Nurse Practitioner (NP) Salary Guide by State 2024

Nurse Practitioners are advanced practice registered nurses who diagnose and treat conditions, prescribe medications, and lead prevention and health promotion. The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics puts the national average NP salary at $128,490 a year, the third-highest among nursing specialties behind nurse anesthetists and nurse midwives. This guide breaks down NP pay by state and by industry.

Key points

• The national average NP salary is about $128,490.
• Pay swings hard by state, from roughly $103,720 in Tennessee to $161,540 in California.
• California, Washington, and New Jersey lead the top-paying states at $161,540, $145,400, and $145,030.
• Outpatient care centers are among the best-paying settings, averaging $139,860.

What NPs earn

The BLS reports a national average NP salary of $128,490, third among nursing specialties behind nurse anesthetists and nurse midwives. Actual pay depends heavily on where you work and the setting you work in.

NP salary by state

State pay reflects regional demand, cost of living, and local healthcare policy.

• California leads at $161,540.
• Nevada ($148,670), Washington ($145,400), and New Jersey ($145,030) round out the top tier, making the West Coast and parts of the Northeast the strongest markets for NP earnings.
• Oregon ($144,950), Massachusetts ($144,010), and New York ($142,830) also clear the national mean on the back of strong healthcare infrastructure and demand for advanced practice providers.
• Minnesota ($135,010), New Hampshire ($130,740), Maryland ($127,990), and Utah ($127,820) balance solid pay against more moderate living costs.
• The low end runs from Guam at $88,570 up through Tennessee ($103,720) and Alabama ($110,020), markets with smaller healthcare footprints and lower living costs.

The pattern holds across the board: high-paying states like California and New Jersey carry high living costs, while lower-wage states like Tennessee and Alabama come with cheaper housing and goods. The South mixes high employment (Florida, Texas) with relatively lower pay (Tennessee, Alabama).

Where NPs earn the most by industry

Setting drives real differences in NP pay. From BLS data as of May 2023:

• Offices of physicians employ the most NPs, at 4.82 percent of the industry's total employment, and pay an average of $122,780.
• General medical and surgical hospitals rank second in employment and pay more, at $135,610.
• Home health care services employ fewer NPs but pay $146,850.
• Psychiatric and substance abuse hospitals pay $141,260.
• Residential intellectual and developmental disability facilities pay $158,140, reflecting the demand for specialized care.
• Business support services is the highest-paying industry at $180,570, though the openings are few.

The takeaway: physician offices have the volume of jobs, but the specialized and home-based settings pay the premiums.