Is the job market for NPs good? NP vs CRNA job market

[RNDude2012]

Hey!

I'm still trying to figure out if I want to take the CRNA vs NP route. I can see myself doing both. I was accepted to a CRNA program across the country, but decided the move wasn't worth it. I currently have an interview scheduled for a local CNRA program, but I'm still unsure of what I want to do.

I've been working towards CRNA for awhile, but the job market for CRNAs in California is not so great, and I don't really want to leave friends and family for a job. Also, as a relatively well-paid California RN, not working while in school and racking up debt minimizes the return on investment for CRNA school. I love hemodynamics, patho, pharm, and critical care though. Graduating with 100k debt and being stuck in ANY career because you have to pay off debt is very off-putting.

NP school seems great. You can work while you're doing it, and tuition is cheaper. After speaking with a few program representatives, I discovered I can easily be accepted to a few local schools without any problems. Class is only once a week, and less clinical hours are required to graduate. The focus on primary care would be a huge, but welcomed change (unless I did ACNP, but I'm still undecided). However, the focus on nursing theory, and the requirement of writing essays that are irrelevant to being provider are both HUGE cons in my eyes. The lack of consistency in the NP curriculum (along with NP programs making it difficult to find out board pass rates) also makes finding a program more difficult, but I digress..Online FOR-PROFIT schools also do a disservice to the perception of NPs in both the medical community and public IMHO.

I'm still REALLY researching both fields to figure out which one I want to do. I can honestly see myself doing both. Both have pros and cons, and I'm not chasing money. I'm more so chasing professional satisfaction, ability to change jobs/location in California, and most importantly, taking the next step into an advanced practice role that allows me to grow as a professional. Although it would be nice to have the potential to work a PRN side job in addition to a FT gig for when I need more $$. However, this may be the thing that skews my decision toward NP:

Job search website results for CRNAs in California: 81

Job search website results for NPs in California: 4192

Is the job market for NPs really this good?

.....sorry for the long post

[Jules A, MSN]

You nailed the cons of NP education and for those reasons if I was accepted into a CRNA program, thought I would enjoy it and would be good at it there is no way I'd consider NP. In many places there is already a glut of NPs and with the large numbers being churned out every year by all the schools catering to this gullible crowd I'm fairly certain the climate will worsen in upcoming years. CRNAs have managed to contain the number of graduates as well as preserve the integrity of their programs. I'm not real big on worrying about being close to family or friends and I know a couple of CRNAs who actually worked while in school and didn't graduate with large debt so there wouldn't be a question if I were faced with both choices.

[RNDude2012]

Thanks for the reply. It seems that the CRNA market in Southern California is pretty saturated as well, but I guess only time will tell. I originally posted this thread in the NP section since I was really hoping to hear from more NPs who currently working in order find out how the job market has been from them. The thread was moved to the student section though :/ Hope I can hear more from working NPs...

[Jules A, MSN]

Yeah some of the moves don't make sense to me as this clearly is an issue NPs or CRNAs would have more insight into than students, imvho.

[applesxoranges, BSN, RN]

I think it depends on where you live. If you live near a lot of schools, the market will be saturated.