NP National Jobs And Salary Outlook: By The Numbers

Nurse practitioner is one of the fastest-growing jobs in the country. The Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) projects the NP field will grow about 40% from 2024 to 2034, more than 10 times the roughly 3% projected for all occupations combined. NPs also earn a median salary of $129,210 a year, per BLS data. Current RNs can move into the role in as few as two years.

What Makes NPs Unique

NPs are one of four advanced practice registered nurse (APRN) roles, alongside clinical nurse specialists, certified nurse-midwives, and certified registered nurse anesthetists. Each can serve as a primary care provider, diagnose conditions, and prescribe medication. Compared with RNs, NPs hold broader practice authority and higher earning potential. A persistent healthcare provider shortage keeps demand high across nearly every setting.

How to Become a Nurse Practitioner

RNs become NPs by earning a master of science in nursing (MSN) or doctor of nursing practice (DNP). The coursework covers comprehensive health assessment, advanced practice, and pharmacology, plus clinical practicums in a specialty. Common specialties include family, primary care, acute care, and psychiatric NP. After graduating from an accredited program, you pursue board certification in your specialty and apply for an advanced practice license through your state board of nursing.

Practice Authority by Role

Practice authority depends on education and license. NPs conduct health assessments, diagnose patients, order and interpret diagnostic tests, treat conditions, and prescribe medication, with full practice authority in most states (some still require physician supervision). Physicians do the same with full authority in all states. Physician assistants do the same but with limited authority in most states. RNs perform assessments and carry out a nursing plan of care under an advanced practice provider's supervision. Licensed practical nurses provide basic care, take vitals, and administer medication under an RN's supervision.

Jobs Outlook

NPs have held the top spot among the fastest-growing healthcare jobs for several years running. The projected 40% growth from 2024 to 2034 far outpaces the other APRN roles: nurse anesthetists and nurse-midwives are growing closer to the rate of their combined occupational group. Physician assistants, another fast-growing role, are projected to grow about 20% over the same period. In absolute terms, NPs add far more positions than any of these.

Most NPs work in physicians' offices and other primary care settings, which employed more than 155,000 NPs as of May 2024. Around 100,000 work in hospitals and outpatient care centers, and demand will likely stay concentrated there.

Practice authority varies by state, but NPs work everywhere. Florida employs the most NPs and, as of 2025, is the only full-practice-authority state in the South, which helps explain the volume. Major metros lead overall, with the New York City area and Miami at the top, though suburban and rural demand is strong too.

Salary Outlook

NP pay has risen every year over the past decade. The median climbed from $95,350 in 2014 to $129,210 in 2024, per BLS data, running about 38% above the RN median of $93,600 (May 2024).

Median Salaries for Nursing Professions

Role	Median annual salary
Nurse practitioner	$129,210
Nurse-midwife	$128,790
Registered nurse	$93,600
Licensed practical nurse	$62,340

Source: BLS, May 2024

Pay shifts with experience, location, and setting. The highest-paying settings include psychiatric hospitals, specialty hospitals, and outpatient care centers; primary care, where most NPs work, tends to pay less than hospital roles. Location matters too. California reports the highest NP wages, about 29% above the national median, and several Bay Area metros report median NP salaries of $200,000 or more, reflecting higher cost of living.

The Outlook Ahead

Demand for health services is set to keep climbing as the provider shortage continues, and NPs are well positioned to fill it. If recent salary trends hold, earning potential should keep rising, which makes an NP program a sound investment for many RNs.

FAQ

Is demand for NPs increasing? Yes. BLS projects about 40% job growth from 2024 to 2034, keeping NPs among the fastest-growing healthcare careers.

Which NPs earn the most? Those in psychiatric and specialty care. Per May 2024 BLS data, NPs in psychiatric and substance use disorder hospitals earn a median of $140,400, versus $129,210 for all NPs.

Do most NPs earn six figures? Yes. Even the lowest-paid NPs reported a median of $97,960 in May 2024, against the $129,210 overall median.