Salary CO PMHNP

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I graduate this December as a PMHNP-DNP. I currently live in AZ, but plan to move to CO. New grads here can expect between 140k to 160k to start.

I had a company in CO reach out to me that stated average salary for a new grad PMHNP there was $68k to $98k. The rep first mentioned 115k to start. I am expecting a job offer in the next 2 weeks here in AZ that starts at 154k. The CO job sounds like a great place to work at and is where my wife and I want to end up living long term, but a $40k starting pay cut is a hard pill to swollow.

I suspect the CO company has bad info, because... 68k? Thats a new grad RN

I am curious what you CO PMHNPs salary's start at. I am especially intrested in anyone living in Colorado Springs.

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According to Salary.com, the median salary for PMHNPs in Colorado Springs is $102,361 and only 25% earn less than $91,508.

$115,000 seems like a generous number for a new grad in the area and would put you above the 75th percentile for all PMHNPs. It's not a pay cut if you haven't earned that much yet. And a lower salary will be easier to take when starting out rather than down the road.

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I have never found Salary.com, Indeed.com etc job-site "estimates" to be remotely accurate. Something is obviously skewing the numbers, perhaps people are reporting part time work etc. That is why I was looking for someone with first hand experience in CO. That way I can negotiate properly. It seems like this company does not have much experience with medical providers, I think they have been mostly a therapy center. They wanted to to hire my wife as well and their starting offer was $70k less than what she is making now.

I have to disagree with your strategy of starting low now. It makes more sense to me to wait a year or two in AZ, when my salary should be closer to 160k, and then negotiate with CO employers. If the job market is that poor in CO, I'd rather just do telepsych in my PJs from home.

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Specializes in Family Nurse Practitioner.

Smart choice. In my area new grads who are savvy are starting in the $150k range also. I don't place much stock in the salary estimates as according to glassdoor just now my annual salary, without OT, weekends or holidays is $60,000 higher than their reported median in my area. I also don't trust online postings as I have applied and got a significantly higher salary than what was listed and recruiters for locums work anyway are known to low ball.

I hope you get some replies from psych NPs in Colorado as that is the best way to get accurate information.

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What area do you live and how many years of experience do you have?

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Specializes in Psychiatric and Mental Health NP (PMHNP).

I'm not a PMHNP, but regularly get emails from headhunters. A couple weeks ago a listing for San Diego PMHNP at $200K as perm employee or $500K as a contractor. I thought that was a mistake, but then last week got another one that I think was in Denver for $120 to $140 per hour, which is $240K to $280K per year! As a new grad PMHNP in California, the inland areas (not coastal) will pay new grad PMHNPs $140K to $150K, obviously much more for experienced PMHNPs (note: inland areas are very affordable to live in). Keep looking.

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Thats good money

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