Nurse Midwives
Median wage · national
$134,040
Range: $117K – $157K
Employed
8K
Openings/yr
500
Typically: master's degree
HEALTH
Nurse Practitioner
Nurse Practitioner is one of the fastest-growing occupations in the country, projected to grow +40.1% through 2034. Median pay sits at $132,300 nationally, a strong return for the training investment.
About Nurse Practitioner
Diagnose and treat acute, episodic, or chronic illness, independently or as part of a healthcare team. May focus on health promotion and disease prevention. May order, perform, or interpret diagnostic tests such as lab work and x rays. May prescribe medication. Must be registered nurses who have specialized graduate education.
- Median Wage
- $132,300
- Employed Nationally
- 323K
- Openings / Year
- 29,500
- Entry Education
- Master's degree
- Job Zone
- Zone 5: Extensive Preparation
Also known as:
ACNP (Acute Care Nurse Practitioner)
Adult Nurse Practitioner
Advanced Practice Nurse (APN)
Advanced Practice Provider
Advanced Practice Registered Nurse (APRN)
How Much Do Nurse Practitioners Make?
Nurse Practitioner earn $132,300 nationally, well above the national median for college graduates. The middle 50% of earners fall between $117,990 and $156,700. Actual pay varies by employer, specialization, and location.
$132,300
National Median (Annual)
Well above average for college graduates.
$118K–$157K
Middle 50% Range
25th to 75th percentile. Most workers earn within this band.
Earnings Range
$117,990
Entry-level
$132,300
Median
$156,700
Experienced
What Do Nurse Practitioners Do?
O*NET data identifies 5 core activities and 5 measurable skills for Nurse Practitioner roles. Use this section to judge whether the day-to-day reality aligns with what you actually want to spend time doing.
What You'll Do
- Maintain complete and detailed records of patients' health care plans and prognoses.
- Develop treatment plans, based on scientific rationale, standards of care, and professional practice guidelines.
- Provide patients with information needed to promote health, reduce risk factors, or prevent disease or disability.
- Analyze and interpret patients' histories, symptoms, physical findings, or diagnostic information to develop appropriate diagnoses.
- Diagnose or treat complex, unstable, comorbid, episodic, or emergency conditions in collaboration with other health care providers as necessary.
Core Skills Employers Look For
Critical Thinking
Active Listening
Reading Comprehension
Complex Problem Solving
Monitoring
Who Thrives Here
I
Investigative
This career demands analytical thinking: researching problems, interpreting data, and applying logical reasoning to find practical solutions.
S
Social
Working closely with people, teaching, advising, or helping others navigate challenges is a defining feature of this career's daily work.
C
Conventional
Success depends on precision and structured processes, where detail-oriented people who work consistently within established systems perform best.
Where Do Nurse Practitioners Work?
What the physical and mental conditions of this job actually look like day to day, based on O*NET Work Context data collected from people working in this occupation.
Work Setting
Mixed
Split between indoor and outdoor or field settings.
Physical Demands
Light
Mix of sitting and movement throughout the day.
Stress Level
High
High time pressure and significant consequences for errors. Deadline-driven or high-stakes decisions are common.
What Is the Job Outlook for Nurse Practitioners?
The BLS projects +40.1% employment change for Nurse Practitioner through 2034, well above the national average of +5%. About 29,500 openings per year keep the field accessible to new entrants.
↗ +40.1%
10-Year Growth (2024–2034)
Much faster than average.
29,500
Annual Openings
New positions plus replacements for retirees and career-changers.
323K
Currently Employed
Total US employment as of BLS May 2024.
Source: BLS Employment Projections 2024–2034 and Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics May 2024.
Where the Jobs Are
The five states below employ the most Nurse Practitioner professionals nationwide. State-level wages can differ significantly from the $132,300 national median. Research your specific market before committing to a program.
| # | State | Jobs | Median Wage | vs. National |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Florida | 24,690 | $129,010 | -2.5% |
| 2 | Texas | 21,690 | $129,880 | -1.8% |
| 3 | California | 20,980 | $166,610 | +25.9% |
| 4 | New York | 20,430 | $145,390 | +9.9% |
| 5 | Ohio | 14,550 | $126,740 | -4.2% |
Source: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2024. Employment figures rounded. Read our methodology →
How to Get Here
Most Nurse Practitioner positions require a master's degree to qualify. The program below is the most common academic pathways into this field, ranked by how many graduates they produce each year.
Typical Entry Education
Master's degree
Job Zone
Zone 5: Extensive Preparation
Extensive education (usually a master's or doctoral degree) plus years of field experience is required to qualify for most positions.
Degree Programs That Lead Here
| # | Program | Graduates/yr | 4yr Median | Colleges |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Nursing | 308,114 | $88,910 | 2,190 |
Top Colleges for Aspiring Nurse Practitioners
Colleges offering the degree programs that lead to this career, ranked by UCD Score. A strong program plus solid outcomes is a good place to begin your search.
| # | College | UCD Score | Net Price | Salary 10yr |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | University of California-Los Angeles Los Angeles, CA | 93 | $12,548 | $82,511 |
| 2 | University of Florida Gainesville, FL | 93 | $6,541 | $71,588 |
| 3 | University of California-Irvine Irvine, CA | 92 | $14,251 | $80,735 |
| 4 | North Florida College Madison, FL | 91 | $804 | $33,929 |
| 5 | University of Michigan-Ann Arbor Ann Arbor, MI | 91 | $13,138 | $83,648 |
| 6 | University of Florida-Online Gainesville, FL | 90 | $4,815 | $71,588 |
Plan Your Path
Once you've sized up Nurse Practitioner, these tools turn the numbers into a plan. Estimate the real cost of a degree that leads here, weigh the long-term payoff, compare specific colleges side-by-side, and find programs that match your profile.
College ROI Calculator
See if the degree that leads to Nurse Practitioner pays off. Weighs each college's cost against the earnings graduates see.
College Cost Calculator
Enter a budget and see the colleges whose net price fits, with the out-of-pocket cost and likely loan load for each.
Compare Colleges
Put any 2–4 colleges side-by-side. Admissions, cost, outcomes, and earnings, all on one screen, no tab-hopping.
College Match Quiz
Answer six quick questions and see your best-fit colleges ranked by budget, field of study, and what matters most to you.
Nurse Practitioner Pros & Cons
Strong earnings and growing demand make Nurse Practitioner a compelling path. The 4 strengths and 1 trade-offs below are drawn from BLS wage data and employment projections.
PROS
- Very high median salary The national median of $132,300 places this career well above average for college graduates, with significant upside at the 75th percentile.
- Exceptional job growth The BLS projects +40.1% employment growth through 2034, one of the fastest rates across all occupations. Demand for qualified candidates should remain elevated for a decade.
- High earning ceiling Top earners (75th percentile) reach $156,700 annually. Strong performers, specialists, and those in high-cost markets have significant upside beyond the median.
- Wide job market 323K professionals are employed in this field, large enough to offer geographic flexibility and multiple entry paths.
CONS
- High education requirement Most employers require a master's degree, typically 6 to 10+ years of higher education before earning full wages. Factor tuition costs into your ROI calculation.
Nurse Practitioner Frequently Asked Questions
How much do Nurse Practitioner professionals earn?
The national median annual wage for Nurse Practitioner is $132,300, well into the top quartile of US wages. The middle 50% of earners fall between $117,990 and $156,700. Pay varies by employer size, industry sector, specialization, and geography. National figures are a starting point, not a guarantee.
Is Nurse Practitioner a good career?
Yes, for the right person, but the commitment is significant. The $132,300 median wage reflects years of training most workers invest, and the path to a first career-level role typically spans 8 to 12 or more years. Job growth of +40.1% through 2034 means demand is real. The harder question is whether the education investment at your specific program will pay off. School selection matters enormously at this preparation level.
How long does it take to become a Nurse Practitioner?
Plan on 8 to 12 or more years of combined education and supervised training before qualifying for career-level roles. A master's degree is the typical minimum credential. Degree programs like Nursing are typical entry paths. Early-career pay during this ramp-up period will be meaningfully below the $132,300 national median. Factor that gap into any program ROI calculation.
Is a master's degree worth it to become a Nurse Practitioner?
Yes, for most programs. At $132,300 median, graduates at in-state public programs typically recoup their investment within 10 to 15 years of practice. School choice (specifically tuition cost and your expected local job market) matters as much as the credential itself.
How fast is the Nurse Practitioner field growing?
Very fast. The BLS projects +40.1% growth for Nurse Practitioner through 2034, well above the roughly 5% national average and among the fastest rates across all occupations. Demand is being driven by structural forces, not cyclical ones. About 29,500 job openings per year are expected as the field expands and existing workers move on. From a current base of 323K workers, sustained growth creates real hiring volume, though fast-growing fields also attract more new graduates competing for entry-level roles.
What skills do Nurse Practitioner professionals need?
O*NET data identifies the core skills employers consistently prioritize for Nurse Practitioner roles: Critical Thinking, Active Listening, Reading Comprehension, Complex Problem Solving, and Monitoring. These develop through formal education and hands-on work. Programs with internship or co-op requirements give you a meaningful head start on the ones that take time to build.
Related Findings
-
Does a Master's Degree Pay Off? Barely, on Average
Group every career by the degree it requires and master's-level jobs pay a median of about $91,000, statistically tied with bachelor's-level work. The premium hides in a few fields.
- Master's degree
- Bachelor's degree
- Median wage
- Graduate school
- Career outcomes
-
Growing and Paying $80K Plus: The Careers That Do Both
Only 95 of 385 federal careers both pay a median above $80,000 and grow faster than the typical job. Here is the rare set that clears both bars.
- Career growth
- Median wage
- High-paying careers
- Job outlook
- Career change
-
The Fastest-Growing Careers Through 2034
The 25 careers with the steepest projected job growth through 2034 pay a median of about $98,000, well above the all-careers average. Growth and pay mostly travel together.
- Job growth
- Career outlook
- Median wage
- Entry education
- Fastest-growing jobs
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