a year, the 2027 planning median is about $140,500.
At the median, nurse practitioners earned $132,300 in May 2025 and registered nurses $97,550, a gap of about $34,750 a year. The 10th percentile for NPs, $101,340, was above the RN median, so even entry-level NP jobs usually pay more than mid-career RN jobs.
O*NET, using BLS May 2025 data, reports a median NP wage of $63.61 an hour. Many NPs are salaried, so hourly rates come up mostly in per-diem, locum and contract work, where rates vary by specialty and shift.
A doctorate is not the standard entry route. BLS says a master's degree is the most common entry-level education for advanced practice nurses, though some earn a Doctor of Nursing Practice. In O*NET's survey, 65% of respondents said new hires need a master's degree and 26% said a doctoral degree. Most states also require national certification.
Among the 29 metros in this guide, the San Francisco Bay Area had the highest NP median in May 2025 at $219,080. San Diego ($163,860), New York City ($163,340), Los Angeles ($161,470) and Seattle ($160,090) followed. Pittsburgh had the lowest, at $119,630.
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