The Top 20 Career Options For Nurse Practitioners

Nurse practitioner is one of the fastest-growing careers in the country. The Bureau of Labor Statistics projects 35% growth from 2024-2034, far above the average for all U.S. occupations. NPs deliver primary and specialty care across geriatrics, cardiology, pediatrics, mental health, and more. Here are 20 popular NP careers, ranked by average salary.

Quick read: surgical NPs top the list at about $189,090, followed by cardiac NPs ($144,910) and PMHNPs ($141,110). When you weigh a specialty, look past salary to work setting and daily responsibilities.

1. Surgical Nurse Practitioner

Average Salary: $189,090

Surgical NPs care for patients before, during, and after surgery. They train extensively in the operating room and assist during procedures, working in hospital inpatient units, outpatient clinics, and plastic surgery clinics.

Key responsibilities: assess new patients, discuss surgical options, administer medications, monitor vital signs, and assist during procedures.

2. Cardiac Nurse Practitioner

Average Salary: $144,910

Cardiac NPs treat acute and chronic heart conditions, most often hypertension, hyperlipidemia, and heart failure. They assess cardiovascular health, prescribe medication where their practice authority allows, promote nonpharmacological treatment, and work in hospital inpatient units and outpatient clinics.

Key responsibilities: perform therapeutic procedures, develop treatment plans, conduct and interpret stress tests, monitor postoperative cardiac patients, and assess cardiovascular risk.

3. Psychiatric-Mental Health Nurse Practitioner

Average Salary: $141,110

PMHNPs are in high demand as the need for mental health services climbs, per the American Association of Nurse Practitioners (AANP). They assess, diagnose, and treat psychiatric disorders and addiction, prescribe medication in some states, and manage mental health emergencies. Common settings include behavioral health and addiction clinics, psychiatric facilities, and private practices.

Key responsibilities: assess, diagnose, and treat mental health disorders, provide physical and psychosocial assessments, prescribe medication where authorized, deliver emergency psychiatric care, and evaluate treatment effectiveness.

4. Orthopedic Nurse Practitioner

Average Salary: $139,780

Orthopedic NPs treat musculoskeletal problems affecting bones, muscles, joints, and connective tissue. They provide general orthopedic care or specialize in sports medicine, orthopedic oncology, or metabolic disorders.

Key responsibilities: conduct physical exams, order tests and prescribe medications where authorized, analyze results, provide rehabilitation, and manage pain.

5. Neonatal Nurse Practitioner

Average Salary: $136,650

Neonatal NPs care for high-risk infants in intensive care units and, in some cases, after discharge. They support families caring for preterm infants and infants with genetic conditions, drug exposure, HIV infection, and other chronic conditions. Common diagnoses include anemia, arrhythmias, and acute lower respiratory infections.

Key responsibilities: start and maintain IV lines, monitor specialized equipment, order and perform diagnostic tests, design treatment plans, and guide new parents.

6. Emergency Nurse Practitioner

Average Salary: $135,453

Emergency NPs treat urgent medical needs, mostly in emergency rooms but also in urgent care, trauma, and ambulatory centers. They care for acutely ill, pregnant, and injured patients of all ages, often handling abdominal pain and acute sprains.

Key responsibilities: diagnose and treat acute symptoms, assess physical symptoms, collect psychosocial and environmental history, educate patients and families, and perform minor procedures.

7. Pediatric Nurse Practitioner

Average Salary: $135,160

Pediatric NPs care for newborns through young adults, focusing on preventive care and managing acute and chronic conditions. They work in hospital outpatient and inpatient units and private group practices, commonly treating abdominal pain, migraines, and otitis media.

Key responsibilities: assess growth patterns, track developmental milestones, educate parents, diagnose and treat illness, prescribe medications where authorized, and order immunizations.

8. Pediatric Acute Care Nurse Practitioner

Average Salary: $135,160

Pediatric acute care NPs treat children and adolescents with critical, acute, and chronic conditions across inpatient and outpatient hospitals, emergency departments, and home care.

Key responsibilities: provide family-centered care, conduct advanced physical exams, interpret diagnostics, manage patients from admission to discharge, coordinate postcare with families, and educate on prevention and wellness.

9. Dermatology Nurse Practitioner

Average Salary: $134,910

Dermatology NPs treat skin conditions across all ages and can specialize by age group or disease, such as skin cancer.

Key responsibilities: identify dermatological care needs, take comprehensive histories, review medications, interpret labs and pathology reports, establish diagnoses, and perform minor procedures.

10. Nephrology Nurse Practitioner

Average Salary: $134,370

Nephrology NPs treat kidney disease and injury along with related diabetes and hypertension, and they educate patients on kidney health. They work in hospital inpatient units and outpatient clinics like dialysis centers.

Key responsibilities: provide comprehensive assessments, order treatments and tests, counsel on nutrition and exercise, evaluate treatment effectiveness, and educate patients and families.

11. Hospice Nurse Practitioner

Average Salary: $130,300

Hospice NPs care for and comfort terminally ill patients, support families through the disease process, prepare patients for end of life, and reassess patients who no longer qualify for hospice care. They work in patient homes, nursing homes, assisted living, hospice centers, and hospitals.

Key responsibilities: advocate for patients and families, order and interpret diagnostic screenings, manage care plans, perform physical exams, and monitor symptoms.

12. Oncology Nurse Practitioner

Average Salary: $130,300

Oncology NPs diagnose and treat cancer and coordinate care throughout treatment. They assist with surgeries, order radiation and chemotherapy plans, and manage outcomes, usually within medical, radiation, or surgical oncology departments.

Key responsibilities: conduct physical exams, create and manage treatment plans, administer cancer therapies, prescribe medications where authorized, and coordinate end-of-life care.

13. Acute Care Nurse Practitioner

Average Salary: $130,300

Acute care NPs (including pediatric and adult-gerontology acute care) treat acute and complex conditions, from minor injuries to heart attacks and arrhythmias. They work in emergency rooms, urgent care, and operating rooms, and increasingly in long-term care and specialty clinics.

Key responsibilities: provide physical exams, record histories, diagnose and treat, prescribe medication and therapies where authorized, stabilize critical patients, and collaborate with the care team.

14. Adult Nurse Practitioner

Average Salary: $128,440

Adult NPs evaluate and diagnose common, acute, and chronic conditions in adolescents, adults, and older patients. They often specialize in women's health, cardiovascular care, or psychiatry while serving a broad population in hospitals and private practices.

Key responsibilities: educate on wellness, diagnose and evaluate conditions, counsel on diet and physical therapy, and assess test results and treatment impact.

15. Family Nurse Practitioner

Average Salary: $127,980

Family NPs provide family-based care and prevention for infants through older adults. They work in community health centers, private practices, healthcare systems, and universities. Per the AANP, 68.7% of primary care certifications are held by FNPs.

Key responsibilities: maintain patient records, prescribe medications where authorized, develop treatment plans, and treat acute and chronic illness and injury.

16. Primary Care Nurse Practitioner

Average Salary: $126,030

Primary care NPs serve individuals, families, and specialty groups across primary care settings. Per the AANP, 87% of NPs are certified in primary care. They assess, diagnose, and treat acute and chronic conditions, educate on prevention, and may work independently depending on state practice authority.

Key responsibilities: assess health, administer preventive care like immunizations, diagnose and treat general conditions, and prescribe medications including controlled substances.

17. Women's Health Nurse Practitioner

Average Salary: $124,360

Women's health NPs provide reproductive, gynecological, prenatal, and postpartum care, focused on health promotion and disease prevention at clinics specializing in women's health, family planning, and reproductive services.

Key responsibilities: review preventive needs, diagnose reproductive conditions, prescribe medication and contraception where authorized, address fertility issues, and screen for domestic violence and substance abuse.

18. Adult-Gerontology Primary Care Nurse Practitioner

Average Salary: $118,640

AG-PCNPs care for adults and aging patients, including those with chronic illness and oncology and hematology needs. They work in hospital outpatient clinics, inpatient units, and private group practices, commonly treating anxiety, abdominal pain, and hypertension.

Key responsibilities: perform routine exams, administer immunizations, provide one-on-one counseling, and develop disease-prevention plans.

19. Adult-Gerontology Acute Care Nurse Practitioner

Average Salary: $117,420

AG-ACNPs treat adults and older patients with acute, chronic, or critical conditions in clinics, physician offices, hospitals, retirement homes, and private practices. They prescribe where authorized, interpret ECG monitoring, and assess treatment response, commonly managing hypertension, heart failure, and diabetes.

Key responsibilities: collect histories, evaluate symptoms, assess diagnostics, determine treatment, and track patient condition.

20. Palliative Care Nurse Practitioner

Average Salary: $117,190

Palliative care NPs support patients with terminal and nonterminal chronic conditions, commonly cancer, advanced heart disease, neurological disorders, and dementia. Care begins at diagnosis and continues through end of life. Demand keeps rising as patients live longer with conditions that need ongoing support. They work in hospitals, medical offices, patient homes, and inpatient hospice facilities.

Key responsibilities: develop treatment plans, arrange comfort measures, execute multifaceted plans, and treat symptoms to promote wellness.

FAQ

How do NPs choose a specialty? Most select a focus during their MSN or DNP program, complete clinical hours in that area, and then earn specialty certification.

Which NP fields pay the most? Surgical, cardiac, and psychiatric-mental health NPs lead, all averaging $140,000 or higher. Family NPs are the most common and earn around $128,000, per June 2025 ZipRecruiter data.

Which NPs are most in demand? Family and psychiatric-mental health NPs, per AMN Healthcare, followed by pediatrics, women's health, adult-gerontology, and emergency care.

Where are the best places to practice? Arizona, New Mexico, and Iowa grant full practice authority and prescriptive privileges. New York, Oregon, Minnesota, and Washington rank high on NP salaries. Weigh earning potential, demand, and scope of practice together.