Nurse Practitioner Salary, Skills & Requirements (2026)
Advertised pay, starting pay, skills and experience from 21,109 US job postings by 2,972 employers. Data as of October 2026.
What US employers post for nurse practitioners: advertised pay, the skills and experience they ask for, and the job titles they use, from 21,109 open job postings (October 2026).
- The median advertised pay for nurse practitioners in US job postings is $142,000 a year (5,394 postings from 852 employers, October 2026).
- The middle half of those postings offer $125,000 to $163,000.
- Postings that ask for up to 1 year of experience advertise a median of $144,000 a year (1,261 postings).
- The skills that most set nurse practitioner postings apart are medication management, clinical judgment, clinical assessment.
- Postings that state a minimum ask for a median of 2 years of experience.
Nurse Practitioner job postings in the US, October 2026
- $142,000
- Median advertised pay (5,394 postings)
- $125,000–$163,000
- Middle 50% of postings
- $144,000
- Starting pay (postings asking up to 1 year)
- 21,109
- US job postings from 2,972 employers
How much does a nurse practitioner make?
The median advertised pay is $142,000 a year, from 5,394 US job postings by 852 employers that state pay. One in ten postings offers $192,000 or more.
Advertised pay in 5,394 US nurse practitioner job postings: median $142,000 a year, middle half $125,000 to $163,000.
- Median: $142,000
- 25th percentile: $125,000
- 75th percentile: $163,000
The figures as a table
| Annual pay | Share of postings |
|---|---|
| $10K–$20K | 0.0% |
| $20K–$30K | 0.1% |
| $30K–$40K | 0.2% |
| $40K–$50K | 0.2% |
| $50K–$60K | 0.2% |
| $60K–$70K | 0.4% |
| $70K–$80K | 0.7% |
| $80K–$90K | 1.0% |
| $90K–$100K | 2.1% |
| $100K–$110K | 3.5% |
| $110K–$120K | 8.7% |
| $120K–$130K | 12.1% |
| $130K–$140K | 15.8% |
| $140K–$150K | 15.1% |
| $150K–$160K | 11.2% |
| $160K–$170K | 8.1% |
| $170K–$180K | 6.3% |
| $180K–$190K | 3.9% |
| $190K–$200K | 1.5% |
| $200K–$210K | 1.9% |
| $210K–$220K | 1.3% |
| $220K–$230K | 1.2% |
| $230K–$240K | 0.7% |
| $240K–$250K | 0.8% |
| $250K–$260K | 0.3% |
| $260K–$270K | 0.2% |
| $270K–$280K | 0.8% |
| $280K–$290K | 0.0% |
| $290K–$300K | 0.4% |
| $300K–$310K | 0.2% |
| $310K–$320K | 0.7% |
Midpoint of each posting's pay range, hourly pay × 2,080 hours; at most 20 postings per employer; US, October 2026.
| Median | Middle 50% | Postings | Most common titles | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Postings that state an hourly rate | $75.00 | $64.25–$90.00 | 1,185 | Nurse Practitioner, Nurse Practitioner or Physician Assistant, Advanced Practice Provider |
| Postings that state an annual salary | $138,000 | $125K–$153K | 2,218 | Nurse Practitioner, Advanced Practice Provider, Nurse Practitioner or Physician Assistant |
| All pay postings, annualised | $142,000 | $125K–$163K | 5,394 | – |
For comparison, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics puts the national median annual wage of Nurse Practitioners (29-1171) at $132,000 (May 2025). Postings advertise pay; the BLS measures what people earn, across all employers and levels.
What is the starting salary for a nurse practitioner?
Postings that ask for up to 1 year of experience advertise a median of $144,000 a year (1,261 postings).
| Experience asked | Median advertised pay | Postings |
|---|---|---|
| 0-1 years | $144,000 | 1,261 |
| 2-4 years | $142,000 | 1,064 |
| 5+ years | withheld | 89 |
Highest-paying nurse practitioner jobs
Specializations with at least 250 postings that state pay.
| Specialization | Median pay | Postings with pay | Employers |
|---|---|---|---|
| Psychiatric Nurse Practitioner | $152,000 | 793 | 151 |
| Family Nurse Practitioner | $146,000 | 343 | 111 |
| Advanced Practice Provider | $142,000 | 1,052 | 176 |
| Nurse Practitioner (general) | $140,000 | 1,865 | 459 |
| Nurse Practitioner or Physician Assistant | $140,000 | 982 | 161 |
Nurse practitioner pay by state
Single-location US postings; states with at least 100 postings that state pay. States with pay-transparency laws (such as California, Colorado, New York and Washington) are over-represented among postings that state pay.
| State | Median pay | Middle 50% | Postings with pay | Share of postings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| California | $162,000 | $143,000–$187,000 | 347 | 7.3% |
| Washington | $160,000 | $142,000–$177,000 | 184 | 2.2% |
| Massachusetts | $151,000 | $134,000–$168,000 | 152 | 3.5% |
| New York | $150,000 | $134,000–$168,000 | 573 | 7.3% |
| Arizona | $142,000 | $130,000–$153,000 | 145 | 3.6% |
| Colorado | $138,000 | $122,000–$150,000 | 123 | 2.2% |
| Ohio | $137,000 | $112,000–$176,000 | 141 | 4.3% |
| North Carolina | $135,000 | $122,000–$158,000 | 118 | 4.4% |
| Maryland | $133,000 | $118,000–$154,000 | 145 | 1.9% |
| Illinois | $132,000 | $123,000–$145,000 | 316 | 4.0% |
| Florida | $130,000 | $118,000–$172,000 | 113 | 5.8% |
| New Jersey | $130,000 | $104,000–$156,000 | 168 | 4.0% |
| Texas | $125,000 | $110,000–$150,000 | 223 | 7.2% |
Skills employers ask for in nurse practitioner job postings
| Skill | Share of postings |
|---|---|
| Communication | 31% |
| Interpersonal skills | 15% |
| Work independently | 9% |
| Organizational skills | 8% |
| Compassionate | 8% |
| Problem-solving | 7% |
| Medication management | 6% |
| Customer service | 5% |
| Professionalism | 5% |
| Clinical judgment | 5% |
Skills named in the posting text; at most 20 postings per employer; US, October 2026. Methodology.
Skills that set nurse practitioners apart
- Medication management30× as often as in all postings · 6%
- Clinical judgment15.1× as often as in all postings · 5%
Skills named in at least 5% of these postings and at least 3 times as often as in job postings overall.
Have a nurse practitioner job posting in front of you? See which of its skills your resume is missing.
What does a nurse practitioner do?
Employers post these jobs as Advanced Practice Provider, Nurse Practitioner or Physician Assistant, Family Nurse Practitioner, Psychiatric Nurse Practitioner, Nurse Practitioner/Physician Assistant and other titles. The largest specializations are Advanced Practice Provider (18%), Nurse Practitioner or Physician Assistant (17%), Psychiatric Nurse Practitioner (12%), Family Nurse Practitioner (7%), Women's Health Nurse Practitioner (2%), Hospice Nurse Practitioner (1%).
The closest official occupation is Nurse Practitioners (29-1171.00). Its most important tasks:
- 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.
Source: O*NET 31.0 Database, U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (CC BY 4.0).
How much experience do you need to be a nurse practitioner?
Among 4,495 postings that state a minimum, the median is 2 years. 1% say 0 years and 42% ask for 1 year or less.
Minimum experience asked in 4,495 US nurse practitioner job postings: median 2 years, and 42% ask for 1 year or less.
The figures as a table
| Minimum experience asked | Share of postings |
|---|---|
| 0 yr | 3% |
| 1 yr | 40% |
| 2 yrs | 38% |
| 3-4 yrs | 16% |
| 5-7 yrs | 4% |
| 8-9 yrs | 0% |
| 10+ yrs | under 1% |
Postings that state a minimum (required or preferred); at most 20 postings per employer; US, October 2026.
We do not show a degree figure: in our checks, degree requirements in posting text were found too rarely to publish one. Why.
Full-time 80%, Part-time 20% of the 3,221 postings that state working hours.
Other names for a nurse practitioner: job titles employers use
| Job title | Employers using it |
|---|---|
| Nurse Practitioner | 1,328 (44.7%) |
| Advanced Practice Provider | 387 (13.0%) |
| Nurse Practitioner or Physician Assistant | 269 (9.0%) |
| Family Nurse Practitioner | 247 (8.3%) |
| Psychiatric Nurse Practitioner | 246 (8.3%) |
| Nurse Practitioner/Physician Assistant | 216 (7.3%) |
| NP | 182 (6.1%) |
| Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner | 155 (5.2%) |
| NP/PA | 119 (4.0%) |
| Physician Assistant/Nurse Practitioner | 79 (2.7%) |
| Pediatric Nurse Practitioner | 78 (2.6%) |
| Nurse Practitioner (NP) | 61 (2.1%) |
| Neonatal Nurse Practitioner | 56 (1.9%) |
| Advanced Practice Registered Nurse | 52 (1.8%) |
| Primary Care Nurse Practitioner | 50 (1.7%) |
| Advanced Practice Clinician | 44 (1.5%) |
| Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner (PMHNP) | 44 (1.5%) |
| Advanced Practice Nurse | 43 (1.5%) |
| Advanced Practitioner | 34 (1.1%) |
| Advance Practice Provider | 34 (1.1%) |
Titles read in our audit and used by at least 3 employers.
Nurse practitioner job titles compared
The titles people search for most, from the US job postings that use each exact title (October 2026).
| Job title | Open postings | Employers | Median pay | Median experience | Skills named most |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Family Nurse Practitioner | 894 | 247 | – | – | communication, compassionate, interpersonal skills |
| Psychiatric Nurse Practitioner | 791 | 246 | – | – | medication management, communication, interpersonal skills |
| Advanced Practice Provider | 2,472 | 387 | $141K | 2 years | communication, interpersonal skills, organizational skills |
| Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner | 768 | 155 | – | – | communication, medication management, interpersonal skills |
Nurse Practitioner vs Family Nurse Practitioner
| Nurse Practitioner | Family Nurse Practitioner | |
|---|---|---|
| Open US postings | 6,389 | 894 |
| Employers | 1,328 | 247 |
| Median advertised pay | $136K | – |
| Median experience asked | 2 years | – |
| Skills that stand out | – | – |
Nurse Practitioner compared with similar careers
| Career | Median pay | Median experience | Postings | Shares N of top 25 skills |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nurse Practitioner | $142K | 2 years | 21,109 | – |
| Physician | $312K | 2 years | 26,725 | 21 |
| Physician Assistant | $150K | 2 years | 2,412 | 17 |
| Nurse Midwife | – | 2 years | 1,206 | 17 |
| Pharmacist | $68.00/hr | 2 years | 28,524 | 17 |
Similar careers
| Career | Shares N of the top 25 skills | Median pay |
|---|---|---|
| Physician | 21 | $312K |
| Physician Assistant | 17 | $150K |
| Nurse Midwife | 17 | – |
| Pharmacist | 17 | $68.00/hr |
| Physical Therapist | 15 | $104K |
| Speech-Language Pathologist | 16 | $52.50/hr |
Applying for nurse practitioner jobs?
- Nurse practitioner resume examples: one-page examples for these roles
- Match your resume to a job: paste a posting and see the skills your resume is missing
- Check your resume: see how an applicant tracking system reads it
- Find nurse practitioner jobs: search open postings
Frequently asked questions
How much does a nurse practitioner make?
What is the starting salary for a nurse practitioner?
What are the highest-paying nurse practitioner jobs?
How much does an Advanced Practice Provider make?
Source and method
Open US job postings collected from employers' applicant tracking systems, de-duplicated, counted only when their job title was read in our audit. Shares count at most 20 postings per employer, and franchise locations of one brand count as one employer. Pay uses hourly and annual figures only; a figure is shown when leaving out the largest employer moves it by 10% or less. Every figure states its number of postings. Methodology and measured accuracy.
Accuracy check: we read 20 randomly chosen postings counted on this page in full; 20 of them were this career or a closely related one (October 2026).
Download the figures on this page (CSV): every number above with its count of postings. Aggregate figures are licensed CC BY 4.0; cite the page when you reuse them.