Why be a Psychiatrist when you could be a Psych NP?

Hello everyone,

I just had an interesting conversation with a friend of mine who is applying to PMHNP programs along with me. I wanted to get people's opinion on it. He said that psychiatrists are one of the lowering paying physician specialties, while a psych NP is one of the highest (I know CRNA is the highest though). We talked for a while and he made a lot of sense. A psych NP has most of the privilages that a psychiatrist has and in some states can prescribe independently. Now, I know that psychiatrists can make over 300k very easily, but the average salary is around 170k (at least that's what he told me). I have heard that psych np's make around 100k, with a lot reaching the 150k mark. I have even heard, by several people, of some psych NP's making around 300k. Compared with med-school debt, years working etc, it definitely seems like going the psych NP route is a better decision (if you do not care about prestige, etc.) I feel very confident on my decision to pursue this field.

Let it be known that I am not pursuing this field for the money. I love the holistic approach to nursing and I find working with the mentally ill very rewarding. I actually plan on working with the urban-poor (if I am accepted) after I graduate. I just thought it was an interesting topic that he brought up. What does everyone else think about this? I thought it made a lot of sense.