Highest Paid NP for 2015, According to AANP, Are NNPs

babyNP., APRN · Sep 19, 2016

Interesting about the neonatal folks. My state doesn't even recognize that credential.
The total income looks higher for family psych NPs. Sad that the amount is that low, however. I've already made more than that this year.
Why don't NPs expect more? Why don't they see a higher volume?

Really?? I know there are a couple of states that don't need to be board certified with the NCC (our board exam) to be licensed as a NP but I was almost certain that NNPs exist in each of the 50 US states. Curious which state you're talking about, but understand if you don't want to post it here.

Salary seems about par (I'm a NNP). Much worse pay if you work in the southeast, especially Florida. Some of the north eastern states also don't work out as well because the COL is so much higher, not enough to cover the increased salary. I work in the southwest and got offered $95k as a new grad with 6 years of RN experience at an academic center. I believe our top senior folks top out around $140k. That being said, I've read a lot of NPs on here that make much more than this in other specialties, so it all depends.

Likely we are so well paid because we are intensivists; intubating, placing chest tubes, central lines, LPs, etc etc and taking care of critically ill patients. Plus the market for NNPs is going to grow and there are many places that are chronically short of NNPs.

SunshineeStudent · Sep 19, 2016

Interesting about the neonatal folks. My state doesn't even recognize that credential.
The total income looks higher for family psych NPs. Sad that the amount is that low, however. I've already made more than that this year.
Why don't NPs expect more? Why don't they see a higher volume?

NNPs obtain national certification through the National Certification Corporation (NCC). Currently, all states, with the exceptions of California, Kansas, and Indiana, require national certification for NNPs to care for patients.

Jules A, MSN · Sep 19, 2016

Likely we are so well paid because we are intensivists; intubating, placing chest tubes, central lines, LPs, etc etc and taking care of critically ill patients. Plus the market for NNPs is going to grow and there are many places that are chronically short of NNPs.

First my hat is off to you for the job you do and second I can't imagine only getting low 100s for this high risk/responsibility position. Aren't neonatologists one of the better earning specialities? Glassdoor puts them around $200,000, similar to psychiatrists estimate, which I know is closer to $300,000 in most locations. Are NNPs doing virtually the same job as physicians in this specialty or are you working in a PA type role?

SunshineeStudent · Sep 19, 2016

First my hat is off to you for the job you do and second I can't imagine only getting low 100s for this high risk/responsibility position. Aren't neonatologists one of the better earning specialities? Glassdoor puts them around $200,000, similar to psychiatrists estimate, which I know is closer to $300,000 in most locations. Are NNPs doing virtually the same job as physicians in this specialty or are you working in a PA type role?

NPs do NP duties and they are not Physicians neither are they PAs.

NPs are more than just health care providers; they are mentors, educators, researchers, and administrators. Their involvement in professional organizations and participation in health policy activities at the local, state, national, and international levels helps to advance the role of the NP and ensure that professional standards are maintained.

AspiringNurseMW · Sep 19, 2016

I am disappointed, and yet somehow not surprised to see that Women's Health pays the least. I wonder why. And I wonder if CNM's are included in that umbrella.

Jules A, MSN · Sep 19, 2016

NPs do NP duties and they are not Physicians neither are they PAs.
NPs are more than just health care providers; they are mentors, educators, researchers, and administrators. Their involvement in professional organizations and participation in health policy activities at the local, state, national, and international levels helps to advance the role of the NP and ensure that professional standards are maintained.

Gee thanks. Mentors, researchers, blah blah. I know what NPs do and that often includes acting as a PA in some specialties or facilities. What I really wanted to know was if the poster I was replying to acts as an attending. Do they have admitting privileges and their own patient load or are they caring for physician's patients?

babyNP., APRN · Sep 19, 2016

First my hat is off to you for the job you do and second I can't imagine only getting low 100s for this high risk/responsibility position. Aren't neonatologists one of the better earning specialities? Glassdoor puts them around $200,000, similar to psychiatrists estimate, which I know is closer to $300,000 in most locations. Are NNPs doing virtually the same job as physicians in this specialty or are you working in a PA type role?

Yeah, neos are some of the higher paid docs since they do critical care- but virtually all of them also take call and/or night shifts with holidays & weekends, so that plays into it as well.

As far as scope, it just depends on where you work. If you're at an academic center, you'll nearly always be with a physician just because the babies are usually much more complex and where all the research dollars are. I work full-time at a Level IV & per diem at a "community" NICU that is Level III (in NICU, Level IV is highest with ECMO & all pediatric sub-specialties, mostly surgical babies, Level III has "normal" sick babies on ventilators, pressors, nitric oxide, that sort of thing).

At my per diem "community hospital" job, yes, I have admitting and discharge privileges. I do round with a neo for a few hours during the day and they bill for those babies already in-patient (so sort of like a PA in that sense)- because they get more revenue that way.

However, anything that comes after the neo leaves is my responsibility- I will admit & bill for the baby under my own name and create my own care plan. Now, of course if I get a baby that is very sick, I give the neo a courtesy call to see if they want to add anything (as they will bill for the baby on subsequent days), but it's pretty rare that they do since NNPs are well-trained in what we do. I also attend all the high-risk deliveries and bill for those as well. My neo will come to those deliveries if it's multiples (only have 1 set of hands!) or if I've been coding the baby.

Jules A, MSN · Sep 19, 2016

Yeah, neos are some of the higher paid docs since they do critical care- but virtually all of them also take call and/or night shifts with holidays & weekends, so that plays into it as well.
As far as scope, it just depends on where you work. If you're at an academic center, you'll nearly always be with a physician just because the babies are usually much more complex and where all the research dollars are. I work full-time at a Level IV & per diem at a "community" NICU that is Level III (in NICU, Level IV is highest with ECMO & all pediatric sub-specialties, mostly surgical babies, Level III has "normal" sick babies on ventilators, pressors, nitric oxide, that sort of thing).
At my per diem "community hospital" job, yes, I have admitting and discharge privileges. I do round with a neo for a few hours during the day and they bill for those babies already in-patient (so sort of like a PA in that sense)- because they get more revenue that way.
However, anything that comes after the neo leaves is my responsibility- I will admit & bill for the baby under my own name and create my own care plan. Now, of course if I get a baby that is very sick, I give the neo a courtesy call to see if they want to add anything (as they will bill for the baby on subsequent days), but it's pretty rare that they do since NNPs are well-trained in what we do. I also attend all the high-risk deliveries and bill for those as well. My neo will come to those deliveries if it's multiples (only have 1 set of hands!) or if I've been coding the baby.

Thank you for the comprehensive reply. I am in awe and can't begin to imagine how challenging this must be. It is ridiculous that I make twice what you do working as an attending in garden variety inpatient psych.

I'm sure you have a NNP organization and I'd recommend becoming active and rallying the troops to start demanding appropriate wages for the level of skill and responsibility you have. Something that would likely have to happen and where I think NPs in search of Mommy friendly jobs shoot themselves in the foot is with regard to call, holidays etc. because as you pointed out that accounts for a higher shift diff and extra hours.

SunshineeStudent · Sep 19, 2016

I am disappointed, and yet somehow not surprised to see that Women's Health pays the least. I wonder why. And I wonder if CNM's are included in that umbrella.

I wish I could find the article but it states that most women, if their PCP is a NP, go to FNPs. I can attest to that because I go to a FNP as well. And of course they(Family NPs) are in an abundance.

Sabadudu · Sep 20, 2016

I have heard from current FNP's that you can make $85/hr in the ED, $65 urgent care, $100k in clinics. This is in AZ, not sure what it is like elsewhere. Also in AZ you can practice independently.

NeldaFNP · Sep 24, 2016

I have heard from current FNP's that you can make $85/hr in the ED, $65 urgent care, $100k in clinics. This is in AZ, not sure what it is like elsewhere. Also in AZ you can practice independently.

I am in Indiana, I make over $55/hr in urgent care, and over $100 K/yr in my real job (with benefits, paid phone, great CE allowance, paid licenses, etc).

Aromatic · Sep 25, 2016

NPs do NP duties and they are not Physicians neither are they PAs.
NPs are more than just health care providers; they are mentors, educators, researchers, and administrators. Their involvement in professional organizations and participation in health policy activities at the local, state, national, and international levels helps to advance the role of the NP and ensure that professional standards are maintained.

Somebody drank the cool aid of forced self differentiation and didn't understand the question being asked.