Median Salary
$132,300
per year, national
Hourly Rate
$63.61
based on 2,080 hrs/yr
Top 10% Earn
$174,420
entry level starts ~$101,340
Pay Grade
A
excellent pay · 323,000 employed
How much does a Nurse Practitioner make?
A Nurse Practitioner earns a median annual salary of $132,300 in the United States, which works out to roughly $63.61 per hour for full-time work. Most Nurse Practitioners earn between $101,340 at the entry level and $174,420 at the senior end, with the middle 50% taking home between $117,990 and $156,700 a year.
That is $70,910 more than the median across all occupations in BLS data ($61,390).
Nurse Practitioner salary range by percentile
Half of all Nurse Practitioners earn between $117,990 and $156,700 a year.
| Pay level | Annual salary | Hourly rate | |
|---|
| 10th percentile (entry level) | $101,340 | $48.72 |
|
| 25th percentile (early career) | $117,990 | $56.73 |
|
| 50th percentile (median) | $132,300 | $63.61 |
|
| 75th percentile (experienced) | $156,700 | $75.34 |
|
| 90th percentile (top earners) | $174,420 | $83.86 |
|
Highest-paying states for Nurse Practitioner
Where you work matters more than almost anything else. California leads the country for Nurse Practitioner pay at $168,520 a year, followed by New Jersey ($159,310) and Washington ($156,100). At the other end, Alabama posts the lowest median at $105,750 — a gap of $62,770 for the same job, driven by local demand, industry mix, and cost of living.
Nurse Practitioner salary in every state
Official BLS state-level figures across 51 states and territories. Click a state for the full local breakdown.
California $168,520New Jersey $159,310Washington $156,100Oregon $155,680Alaska $155,170New York $153,510Massachusetts $142,440Nevada $140,670Connecticut $138,470New Hampshire $137,550New Mexico $137,520Montana $137,210Rhode Island $135,970District of Columbia $135,880Hawaii $135,570Vermont $134,740Arizona $134,420Oklahoma $133,390Minnesota $133,260Colorado $132,930Idaho $132,540Wyoming $132,200Nebraska $132,130Wisconsin $131,980Texas $131,670Michigan $131,450Maryland $131,110Delaware $131,040Utah $130,920Illinois $130,680Maine $130,260Iowa $130,160Pennsylvania $130,140North Dakota $130,070Missouri $129,930Florida $129,510Georgia $129,430North Carolina $128,990South Dakota $128,840Indiana $128,830Virginia $127,810West Virginia $127,320Kansas $126,650Arkansas $125,660Louisiana $125,600Ohio $124,870Mississippi $124,730South Carolina $123,290Kentucky $122,870Tennessee $117,590Alabama $105,750
Workforce and education
About 323,000 people work as Nurse Practitioners in the United States. The mean (average) wage is $137,300 — above the median, which means high earners pull the average up. On qualifications: a bachelor's degree (about 4 years of college) is the standard entry requirement, per O*NET occupation data.
Frequently asked questions
How much does a Nurse Practitioner make in the United States?
The median Nurse Practitioner salary in the United States is $132,300 per year, or about $63.61 per hour, according to U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics estimates. Entry-level pay (10th percentile) starts around $101,340, while the top 10% of earners make $174,420 or more.
How does Nurse Practitioner pay compare to other jobs?
With a pay grade of A (excellent pay), the Nurse Practitioner median of $132,300 is above the national median across all occupations tracked in BLS data ($61,390).
Which state pays Nurse Practitioners the most?
California is the highest-paying state for Nurse Practitioners, with a median salary of $168,520 per year, based on official state-level BLS wage estimates.
How long does it take to become a Nurse Practitioner?
Becoming a Nurse Practitioner typically requires about 4 years of college. A bachelor's degree (about 4 years of college) is the standard entry requirement.
How many Nurse Practitioners work in the United States?
About 323,000 people were employed as Nurse Practitioners in the United States in the latest BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics estimates.
Related salaries
Other healthcare roles with similar pay.
$101,370
median pay · 17,000 employed
$100,330
median pay · 162,000 employed
$100,040
median pay · 4,000 employed
$82,280
median pay · 140,000 employed
$140,910
median pay · 322,000 employed
$105,310
median pay · 17,000 employed
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), Unknown vintage. Education requirements: O*NET (U.S. Department of Labor). Percentiles, employment, and state figures are official BLS estimates; hourly figures assume 2,080 hours/year. Individual pay varies by employer, experience, and location.