Nurses who pursue a family nurse practitioner (FNP) career today can expect to enjoy more autonomy and greater responsibility — all while making a difference in the lives of individuals and within the greater health care system. Possessing advanced education and training, nurse practitioners (NPs) can also benefit from a variety of career choices, such as specializing as an FNP, that align with their personal and professional goals. According to the American Association of Nurse Practitioners, 60.6 percent of NPs opt for certification as an FNP. Here, we examine NP salary by state and some of the NP career options that are available today, as well as the outlook of FNP jobs.

Nurse Practitioner Salary by State

The mean NP salary is $107,480 annually with a mean hourly rate of $51.68 across the country, as reported by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS). Practice location is one of many factors that can affect NP and FNP salaries. BLS data show that the mean salary for NP jobs is highest in California, Alaska, Hawaii, Massachusetts and Connecticut — ranging from an average mean salary of $118,500 in Connecticut to $126,770 in California.

See a tabular version of annual mean salaries of nurse practitioners, by state below.

Nurse Practitioner Job Outlook

U.S. News & World Report ranked nurse practitioner as No. 4 on its list of 100 Best Jobs of 2018. Additionally, the BLS projects that the NP field will grow by 36 percent between 2016 and 2026, and 56,100 new positions will be available.

Such anticipated growth may be due in part to the shortage of primary care physicians predicted for the years ahead. A 2016 analysis by the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA; PDF, 302 KB) states the following: “Under current workforce utilization and care delivery patterns, the 2025 demand for primary care physicians is projected to exceed supply at the national level.”

Since NPs are uniquely equipped to provide primary care, the need for FNPs will expand to help fill the gap. As HRSA notes, “With delivery system changes and full utilization of NP and PA (physician assistant) services, the projected shortage … can be effectively mitigated.” In such an environment, those who embrace an NP career may be well positioned for an FNP job.

Family Nurse Practitioner Jobs

As advanced practice nurses, FNPs have a more extensive scope of practice than registered nurses who have not earned this designation. As such, they are qualified to deliver high-level health services, including the following:

NP career options include a variety of opportunities. According to the BLS, physician offices offer the highest levels and concentration of NP employment. Other popular settings include general medical and surgical hospitals, outpatient care centers, offices of other health care practitioners, and specialty hospitals. However, the BLS also reports that the mean annual NP salary is highest in unique industries such as these:

See a tabular version of annual mean salaries of nurse practitioners, by top paying industries below.

Since the demand for NPs is growing, you’ll likely find that you can work in the setting and role that best aligns with your personal and professional needs.

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The following section contains tabular data from the graphics in this post.

Annual mean salaries of nurse practitioners, by state, May 2017

State	Mean
California	126,770
Alaska	125,140
Hawaii	122,580
Massachusetts	120,140
Connecticut	118,500
New Jersey	117,630
New York	117,210
Minnesota	116,150
Washington	115,250
Wyoming	113,310
Oregon	112,870
New Hampshire	112,440
Texas	111,330
Colorado	110,440
Maryland	109,840
New Mexico	109,330
Rhode Island	108,630
District of Columbia	107,950
Mississippi	107,280
North Carolina	106,320
Nevada	105,520
Delaware	105,380
Arizona	104,970
Iowa	104,130
Vermont	103,920
Georgia	103,890
North Dakota	103,470
Idaho	102,760
Michigan	102,250
Virginia	102,240
Illinois	101,960
Wisconsin	101,930
Indiana	101,780
Ohio	101,710
Maine	100,100
South Dakota	100,030
Utah	99,960
Florida	99,930
Nebraska	99,930
Louisiana	98,780
Pennsylvania	98,260
Kansas	97,870
Montana	97,470
South Carolina	97,140
Missouri	96,490
Oklahoma	95,590
Kentucky	95,450
Arkansas	95,230
West Virginia	95,000
Alabama	94,880
Tennessee	93,970

Source: https://www.bls.gov/oes/current/oes291171.htm

Annual mean salaries of nurse practitioners, by top paying industries

Annual mean salaries of nurse practitioners, by top paying industries

Personal Care Services	Management, scientific and technical consulting services	Religious organizations	Dentist offices	Office administrative services
$139,460	$132,200	$117,720	$117,270	$115,960

Source: https://www.bls.gov/oes/current/oes291171.htm

Content by: Nursing@USC, the online Master of Science in Nursing program from the University of Southern California