PMHNP- Salary expectations

devondk16 · Nov 20, 2015

I started following this thread because I, too, am considering following psychiatric nursing as a specialty in my post graduate nursing education. Yes, I was interested in what the salaries for PMHNP might be but I was really quite surprised at the length of the discussion about who would make more an FNP or PMHNP and in what state. Literally it became almost an argument about money. I certainly would hate to believe that money is what is driving you to consider nursing to begin with over another in this field. you really must have the "calling" as it were because psychiatry is not for everyone. and certainly you know that there are plenty of other fields where it is a heck of a lot easier to make $100k.

Please tell me that all this wasted breath is exactly that...wasted breath.

DKSF PMHNP candidate 2018

AndersRN · Nov 22, 2015

. you really must have the "calling" as it were because psychiatry is not for everyone. and certainly you know that there are plenty of other fields where it is a heck of a lot easier to make $100k.
Please tell me that all this wasted breath is exactly that...wasted breath.
DKSF PMHNP candidate 2018

Only 7% of our workforce make 6+ figure salary. I wonder about these fields where one can make 6 figure salary easily. Stats alone would tell me there aren't that many... However, I agree with you that one should go into psych because they like it--not because the pay is good.

AnnyLPC · Jan 4, 2016

Why can nurses be so catty towards each other? Maybe there should be more psychiatric professionals. So disappointing.

Rubies1957 · Jan 9, 2016

You are so right! I am a PMHNP-BC and making more money than I ever dreamed possible!

LPC2RN · Jan 18, 2016

Megan,

I am interested in your progress. It has been a couple of years since you created this post? Have you accepted a position? Was the compensation favorable? Thanks.

wayemika · Jan 22, 2016

I'm a a Psych RN and everyone has been telling me to do family NP instead because pay for us has dropped in our area of the country and jobs are hard to come by, But I love psych nursing so I decided to do psych NP so I can do the Job I love. Money isn't everything for sure. and with Obama increasing mental health funding it should get better.

PT, MSN, PMHNP-BC · Mar 9, 2016

Just FYI, must psychiatric mental health NPs in Southern California will make well over 140k+ annually, some even over 200k. Again, as others have stated, it is always good to do what you love. I for one, love being a PMHNP. Making extra money on the side is an added perk as well.

letsjustchill · May 20, 2016

I see quite a bit of discrepancy in the messages posted on this forum. I for one am a Southern California PMHNP-BC who recently graduated. Certain areas in California have a much higher demand for nurse practitioners than others. My starting salary was $125k a year, which is about $10-$20k a year more than the majority of my classmates make but all are over $100k. I have not seen any PMHNP's making $200k a year from one job, regardless of experience and or location. That's not to say it isn't possible to make that much money but I personally have not seen anyone even come close.

In response to the very first post from years ago. I love what I do, and I knew from my very first rotation in psych while in my BSN program that ultimately this is where I wanted to end up. If you have a passion for this, I say follow your heart. It takes a special person to work in this area. Clients are difficult at times, some spend 30 minutes on the internet and assume they already know more than you, while others are just drug seeking. However, when you are able to help someone truly turn their life around, help someone to function better in society, help them sleep better, eat better, control the voices they hear more, or help to prevent someone from hurting themselves; then the juice is worth the squeeze. This position is hard, we aren't always accepted readily, and people constantly refer to us as PA's (ughhh), but at the end of the day I love what I do and I hope you will too.

floy2015 · Oct 1, 2016

Still nothing ðŸ˜ ðŸ˜ ðŸ˜ ðŸ˜ ðŸ˜

Sami92 · Nov 11, 2016

Hi Everyone,

I just applied to PMHNP programs, and came to this thread hoping to get a more realistic idea of what to expect to be paid right away. Hopefully my first job will include NHSC loan forgiveness (since I will be taking out loans and want to pay them off ASAP,) and will ideally be somewhere on the East Coast. If anyone has taken out loans to pay for their education and wouldn't mind sharing how long it took them to pay them off- that would be great!

Form what people have been saying here it appears it is not unrealistic to hope for around a 100,000 starting salary, is that still true? What are some of the highest paying settings (private practice, hospitals, VA..)? Also, if this is the starting salary, what can one expect to make say 10 years later?

Thanks!

luisacm · Nov 3, 2017

True!, the West Coast has great contracts (200k/year), not for new grads though.

Twinsmama28, ASN, BSN, CNA, RN · Dec 18, 2017

I don't think that I am exaggerating....It seems from the marjority of job postings that, objectively, PMHNPs make more. I guess I'll have to wait to graduate to see what I will make:) ER, nuero, urology, derm seem to make considerably less than psych (according the the job positing I am looking at). Also, there are just fewer PMHNPs to fill the jobs while the competition for for other specialties is HIGH because just about every school of nursing offers ACNP, FNP, etc. just my observations.

Hello have you graduated yet? How much did you end up making? What do you suggest for new students looking to become an NP in the psychiatric area? Thank you!