In a commentary in October, we reviewed Nurse Practitioner Pay in the Top 20 Metropolitan Markets. As is the case with most healthcare professions, the major metropolitan areas in the U.S. are big centers for nurse practitioner employment. However, it is in smaller metro markets, not the large ones, where nurse practitioners oftentimes find better average compensation levels. This is readily evident in May 2021 data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), which reveals that only three of the 20 largest metro areas in the nation were among the 20 best metro markets for nurse practitioner pay:
20 Best Metro Markets for Nurse Practitioner Pay
| Metropolitan Area | # Employed | Annual Mean Wages | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA | 1,220 | $197,870 | ||
| 2 | Napa, CA | 90 | $184,700 | ||
| 3 | Vallejo-Fairfield, CA | 130 | $180,380 | ||
| 4 | San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward (#) | 2,550 | $177,160 | ||
| 5 | Yuba City, CA | 30 | $159,260 | ||
| 6 | San Luis Obispo-Paso Robles, CA | 140 | $153,300 | ||
| 7 | Sacramento--Roseville--Arden-Arcade | 900 | $153,050 | ||
| 8 | Santa Rosa, CA | 180 | $152,150 | ||
| 9 | Santa Cruz-Watsonville, CA | 150 | $150,280 | ||
| 10 | Fresno, CA | 440 | $147,760 | ||
| 11 | Modesto, CA | 270 | $147,190 | ||
| 12 | El Centro, CA | 70 | $147,080 | ||
| 13 | Duluth, MN-WI | 300 | $146,740 | ||
| 14 | Redding, CA | 90 | $146,040 | ||
| 15 | Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario (#) | 1,300 | $145,250 | ||
| 16 | Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim (#) | 5,490 | $144,930 | ||
| 17 | Bakersfield, CA | 320 | $144,770 | ||
| 18 | Madera, CA | 90 | $142,400 | ||
| 19 | Salinas, CA | 130 | $142,130 | ||
| 20 | Visalia-Porterville, CA | 190 | $141,650 | ||
| National | 234,690 | $118,040 | |||
(#) a top 20 U.S metro population area
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics OES. Data extracted on November 19, 2022