Nurse Practitioners Salary 2025: $138,137 Median Pay (BLS OEWS)
- Official U.S. BLS OEWS data (May 2025)
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- Not self-reported estimates
$138,137 per year is the national median annual wage for nurse practitioners (BLS OEWS, May 2025 reference period). That works out to about $66/hour, with a 10th–90th percentile range of $163,670 to $283,410. The Bureau of Labor Statistics classifies this role under SOC code 29-1171.
Key Facts (BLS OEWS, May 2025)
- Median annual wage
- $138,137
- Median hourly wage
- $66/hr
- Mean annual wage
- $142,270
- Total US employment
- 185,150
- Top-paying metro
- San Jose, CA, CA ($231,560)
- BLS SOC code
- 29-1171
Source: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025 release.
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The national median wage for nurse practitioners (BLS SOC 29-1171) is $138,137 per year — about $66/hour — across 185,150 workers in 70 U.S. metros in the BLS OEWS May 2025 release. The mean wage of $142,270 sits above the median, which means a minority of high earners pulls the average up — the median is the more honest benchmark for a typical offer.
Experience drives the range as much as anything: the 10th percentile earns $108,982 while the 90th earns $178,089 — a 1.6× gap from entry-level to the top of the field. Most nurse practitioners land in the $121,666–$159,390 band (25th–75th percentile), which is the right anchor when you size up an offer.
Location matters too. San Jose, CA, CA posts the highest median at $231,560, versus $107,700 in Birmingham, AL, AL — a 115% gap. But adjusted for cost of living, Bakersfield, CA delivers the strongest real purchasing power ($164,592 in national-average dollars), which can flip the nominal ranking for anyone weighing a move.
In Healthcare, nurse practitioner wages reflect a regulated labor market: state licensing and credentialing constrain supply, so pay holds up more evenly across regions than in unregulated fields. The figures here are base wage and exclude shift differentials and overtime.
Nurse Practitioners Salary by Experience Level (2025)
BLS OEWS doesn’t publish wages by years of experience, but its national percentile bands map cleanly to career stages. Here’s what nurse practitioners earn from entry-level to the top of the field.
| Career stage | Typical experience | BLS percentile | Annual wage |
|---|---|---|---|
| Entry-level | 0–2 years | 10th | $108,982 |
| Junior / early-career | 2–5 years | 25th | $121,666 |
| Mid-career | 5–10 years | 50th (median) | $140,692 |
| Senior | 10–15 years | 75th | $159,390 |
| Top earners | 15+ years | 90th | $178,089 |
Experience bands are SalaryTruth’s interpretation of BLS OEWS percentiles, not a separate BLS series. Actual pay varies by employer, specialization, and region.
Salary Range (BLS Percentiles)
Nurse Practitioners salaries range from $107,700 to $231,560 median across cities, depending on location, experience, and industry.
Nurse Practitioners Salary by City (BLS OEWS)
| City | 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | COL-Adjusted | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| San Jose, CA | $163,670 | $190,826 | $231,560 | $257,485 | $283,410 | $118,264 | 1,580 |
| San Francisco, CA | $153,280 | $179,600 | $219,080 | $246,520 | $273,960 | $121,982 | 3,110 |
| Sacramento, CA | $105,540 | $132,128 | $172,010 | $206,055 | $240,100 | $137,939 | 1,170 |
| Riverside-San Bernardino, CA | $130,630 | $146,346 | $169,920 | $191,945 | $213,970 | $138,824 | 1,710 |
| Fresno, CA | $129,300 | $144,208 | $166,570 | $189,445 | $212,320 | $157,886 | 570 |
| Bakersfield, CA | $106,710 | $130,258 | $165,580 | $185,515 | $205,450 | $164,592 | 430 |
| San Diego, CA | $131,380 | $144,372 | $163,860 | $189,750 | $215,640 | $102,285 | 2,340 |
| New York, NY | $132,490 | $144,830 | $163,340 | $183,140 | $202,940 | $87,254 | 21,680 |
| Los Angeles, CA | $119,950 | $136,558 | $161,470 | $188,825 | $216,180 | $97,271 | 10,060 |
| Seattle, WA | $128,750 | $141,286 | $160,090 | $174,230 | $188,370 | $107,155 | 0 |
| Portland, OR | $130,270 | $141,718 | $158,890 | $179,805 | $200,720 | $122,129 | 1,390 |
| Anchorage, AK | $97,690 | $121,586 | $157,430 | $182,460 | $207,490 | $123,961 | 410 |
| Boston, MA | $116,600 | $128,952 | $147,480 | $179,985 | $212,490 | $96,963 | 5,990 |
| Las Vegas, NV | $83,960 | $108,000 | $144,060 | $158,550 | $173,040 | $132,165 | 1,390 |
| Spokane, WA | $109,040 | $122,220 | $141,990 | $162,515 | $183,040 | $145,780 | 530 |
| Albuquerque, NM | $110,880 | $122,908 | $140,950 | $159,985 | $179,020 | $149,947 | 890 |
| Tulsa, OK | $100,240 | $115,928 | $139,460 | $153,705 | $167,950 | $160,668 | 1,090 |
| Bridgeport, CT | $117,880 | $126,460 | $139,330 | $156,640 | $173,950 | $101,331 | 840 |
| Reno, NV | $106,290 | $118,718 | $137,360 | $152,495 | $167,630 | $128,977 | 420 |
| Phoenix, AZ | $105,510 | $117,814 | $136,270 | $155,125 | $173,980 | $135,323 | 5,450 |
| Philadelphia, PA | $104,000 | $116,680 | $135,700 | $152,545 | $169,390 | $114,611 | 6,590 |
| Providence, RI | $106,020 | $117,820 | $135,520 | $155,085 | $174,650 | $113,501 | 1,540 |
| Hartford, CT | $109,930 | $120,026 | $135,170 | $152,450 | $169,730 | $120,044 | 1,370 |
| Washington, DC | $101,340 | $114,740 | $134,840 | $155,140 | $175,440 | $88,246 | 4,050 |
| Albany, NY | $108,680 | $119,044 | $134,590 | $149,245 | $163,900 | $133,654 | 910 |
| Houston, TX | $96,880 | $111,952 | $134,560 | $146,695 | $158,830 | $139,440 | 5,970 |
| Detroit, MI | $106,110 | $117,422 | $134,390 | $149,390 | $164,390 | $141,314 | 3,400 |
| Milwaukee, WI | $109,350 | $119,350 | $134,350 | $151,555 | $168,760 | $137,936 | 1,450 |
| Denver, CO | $95,890 | $111,150 | $134,040 | $153,105 | $172,170 | $118,830 | 2,310 |
| Jacksonville, FL | $108,290 | $118,498 | $133,810 | $147,985 | $162,160 | $140,705 | 2,310 |
| Omaha, NE | $107,450 | $117,974 | $133,760 | $147,875 | $161,990 | $145,708 | 1,380 |
| Oklahoma City, OK | $99,500 | $113,056 | $133,390 | $147,605 | $161,820 | $154,208 | 1,670 |
| Minneapolis, MN | $102,190 | $114,662 | $133,370 | $151,755 | $170,140 | $125,584 | 4,900 |
| Madison, WI | $108,360 | $118,248 | $133,080 | $150,205 | $167,330 | $128,208 | 530 |
| Boise, ID | $114,090 | $121,498 | $132,610 | $149,600 | $166,590 | $129,882 | 840 |
| Atlanta, GA | $104,950 | $115,970 | $132,500 | $152,315 | $172,130 | $133,569 | 5,950 |
| Greensboro, NC | $101,680 | $113,900 | $132,230 | $145,435 | $158,640 | $144,830 | 820 |
| Des Moines, IA | $113,470 | $120,974 | $132,230 | $149,595 | $166,960 | $141,726 | 820 |
| Buffalo, NY | $104,470 | $115,570 | $132,220 | $149,260 | $166,300 | $142,941 | 1,190 |
| Baltimore, MD | $102,060 | $114,032 | $131,990 | $150,380 | $168,770 | $115,578 | 3,800 |
| San Antonio, TX | $102,080 | $113,956 | $131,770 | $145,675 | $159,580 | $144,011 | 1,780 |
| Chicago, IL | $106,260 | $116,452 | $131,740 | $148,245 | $164,750 | $122,777 | 6,530 |
| St. Louis, MO | $108,340 | $117,636 | $131,580 | $147,930 | $164,280 | $146,200 | 3,430 |
| Miami, FL | $106,880 | $116,664 | $131,340 | $150,200 | $169,060 | $106,694 | 5,810 |
| Dallas, TX | $93,690 | $108,606 | $130,980 | $146,965 | $162,950 | $125,821 | 7,310 |
| Kansas City, MO | $97,030 | $110,522 | $130,760 | $145,285 | $159,810 | $137,065 | 2,730 |
| Orlando, FL | $104,230 | $114,794 | $130,640 | $144,925 | $159,210 | $126,712 | 1,950 |
| Indianapolis, IN | $106,500 | $116,084 | $130,460 | $141,275 | $152,090 | $144,795 | 2,530 |
| Charlotte, NC | $107,350 | $116,534 | $130,310 | $150,400 | $170,490 | $134,757 | 1,970 |
| Colorado Springs, CO | $89,300 | $105,560 | $129,950 | $143,180 | $156,410 | $124,354 | 470 |
| Salt Lake City, UT | $105,220 | $114,872 | $129,350 | $154,240 | $179,130 | $127,564 | 1,430 |
| Tucson, AZ | $104,060 | $114,172 | $129,340 | $151,305 | $173,270 | $135,577 | 820 |
| Cincinnati, OH | $89,710 | $105,306 | $128,700 | $145,605 | $162,510 | $141,118 | 2,820 |
| Raleigh, NC | $103,200 | $113,180 | $128,150 | $149,335 | $170,520 | $128,407 | 1,510 |
| Tampa, FL | $99,390 | $110,882 | $128,120 | $143,415 | $158,710 | $128,635 | 4,180 |
| Rochester, NY | $105,340 | $114,448 | $128,110 | $141,360 | $154,610 | $137,901 | 1,890 |
| Austin, TX | $114,440 | $119,884 | $128,050 | $147,270 | $166,490 | $124,320 | 2,700 |
| Richmond, VA | $96,720 | $109,160 | $127,820 | $137,715 | $147,610 | $125,191 | 1,440 |
| Little Rock, AR | $100,540 | $110,996 | $126,680 | $170,985 | $215,290 | $143,628 | 1,360 |
| New Orleans, LA | $105,570 | $113,262 | $124,800 | $141,245 | $157,690 | $130,136 | 1,270 |
| Memphis, TN | $83,770 | $100,102 | $124,600 | $139,320 | $154,040 | $148,333 | 1,800 |
| Columbus, OH | $99,960 | $109,808 | $124,580 | $137,415 | $150,250 | $133,813 | 3,140 |
| Lexington, KY | $102,040 | $110,452 | $123,070 | $149,335 | $175,600 | $134,797 | 540 |
| Louisville, KY | $104,090 | $111,614 | $122,900 | $141,380 | $159,860 | $136,253 | 1,580 |
| Nashville, TN | $84,300 | $99,508 | $122,320 | $131,030 | $139,740 | $121,954 | 4,540 |
| Pittsburgh, PA | $102,680 | $109,460 | $119,630 | $137,000 | $154,370 | $129,610 | 1,980 |
| Greenville, SC | $81,910 | $96,858 | $119,280 | $132,425 | $145,570 | $132,386 | 1,120 |
| Wichita, KS | $95,600 | $103,800 | $116,100 | $130,860 | $145,620 | $138,214 | 690 |
| Knoxville, TN | $85,210 | $95,022 | $109,740 | $122,455 | $135,170 | $121,528 | 1,630 |
| Birmingham, AL | $89,240 | $96,624 | $107,700 | $122,630 | $137,560 | $119,137 | 1,350 |
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Nurse Practitioner & H-1B Prevailing Wage
Sponsoring or filing an H-1B, PERM, or E-3 case? See the DOL prevailing-wage levels (1–4) for Nurse Practitioner, including the 2026 proposed increase.
Nurse Practitioner prevailing wage in San Jose, CA →Explore Nurse Practitioner Pay Further
Frequently Asked Questions
The national median salary for Nurse Practitioner is $138,137 as of 2025 (BLS OEWS). The national mean (average) is $142,270. Salaries range from $107,700 to $231,560 median depending on city and cost of living.
Entry-level nurse practitioners (10th percentile) earn about $108,982 per year nationally. Pay rises with experience to a median of $138,137, $159,390 at the 75th percentile, and $178,089 for the top 10% of earners.
The median nurse practitioner earns about $66/hour, based on the $138,137 annual median over a standard 2,080-hour work year (BLS OEWS, May 2025).
San Jose, CA, CA posts the highest median for Nurse Practitioner at $231,560, well above the national median of $138,137. Cost of living matters, though — see the COL-adjusted column in the city table above, which can reorder the rankings.
There are approximately 185,150 Nurse Practitioner positions in the US across 70 metropolitan areas tracked by the Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS survey.
The 90th percentile nurse practitioner earns $178,089 — about 1.6× the $108,982 entry-level wage. A spread that wide signals real income growth potential with experience, specialization, and location.
No. BLS OEWS reports base wages only — bonuses, commissions, overtime, and equity are excluded. For roles where variable pay is common, total compensation runs above the figures shown here.
Salary data from BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics. COL adjustments use BEA Regional Price Parities.
Source: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025 release.