NP Starting Salary range in Maryland area?

Jules A, MSN · May 22, 2015

Your best bet is to ask FNPs in the general area or practice you would like to pursue. Maryland is a fairly diverse area and depending on whether you are closer to DC, Baltimore, Western MD or the Eastern Shore will make a difference in the wages you can expect. I like to calculate the amount my employer will be reimbursed based on my billing codes.

As you move on in your career please consider openly sharing your salary with other NPs and NP students as this is an important way to ensure fair wages and avoid the secretive nature especially larger facilities who attempt to pay the minimum amount and are often successful due to our lack of negotiation skills and knowledge of our worth.

tachybradyRN · May 22, 2015

Thanks for your response. I'm looking mostly at the Baltimore City area as I plan to start in that vicinity, but I'm open to MoCo, Carroll County, Frederick County, and parts of Howard County as well.

And I plan to. I agree that one of the major struggles in negotiating one's salary in this field is the ongoing secrecy that surrounds it (especially when NPs aren't being paid what they're worth) and I plan to be fully transparent with others regarding my own salary and negotiations. Hopefully I'll be able to get some specific info to guide an idea of what I should be bargaining for.

Thanks again!

Your best bet is to ask FNPs in the general area or practice you would like to pursue. Maryland is a fairly diverse area and depending on whether you are closer to DC, Baltimore, Western MD or the Eastern Shore will make a difference in the wages you can expect. I like to calculate the amount my employer will be reimbursed based on my billing codes.
As you move on in your career please consider openly sharing your salary with other NPs and NP students as this is an important way to ensure fair wages and avoid the secretive nature especially larger facilities who attempt to pay the minimum amount and are often successful due to our lack of negotiation skills and knowledge of our worth.

Barnstormin' PMHNP · May 22, 2015

If you go on the job search engine Indeed.com and search the area with the specialty, on the left side of the page they will have jobs broken out by salary range. So you will see as the salary range goes up, the number of jobs goes down. I only look at $100,000 and above and there are usually plenty, and that's for psych. I am expecting an offer at my clinical placement and the posting for their facility is on there. After I get past $110,00 it disappears, so I think an employer that advertises on there can cap the salary range they will offer. It's not much but it gives me a little bit of insight. Hope this helps.

Jules A, MSN · May 22, 2015

Thanks for your response. I'm looking mostly at the Baltimore City area as I plan to start in that vicinity, but I'm open to MoCo, Carroll County, Frederick County, and parts of Howard County as well.
And I plan to. I agree that one of the major struggles in negotiating one's salary in this field is the ongoing secrecy that surrounds it (especially when NPs aren't being paid what they're worth) and I plan to be fully transparent with others regarding my own salary and negotiations. Hopefully I'll be able to get some specific info to guide an idea of what I should be bargaining for.
Thanks again!

I don't really know too many FNPs in Balto. City although if you are doing any kind of underserved population do not fall into the trap of thinking they can't pay because those non-profits usually have plenty of grant money to adequately compensate a skilled provider. In psych I know people making between $120,000-$180,000 so there is a broad range some of it geographic issues but most of it in my opinion is the martyr syndrome where nurses will just take whatever is offered rather than invest the time to investigate what others are making, be upfront and tell an employer how much you require and sometimes spending the money for a contract review.

You are correct in that the people I know who are dragging our wages down by accepting low offers are often also the ones who won't discuss what they make. Rather than learn from me or be appreciative of what I'm willing to share I have gotten flack for being so financially driven. "Its not all about the money" ummm I disagree. It sure is about the money for me as I wouldn't be doing this if I weren't compensated. The argument that you will have to compromise on working conditions when making top wages is false. I have worked with excellent teams and thoroughly enjoy my jobs. If I didn't I would quit no amount of money is worth working under poor conditions but then again for me no job is worth working for less than my required rate. I love what I do, am good at it and intend to continue being compensated at the high end.

Good luck!

tachybradyRN · May 22, 2015

Thank you for your suggestion barnstormin', I didn't see that feature on Indeed. I'll check it out further. At least it's a start.

tachybradyRN · May 22, 2015

Jules, I totally agree with you. I work in a department I love currently, with great coworkers, and I've ahd no problem leaving jobs before because of poor work conditions and undercompensation. I stay where I am because I have great coworkers and I am compensated well for what I do (significantly more than I was offered at other hospitals). At the end of the day, love your job in healthcare or not, we all need to get paid and put food on the table and many NPs (and staff RNs as well!) are the main providers for their families, so salary is an important thing to consider. I appreciate all your input.

yujinee91 · Jun 5, 2015

Hi TachyBrady,

It just saw in your post that you are studying FNP at GWU, which I think I will pursue in future. I want to ask you few questions if you don't mind. How is the program like? Is it very competitative to get into this program? I know there are FNP programs in MD and I am not sure which program I should apply. I would appreciate any of your comments!!

PrettyWingsFNP, BSN, MSN, RN, NP · Jun 10, 2015

Totally agree with so many of the comments regarding the lack of transparency regarding our salaries. I work for the major hospital system in northern VA (OP you can probably guess which one) and was offered what I now consider to be a low NP wage (~90K). I was happy to have a new NP job and underestimated my worth. I DID NOT NEGOTIATE. I took the HR reps word when she said--the offer is non-negotiable. After speaking with some fellow NPs (outside of this health system), I discovered that there was a LOT more money to be made. So, about 6 months into my position I started going on interviews and got some offer letters--which were significantly higher than my current wage. I took my letters to my boss and politely said that although I want to stay, that I felt that I was being underpaid and that this would be my 2 week notice unless they could beat my new offers by 10%. No, I didn't ask for a match, I asked for MORE! Within 2 minutes my manager had our HR rep on the phone and magically approved a 14% raise effective immediately (along with some other demands regarding scheduling, my site location, etc). I am now making 105K which I feel is an appropriate salary for a new graduate NP. Also, I have to add that I have worked for this health system as a RN for 5 years and have known my boss during this entire time. She has a very high level or respect for me and I knew she would not want to lose me.

My advice to you---NEGOTIATE NEGOTIATE NEGOTIATE YOUR SALARY! You are worth it! Shoot for 100K

PS I live in DC, work in Northern VA and when to GWU NP school as well.

Good luck!!

nursing#101, BSN · May 13, 2020

Hello everyone,

I’m currently looking into NP programs and am wondering if getting DNP is worth it or should I just do MSN? Is there a difference in salary when you first start out as a new grad NP?
I’ve also read that having a specialty helps you negotiate to get higher pay. I’m interested in getting an FNP but am not sure if that is considered a specialty or not? If it’s not can I get a specialty along with my FNP?

And tachyBrady, GWU is also where I am thinking about applying as well. Could you let me know how the program went for you? And how was salary like if you applied to anywhere in Howard County? I live in PG County and currently work in Howard County. Any information helps. Thank you!

Sam. W, MSN, APRN · May 14, 2020

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Sam. W, MSN, APRN · May 14, 2020

4 hours ago, nursing#101 said:
I’m currently looking into NP programs and am wondering if getting DNP is worth it or should I just do MSN? Is there a difference in salary when you first start out as a new grad NP?
I’ve also read that having a specialty helps you negotiate to get higher pay. I’m interested in getting an FNP but am not sure if that is considered a specialty or not? If it’s not can I get a specialty along with my FNP?

I used to work in the surgery, and the orthopedic docs always have a NP with them to assist in surgeries, and I see other outpatient surgery centers are hiring NPs to assist in surgeries as well. They cannot cut or coagulate, but they can suture and hold the retractor or help with the scope. they also have clinical once every week, see patients in the office.

I asked one of those NPs, she told me that if I did not know what specialty I wanted to be in, just go FNP and later I could have a more choices, if I am specialized then it would be harder to practice in other fields that I am not specialized in. I am not sure how true is that, she worked everywhere as a NP or in management, never thought she wound end up in surgery and she is happy with it, great schedule, no weekends no holidays no nights no calls....