Nurse Practitioner Salary by State: What NPs Actually Earn
The median U.S. nurse practitioner earns $132,300 a year ($63.61/hour) — $34,750 more than the median RN — and the spread runs from $105,750 in Alabama to $168,520 in California. Every number on this page comes from the federal wage survey (May 2025), not job-board self-reports. Click any state for its full breakdown.
Median NP Salary in Every State
Sort by any column. Salaries are gross annual pay for all NPs in the state — new NPs start lower, experienced and specialty NPs earn more.
| 1.California | $168,520 | $81.02 | $240,830 | 25,120 |
| 2.New Jersey | $159,310 | $76.59 | $183,420 | 9,950 |
| 3.Washington | $156,100 | $75.05 | $187,240 | 6,700 |
| 4.Oregon | $155,680 | $74.85 | $194,070 | 2,820 |
| 5.Alaska | $155,170 | $74.60 | $207,490 | 710 |
| 6.New York | $153,510 | $73.80 | $198,060 | 22,890 |
| 7.Massachusetts | $142,440 | $68.48 | $207,710 | 8,070 |
| 8.Nevada | $140,670 | $67.63 | $172,170 | 1,930 |
| 9.Connecticut | $138,470 | $66.57 | $173,810 | 3,750 |
| 10.New Hampshire | $137,550 | $66.13 | $166,240 | 1,770 |
| 11.New Mexico | $137,520 | $66.11 | $175,020 | 1,770 |
| 12.Montana | $137,210 | $65.97 | $166,940 | 1,260 |
| 13.Rhode Island | $135,970 | $65.37 | $176,410 | 1,180 |
| 14.Washington, D.C. | $135,880 | $65.33 | $180,300 | 680 |
| 15.Hawaii | $135,570 | $65.18 | $174,350 | 550 |
| 16.Vermont | $134,740 | $64.78 | $167,610 | 700 |
| 17.Arizona | $134,420 | $64.63 | $173,270 | 7,220 |
| 18.Oklahoma | $133,390 | $64.13 | $167,950 | 3,620 |
| 19.Minnesota | $133,260 | $64.07 | $170,140 | 7,780 |
| 20.Colorado | $132,930 | $63.91 | $170,310 | 4,270 |
| 21.Idaho | $132,540 | $63.72 | $169,710 | 1,750 |
| 22.Wyoming | $132,200 | $63.56 | $165,250 | 440 |
| 23.Nebraska | $132,130 | $63.52 | $161,990 | 2,340 |
| 24.Wisconsin | $131,980 | $63.45 | $166,260 | 5,160 |
| 25.Texas | $131,670 | $63.31 | $161,980 | 25,970 |
| 26.Michigan | $131,450 | $63.20 | $165,870 | 8,290 |
| 27.Maryland | $131,110 | $63.03 | $169,330 | 6,710 |
| 28.Delaware | $131,040 | $63.00 | $162,870 | 1,430 |
| 29.Utah | $130,920 | $62.94 | $175,220 | 2,740 |
| 30.Illinois | $130,680 | $62.83 | $161,470 | 9,270 |
| 31.Maine | $130,260 | $62.62 | $166,740 | 1,650 |
| 32.Iowa | $130,160 | $62.58 | $167,590 | 3,240 |
| 33.Pennsylvania | $130,140 | $62.57 | $163,720 | 10,670 |
| 34.North Dakota | $130,070 | $62.53 | $162,020 | 1,290 |
| 35.Missouri | $129,930 | $62.47 | $162,060 | 7,710 |
| 36.Florida | $129,510 | $62.26 | $163,600 | 21,790 |
| 37.Georgia | $129,430 | $62.22 | $166,060 | 10,460 |
| 38.North Carolina | $128,990 | $62.01 | $164,320 | 9,800 |
| 39.South Dakota | $128,840 | $61.94 | $156,000 | 1,020 |
| 40.Indiana | $128,830 | $61.94 | $155,260 | 7,450 |
| 41.Virginia | $127,810 | $61.45 | $161,470 | 7,110 |
| 42.West Virginia | $127,320 | $61.21 | $155,500 | 2,550 |
| 43.Kansas | $126,650 | $60.89 | $158,080 | 3,780 |
| 44.Arkansas | $125,660 | $60.41 | $205,810 | 3,970 |
| 45.Louisiana | $125,600 | $60.38 | $159,570 | 5,380 |
| 46.Ohio | $124,870 | $60.03 | $154,680 | 15,400 |
| 47.Mississippi | $124,730 | $59.96 | $156,830 | 4,690 |
| 48.South Carolina | $123,290 | $59.28 | $160,170 | 5,670 |
| 49.Kentucky | $122,870 | $59.07 | $162,960 | 4,770 |
| 50.Tennessee | $117,590 | $56.54 | $137,880 | 12,150 |
| 51.Alabama | $105,750 | $50.84 | $134,650 | 5,640 |
Still an RN (or not a nurse yet)? See RN salary by state and the full nurse salary ladder from CNA to CRNA.
Every NP started by passing the NCLEX
The NP path runs RN license first, then a graduate program. If you’re at the start of it: compare every board-approved nursing program in your state by real NCLEX pass rate, and run the honest cost-vs-payoff math with your own numbers.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much do nurse practitioners make?
The median U.S. nurse practitioner earns $132,300 per year ($63.61/hour) as of the BLS May 2025 data. The middle 80% of NPs earn between $101,340 (10th percentile) and $174,420 (90th percentile).
How much more do NPs make than RNs?
Nationally, the NP median ($132,300) runs $34,750 above the RN median ($97,550) — about 36% more. The gap varies by state, and getting there means a master's or doctoral NP program on top of your RN.
Which state pays nurse practitioners the most?
California, at a median of $168,520 per year. The lowest median is Alabama at $105,750. Cost of living and scope-of-practice laws both play into the spread.
Where do these numbers come from?
U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2025 estimates for Nurse Practitioners (SOC 29-1171) — the federal wage survey, not self-reported job-board data. Figures are gross pay and do not include bonuses or production incentives.
About this data
U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2025 estimates, Nurse Practitioners (SOC 29-1171). Percentile wages are gross annual pay across all experience levels; bonuses, production incentives, and benefits are not included. Refreshed when BLS publishes each new vintage.