Nurse Practitioner salary in the U.S.
Nurse Practitioners in the U.S. earn a median of $132,300 a year ($63.61 an hour), based on BLS data for 323,040 workers.
Pay ranges from $101,340 for the lowest-paid 10% to $174,420 for the top 10%. The average (mean) salary is $137,300, above the median because a few high earners pull it up.
Pay range for nurse practitioners in the U.S.
| Pay level | Yearly | Hourly |
|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile (entry level) | $101,340 | $48.72 |
| 25th percentile | $117,990 | $56.73 |
| Median | $132,300 | $63.61 |
| 75th percentile | $156,700 | $75.34 |
| 90th percentile (top earners) | $174,420 | $83.86 |
| Average (mean) | $137,300 | $66.01 |
Half of nurse practitioners earn more than the median and half earn less. Percentiles show the spread: 10% earn less than the 10th percentile, and 10% earn more than the 90th.
Median paycheck, before taxes
| Pay period | Amount |
|---|---|
| Monthly | $11,025 |
| Semi-monthly (24 a year) | $5,512.50 |
| Biweekly (26 a year) | $5,088.46 |
| Weekly | $2,544.23 |
| Hourly | $63.61 |
Based on a full-time year of 2,080 hours. Convert any amount with the hourly to salary converter.
Nurse Practitioner salary by state
| State | Median salary | Workers |
|---|---|---|
| California | $168,520 | 25,120 |
| New Jersey | $159,310 | 9,950 |
| Washington | $156,100 | 6,700 |
| Oregon | $155,680 | 2,820 |
| Alaska | $155,170 | 710 |
| New York | $153,510 | 22,890 |
| Massachusetts | $142,440 | 8,070 |
| Nevada | $140,670 | 1,930 |
| Connecticut | $138,470 | 3,750 |
| New Hampshire | $137,550 | 1,770 |
| New Mexico | $137,520 | 1,770 |
| Montana | $137,210 | 1,260 |
| Rhode Island | $135,970 | 1,180 |
| District of Columbia | $135,880 | 680 |
| Hawaii | $135,570 | 550 |
| Vermont | $134,740 | 700 |
| Arizona | $134,420 | 7,220 |
| Oklahoma | $133,390 | 3,620 |
| Minnesota | $133,260 | 7,780 |
| Colorado | $132,930 | 4,270 |
| Idaho | $132,540 | 1,750 |
| Wyoming | $132,200 | 440 |
| Nebraska | $132,130 | 2,340 |
| Wisconsin | $131,980 | 5,160 |
| Texas | $131,670 | 25,970 |
| Michigan | $131,450 | 8,290 |
| Maryland | $131,110 | 6,710 |
| Delaware | $131,040 | 1,430 |
| Utah | $130,920 | 2,740 |
| Illinois | $130,680 | 9,270 |
| Maine | $130,260 | 1,650 |
| Iowa | $130,160 | 3,240 |
| Pennsylvania | $130,140 | 10,670 |
| North Dakota | $130,070 | 1,290 |
| Missouri | $129,930 | 7,710 |
| Florida | $129,510 | 21,790 |
| Georgia | $129,430 | 10,460 |
| North Carolina | $128,990 | 9,800 |
| South Dakota | $128,840 | 1,020 |
| Indiana | $128,830 | 7,450 |
| Virginia | $127,810 | 7,110 |
| West Virginia | $127,320 | 2,550 |
| Kansas | $126,650 | 3,780 |
| Arkansas | $125,660 | 3,970 |
| Louisiana | $125,600 | 5,380 |
| Ohio | $124,870 | 15,400 |
| Mississippi | $124,730 | 4,690 |
| South Carolina | $123,290 | 5,670 |
| Kentucky | $122,870 | 4,770 |
| Guam | $118,670 | 90 |
| Tennessee | $117,590 | 12,150 |
| Alabama | $105,750 | 5,640 |
Best-paying metro areas for nurse practitioners
| Metro area | Median salary | Workers |
|---|---|---|
| San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA | $231,560 | 1,580 |
| San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA | $219,080 | 3,110 |
| Vallejo, CA | $182,370 | 180 |
| Napa, CA | $176,270 | 60 |
| Modesto, CA | $173,380 | 380 |
| Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom, CA | $172,010 | 1,170 |
| Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA | $169,920 | 1,710 |
| Hanford-Corcoran, CA | $168,540 | 70 |
| Santa Cruz-Watsonville, CA | $167,190 | 190 |
| Chico, CA | $167,080 | 140 |
| Santa Rosa-Petaluma, CA | $167,040 | 280 |
| Fresno, CA | $166,570 | 570 |
| Salinas, CA | $166,090 | 140 |
| Bakersfield-Delano, CA | $165,580 | 430 |
| Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, CA | $165,580 | 200 |
Metro areas with the most nurse practitioners
| Metro area | Workers | Median salary |
|---|---|---|
| New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ | 21,680 | $163,340 |
| Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA | 10,060 | $161,470 |
| Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX | 7,310 | $130,980 |
| Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD | 6,590 | $135,700 |
| Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN | 6,530 | $131,740 |
| Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH | 5,990 | $147,480 |
| Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands, TX | 5,970 | $134,560 |
| Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA | 5,950 | $132,500 |
| Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach, FL | 5,810 | $131,340 |
| Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler, AZ | 5,450 | $136,270 |
| Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI | 4,900 | $133,370 |
| Nashville-Davidson--Murfreesboro--Franklin, TN | 4,540 | $122,320 |
| Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater, FL | 4,180 | $128,120 |
| Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV | 4,050 | $134,840 |
| Baltimore-Columbia-Towson, MD | 3,800 | $131,990 |
Related jobs in the U.S.
| Job | Median salary | Hourly |
|---|---|---|
| Registered Nurse | $97,550 | $46.90 |
| Physicians, All Other | $265,930 | $127.85 |
| Pharmacist | $140,910 | $67.75 |
| Physical Therapist | $102,760 | $49.40 |
| Dental Hygienist | $98,100 | $47.16 |
| Speech-Language Pathologist | $97,870 | $47.05 |
| Occupational Therapist | $100,330 | $48.24 |
| Physician Assistant | $135,880 | $65.33 |
| Respiratory Therapist | $82,280 | $39.56 |
| Dentists, General | $170,950 | $82.19 |
| Family Medicine Physician | $244,180 | $117.39 |
| Veterinarian | $130,100 | $62.55 |
| Dietitians and Nutritionists | $76,400 | $36.73 |
| General Internal Medicine Physician | $256,560 | $123.35 |
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025 estimates, occupation code 29-1171. Wages include base pay, tips, commissions and shift pay, but not overtime, bonuses or benefits, and exclude the self-employed.
Frequently asked questions
How much does a nurse practitioner make in the U.S.?
The median salary for nurse practitioners in the U.S. is $132,300 a year, or $63.61 an hour. Pay ranges from $101,340 for the lowest-paid 10% to $174,420 for the top 10%.
How much do the highest-paid nurse practitioners make in the U.S.?
The top 10% of nurse practitioners in the U.S. earn at least $174,420 a year. The top 25% earn $156,700 or more.
What is the starting pay for nurse practitioners in the U.S.?
Entry-level pay (the 10th percentile) is about $101,340 a year, and a quarter of nurse practitioners earn $117,990 or less.
How many nurse practitioners work in the U.S.?
About 323,040 nurse practitioners are employed in the U.S., not counting the self-employed.