There were approximately 280,100 nurse practitioners (NPs) working in the U.S. as of May 2023 according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS). NPs work in varied healthcare settings, including physician offices, hospitals, outpatient care centers, educational institutions, and the offices of other types of healthcare practitioners. Like many other healthcare professionals with advanced training and skills, nurse practitioners usually earn higher salaries and wages than workers in most other occupations. Per BLS estimates, as of May 2023, the national mean wage for NPs was $128,490 per year. While nurse practitioners realize better than average pay, there is considerable variation from state to state in how much NPs earn. Per annual mean wage data from the BLS, as of May 2023, these were the ten best and worst states for nurse practitioner pay:
The Best and Worst States for Nurse Practitioner Pay
| Best Paying States | |
| California | $161,540 |
| Nevada | $148,670 |
| Washington | $145,400 |
| New Jersey | $145,030 |
| Oregon | $144,950 |
| Massachusetts | $144,010 |
| New York | $142,830 |
| Connecticut | $136,980 |
| New Mexico | $136,770 |
| Minnesota | $135,010 |
| Worst Paying States | |
| Kansas | $119,270 |
| Louisiana | $118,670 |
| Mississippi | $117,490 |
| South Carolina | $116,940 |
| Missouri | $116,680 |
| West Virginia | $113,450 |
| Arkansas | $113,410 |
| Kentucky | $110,370 |
| Alabama | $110,020 |
| Tennessee | $103,720 |
(*) annual mean wage ranking among the 50 states and the District of Columbia
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics OES. Data extracted on May 27, 2024
