Fazlur Rahman
Published September 13, 2026 - Washington, D.C. The average nurse practitioner (NP) salary in 2026 is $128,000 per year nationally, with the top 10% earning more than $165,000. California leads at $155,000, followed by New York ($140,000) and Washington ($138,000).
NP employment is projected to grow 46% from 2024 to 2034 - the second-highest in the healthcare profession - driven by the aging US population, the expansion of retail clinics, and the move toward value-based care (AANP, 2026; BLS OES, May 2025).
At a glance
- NP salary by state (top 20, May 2025 BLS data + 2026 AANP survey)
- NP salary by specialty (2026)
- Career outlook and demand
- Top NP employers
- Next steps
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Data last verified September 13, 2026 from the American Association of Nurse Practitioners (AANP) 2026 National NP Compensation Survey, the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) Occupational Employment Statistics May 2025 release, and the Medscape NP Compensation Report 2026.
The Nurse Practitioner salary in 2026 averages $128,000 per year nationally ($62/hour). Top-5 paying states: California $155K, New York $140K, Washington $138K, Massachusetts $135K, Oregon $132K. The highest-paying specialty is PMHNP (Psychiatric-Mental Health NP) at $148,000.
The path takes 6-8 years (BSN + RN + MSN/DNP), and BLS projects 46% job growth through 2034. Top employers: Kaiser Permanente, HCA Healthcare, Mayo Clinic (AANP, 2026; BLS OES, May 2025).
NP salary by state (top 20, May 2025 BLS data + 2026 AANP survey)
| Rank | State | Average salary (2026) | Hourly rate | Top specialty pay |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | California | $155,000 | $75 | PMHNP $175K |
| 2 | New York | $140,000 | $67 | PMHNP $158K |
| 3 | Washington | $138,000 | $66 | PMHNP $155K |
| 4 | Massachusetts | $135,000 | $65 | PMHNP $152K |
| 5 | Oregon | $132,000 | $63 | PMHNP $148K |
| 6 | Connecticut | $130,000 | $63 | PMHNP $145K |
| 7 | New Jersey | $128,000 | $62 | PMHNP $143K |
| 8 | Alaska | $128,000 | $62 | PMHNP $142K |
| 9 | Hawaii | $125,000 | $60 | PMHNP $140K |
| 10 | Maryland | $125,000 | $60 | PMHNP $140K |
| 11 | Colorado | $122,000 | $59 | PMHNP $138K |
| 12 | Virginia | $120,000 | $58 | PMHNP $135K |
| 13 | Minnesota | $120,000 | $58 | PMHNP $135K |
| 14 | Arizona | $118,000 | $57 | PMHNP $132K |
| 15 | Nevada | $118,000 | $57 | PMHNP $130K |
| 16 | Illinois | $115,000 | $55 | PMHNP $128K |
| 17 | Pennsylvania | $113,000 | $54 | PMHNP $127K |
| 18 | Texas | $125,000 | $60 | PMHNP $140K |
| 19 | Florida | $112,000 | $54 | PMHNP $125K |
| 20 | North Carolina | $110,000 | $53 | PMHNP $123K |
NP salary by specialty (2026)
| Specialty | Average salary | Job outlook | Top certification |
|---|---|---|---|
| Psychiatric-Mental Health NP (PMHNP) | $148,000 | 52% growth | PMHNP-BC (ANCC) |
| Neonatal NP | $135,000 | 38% growth | NNP-BC (NCC) |
| Acute Care NP (AGACNP) | $132,000 | 42% growth | ACNPC-AG (AACN) |
| Pediatric NP | $125,000 | 35% growth | PNP-BC (PNCB) |
| Women's Health NP | $120,000 | 32% growth | WHNP-BC (NCC) |
| Family NP (FNP) | $122,000 | 48% growth | FNP-BC (ANCC, AANP) |
| Adult-Gerontology NP | $118,000 | 45% growth | AGNP-BC (ANCC, AANP) |
Career outlook and demand
The NP job outlook is excellent: BLS projects 46% employment growth from 2024 to 2034, much faster than the 4% average for all occupations. This is the second-highest growth rate in the healthcare profession, behind only physician assistants. By 2034, the US will need an additional 150,000 NPs to meet demand, on a base of roughly 320,000 currently practicing.
The aging US population, expansion of retail clinics (CVS MinuteClinic, Walgreens VillageMD), and the move toward value-based care are driving demand (BLS OOH, 2026).
Full-practice authority states (where NPs can practice independently without physician supervision) are seeing faster NP job growth. As of 2026, 27 states plus DC and the VA system grant full-practice authority to NPs. The states with restricted practice (requiring physician supervision) include California, Texas, Florida, Georgia, and others.
NPs in full-practice authority states earn 5-10% more than NPs in restricted states (AANP, 2026).
Top NP employers
The top NP employers in 2026 are: Kaiser Permanente (15,000+ NPs, $130,000-$175,000), HCA Healthcare (8,000+, $115,000-$155,000), Mayo Clinic (4,500+, $125,000-$165,000), CVS Health/MinuteClinic (6,000+, $120,000-$160,000), and Walgreens/VillageMD (3,500+, $118,000-$155,000).
The top NP employers in 2026 are: Kaiser Permanente (15,000+ NPs, $130,000-$175,000), HCA Healthcare (8,000+, $115,000-$155,000), Mayo Clinic (4,500+, $125,000-$165,000), CVS Health/MinuteClinic (6,000+, $120,000-$160,000), and Walgreens/VillageMD (3,500+, $118,000-$155,000). On the academic side, the Cleveland Clinic, Mass General Brigham, and UCSF are top employers with $120,000-$170,000 per year. The Veterans Health Administration (VA) is the largest single employer of NPs in the US, with 8,500+ NPs across 170 medical centers, paying $115,000-$160,000 per year (AANP, 2026).
Next steps
For a comparison with the highest-paid nursing specialty, see our CRNA salary by state . For the career path, see our how to become a Nurse Practitioner guide .
Related Coverage
NP salary by specialty (top 5 subspecialties)
Nurse practitioner salaries vary dramatically by specialty. Top 5 highest-paying NP specialties in 2026: psychiatric-mental health NP (PMHNP, $145,000-$175,000, highest demand due to mental-health provider shortage), neonatal NP ($140,000-$165,000, requires NICU experience), acute care NP (ACNP, $130,000-$155,000, hospital-based), family NP (FNP, $115,000-$140,000, most common), and adult-gerontology NP (AGNP, $115,000-$140,000, primary or acute care).
The national median NP salary of $128,000 sits between FNP/AGNP ($115K-$140K) and PMHNP ($145K-$175K). The highest-paying state for NPs is California ($155,000 average across all specialties), followed by New York ($140,000) and Massachusetts ($135,000).
NP career path and autonomy considerations
NP salary growth follows experience and specialty strongly. New NP graduates typically start at $100,000-$115,000 and reach $115,000-$140,000 by year 3-5, $140,000-$165,000 by year 5-10, and $165,000+ for experienced specialty NPs with panel leadership. The autonomy dimension matters: full-practice-authority states (CA, OR, WA, AZ, NM, CO, etc.) allow independent practice, which correlates with 10-15% higher salaries than reduced-practice states.
Independent NPs can also own their own practices, adding practice-owner income on top. The 2024-2026 expansion of Medicare reimbursement for NP services (achieving 85% of physician fee schedule for the same services) has reduced the pay gap between NPs and physicians in primary care (AANP, September 2026).
