NP Salary

[Surface]

For nursing students like myself, I thought it would be helpful and interesting to see what type of salary is out there for graduating nursing students for different area's while comparing the salary of NP and RN. Looking around the site, I see different salary threads, but many replies are from nurses with 10 or more years experience, or the threads are years old and the starting salary is long outdated. I thought it would be more helpful to have a thread with Nurse Practitioners who are fresh out of school and what their starting salary is and what year that was.

List your starting RN hourly wage

How many years did you work as an RN before going for NP

What your starting hourly wage as a NP was

Whether it's a hospital

What state you live in

Thanks! :)

[AnnieOaklyRN, BSN, RN, EMT-P]

Thank you OP for this thread, it has been informational to say the least! I am a long way from my goal of NNP, as I am only just finishing my RN-BSN and am hopeful of getting a job in a NICU at some point. (Where I live most NICU jobs require BSN).

I am a bit surprised by some of the R.N. pay... I have been an R.N. for 7 years and am making over 36.00/hour and I was making 41.00 and hour at another hospital!

HPRN

[AZ-RN]

Starting wage as RN in 2012 - $24.24/hr, current wage $26.51/hr + 5/hr night shift diff.

Worked three years before beginning MSN-FNP program this fall.

NP's in my ER make $50's/hr as new grads.

State - Arizona

[AZ-RN]

Not to hijack, but why are we not making half of what an MD does?

Because demand has not forced hospitals/organizations to pay us that. Secondly, MD's and DO's will have six more years of schooling than me even when I have completed my FNP, and quite frankly, their schooling is far more rigorous and time intensive than ours. Their pay reflects that.

[BostonFNP, APRN]

Because demand has not forced hospitals/organizations to pay us that. Secondly, MD's and DO's will have six more years of schooling than me even when I have completed my FNP, and quite frankly, their schooling is far more rigorous and time intensive than ours. Their pay reflects that.

Does their pay reflect their superior outcomes gained via that extra "schooling" (which is part school

and part paid on-the-job training)?

Sent from my iPhone.

[AZ-RN]

Does their pay reflect their superior outcomes gained via that extra "schooling" (which is part school

and part paid on-the-job training)?

Their pay reflects their schooling and potential for superior outcomes. Their pay also reflects what insurance is willing to reimburse for their level of service. Do I think NP's wages should be closer to doctors? Sure. Absolutely. Do I think some NP's are at or close to the level of many physicians? Without doubt.

The biggest difference I see between nurse practitioners and physicians is the level of standardization. Whether or not you agree with physicians "schooling", at the very minimum they reach a certain level of competency. Anyways, I didn't meant to insinuate that the schooling physicians go through is far and beyond that which a nurse goes through (it's just different), I simply respect a 12 year full time commitment to learning their job.

[Riburn3, BSN, MSN, APRN, NP]

Both great points. One thing to consider or keep in mind is that a Family Practice Physician isn't making that much on average compared to other physician disciplines. At less than $150k per year, CRNA's average better than Family Practice medicine. NP's in family practice range from $76k in South Dakota, all the way to $110k in Washington DC. Heck, we all can likely think of some NP's, many on this very board, that are pulling in more than $150k.

What we are seeing is a declining gap between NP pay and family practice physician pay, especially as states allow more autonomy. It's also why new physicians as a whole are rejecting family practice and choosing specialties, with only 15% of all new physicians entering into family practice. I've said this before here, and I will say it again, why should a new physician that just dropped $100-150K on their education enter into a discipline like family medicine, when NP's are doing it just as well? That's why they aren't, and they are all specializing. We as NP's are the future of primary care in this nation with over 80% of our ranks entering into the primary care arena.

[Jules A, MSN]

I personally think the physician's training and experience especially in the area of pharmacology is far superior to what we get as NPs. As for the rate of pay I'd also say if it is low perhaps its because NPs have not required higher wages.

When I was a RN I made low $30s an hour but usually did off-shifts/weekends/overtime with diff which put me at around $80,000 per year.

I now make $86+ change per hour, no weekends unless I feel like it and that pays extra. I have worked 3 hospital jobs in the Washington DC area in this range. I know what I'm worth and I know what they pay the psychiatrists. I do the same job and if they want me to work for their hospital that is how much it will cost them. :)

[Jules A, MSN]

It is really surprising to see some of you with sweet RN rates, low 40s per hour but horrific NP rates, mid to high 40s per hour.

[harmonizer]

Their pay reflects their schooling and potential for superior outcomes. Their pay also reflects what insurance is willing to reimburse for their level of service.

Partly correct. The schooling, "knowledge", and potential for superior outcomes have nothing to do with the compensation.

In Business-stand-point, it is purely based on supply-and-demand and what NP/MD can legally provide. In some states, NP needs supervising/collaborating physicians and in some health center it is a requirement that MD is the medical director so they are paid more for additional responsibilities. NP cannot write for controlled substance in some states. NP cannot certify mental and physical disability. In other words, those additional responsibility and requirements makes them more marketable and creates more demand from MDs. And since there is already fewer number of MDs already, they will have to compensate more at attract them.

MDs are just replaceable like NP...but , lastly, it is all supply-demand. The number of MDs & specialist are limited by residency slots. Let's double residency slots and even you extends schooling to 15 years, you will see decrease with MD salary. Same thing, let's reduce the number of NPs by 75%, you will see increase in NP salary. Since there are so many NPs, employer or the private practice MD

can pick and choose the ones that accept the low offer. :) Until NP comes up as a group and start refusing low wage, they will always get 50% or less of MD salary. There are plenty of professionals who went for schooling longer than MD and has mediocre wages. The years of schooling has nothing to do with the pay. It is supply-and-demand.

[zmansc, ASN, RN]

I believe the difference in pay is also based on the fact that they can be reimbursed at a higher rate, thus all other things being equal, they can generate more revenue.

[Riburn3, BSN, MSN, APRN, NP]

I believe the difference in pay is also based on the fact that they can be reimbursed at a higher rate, thus all other things being equal, they can generate more revenue.

Sort of. If working with a physician an NP can treat under that physicians name, and get the same amount of compensation for the practice. Independent NPs however do get less reimbursement, typically 85% of what a physician gets for the exact same thing.

[core0]

Sort of. If working with a physician an NP can treat under that physicians name, and get the same amount of compensation for the practice. Independent NPs however do get less reimbursement, typically 85% of what a physician gets for the exact same thing.

Umm that is a gross oversimplification of incident to rules. The rules require the physician see the patient and give a plan of care. The NPP then follows the plan of care and bills incident to as long as a physician from the practice is in the clinic. This is for Medicare. Private payers are completely different.