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Nurse Practitioners Salary by State
There were an estimated 307,390 nurse practitioners working in the United States in May 2024, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS survey. The typical (median) nurse practitioner earned $129,210 a year, or $62.12 an hour, while the mean annual wage was $132,000. Pay spans a wide range even inside the same occupation: the lowest-paid 10% of nurse practitioners earned $97,960 or less, the bottom quarter earned $109,940 or less, the top quarter earned at least $149,570, and the top 10% earned at least $169,950. Where a nurse practitioner works matters almost as much as the job itself, as the state table below shows.
Where nurse practitioners earn the most — and least
The highest median pay for nurse practitioners is in California, at $166,610 a year — 28.9% higher than the national median of $129,210. Next are New Jersey at $149,620 and Alaska at $145,450. At the other end, Alabama posts the lowest published median, $106,930, which is 17.2% lower than the national figure. That is a top-to-bottom spread of about 1.6 times between the highest- and lowest-paying states for the same occupation — a gap driven by local labor markets, licensing, employer mix, and cost of living rather than by differences in the job title itself.
Where the nurse practitioner jobs are
Employment is concentrated in a handful of large states. Florida alone employs 24,690 nurse practitioners, and the three largest states — Florida, Texas, and California — together account for 22% of all U.S. jobs in this occupation. Pay in the largest market, Florida, runs at a median of $129,010, 0.2% lower than the national median, so the biggest job market is not the highest-paying option. Smaller states can still be attractive: several low-population states post medians close to the national figure with far less competition for each opening.
Nurse Practitioner salary by state — full table
Median and mean annual wages for nurse practitioners in every state where BLS publishes an estimate for May 2024, ranked by median pay. The 90th-percentile column shows what the top-earning tenth of nurse practitioners in each state make. Follow a state link for that state's full wage tables, or open a detailed guide where one is available.
| State | Employment | Median hourly | Median annual | Mean annual | 90th percentile |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| California Detailed guide | 20,980 | $80.10 | $166,610 | $173,190 | $234,800 |
| New Jersey | 9,590 | $71.94 | $149,620 | $140,470 | $173,320 |
| Alaska | 570 | $69.93 | $145,450 | $142,340 | $199,990 |
| New York | 20,430 | $69.90 | $145,390 | $148,410 | $194,470 |
| Oregon | 2,430 | $69.52 | $144,600 | $148,030 | $186,380 |
| Washington | 4,790 | $67.41 | $140,220 | $143,620 | $177,770 |
| Connecticut | 3,680 | $66.81 | $138,960 | $141,140 | $169,850 |
| Massachusetts | 8,920 | $66.77 | $138,890 | $145,140 | $205,230 |
| New Mexico | 1,870 | $66.56 | $138,440 | $136,620 | $187,840 |
| Arizona | 7,540 | $64.32 | $133,790 | $132,920 | $172,610 |
| Montana | 1,050 | $64.25 | $133,640 | $131,560 | $163,160 |
| New Hampshire | 1,790 | $63.67 | $132,440 | $133,660 | $160,750 |
| District of Columbia | 790 | $63.16 | $131,380 | $137,600 | $171,220 |
| Hawaii | 470 | $62.95 | $130,940 | $135,020 | $166,160 |
| Rhode Island | 1,200 | $62.84 | $130,710 | $139,600 | $176,010 |
| Texas Detailed guide | 21,690 | $62.44 | $129,880 | $130,930 | $165,530 |
| Colorado | 4,130 | $62.38 | $129,750 | $127,610 | $165,970 |
| Vermont | 680 | $62.37 | $129,740 | $130,580 | $163,390 |
| Iowa | 2,810 | $62.22 | $129,420 | $133,020 | $167,110 |
| Florida | 24,690 | $62.02 | $129,010 | $128,340 | $155,490 |
| Idaho | 1,570 | $61.99 | $128,940 | $131,380 | $166,400 |
| Illinois | 9,560 | $61.84 | $128,620 | $128,880 | $158,680 |
| Wisconsin | 4,950 | $61.82 | $128,580 | $130,490 | $161,600 |
| Minnesota | 8,690 | $61.81 | $128,570 | $128,120 | $163,660 |
| Indiana | 7,470 | $61.67 | $128,280 | $126,520 | $161,150 |
| Nebraska | 2,150 | $61.50 | $127,930 | $127,950 | $161,800 |
| Delaware | 1,210 | $61.45 | $127,810 | $130,190 | $165,890 |
| Wyoming | 440 | $61.42 | $127,750 | $126,060 | $161,340 |
| Pennsylvania | 10,860 | $61.25 | $127,400 | $126,730 | $159,920 |
| Ohio | 14,550 | $60.93 | $126,740 | $121,250 | $154,280 |
| Oklahoma | 3,020 | $60.90 | $126,670 | $127,120 | $165,280 |
| Missouri | 6,820 | $60.75 | $126,370 | $124,600 | $151,010 |
| Georgia | 10,580 | $60.60 | $126,060 | $125,490 | $163,970 |
| Louisiana | 4,480 | $60.57 | $125,980 | $124,850 | $156,030 |
| Utah | 2,860 | $60.43 | $125,700 | $131,680 | $172,850 |
| Michigan | 7,900 | $60.40 | $125,620 | $127,200 | $149,330 |
| Maryland | 6,640 | $60.35 | $125,530 | $127,100 | $167,260 |
| Maine | 1,630 | $60.12 | $125,040 | $127,750 | $160,260 |
| North Carolina | 8,020 | $60.11 | $125,020 | $124,830 | $158,440 |
| Kansas | 3,030 | $59.95 | $124,690 | $127,900 | $161,010 |
| Virginia | 6,470 | $59.72 | $124,210 | $122,180 | $155,800 |
| North Dakota | 1,260 | $59.24 | $123,220 | $121,200 | $158,890 |
| South Dakota | 950 | $58.94 | $122,600 | $122,300 | $153,600 |
| West Virginia | 2,280 | $58.48 | $121,640 | $122,140 | $149,910 |
| Mississippi | 4,170 | $57.35 | $119,290 | $122,930 | $162,290 |
| South Carolina | 5,850 | $55.88 | $116,240 | $113,950 | $145,560 |
| Kentucky | 4,710 | $54.74 | $113,870 | $116,930 | $149,350 |
| Arkansas | 3,350 | $54.64 | $113,660 | $116,030 | $141,760 |
| Tennessee | 14,300 | $52.12 | $108,420 | $108,180 | $133,120 |
| Alabama | 4,730 | $51.41 | $106,930 | $109,650 | $132,860 |
Nurse Practitioner wages in U.S. territories
| Area | Employment | Median hourly | Median annual | Mean annual | 90th percentile |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Guam | 100 | $50.51 | $105,060 | $99,170 | $168,930 |
How to read these numbers
The median is the middle wage: half of nurse practitioners earn more and half earn less. The mean is pulled up by the highest earners, which is why the mean of $132,000 sits above the median of $129,210 for this occupation. OEWS wages are gross pay before taxes and benefits, and BLS converts hourly rates to annual figures on a 2,080-hour, year-round full-time basis; part-time and seasonal workers' actual annual earnings can be lower. Figures marked with a plus sign are at or above the BLS reporting cap of $239,200 a year ($115.00 an hour).
Nurse Practitioner salary FAQ
What is the average nurse practitioner salary?
BLS put the mean annual wage for nurse practitioners at $132,000 in May 2024, with a median of $129,210 ($62.12 an hour) across 307,390 U.S. jobs.
Which state pays nurse practitioners the most?
California has the highest median pay for nurse practitioners, at $166,610 a year in May 2024 — 28.9% higher than the national median of $129,210.
Which state pays nurse practitioners the least?
Among states where BLS publishes an estimate, Alabama has the lowest median for nurse practitioners, at $106,930 a year, 17.2% lower than the national median.
How many nurse practitioners are there in the United States?
BLS estimated 307,390 nurse practitioners jobs in May 2024. The largest state market is Florida, with 24,690 jobs.
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2024 — bls.gov/oes. Figures checked October 2026.